Interactive Shopping with HD-DVD

In an effort to differentiate itself from its Blu-Ray competition, Universal Studios announced Wednesday that the HD-DVD of ''Evan Almighty'' will be the first disc to include an online shopping feature when it is released on October 9th. Before you get too excited, let me forewarn you that this technology will enable home shopping using your DVD player's remote control...which may be a bit tedious for everyone except those with advanced text-messaging skills.

Perhaps a bigger issue to consider is whether a movie...perhaps the epitome of the lean-back, passive viewing experience...is the appropriate vehicle to deliver interactive ads. For example, can you imagine yourself stopping in the middle of a movie to order a product that is somehow tied to the movie's message?

Perhaps interactive ads will work for movies and other rich media fare delivered over the computer. In those cases you are already in a "lean-forward" media consumption posture and ready to engage with the options that are presented.

I mean, do you really want your entertainment experience interrupted by a commercial time-out? Oh wait, we already have that...it's called television!

BTW, this news item presents an excellent opportunity for someone in the class to "update" the HD-DVD EIM entry. First-come, first-served! And if you come in second, there is another story in the announcements section of Bb that would be a nice addition to the email (term paper) at EIM.