Chumby Widgets To Appear On Broadcom-Based TVs

Chumby and Broadcom have announced a collaborative effort to put the formers widget platform on internet-connected TVs, using Broadcom-based set-top boxes, DTVs and Blu-ray players.  There are currently in excess of 1,000 widgets available for the Chumby, a compact touchscreen WiFi device, and these will now be accessible along the bottom of big-screens too.

Video demonstration after the cut

The widgets include video and music, internet radio, content from the New York Times, Pandora, The Weather Channel Interactive, AOL's SHOUTcast and Scripps Networks, and more.  There's also an open development platform which users can take advantage of to create their own widgets, sharing them through the Chumby catalog.

Considering the Chumby alone costs around $200, while the Broadcom functionality will most likely be included at little or no extra cost, users of Chumby widgets on TVs and other media devices will probably overtake the standalone gadget.  No timescale has been given for the first TVs or STBs featuring the new Broadcom implementation to reach the market.

Press Release:

Broadcom Extends chumby(R) Platform to Internet-Connected TVs, Set-Top Boxes and Blu-ray Disc(R) Players

Collaboration with chumby Delivers Cost Effective, High Quality and Rich Media Content to Consumer Devices Enabled by Broadcom(R) Technologies

Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM) and chumby(R) today announced the integration of the chumby rich media Internet platform into Broadcom's latest digital television (DTV), set-top box (STB) and Blu-ray Disc(R) system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions delivering cost effective, high quality and personalized user experiences to Internet-connected TVs. The collaboration will enable users to access chumby's extensive library of entertaining, compelling and interactive Internet content across a variety of personal interest categories as well as a vast offering of Internet radio streams and podcasts. This will give users the ability to view individually customized channels of streaming Internet and personal digital content on devices enabled by Broadcom solutions, delivering an enhanced interactive consumer experience across multiple connected screens in the home.

Chumby enables users to select their favorite parts of the Internet delivered to them in a convenient, always-on, always-fresh format. Chumby content currently consists of over 1,000 widgets in 30 different categories ranging from news and entertainment to videos, music, and sports provided by leading media partners such as CBS, MTV Networks, The New York Times, Pandora, The Weather Channel Interactive, AOL's SHOUTcast and Scripps Networks. Chumby also delivers thousands of Internet radio stations and podcasts. Chumby's free and open content network enables individual creators to publish creative and compelling content. And chumby users themselves can share their own user-generated content, including photos, e-cards and more, with family and friends via chumby's integral social network. Chumby is constantly expanding, bringing users new widgets, media and services, as well as the most interesting content from the Web.

Viewing Internet-based streaming video, music and other media content on household televisions is growing in use and popularity. To satisfy consumer demand, Broadcom and chumby are delivering an easy-to-use personalized Internet content experience that supports interactive multimedia widgets and Internet-based audio selections from leading online providers, major media brands and the worldwide community of chumby developers. Broadcom and chumby also are enabling social connections across devices such as DTVs, STBs and Blu-ray Disc players supported by Broadcom solutions that will enable users to share content, photos, video clips, games or messages with friends and family who own any chumby-powered device.

"Consumers want a powerful, yet simple, consistent and exciting chumby experience across multiple screens," saidStephen Tomlin, CEO, chumby. "We are delighted to work with Broadcom to support the chumby content platform with system-on-a-chip solutions that enable personalized streams of each user's favorite parts of the Internet for delivery to next generation Internet-connected TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray players."

As a result of this collaboration, consumer electronics manufacturers will be able to quickly deploy chumby platform support on Internet-connected TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray Disc players without additional cost, external components or expensive PC hardware. As an open source Linux(R)-based platform and "cloud-based" content network with graphics that scale easily to any screen size, chumby allows users to create a complete personalized Internet experience without the need to establish a new configuration or install separate software or widgets on each device, thereby enabling new applications and content to be accessed and easily shared across all chumby-powered devices. Additionally, chumby supports an established framework with standardized tools for developers and manufacturers to create and enable consistent, high quality content.

"Broadcom and chumby are delivering a personalized Internet experience to the consumer via Internet-connected TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray Disc players without increasing bill-of-materials cost or complexity for Internet-enabled consumer products with chumby support," said Dan Marotta, Senior Vice President & General Manager for Broadcom's Broadband Communications Group. "We are very pleased to continue our collaboration with chumby as Internet-connected consumer devices herald the convergence of traditional PC-based Internet content with the comfort and convenience of living room viewing, positioning the connected TV as the information and entertainment hub of the digital home."