Wonder why TV manufacturers are so happy to jam the Internet into TV sets? A recent In-Stat survey reveals that synchronizing the web and TV programming could be key going forward, since so many people (up to 50% of men and 30% of women, depending on age group) already watch TV while using a computer. They'll need to figure something out to keep customers attention, with results also indicating that around 15% of consumers plan to cut back on subscription TV, Internet and mobile services over the next year, which could trim up to $5 billion in revenue. Of course, you'll have to drop $3,495 to find out more about TV viewing habits including consumer interest in Internet TV services, so we wouldn't be surprised to see the pay TV execs that cough up for this kind of data put it to use sooner rather than later.

DirecTV already broke our hearts once this week, and it's doing its darnedest to shatter the blood pumper once more. The satcaster, while doing fairly well with all things considered, is still looking to reel in spending and watch profits carefully in 2009. Reportedly, the outfit has decided to freeze hiring and suspend any spending on all "but the most critical capital projects." Clearly, the ill-fated HDPC-20 tuner didn't fall into that "most critical" bucket. Moreover, it's looking to ramp up promotions and raise rates as it barrels into the new year, and even though folks are spending less overall, it still "remains bullish" about the year to come. Verizon, AT&T, et al. -- it's time to mobilize and capitalize.

[Image courtesy of CipherLTD]

We're as tired of the doom and gloom economy talk as you are, but we just couldn't pass this one up. A new report from Bloomberg News has it that the current credit crunch (how's that for a buzzword?) is putting a damper on 3D cinema expansion. Which is quite funny, given the small flood of expansion reports that we've seen of late. Citing Cinedigm Digital Cinema in particular, it notes that plans to convert some 1,500 cinemas to 3D-capable venues have been replaced with plans that include 100 to 200. The lack of available 3D theater options could seriously hinder studios' ability to cash in and make back their own 3D investment; after all, who's really going to drive an hour of their way for a 3D version of a film showing just down the street? In reality, we don't expect this situation to be the rule going forward, but it'll certainly be interesting to see how studios feel about their 3D investments around this time next year.

[Image courtesy of U2]

When it comes time for the proverbial belt to tighten, what's one of the first places you turn? That outlandishly huge cable bill, we'd wager. Apparently Comcast users in particular have been calling in by the hundreds asking how the carrier can lower their monthly bills, and it has even gone so far as to create an "economy video tier that costs below $30 a month with 50 TV channels plus music channels." Of course, it also just raised rates for most subscribers along with practically every other provider in America (Atlantic Broadband notwithstanding), but hey, it can't hurt to call up and politely throw around that "switch to satellite" threat.

Look, we're as tired of hearing about "the economy" as you are, but even disregarding that, Blu-ray Discs are expensive. Darn expensive if we should say so ourselves. We get the feeling that they'll start falling to line up more evenly with Blu-ray hardware, but given that most flicks are still quite a bit at retail, we're curious to see the ratio of renters to buyers. Also, we're pretty sure most everyone would gladly answer this with "Both!," but we're concerned with what you do most. The majority of the time, are you a renter or a buyer? Has that changed since your days with DVD?

[Image courtesy of Parislemon]

My, my -- no wonder the rest of the world says Americans toil too often and play too little. A recent survey, which was commissioned by Samsung, found that over half (54%) of the football fanatics polled would "most likely purchase a new HDTV for the start of football season if their budget allowed." Moreover, 51% of pigskin fans would "forego a one week vacation and put that money towards an HDTV purchase," which also means that a decent chunk of committed pigskin fans would willingly accept a beating from their SO. Other expected results include: 61% felt that "HDTV is required for a successful football-viewing party, more than surround sound or alcohol," and that 62% of fans believe watching the game in HDTV "allows them to make better calls than the referees in the game." That last one explains a lot about your friend Jim, now doesn't it?

Let's face it -- it's easy to get overwhelmed when it comes to Black Friday. For starters, it's the day after Thanksgiving, a day in which you're likely already stressed out about what to cook, where to clean, who to invite and how to get off work early. The last thing you need is more stress when thinking about what HD gear you'll be adding to your collection a few days from now. Thus, we've scoured the intarwebz and scrubbed the deal sheets in order to present a slimmed down, easy-to-digest guide of where the best buys on high-def-related kit will be on November 28th. Hop on past the break to start making your list.

[Image courtesy of SmackShopping]

It's hard to know what to believe these days. Just weeks ago, we heard that the worldwide economic situation would actually increase at-home entertainment sales; now, we're hearing that overall home entertainment spending will likely decline 3% to 4%. Regardless of what actually happens, Blu-ray backers are still scaling back their expectations for the format, with Warner Home Video president Ron Sanders and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president David Bishop each estimating that total BD software sales in 2008 will reach $750 million. That's compared to earlier forecasts of around $1 billion, though it was noted that Paramount Home Entertainment president Kelley Avery nailed the revamped estimate a few months back. As it stands, year-to-date Blu-ray sales have surpassed $500 million, which means BD still needs a big holiday season to hit the fresh figures -- do see you it happening?

People love their money, sure, but people still love their style. A thought-provoking article over at CNET has us pondering whether or not these tough economic times will actually increase sales of thick RPTVs during the holiday season. After all, the desire for high-def isn't apt to wane while the belt tightens, but consumers may begin to sacrifice thinness in order to finally bring home a big screen of their own. In our estimation, we can't say in good faith that we think CRT / RPTV sales will skyrocket while flat-panels struggle, particularly when you realize just how cheap these wall-mountable sets will be on Black Friday and during the run-up to that final week in December. It's a cute gesture, but we're still saying the heartbeat for chunky sets is growing weaker by the day.

[Thanks, Anthony]

We knew Japan was warming to Blu-ray, but apparently those tepid desires have morphed into infernos of passion. According to new statistics loosed by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA), Blu-ray Disc recorder / player shipments hit a level of 138,000, or around 107 times more than the shipments posted a year ago. Moreover, those shipments accounted for 31% of "overall shipments of DVD equipment on a volume basis." Unsurprisingly, BD equipment -- coupled with flat-panel TVs -- were the two biggest drivers of consumer electronics shipments in Japan this year, with visual equipment shipments rising 8.2% year-over-year. Blu-ray and HDTV: a match made in heaven. Or Tokyo.

[Image courtesy of TVSnob]