(MS) — Though it’s common to feel as if our lives are busier and more hectic than ever, that’s largely because technology has put us all in a position to get more done in much less time.
Thanks to the digital age, the concept of multi-tasking has taken on a whole new meaning. Gone are the days of a phone being just a phone. Nowadays, most people use their phones for checking and sending e-mail, listening to music, surfing the Web, and, of course, making and answering phone calls. Televisions, too, have evolved in the digital age, shifting from tools once largely used purely for entertainment into their current status as valuable educational assets. But these products’ growing versatility isn’t the only way technology has continued to make life easier, as advancements in digital technology have revolutionized the way we do just about everything.
• Do things on your own time. In 1983, the television show “M*A*S*H” made history when 105 million viewers tuned in for the show’s series finale. While television is more popular today than ever before, chances are strong the record set in 1983 will withstand the test of time. That’s largely due to digital technology that has made it easier for viewers to see their favorite shows on their own time. Whereas missing an episode of your favorite show used to mean you’d have to wait till its rerun aired in the summer, such penalties no longer exist for the person too busy to make it home by primetime.
With their wildly successful ON DEMAND programming, Comcast offers a library of shows, movies and time-shifted programming, enabling customers to watch what they want when they want to watch it.
What’s more, with their new “Project Infinity,” Comcast intends to greatly expand their ON DEMAND content and enable consumers to watch any movie, television show, user generated content, or other video that a producer wants to make available. Beginning next year, the ON DEMAND library will include more than 6,000 movies per month, 3,000 of which will be offered in hi-definition. This expansion reflects viewers’ growing preference to watch shows at their leisure, as Comcast customers are now selecting ON DEMAND 100 times per second, with 275 million monthly views.
• See things more clearly. For television afficionados, few technological advancements will ever stack up to hi-definition TV sets and HD programming. With pristine images enhancing the viewing experience to previously unimaginable levels, hi-def technology has revolutionized the way we watch television. Couple the greatly enhanced picture quality with the addition of Dolby Digital Surround Sound, and it’s no wonder so many hi-def customers say watching television in their living rooms is now akin to watching a movie at the local multiplex.
Gone are the days of rabbit ears and fuzzy reception. In are the days of crystal clear images that make it seem like the people on your television screen are sitting right next to you in your living room. And with the popularity of hi-def televisions on the rise, more and more networks and cable channels are broadcasting in hi-def.
• Get in greater touch with your own community. For some, a drawback of the digital age has been the growing disconnect with what’s going on in their local communities. While the prevalence of the Internet and 24 hour news channels has made it easier to understand what’s going on in national news and halfway across the globe, finding local news and events is now akin to looking for a needle in a haystack.
Recognizing that problem, Comcast’s Eastern Division offers its “Get Local” menu of programming. Essentially reinventing their ON DEMAND option, Comcast’s Eastern Division offers a host of programs through “Get Local” that are tailored to specific local market areas and niche interests. For example, in fall 2005, the company began offering “Candidates ON DEMAND,” empowering voters with unprecedented access to interviews with certified political candidates in local, state and federal elections. Other such programs available through “Get Local” include “Pet Adoption On DEMAND,” “Dating ON DEMAND,” and “Troop Greetings,” enabling families and friends of local servicemen and women serving overseas the ability to watch holiday greetings from their loved ones.
• A slice of home for on-the-go professionals. One of the biggest benefits of the digital boom is the ability to take viewing content beyond just your television screen and onto your personal computer. For the busy professional who knows the nation’s airports as well as his own neighborhood, Comcast’s recently launched Fancast.com helps customers find, manage and watch television and movie content wherever it is available, be it on Fancast, on television, online, on DVDs, or in movie theaters. Currently, more than 90,000 videos are available anytime on Comcast.net, making it ideal for those people who are seemingly always on the road to stay current on their favorite shows and movies.
To learn more about digital services, visit the Comcast Web site at www.comcast.com. TF085769