"A federal appeals court upheld an FCC mandate last month requiring cable companies to support CableCard technology -- which essentially allows consumers to get rid of their set-top cable TV boxes. Pronounced "dead" in the pages of The New York Times as recently as July, CableCard devices now appear destined for the vast majority of U.S. cable customers' homes by the FCC deadline, currently set for July 2007. How does that affect you? Here's all you need to know about what CableCard can -- and can't -- do." It looks like CableCard isn't dead after all. In fact, due to an FCC mandate, it appears that it'll be in most homes in the United States by the end of next year. What does this mean to you? Hit the link, and find out.