WhereverTV Develops The Cowboys Network Widget

George Kincaid · Post by **George Kincaid** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 2:51 pm

http://www.prweb.com/releases/wherevert ... 833234.htm

WhereverTV Develops The Cowboys Network Widget With Retro Films.HD to Reach Millions of Viewers Through Internet-Connected Televisions
New Cowboys Network TV Widget Powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine Brings the Wild West to the Living Room

By creating this revolutionary new Internet experience and combining our technology with the global distribution of major consumer electronics and content partners, we enable consumers to access the relevant information and content to enhance their television watching experience

Yahoo! has combined key attributes of the Internet, including openness, community, and personalization, with the power of television.

With the launch of the Cowboys Network TV Widget, Retro Films.HD is keenly aware of the evolving viewing habits of today's consumer, and our relationship with WhereverTV is an important step in reaching our global audience

Retro Films.HD and WhereverTV share a focus on providing the highest-quality entertainment experience to customers around the world and we look forward to working with WhereverTV to build value and distribution for Retro Films.HD.

We're honored to welcome Retro Films.HD and the Cowboys Network to the WhereverTV platform. Simplifying content consumption for viewers through Yahoo!'s Connected TV platform is part of our mission to help people enjoy premium content, whenever and wherever they want

Berlin, Germany (PRWEB) September 4, 2009 -- WhereverTV today announced development of The Cowboys Network widget by Retro Films.HD for the Yahoo! Widget Engine. The Cowboys Network widget will be on display at Samsung's Internet@TV booth area in Hall 20 at IFA 2009 being held in Berlin September 4-9, 2009.

Soon consumers with Internet-connected televisions powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine will be able to access more than 1,000 digitally re-mastered Cowboy Western films featuring John Wayne, Roy Rogers, Slim Pickens, Rex Allen, Sr. and many other legends of their time via The Cowboys Network Widget.

TV Widgets enable popular Internet services and online media to reach viewers with applications specifically tailored to meet the needs of the television watcher. TV Widgets are powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine, based on the popular Konfabulator® widget platform for PC that Yahoo! re-engineered specifically for consumer electronics devices.

"By creating this revolutionary new Internet experience and combining our technology with the global distribution of major consumer electronics and content partners, we enable consumers to access the relevant information and content to enhance their television watching experience," said Patrick Barry, vice president, Connected TV, Yahoo!. "Yahoo! has combined key attributes of the Internet, including openness, community, and personalization, with the power of television."

During the 1930's, 40's and 50's approximately 400 "Singing Cowboy" films and 1,000 "B" Westerns were made. Those films represent not only a very special time in American history but helped set values for generations to come. The Cowboys Network is dedicated to bringing this special slice of Americana to Cowboy and Western fans world-wide through its Yahoo! TV Widget.

"With the launch of the Cowboys Network TV Widget, Retro Films.HD is keenly aware of the evolving viewing habits of today's consumer, and our relationship with WhereverTV is an important step in reaching our global audience," said Rex Allen, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Retro Films.HD, Inc. "Retro Films.HD and WhereverTV share a focus on providing the highest-quality entertainment experience to customers around the world and we look forward to working with WhereverTV to build value and distribution for Retro Films.HD."

"We're honored to welcome Retro Films.HD and the Cowboys Network to the WhereverTV platform. Simplifying content consumption for viewers through Yahoo!'s Connected TV platform is part of our mission to help people enjoy premium content, whenever and wherever they want" said Mark Cavicchia CEO of WhereverTV.

Yahoo! is enabling an ecosystem of developers, publishers, device manufacturers and advertisers that will benefit consumers by bringing the best of the Web to television. To date, consumers can enjoy TV Widgets from Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Weather, Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo! Video and Flickr®, as well as widgets from content partners including Twitter, USA Today Sports, YouTube and Funspot. Additional Widgets are coming soon from popular Internet and broadcast brands.

About WhereverTV

WhereverTV works with leading media companies and niche broadcasters of live and on-demand Internet video, providing content distribution services to any TV in the world. WhereverTV's product family includes the Global IPG® - an interactive program guide with more than 1,400 live and on-demand television channels from 80 countries that integrates a traditional lean-back TV viewing experience with the wide variety of programming available on the Internet, the WhereverTV Yahoo! TV Widget - released during 4Q2009; and the WhereverTV Receiver, an award-winning device that provides consumers with access to a world of television from any living room - or hotel room - in the world.

About The Cowboys Network & Retro Films.HD

The Cowboys Network relives the magical days of the American Wild West where cowboys, ranchers, sheriffs, marshals and rangers were the talk of the town. When cowboys were clever, skilled & level headed in the face of adversity; people to look up to and believe in. They were our role models and heroes. They always righted the injustices of the law, kissed their horse and rode into the sunset. Now, for the very first time, these same magical moments can be relived with digitally enhanced films on The Cowboys Network, where all movies have been re-mastered by Retro Films.HD and are delivered directly to your TV with today's high-definition broadcast standard. The spirit of the Wild West lives at The Cowboys Network.

Post by **Mike Gebert** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 3:01 pm

I've never read anything that managed to combine cowboys and internet gobbledygook before.

I guess this is good news, to the extent that I guess I understand it (it seems to be saying old cowboy movies will be available online).

George Kincaid · Post by **George Kincaid** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 3:28 pm

I'm hoping somebody here might translate that article, Mike.

It appears a certain type of TV is required, one that's internet compatible. Do HD TVs qualify? And a question on content--are there other such channels to choose from?

George Kincaid · Post by **George Kincaid** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 4:42 pm

I received an explanation from a friend. The Yahoo widget is a device that attaches to a TV set, acting something like WebTV. The television must be compatible. The widget device projects an internet signal. The viewer can choose programming, like the Cowboy Widget.

http://connectedtv.yahoo.com/

boblipton · Post by **boblipton** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 4:46 pm

So how much will it cost? Or have they just gotten to the point of confusing us?

It reminds me of the bus-shelter ad about ten years ago: speech balloon: "Wireless streaming audio"; thought balloon: "Isn't that radio?"

Bob