tv online

Here's 3 cool way I've found to watch real, broadcast TV on your on your computer.

1. Joost
A free, downloadable player where you can see tons content from around the world including music, sports, news, and cartoons. It has a contract with Viacom to show things like MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.

2. Hulu
A joint venture between the parent companies of NBC and Fox, which offers full episodes of their programming including the Simpsons, Family Guy, Saturday Night Live and The Office. You watch it in your internet browser and it's got an embed feature like YouTube. But it's available by invite only for now.


3. Slingbox
Slingbox allows you to watch your home TV from anywhere. Buy the box (which may cost you a bit) and download the free browser. Then you have access to your local, personalized home programming from anywhere in the world, including your recorded programs. Pretty cool for watching your team or favorite shows while traveling.

Which one of these will be the next YouTube? None. YouTube still provides free, user-generated content. But these new programs (especially Hulu and Joost) are trying to figure out the best way to get network or copyrighted programming online where people demand it... and of course, trying to make the money for themselves by removing any middlemen, like NBC did with iTunes. All of these programs do require an internet connection and this is where downloadable content still trumps the competition. You can watch it anywhere at anytime and it will never skip, freeze or be taken offline. Regardless, this is still some pretty cool technology and high-quality content.