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And If You Have A Sixpack Handy Its A Virtual Sports Bar

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by Kevin Maney
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Oct 02 2008 9:06am EDT

And If You Have a Sixpack Handy, It's a Virtual Sports Bar

Kevin Maney writes: I can actually think of only one situation where I'd want to watch video programming surrounded by a lot of strangers, and that would be a big game in a sports bar. And even then, I'd quickly get annoyed with the know-it-all on the stool next to me who has to make a comment every two minutes.


So, personally, I don't see much appeal in a CBS test product called Viewing Room. The idea: You go to the site and choose to watch something being broadcast right then -- like on regular TV. Presumably you're then joining hundreds or thousands of other people watching the same thing at the same time, and there's space next to the video for everyone to post their comments in real time. It's like a mash-up of regular TV and a chat room.

There's a link that works, but when I went there, it seemed like the only choice was "How I Met Your Mother" -- and it wasn't playing at that time.

Anyway, this seems like a decent idea if you're (a) alone, (b) the Super Bowl is on, and (c) you're too lazy to drag yourself to the nearest bar. All you'd need is Viewing Room and a sixpack of Stella. But short of that -- I mean, do I really want to chat with people I don't know and who would actually choose to watch "How I Met Your Mother"? I don't think so.


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