February 17, 2009; the day standard analog broadcast ends.

And that, coincidentally, is the day that IBM will be the winner of this generation.

Consider the following:

1) IBM makes the CPU's for all three consoles.

2) IBM specializes in business software and hardware, online and off.

3) And now, IBM will be running the coupon program for Digital to Analogue converters for SDTVs.

#1 and #2 relate to the forward push of HD and HD content. #3 is making sure nobody is left behind in terms of accessing broadcast media. And IBM has their fingers in it all. Regardless of which console comes out on top, IBM wins. Regardless of what your business is doing, they have a solution for you, be it setting up your own servers, e-commerce and digital distribution, or just managing what you've already got. And if you're not ready to make the plunge into HDTV when the time comes, or want to extend the life of a perfectly good SDTV you own, IBM will be assisting you in doing just that.

It might not be anywhere nearly as glamorous, but you have to admit, IBM has certainly played their cards well...