James Delahunty
10 Jan 2009 22:55
A new Intel chip designed to provide interactivity features to television content has been backed by Disney. The chip aims to allow users to interact in certain ways with their favorite programs. "It has the potential to make TV viewing more functional and more fun," Anne Sweeney, president of the Disney-ABC Television group said.
Sweeney said that viewers may be able to access complementary content during the series finale of the hit TV series "Lost", through use of Intel's new chip, which is designed to provide Internet applications on televisions. When present in a TV set, its on-board software lets networks, content creators and other developers to add their own applications and features.
"We know fans of Lost have a huge appetite for insight and information into the show," Sweeney said. "Using the Intel Widget for the series finale could be a great way to give our fans an extraordinary viewing experience for the end of a truly iconic show." ABC's Good Morning America was also presented as a viable candidate, where users could cast votes or comment in real-time on stories being broadcast.
"It's not just about great content and cool technology," said Sweeney, adding that there are some legal concerns that need to be addressed before such features can be introduced.