New Video Recorders< Give Viewers More Choices

Less than 20 years after their introduction as a consumer product, VCRs had penetrated the vast majority of American homes.

Now, a new form of recording device hopes to repeat that success.

Personal video recorders are just becoming available, but manufacturers see a bright future for the set-top devices that record TV shows on massive hard drives rather than on videotape.

Expect to pay a minimum of $499 for the hardware, and at that price you’ll be charged a monthly fee for the television logs required to fully utilize the system.

Dallas Morning News

Worth noting: Instant communication is one of the capabilities that has made the Internet a hit with Netizens worldwide.

But a new feature has the potential to stir up controversy over the rights of Web site operators and visitors.

The fuss is over new platforms that enable computer users to pepper the Web with virtual Post-it notes. These notes could be stuck directly on the front page of other people’s Web sites.

While backers say this capability helps to democratize online communication, site owners are likely to see it as an unwelcome intrusion into their domain.

Knight Ridder

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Online Glance, compiled by Bill Sallquist, appears each Monday on the Business page.