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Microsoft Pockets Patent for Encouraging TV Viewing

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the you-know-you-want-to dept.

theodp writes "Through its WebTV unit, Microsoft was awarded a patent Tuesday for a system and method for encouraging viewers to watch television programs, such as offering viewers frequent-flier miles for identifying the name of a sponsor or the color of an announcer's shirt. In other news, Microsoft took a District Court to task for failing to recognize the existence of prior art for the Eolas web plug-in patent, resulting in a $521 million judgment against the software giant."

2 of 266 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Incentives?? by geminidomino · · Score: 4, Informative

    One more reality show like "Wife Swapping" and I'm going to kill my TV..

    Wasn't that originally done by Dave Chapelle as a SPOOF on reality TV? Ugh...

    But don't kill your tv. Just cut your cable. If you kill your tv you lose your video games!

  2. Secret Message: by Bingo+Foo · · Score: 4, Informative
    Lameness filter, here I come:

    B-E S-U-R-E T-O D-R-I-N-K Y-O-U-R O-V-A-L-T-I-N-E

    (please tell me someone get the reference.)

    Come on, this kind of encouragement has been going on for DECADES.

    --
    taken! (by Davidleeroth) Thanks Bingo Foo!