Sonic Solutions announced Monday that it plans to launch an interactive TV widget for its Roxio CinemaNow service (note: the company acquired the pioneering broadband VOD service last November and subsequently added the name "Roxio" to its branding). The widget, which is slated to launch in the fall, will be available on Internet-connected TV sets equipped with the Yahoo! TV Widgets service. "Whether on the go or in the home, consumers are increasingly looking to seamlessly access and enjoy their favorite entertainment on connected devices," Sonic Solutions' EVP of strategy, Mark Ely, said in a prepared statement. "With Roxio CinemaNow running on Yahoo! TV Widgets, consumers will now be able to find, rent and purchase Hollywood’s hit movies instantly on their connected TVs."
The Yahoo! TV Widgets service is powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine, which is based on the Konfabulator widget platform for PC that Yahoo! re-engineered specifically for consumer electronics devices. HDTV manufacturers supporting the service include LG Electronics, Samsung, Sony and Vizio. Yahoo! bills the TV Widgets service as enabling an "ecosystem" of developers, publishers, device manufacturers and advertisers that are bringing Web content to the TV. It offers an informational Web page on the service at connectedtv.yahoo.com/services/tv-widgets. "By creating this revolutionary new Internet experience and combining our technology with the global distribution of major consumer electronics and content partners, we enable consumers to access the relevant information and content to enhance their television-watching experience," Patrick Barry, Yahoo!'s VP of connected TV, said in a prepared statement. "Yahoo! has combined key attributes of the Internet, including openness, community, and personalization, with the power of television."
Sonic Solutions bills Roxio CinemaNow as offering a "massive selection" of premium video for rental or purchase, including many new releases from major Hollywood studios day-and-date with their DVD release. It claims that CinemaNow's "cloud-based media services" are available on an "ecosystem" of devices, including PC's, connected TV's, set-top DVR's, Blu-ray players and mobile media players from such manufacturers as Archos, Dell, HP, LG, Microsoft, Nintendo, Pioneer and TiVo. The company also powers Internet movie services for Lionsgate, Warner Bros and Blockbuster, and can be accessed through Bestbuy.com.
