Streamlined Cable TV in a Card

David Pogue: "What if I told you about a new product that could improve your TV picture, eliminate one of your remote controls, simplify your home-theater setup and save you money every month? ¶ And then what if I told you that your local distributor wished, in its heart of hearts, that nobody even knew about it? ¶ The brilliant invention really exists. It's the CableCard, a small metal card ... that slides into a slot on the back of many new high-definition TV sets from nearly every manufacturer. The CableCard's simple mission is to eliminate your cable box. The card stores all the account information that used to be monitored by the box, like descramblers for your movie channels - a bit of circuitry miniaturization that's about 15 years overdue. ..." Link: The New York Times.