14 DAY TRIAL // Yahoo may be a tech company, but it's a lot more media-centric than most of its peers and is trying to move even further down that road. One interesting path was to bring Internet content to TV sets, not really a novel concept, via a number of widgets and it seems to be doing OK given the expectations. With CES under way in Las Vegas, the company is announcing a number of new partnerships with manufacturers and the move that may finally make its offering compelling, web video on the TV.
Yahoo already has a number of deals with big-name manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, Vizio, and LG, and it is now announcing that it is expanding those deals so expect more Yahoo-enabled sets in 2010. The Yahoo Connected TV, as the feature is dubbed, brings a number of widgets, the usual things like weather and stock quotes to TV sets, in the hopes to make the experience more interactive. Among the widgets available are social media tools for sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Now, Facebook is expanding beyond TVs with new partnerships with MIPS, Sigma Designs and ViewSonic to bring the widget engine to devices like Blu-ray players and other media boxes. Another important partnership is with whitelabel online video service Brightcove which will enable the provider's media customers to create widgets for the Yahoo platform. Online videos were already available through the Amazon Video on Demand widget. Finally, Yahoo is also making the Widget Developer Kit available publicly, meaning that third-party developers now have a chance to get their widgets on the devices using the platform.
"Yahoo! has combined key attributes of the Internet, including openness, community, and personalization, with the power of television," said Patrick Barry, vice president, Connected TV, Yahoo!. "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."