Rovi has launched a TV Guide widget -- with a snapshot of program listings for 28 of the most popular television channels and other recommendations -- for Samsung HDTVs that run the Yahoo TV Widget Engine platform.
The 28 channels vary by market and are selected by Rovi's editorial team; the most popular channel list is not a sponsored listing, according to Rovi (formerly known as Macrovision Solutions). The feature is available on select 2009 Samsung flat-panel HDTV models running the Yahoo-powered Internet@TV Content Service.
With the Rovi widget, users can access TV program listings, descriptions and air times by selecting the options "On Now" and "On Next" using the remote control. Users can also select from several "hotlists," including the Daily Hotlist of popular primetime shows, movies, family and sports programs. The lists are selected daily by Rovi's editors to highlight programming that they feel viewers might find of particular interest.
"Our customers continue to want cutting-edge services that bring rich, interactive experiences to their television screens," Samsung vice president Kyung-shik Lee said in a statement. "Rovi's television guides enable viewers to connect with the content that matters to them most, and we are very pleased to be able to offer a compact version of this capability in the form of the TV Guide widget."
Samsung debuted the Internet@TV Content Service earlier this year featuring widgets for Yahoo News, Flickr, USA Today, YouTube, eBay and Showtime Networks.
