Shorthand for television based commerce, t-commerce, is the latest buzzword to hit the digital scenario. Experts say that enhanced television viewing, in the recent years, has the potential to evolve into the platform for the next-generation of online viewers. In the United States, advertisers are closely tracking the development of this nascent market. An estimated $50 billion per year is currently spent on TV advertisements in that country.

Critics, however, caution against too much of premature excitement in this field. They are of the opinion that this fledgling market is yet to mature.

Increased television watchers tend to be the early adopters who embrace new technologies. In the years to come, don't be amazed, if you see consumers interacting simultaneously with their separate (but co-located) TVs and PCs.

Researches have found out that 52 percent of the people in the 12 to 24 age group who own a computer also keep televisions in the same room as their PCs. What's more, the vast majority (69 percent) listens to music online while 25 percent watch TV as they surf the Web.

People, all over the world, are paying less and less attention to traditional TV ads. But it will take at least another three to four years before most consumers are accessing a single screen to view integrated interactive programming and advertising via broadband or advanced digital cable systems.

In the US, t-commerce is beginning to gather momentum with HyperTV entering into a 24-hour-a-day, 7-days-per-week partnership with MTV Networks and Fox to provide t-commerce services. Over time, the company expects to evolve into a broadband-single-screen-oriented experience.

Studies reveal that nowadays people watching TV only want to interact for a few types of content right now. This includes content related to information/news, entertainment and quizzes.

It will take an evolution in access devices to really spur the t-commerce business. Set-top boxes, as they exist today, are merely placeholders for next-generation enhanced/interactive devices.

The t-commerce paradigm has the potential to change your TV set into a powerful business tool enabling you to transact business over television. The concept is yet to evolve fully. We are expected to see the change in another three to four years.