Yahoo unveils smart TV platform

Yahoo is throwing its hat into the smart TV ring as it took the wraps off its "Yahoo Smart TV" platform.

In a blog post, Yahoo VP for Smart TV Ron Jacoby said the platform combines automatic content recognition and personalization to help one decide what show to watch.

"We’re excited to bring together our automatic content recognition, personalization and TV platform to offer the perfect living room companion," Jacoby said.

He said the shows will be automatically suggested based on a user's previous viewing tastes and availability.

Under the platform, Yahoo Smart Guide scans "thousands" of program options and "learns from your viewing habits to recommend content that’s personalized just for you."

"The recommendations include a combination of shows that are about to start, interesting in-progress content like a football game, Video On Demand content and the Web," he said.

Also, he said Yahoo Smart Info automatically surfaces content related to the show a user is watching, including live updates on one's fantasy team during the game.

Jacoby said Yahoo is working with entertainment partners like FOX "to give you new ways to get inside your favorite TV shows with relevant downloads and bonus content."

A separate report on The Next Web said Yahoo is trying to make its system "more useful with as little input from the TV viewer as possible."

"It’s a smart move, pun unintended, but we reserve judgment until we actually see this on one of our TVs," it added. — VC, GMA News