Sony TVs in Japan are about to get a tad smarter with the addition of electronic money card readers. Chances are that this reader will work similar to the electronic money payment system that Sony added to the PS3 in Japan via the 1.50 update years ago. By having it TVs though, consumers can easily pay for Pay-Per-View items rather than entering a credit card number. What will they think of next!
US-spec’d TVs will probably not gain this functionality as most American households rely on a set-top box for on-demand content where in Japan, the same functionality is often built within the TV. Plus, no one has money over here to spend on extra entertainment. We’re unemployed and homeless.