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July 20, 2009
Verizon FiOS TV Launches Widget Bazaar Applications Store, Internet Video on TV
By Calvin Azuri, TMCnet Contributor
Verizon FiOS TV has reportedly launched two social TV services, the Widget Bazaar applications store and Internet Video on TV. FiOS (News - Alert) provides next-generation interactive services such as advanced interactive media guide, news and entertainment Widgets, remote DVR management, multi-room DVR and casual games.
According to Shawn Strickland, vice president, marketing for Verizon (News - Alert) Telecom, Verizon is working with some popular companies on the Web to create the foundation for a high-quality, engaging Internet-to-TV experience. A recent report by The Nielsen Company found that there are 87 percent more online social media users now than in 2003, with 883 percent more time devoted to social media sites. Also, the number of American users frequenting online video destinations has also increased by 339 percent since 2003.
Verizon has created a converged Internet-to-television experience by working with Facebook (News - Alert) Connect, Twitter, ESPN, Veoh, blip.tv, and Dailymotion. FiOS TV subscribers can now connect with others while watching TV. It is also possible to search and view a variety of online, personal PC-based videos on the subscriber’s television screens. Verizon is also planning an open development platform to permit developers to write interactive FiOS TV applications that will be available through the Widget Bazaar.
The new Widget Bazaar applications marketplace is located within FiOS TV's Interactive Media Guide. It is launching with free Facebook, Twitter and ESPN (News - Alert) Fantasy Football Widgets. FiOS TV subscribers will now be able to follow Tweets related to the program, movie or sporting event they are watching. Subscribers can also select from a list of top topics to view Tweets associated with today's hottest topics and trends, search for specific Tweets, and create and save a favorite-topics list.
FiOS TV subscribers with Facebook accounts will be able to log in to Facebook through the FiOS TV Widget and update their Facebook status with messages about what they're watching, view their own photos, and view their friends' photos and status updates.
Meanwhile, the ESPN Fantasy Football Widget will provide instant on-screen access to personalized ESPN Fantasy Football points and football statistics, including rosters, box scores, scoring leaders and player information.
Verizon has plans to add additional free and transactional applications developed by the company and others to the FiOS TV Widget Bazaar. In addition, Verizon will also publish its Software Development Kit to offer open development.
Customers subscribing to the Home Media DVR service will be given access to a new Internet Video feature in the coming weeks. The new feature will allow subscribers to search and view on FiOS TV user generated online videos from video-sharing sites blip.tv, Dailymotion and Veoh. Searching is done by using either key words or by selecting "most watched," "top rated" and "recent searches" categories. In addition, a new My Videos feature will let subscribers view via FiOS TV personal videos stored on their PCs.
Calvin Azuri is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Calvin’s articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Amy Tierney
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