Jon Iverson

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.sageinc.com/">Sage</A> (a supplier of digital display processors) and <A HREF="http://www.faroudja.com">Faroudja</A> (a developer of video processing technologies) announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for Faroudja to merge into a wholly owned subsidiary of Sage in a stock-for-stock transaction. The stockholders of Faroudja will receive approximately 3.9 million shares of Sage common stock, valued at approximately $155 million. The transaction, which will be accounted for as a purchase by Sage, has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies and is expected to close in the quarter ending June 30, 2000, subject to approval by each company's shareholders.

Ask most folks what it will take to get HDTV rolling and the answer is content, content, and more content. Two weeks ago, Discovery Network announced its <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/shownews.cgi?1273">first all HDTV 24-hour/day</A> channel, which is set to go live in a couple of months, and last week Showtime Networks and DirecTV announced that the satellite provider will carry the East Coast SHO HDTV channel beginning April 30.

In an effort to place the cable set-top box at the center of the home entertainment universe, <A HREF="http://www.scientificatlanta.com">Scientific-Atlanta</A> last week unveiled its new Explorer 8000 set-top, which is expected to begin shipping during the summer of 2001. The company also announced that Time Warner Cable has signed purchase orders, commiting them to buy sufficient numbers of the device to satisfy most of the cable operator's forecasted requirements for calendar years 2001 and 2002 for this class of digital set-top.

While watching <I>Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me</I>, one can't help but notice the groovy car driven by Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham): a 1965 red-white-and-blue Corvette Stingray convertible. Wouldn't it be nice to have one of your own? And what about the silver suit worn by Doctor Evil---wouldn't it be cool to have the original for the ultimate Halloween costume this year?