Convergence takes the day

Amidst much hype, the ballyhooed trend of PC-TV convergence got a boost today, with investor Paul Allen buying cable company Charter Communications for $4.5 billion, as Microsoft, NEC, Alcatel, and DirecTV forged an alliance with Thomson Multimedia to develop and promote interactive television.

Allen buys second cable firm Billionaire investor Paul Allen has agreed to buy Charter Communications, the nation's tenth-largest cable operator, for $4.5 billion. Microsoft, Thomson in Net TV deal The software giant and NEC, Alcatel, and DirecTV each plan to acquire a 7.5 percent stake in Thomson Multimedia. TCI deal may speed PC-TV marriage news analysis The proposed $48 billion merger between AT&T and Tele-Communications Incorporated is expected to help speed the convergence of PCs and TVs.