Intel and Yahoo have announced plans for a new “Widget Channel”, a widget platform for consumer electronic devices running on Intel’s hardware. The platform will support a number of current technologies, including JavaScript, HTML, XML, and mostly notably Adobe’s ubiquitous Flash, which many current platforms on CE devices don’t support.
The two companies envision a library of small widgets that will be included alongside standard television content. For example, a user could use an eBay widget to monitor the current prices of their active auctions, or a sports widget to keep track of current scores.
The TV Widgets Channel continues to blur the line between a television and a computer with a big screen – it probably won’t be long before the distinction no longer exists. And while I could see some of the widgets coming in handy, they might also turn off a lot of users. For many people, television is an escape from the constant alerts and messages of today’s society. Interactive TV is a neat idea, but sometimes people just want to kick up their feet and relax.
If the new announcement does pique your interest, you probably won’t be seeing it in action any time soon. The widget platform makes use of the Intel Architecture, which isn’t integrated with current TVs. You’ll need to wait until you can get your hands on a device with the Media Processor CE 3100, which was also announced today. The system-on-chip solution will enable 3D graphics and a “fusion of Internet and TV experiences” on cable boxes and TV’s, along with other consumer devices.
So whats finally going to happen… 90% of the surface area of my flatscreen filled with widgets and the remaining 10% showing my HBO
The concept is all good but I dont think how many people would like to see a pop-up watching the last minute climax of SPEED
http://mydating...e.blogspot.com/
The Widget Channel is apparently based on Yahoo! Widget Engine, but the real question is whether Yahoo! will sustain some level of parity between their TV and desktop offerings or whether this indicates the end-of-life for their desktop platform (esp. since original Konfabulistas Ed Voas has just left Yahoo! and Arlo Rose has returned, but only to work on the Widget Channel project).
Note to Yahoo:
FOCUS!
Yahoo is way too big of a company to focus on one particular avenue. There has to be a multiple product strategy. For the products that “stick” – ex: 1 or 2 in the market – they are doing very well. It is the nature of the company and market.
Just out of curiosity if Yahoo is not developing a whole gamut of widgets only for the TV what difference it makes if its desktop or TV till it is interactive.
Next, on the violence channel, an all new “Ow, my Balls!”
why come you don’t have a tattoo?
Randy baby! yea..
Looks like I’m gonna need more pixels.
so…they are make a big Chumby for the living room. nice.
i like this idea, but wait till they figure out how to scroll ads inside the widgets…THATS when it will get intrusive. imagine, an ad for a Yahoo service scrolling on the bottom while a Bud Light ad is playing in the background. POTENTIAL.
AT&T U-verse has some nice featured apps on it’s service that allows for you to view photos from flickr, play games from yahoo games and monitor stocks, traffic, weather, and sports scores. These apps are similiar to the widgets mentioned above.
No thanks. I don’t want my tv experience to mirror my internet experience. That’s why I’m watching tv!
The distinction is going away. Those of us who watch television on our computers are already familiar with what this is going to be like.
Just imagine yahoo publisher ads on bottom 10% of your TV screen … and you can interact with them … and earn yahoo some dollars …
… sounds like a potential money spinner
On a slightly user centric note, it is a good development. Many people would like to get/already scout for more information on what they are already searching. This can be first step to what can change the way we look at internet.
Kudos to Yahoo and Intel.
Vaneet
http://www.fablegod.com
The real value isn’t in the widgets, but in the connection or link between TV and the internet. This will make other things easier like being able to download HiDef movies, sharing YouTube videos in a living room, and all of the other things you wished you could do while sitting on your couch.
Another step towards converging all our devices together. Too bad we have to wait until 2009.
http://kreuzer3...elevision-sets/
This really isn’t that attractive to me. Do you really want widgets cluttering your television screen? The idea of a television in a computer is appealing but a computer with a television just doesn’t fly with me.
Also slowly entering my screen i envision advertisements, cluttering my entertainment experience. With these ads taking the bottom of your screen i can imagine them slowly creeping up into your main field of view.
Brad,
http://bradwelltv.com/bradley
I think this chip will be in the next Apple TV at Macworld in Jan 09.
James
Widgets man, whoda’ thunk?
Most of the channels right now have some kind of ads running on the screen, especially true with infotainment channels. If that can be replaced with some more targeted ads which are of some help to me is a welcome step. I don’t mind replacing those useless ads with widgets I already uses.
http://techtren...t.blogspot.com/
I’m sure there are plenty of other knock-you socks off applications that would take advantage of this, contrary to what some of the nay-sayers above think. i’m in the fantasy sports industry – i can imagine watching an NFL game on TV, while my custom widget is displayed on the bottom of the screen, telling me _my_ player’s scores, my opponent’s scores, with real-time chat, real-time scoring updates, and more.
take it to the next level, even – I’ve got Favre on my team, but I’m not watching the Jets (cough, cough) now – my widget notifies me that the Jets are in the red zone, and asks me if I want to change channels to the Jets game so I can see my star fantasy QB live…
the possibilities are endless!
>Do you really want widgets cluttering your television screen?
The widgets can be hidden with the press of one button on your remote, enabling a normal TV experience.
Don’t you think Intel/Yahoo would have foresight built this in? Duh
TV manufacturers will soon mass create most TV’s pre-built with Hard Drives, in-built broadband hubs, with wirless keyboard remote controls and DRM.
The Web will just become a channel within a channel, allowing more players to augment there widgets/content decentralised fashion.
This leaves Yah connected TV, connected to a niche audience for about 10 minuets.
Lets face it, unless your dealing with P2P technology, TV quality will be ala youtube on your HD screen, with all these widgets baring photos does’nt teletext do the this right know?