Why You Should Take Notice of The Widget Channel
Intel recently showcased prototype products designed to deliver an interactive Internet experience on your television. Intel has partnered with Yahoo and will utilize their Widget Engine to deliver content. This venture has been branded The Widget Channel and will be much more than simply an Internet browser displayed on your TV. Although plans are in the works to include popular Internet staples such as social networking, news, weather and other real time information, it will be presented in small applications called Widgets. These Widgets can be presented in a variety of formats, including a bottom and left screen display that won’t interfere with your regular television programming.
While this technology is sure to be a hit with high-tech consumers, it also opens a new potential for Internet advertising. TV broadcasting is still the dominant medium for advertising. This technology is positioned to blur the line between these markets. The Widget Channel also offers an additional advantage. Traditional broadcast marketing is limited in its ability to target advertisements to the viewer. Due to the technology driving The Widget Channel, it will be able to specifically target ads and deliver only those most relevant to the consumer. At present, Yahoo has not presented many details on the advertising options. However, they do intend to include options such as video on demand and the ability to shop directly from the television.
Another area of potential worth noting is the ability to develop custom Widgets utilizing the Yahoo Widget Engine. The widgets will utilize popular Internet standards and technologies, including JavaScript, XML and Flash. This will make it simpler for standard web developers to take advantage of this opportunity. Intel and Yahoo plan to release a Widget Development Kit in the near future to promote the development of new Widgets. They are actively working with top Internet services in an effort to develop content. MySpace has already announced their intention to provide functionality on The Widget Channel. Businesses that can take advantage of this opportunity early are sure to reap a reward.
The Widget Channel is slated for wide release in 2010. Although this technology may still be a bit distant, it is worth investigating now to take advantage of initial momentum. Not only could this technology be a big hit with the consumer, it could offer a vast potential for Internet marketers and developers.
