Yahoo! recaps a day of setting the Internet-on-TV movement on fire with Widgets

by Richard Lawler, posted Jan 8th 2009 at 4:27AM

Okay Yahoo!, we're sorry we teased, we give up, you win. After what certainly seemed on this end to be an endless run of HDTV manufacturers announcing support for the Widget Engine today -- and serving up a hefty slap in the face to Microsoft and others who've been moving the Internet to TV movement for some time now -- all we can do is look over the carnage. Signed up on the app side of platform formerly known as Konfabulator are content providers like eBay, MySpace, CBS, Blockbuster OnDemand (in its first off-2Wire MediaPoint appearance), Netflix, Showtime, USA Today and Twitter, while the Widget Development Kit has opened up to developers interested in putting their apps on the screens of millions. Hardware should street starting this spring from the likes of Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio leaving the biggest question mark as how the competition and their clumsy external boxes can possibly respond.

Filed under: Displays, Other formats, Others

Tags: blockbuster, blockbuster on demand, BlockbusterOnDemand, ces, ces 2009, Ces2009, flickr, interactive, internet, konfabulator, netflix, sdk, twitter, watch instantly, WatchInstantly, widget, widget engine, WidgetEngine, yahoo

Subscribe to these comments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

J.Goodwin @ Jan 8th 2009 4:42PM

Am I the only person who hates widgets?

Neutral

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt) @ Jan 19th 2009 7:41PM

so this functionality is built into the TV itself? i would think having it built into a BD Player or Cable/Satellite box would be a more rational approach to features like this. maybe im misinterpreting it though.

Neutral

major dave @ Jan 27th 2009 8:17PM

I agree. Is it really true that a consumer can buy an instance of the Widget Engine only when it is bundled with a great big chunk of glass covered with pixels? What if I already own a good one of those?

With that model, in this economy, the rate of uptake for Yahoo is going to be pretty darn slow.

Neutral

Richard Lawler @ Jan 27th 2009 8:18PM

This only represents the most recent announcements. If you take a look at the agreement with Intel, they've committed to (and had on display at CES) many types of set-top boxes i.e. blu-ray players and tru2way cable boxes (Comcast is already signed up) with widgets integrated, so they're not just for new TVs.

Neutral

internet on tv @ Mar 15th 2009 11:25AM

You don't need a widget to get the Internet on your TV. Just use your PC and an affordable cable: PCTVCables.com

Three games to light up your 4th WRUP: If America hadn't gained independence edition 20 2K Games titles available in one convenient Steam pack	Hulu blocks Skyfire mobile browser from accessing videos StatCounter data shows Windows 7 pre-release use closing in on Linux Tweak Firefox 3.5 to keep running when you close all tabs
Sega giving away Columns on iPhone for free all this weekend Road Tested: AT&T Navigator for iPhone Rolando 2 out now on the App Store	Michael Jackson fireworks, the workaholic Disney Channel does it again with 'Princess' film, but it still has challenges Would you pledge your soul as collateral for a loan?
Gears of War 2's Title Update 4 now live Metanet: N+ next week's Xbox Live deal No unlockable characters in Tekken 6	Spy Shots: Next-gen Porsche 911 sporting double-bubble roof Behold: The one-of-a-kind Mercedes G/E-Class Ford reportedly tops sales charts in Canada for first time in 50 years
Will Left 4 Dead 1 and 2 work with each other? GoGamer.com serves up some July 4th PC game deals Direct2Drive has some high-powered Fourth of July PC game deals	10 Quarterback Battles Worth Watching Apparently, Fans Shouldn't Expect NFL Players to Be Perfect Cris Carter, Motivational Speaker, Breaks it Down for NFL Rookies