Interactive TV News Round-Up (VI): Opera, Shazam, Syfy, Synacor, thePlatform, Adobe

Because the [itvt] editorial team has been busy this week working on the TV of Tomorrow Show 2011, we are covering recent news in round-up/summary form. We anticipate that it will take us a few days to catch up with all the news we plan to cover: so if your company has sent us a press release or briefed us on an announcement, and you don't yet see your news covered in this issue, please bear with us. Our regular daily news coverage will return shortly.

• Opera Software has announced that its newly released Opera Devices SDK 2.9 will have out-of-the-box support on Broadcom's BCM7420 set-top box system-on-a-chip (SoC) platform. "This latest browser has been integrated with Broadcom's flexible set-top box API (application programming interface), providing a common Opera porting environment across a broad range of cable, satellite and IP set-top-box SoC's," the company states in its press materials. "These devices include current-generation products such as the BCM7400, BCM7405, and BCM7335 and next-generation 40nm devices such as the BCM7231 and BCM7425. Opera Devices SDK 2.9 builds on the strengths of Opera Devices SDK 2.8 by adding increased support for HTML5, including Application Cache, Web Workers and Web Storage, as well as OIPF and HbbTV compatibility. World-class JavaScript execution comes from the new Carakan JavaScript engine, which uses just-in-time (JIT) compilation to achieve its performance boost. End-users can take advantage of Opera's embedded TV UI to access long-tail content and bring a full Internet experience to devices in their living rooms."


• Shazam has teamed with Syfy to launch what it bills as "the first, series-long 'TV Tagging' initiative"--in conjunction with the cablenet's new, original scripted series, "Being Human." "An on-screen promotional campaign encourages viewers to download the Shazam application onto their mobile device and to watch 'Being Human' every Monday night at 9PM ET/PT on Syfy," the companies explain in their press materials. "The Shazam logo is embedded into the program so that users can tag the show. Viewers simply 'touch to Shazam' and hold their phone up to the TV to tag the specific episode. Shazam recognizes the episode and delivers a customized Tag result to the viewer's mobile device with links to exclusive video and previews of upcoming episodes, access to exclusive playlists from the series, downloads and the chance to enter the 'Being Human Shazam Sweepstakes' at Syfy.com...Shazam and Syfy partnered in September last year to pilot the 'TV Tagging' concept with season finales of 'Warehouse 13' and 'Eureka.' Shazam has also extended the concept to work with TV advertising, partnering with companies such as Levi's Dockers during the Super Bowl. This new initiative is the first series-long commitment by a broadcaster."


• Synacor has announced the formation of a new division focused on "TV Everywhere" (note: the "TV Everywhere" distribution model, which was originally championed by Time Warner CEO, Jeff Bewkes, ultimately seeks, via authentication technology, to make programming that pay-TV customers have already paid for through their cable, satellite or IPTV subscriptions available to those customers on multiple Web sites and platforms, and thus aims to head off the threat posed to pay-TV services by the increasing availability of over-the-top programming). "The division is working on several product releases on multiple devices on behalf of its clients," Synacor states in its press materials. "The multiple platform solutions include portable tablets, Internet-connected TV's and mobile devices. Driven by client demands and market trends around the TV Everywhere integration, Synacor is seizing the opportunity to strengthen its presence by creating an internal multiplatform division to evaluate opportunities that extend the company's TV Everywhere presence. As mass media consumption habits continue to change, Synacor is committed to ensuring its clients are at the forefront of industry trends. First-generation release on tablet and Internet-connected TV products for its partners are expected in Q2 of 2011." Said Synacor CEO, Ron Frankel: "Increasingly, consumers expect to be able to access content and features from our customers on any device. Sequestering the experience to the home or simply on a PC is quickly becoming inadequate. Because this trend is driven by both consumer expectations and client demands, we are committing to the creation of a division focused exclusively on TV Everywhere. With our authentication technology, we are uniquely positioned to deliver high-quality authenticated entertainment content, including TV, movies, video, games, music, and other online services that consumers can access anywhere, anytime and on any device through their high-speed Internet or broadband provider."


• Comcast-owned online video platform provider, thePlatform, has announced a partnership with Adobe Systems "aimed at providing enhanced solutions for the delivery of online and mobile content with secure video management and publishing services for media publishers utilizing the Adobe Flash Platform. As part of the alliance, the companies will integrate the power of thePlatform's mpx video management system with the Adobe Flash Platform leveraging Adobe Flash Access software--a content-protection and monetization solution for online video, HTTP Dynamic Streaming for expanded content delivery options, and a simplified video management interface providing a complete toolset to publish secure premium video online and to mobile devices," the companies' press materials continue.