FRED MANTEGHIAN BLOG

Philips, the company that thinks the asses of their TVs should pulse in unison with the video image on the front of their sets has yet another idea they think is really swell. I hope for their sake it's a real money maker because, if it takes off, there won't be a single reviewer on this side of the Milky Way that is ever going to request, much less favorably review, another Philips product ever, ever again.

Philips is attempting to patent a technology that broadcasters can use to prevent you, the consumer, from skipping through commercials on programs you've recorded on your DVR or DVD recorder. Worse, broadcasters could even keep you from changing channels during commercials when you are watching a program in real-time. Where do I sign up?

Even their patent filing suggests that this technology may be "greatly resented by viewers." Ya' think so Captain Obvious?

There's even a suggestion that viewers could be given the option to pay to skip the commercials. Wow, the hits just keep a'comin over there at Philips. Imagine that new Cloe award category and then imagine you're on the marketing team responsible for winning "The Most Despised TV Commercial Based on Total DVR Skip Revenues goes to . . . "

It should go to Philips.

I'm not too worried. The death of Divx was proof enough for me that survival of the fittest trumps unintelligent design.