TV networks would like to think otherwise, but unfortunately it’s just less TV viewing. Next up: newspapers blame declining readership on the tendency of newsprint to become blurry when wet.

The question came up as to whether telcos are being too conservative with their TV plans, but I have to wonder whether the investment they will have to make is worth the price.

I barely ever click on the tube, but when I did last night, I noticed at least three prime time commercials for a telco bundled offering. The TV hitch was DirectTV, and the first thought through my head was what advantage there could be in doing it. I have a minimal cable offering, mostly because I get a ten dollar discount on internet access (so my actual TV cost is about $4). But there is no way I’d find any value in a big satellite or fancy cable offering, and most of the folks I know wouldn’t either.

So I cut the price of the “additional” offering out of the equation, and what I get is pretty expensive phone and internet service. And it is going to be expensive, if only to cover the cost of all those prime time ads. There is simply low marginal utility in it, but I don’t think the telcos are going to listen.

Bundling may be good where the cost of delivery has already been incurred, and the products are absolutely necessary (like AOL bundling computer security products with their internet access), but I think the telcos may be better off sticking to their core product line, and figuring out how to make money at it again.

***UPDATE***

One such telco might be looking like they want to enhance their core services, but Verizon’s rumoured low fiber offering is about the same game…entertainment.

Gizmodo had a review of the Dell 42″ Plasma TV the other day (see Dell W4200HD 42-Inch Plasma Reviewed (Verdict: Wait for Sale) : Gizmodo).

Well the title is pretty self-explanatory.

I personally won’t wait for the sale, as I don’t watch much TV at all. But for those TV junkies out there, a better way exists to get that TV without having to wait, and WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY AT ALL! It’s called Blingo.

A new search engine which popped up on the radar a few months back, Blingo presents an interesting twist on the old search model. They give away prizes just for using them.

Now you may be wondering what the catch is. Well there is none. No signup process is required to win a prize - all you do is search. Now you must have cookies enabled on your browser in order to be tagged for a prize, but that is little sweat. Blingo does not gather extraneous information about you, nor do they harrass you after you win. Your name is not released to anyone outside of the Blingo crew, ever.

Yes, I am plugging another site. Reason being, I know these folks, quite well in fact. They are a standup crew with no intention of screwing anyone (unlike 99% of the sites out there). No, I am not an investor in the business, so I stand no gain on seeing them do well.

I would, however, like to see some intelligent, honest entrepreneurs hit a homer off a unique model, without raking their customers over the coals. I think Blingo can do that.

So go to Blingo, and win that sweet TV, you crazy, game playing, movie watching, Nick and Jessica loving, home theatre junkies, before its GONE!