Sun Microsystems thinks the future is bright where iTV is concerned. The company is making a hefty investment in Canal+ Technologies to help speed up Java-based open standards for digital interactive television.

"The idea behind this partnership is that we can get there faster if we work together," said Arthur Orduna, vice president of marketing for Canal+ U.S. Technologies, in a statement.

This partnership aims to help network operators and content providers to quickly develop and deploy entertainment, news and educational services.