The next step in the evolution of the Widget Channel built by Yahoo and Intel has facilitated partnership with top worldwide consumer electronics manufacturers for the Sunnyvale Internet giant. Aiming to breath life into what it referred to as Cinematic Internet, Yahoo inked collaboration agreements with Samsung, Sony, LG Electronics, and VIZIO, in order to kick up a notch the Internet-Connected Television experience available to TV watchers.

Having initially announced an alliance with Samsung over the marriage of television and web, Yahoo subsequently indicated that additional CE manufacturers had embraced the Yahoo Widget Engine, enabling their products to offer consumers Cinematic Internet.

"Yahoo has combined key attributes of the Internet, including openness, community, and personalization, with the power of television," Patrick Barry, vice president, Connected TV, Yahoo, revealed. "By creating this revolutionary new Internet experience, and combining our technology with the global distribution of major consumer electronics partners, we enable consumers to access the relevant information and content to enhance their television watching experience."

Fact is that with its TV Widgets Yahoo is jumping aboard the evolution wave, which is taking traditional TV sets and services into the digital world. In this context, the Yahoo Widget Engine will enable TV devices connected to a home network to serve watchers Internet services and online media. According to Yahoo, the first Cinematic Internet-enabled televisions will hit the shelves by the spring of 2009.

"Consumers are increasingly looking for a richer TV experience, including the ability to integrate personalized Internet content and interactive experiences on the screen," Allen Weiner, research VP, Gartner, said.

"Those companies who succeed as leading TV 2.0 portals will be those well positioned to make the connected TV a reality through strong global partnerships, innovative technology and expertise in creating open platforms. Developers will have the tools to bring the best of the Internet to TV, thus increasing the amount of Internet-enabled content and services available, and ultimately transforming the TV viewing experience for millions of consumers."