Cablevision Systems, the New York powerhouse of cable TV services, has announced its new interactive TV platform, a move that is further merging cable TV and high speed Internet services.

Building upon its current stable of products, including iO Interactive Optimum® cable TV, Optimum Online® high speed Internet and Optimum Voice® digital phone service, Cablevision has brought “interactive TV” to New York.  According to Multichannel News, Cablevision is using the PowerUp framework software from Zodiac Interactive to power the new technology.  The new framework uses your set top box to  give you access to several interactive applications and services, including iO Interactive Optimum® TV Shortcuts, search, an enhanced program guide, video-on-demand navigation and dedicated ITV channels.

The initial description truly makes your cable TV watching experience feel more like using your computer to access high speed Internet.  The two are well on their way to becoming more and more inseparable.

It’s happened to all of us.  You’re out of the house and you’re bored out of your mind.  Not to mention you’re missing the season finale of your favorite TV show.  If only you could overcome your boredom by watching that show, but you can’t.  You’re not at home and there are no TV’s for miles.  Or maybe there’s a better way . . .

Combining the entertainment from cable TV and satellite TV with the accessibility of wireless high speed Internet, Slingbox is your answer.  Having recently enjoyed a demo of the Slingbox during a lull in a company softball game, I can testify to it being a great idea.  We were sitting in the dugout, waiting for our turn at bat, watching Comedy Central.  On the mobile phone.  Live.

It’s definitely worth a look.

When it comes to cable TV, high speed Internet services and local phone service, the marketplace is fueled by heavy advertising and fierce competition and it doesn’t go unnoticed.    Along with several other providers, Comcast, Verizon and Time Warner Cable consistently find themselves in the Top 10 as listed in the National Cable & Telecommunications Association’s  Top 25 Multichannel Video Programming Distributors list.

So how do  Comcast, Verizon and Time Warner Cable rank in the Top 10?  Subrscribers.

The NCTA uses “basic video subscribers” to determine who tops the list in the industry.  Basically, the more subscribers you have, the higher you rank.  And as of March 2010, Comcast, Verizon and Time Warner Cable ranked #1, #8, and #4, respectively.  To see how your local cbale comany stacks up against the rest, check out the National Cable & Telecommunications Association’s  Top 25 Multichannel Video Programming Distributors list.

In other news . . .

George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees, passed away on July 13th.  Often lampooned for his propensity for firing and rehiring, Steinbrenner was many things to many people.  And while he was often portrayed as abrasive, Steinbrenner, as illustrated through his SNL appearances, had his comedic side as well.   It’s only fitting that one of his more famed comedic roles, even if not played by Steinbrenner himself (He was actually portrayed by Lee Bear and voiced by Larry David), will be used to remember him.

Starting today, TBS, one of the current cable TV superstar networks, will be paying tribute to Steinbrenner by rerunning Seinfeld episodes featuring the “George Steinbrenner” caricature.  Even if only seen from behind, the episodes are an all too appropriate way to remember Costanza’s boss, “George Steinbrenner”

Memorial Day means many things to many people. For most, it’s a day of respect. A day to remember all those who’ve sacrificed so much, so that we may continue to enjoy the lives we live. Of course, like many holidays, the celebration can sometimes overshadow the intent. It’s easy to get lost in the hot dogs, hamburgers and sunny days (mostly), and lose sight of why we honor those we’ve lost. Fortunately, alongside the parades and memorial services held throughout the country, your TV can actually do a pretty good job of helping you remember why we celebrate Memorial Day.

Many channels take the opportunity to run back to back episodes of popular TV shows. The perfect compliment to my over-indulgence of grilled goodies, the cable providers in my area made it all too easy to watch hours and hours of  everything imaginable.  We enjoyed everything from risky fishing to wedding disasters, with a sprinkle of history in between.  It’s on a day like Memorial Day when the historical movies and shows enjoy a little more prominence.  It’s like a small tribute from the cable providers in my area.   True.  It may only be cable TV, but the time honored tales of bravery and sacrifice can help us all remember that the actions of a few are responsible for all we take for granted – those hot dogs, hamburgers and sunny days (mostly).