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CES 2008: Comcast Launches Fancast Free Video on Demand Site

Comcast is having a busy CES...Today, they've officially launched Fancast, a free video on demand site. Yes, I said free! They've got free access to full TV episodes from NBC, CBS, Fox, FX, Bravo, SciFi, Discovery, USA, MTV, VH1 and more. Hulu will get a boost from the content partnership I'm sure, once they're out of private beta that is. I've played with it for a few minutes and I like it. There's alot of free programming available but that's not all. According to Comcast, there are many more features coming to Fancast including the ability to control your DVR online.

CES 2008: Comcast CEO predicts the end of the Cable TV Set Top Box!

Could it be true, Cable TV subscribers might one day soon be able to ditch the big ugly box sitting atop of their TV or in their entertainment center? Well thats the prediction made today by Comcast CEO Brian Roberts during his keynote address at CES. He predicts that by the end of the year, "virtually the entire cable industry will support Tru2way," which is an open cable standard developed by CableLabs. Initial partners include Motorola, TiVo, Intel, Samsung Electronics, Microsoft, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Cisco Systems, and Sun Microsystems.

If Tru2Way really works as advertised, when a consumer buys a device with tru2way, they can bring it home, plug it in, and get all interactive cable
services available from a traditional set-top box. Wouldn't that be something? Now there's something for DIRECTV and Dish Network to think about...