Skype reaches the living room via HDTVs
Panasonic's Viera HDTVs will offer Skype for voice and video calling.
(Credit: Business Wire)Skype is embedding its service on a bevy of HDTVs, the company said Tuesday, adding that it is supporting high-definition video calls in the 720p HD format on PCs.
With the moves, the free online phone service is aiming to make video conferencing something that can be conducted from the living room while making high-definition connections mainstream.
Skype said its latest Windows version can deliver HD calls as long as people have an HD Webcam and a chip running at least 1.8GHz. The HD Webcams are expected to be unveiled at CES for early 2010 arrival.
More interesting is Skype's distribution move to embed its service on Internet-connected HDTVs from Panasonic and LG Electronics.
Read more of Skype goes living room, embeds on LG, Panasonic HDTVs at ZDNet's Between the Lines.
Larry Dignan is editor in chief of ZDNet and editorial director of CNET's TechRepublic. He has covered the technology and financial-services industries since 1995. 
The good thing about "grandpa" POTS is that he's as reliable as it gets. He will allow you to make phone calls, even if your router/ATA has gone belly-up or won't connect, your ISP has technical problems or your VoIP provider isn't available for some reason. And, if you use a simple non-cordless phone (or anythine else that requires extra power), power cuts are not a problem either.
As far as the TV is concerned, I wouldn't pay extra to have Skype built-in. A computer is just much more versatile when it comes to communications.
"In my country, TV watches YOU!" - Russian Comdeian Yakov Smirnoff
This will usher in a new age in phone sex. And let's face it, the telephone would have never caught on without all those 1-900 numbers.
- by bduboff January 6, 2010 2:29 PM PST
- I hope to see this feature included into my Samsung BDP-3600 BluRay machine - it already supports Netflix, Blockbuster, Pandora and YouTube so why not Skype!? Plug in a usb camera into the TV and wahla! I'm ready...
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