Get the Internet on Your TV!

As you know, we’re big fans of all things electronic. As such, we research and read as much as we can…We recently read up on some information published by Consumer Reports. Because Consumer Reports is such a trusted name, we thought you might appreciate hearing some of what they have to say. As such, we put together a synopsis of our recent findings.

One of the more
interesting features now available on some TVs is the ability to access online content directly from the TV. Almost all the major brands offer some degree of online interactivity—typically in step-up models—which can range from simple RSS news feeds to the ability to stream full-length movies.

We recently tested online services on TVs from LG, Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony. (Mitsubishi, Sharp, and Vizio, include this feature on some sets.) Of the models we tested, all except Panasonic use a version of the widget-based platform developed by Yahoo, with a row of
icons that appears on the screen, typically across the bottom.

With these widgets, you can directly access Web-based applications, such as weather, stock updates, financial news, Flickr photos, YouTube videos, eBay auctions, and other content in real time on the TV. New content providers are constantly being added, and some TVs will either automatically add these new widgets or prompt you to check for updates. Among the offerings are streaming entertainment services, such as movies from Amazon (Amazon Video On Demand), Netflix, Blockbuster (Blockbuster OnDemand), and Vudu, or Internet radio stations such as Pandora or Slacker.

So, you see…exploring the
options available in television may bring your viewing to a whole new level! How cool is the idea of exploring live Internet feed directly from your TV set? We think the developments in modern technology are becoming more and more exciting every day. Who knows what we’ll be doing next! If you’re just as thrilled with the goings on in the electronic world, we invite you to follow us as we research and explore all the things modern technology has to offer!

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