IPTV set-top boxes were all over the headlines this week with new partnerships, increased production, and additional sales. Microsoft is back in the spotlight as the company announced it is working together with television equipment manufacturer Scientific-Atlanta on IPTV set-top boxes

Verizon broke new ground by obtaining another licensing contract in Manatee County, Florida to start offering FiOS IPTV.

The article below titled "IPTV: More than an Acronym Du Jour", gives a great insight on some of the features IPTV will offer. Here is a portion of the list:

• Send photos of home movies from your PC directly into the TV and view them on the TV screen
• Send an email message to your friends through the TV screen while you watch a TV show together across great distances
• Use a cell phone to change channels on your TV
• Allows service providers to deliver only those channels the consumer wants at a given time, rather than all the channels available as happens with today’s cable TV networks.
• Receive brief and unobtrusive telephone network caller ID information on your TV screen while still watching TV, to decide whether you want to answer the phone or not; this would enable you to screen telemarketers, among other things.
• Play video games using your TV set rather than your computer

Here are some other stories worth reading...

Deutsche Telekom springs into life
OVUM News - September 2, 2005
"Over the next two years, DT plans to launch 50Mbit/s fixed broadband, 1.8Mbit/s (increasing to 7.2Mbit/s) mobile broadband, true fixed and mobile convergence, IPTV, and an SIP-based telephony service. Add all this together and you have the start of a true converged network capable of delivering any service to anyone, anywhere."

MSN Steps Up the Voice Wars
Red Herring - August 31, 2005
"The voice wars between the search conglomerates intensified this week when Microsoft’s MSN said it had bought VoIP provider Teleo, a move that could give the portal an edge in communications."

IPTV: More Than an Acronym Du Jour
Electronic News, August 31, 2005
"You may be skeptical about yet another technology with a four-letter acronym. Rid yourself of such a mindset. IPTV is not, I emphasize, another one of the communication industry’s cryptic acronyms designed to confuse and amuse and be ultimately forgotten. This acronym really has substantial relevance for you and me."

BBC TV channels to be put on net
BBC - August 27, 2005
"The BBC's TV channels will be made available on the internet, BBC Director General Mark Thompson has confirmed."

"He announced plans for the MyBBCPlayer - which will allow viewers to legally download seven days of programmes - at the Edinburgh Television Festival."