The Clik Smart TV platform officially launches today, allowing content providers and app developers to build apps that communicate with any screen with a browser. The platform was developed by the same minds that created Kik Messenger, one of the fastest growing mobile instant messenger applications, now used by millions of consumers worldwide.

"The ability for highly personal mobile devices, like phones, to easily take control of computers, TVs, cars, and other expensive and complex devices is one of the most important megatrends in technology right now," said Fred Wilson, managing partner at Union Square Ventures. "Clik's approach to this problem is novel and slick, bordering on magic. You have to see it to believe it. It's a game changer."

Unlike other Device-to-TV solutions that require consumers to own multiple devices made by the same manufacturer, Clik enables developers to build apps that connect iOS or Android smartphones to any screen with a browser. This means, no special hardware or wires are required. And Clik will work on any mobile operator's network, or even over WiFi. Clik provides a super-fast connection between the devices and the platform does all the heavy lifting, so developers can build their app using Web developer standards, avoiding the time consuming and expensive process of developing for mobile platforms.

The Clik platform is designed to power third-party apps, which showcase TV shows, movies, games, pictures and almost anything else imaginable. When new apps are built using the Clik technology, users can scan a code on any browser to take control of the screen, allowing them to lean back and discover and control content on their phones while enjoying that content on a TV or monitor. Best of all, Clik lets friends join in on the fun with multiplayer mode. Anyone with Clik can scan into the same screen, so people can share control of the screen, and share experiences in a social setting.

"The beauty of Clik is both its simplicity and ability to bring almost any content to any screen, anytime," said Ted Livingston, CEO of Clik. "For consumers, there is no new box to buy, and no extra software to install. With apps built inside Clik, consumers can instantly take control of their friends' Smart TV and start watching videos, playing games, or listening to their favorite music-you've really got to experience it to believe it."

Clik also is releasing the first app powered by this new technology, a YouTube app now available for download on iOS and Android as part of the Clik download available here. This first app lets users discover and control YouTube content on their phone and wirelessly stream videos to any screen with a browser. The YouTube app also allows users to start, stop, search, browse or create favorites, instantly.

How to use the Clik YouTube App:

1. Download the app from iTunes or the Android marketplace here.
2. Go to www.ClikThis.com on any browser-enabled screen
3. Open the app and scan the QR code for an instant connection.

The phone is now your remote control! Start enjoying YouTube videos by selecting them on your phone and watching them on your Smart TV. You can also invite friends to join in by having them scan the same screen, to seamlessly control the video playlist together.

Develop for Clik!
Developers interested in the Clik Smart TV platform should sign up for the private beta here: partner(at)clikthis(dot)com

Try the Clik YouTube App for yourself:
Download the Clik app on your iPhone or Android device at discover.clikthis.com

More and more mainstream consumers are considering alternatives to linear broadcast according to a recent study released by American research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey (CMB) - essentially confirming what many in the industry are feeling.

“The New Age of Television: The Future of Over the Top TV ” surveyed nearly 1,500 U.S. consumers to get a pulse on their TV and video viewing habits and what it means for the future of Over the Top (OTT) content. According to CMB, this research was designed to uncover not just what consumers are doing when it comes to watching TV and movies, but also why and how they’re doing it.

“A profound shift has taken place in the balance between producer and consumer,” the report states, “from the former dictating how content will be packaged and delivered, to the latter insisting on entertainment where, when, and how they want it.”

Key takeaways from the report include:

1. More and more mainstream consumers are considering alternatives:

• It's not just early adopters. Most people say they've tried alternatives to pay TV.
• Cord "shavers" may be a bigger issue than cutters. A high number of pay TV subscribers intend to reduce their service in the next year. And the number is higher among pay TV's best customers.

 

2. Core TV behaviors are changing:

• More people are watching on mobile devices, even when they're at home and they could watch on TV.
• People are comfortable with, and most actually prefer aspects of digital media that have limited online viewing in the past (e.g. streaming vs. owning content).

3. The barriers to a larger shift may not be easy to address, but they are addressable:

• Cost, transmission interruptions, and lack of familiarity are the main things holding people back.

4. The bottom line: Consumers buy solutions, not delivery technology:

• An IP-based online solution that gives them what they're looking for: cost savings, ease of use, and reliability will significantly disrupt the pay TV status quo.

5. In this survey it is shown that consumers know what they want when it comes to the best TV and movie watching experience:

• Streaming Beats Owning
• Streaming content is twice as appealing as downloading or owning content.
• More Content Beats Newest Content
• Given the choice, consumers would choose a service with the deepest catalog over one that focuses on new content.
• Simplicity is Important
• Consumers want simple solutions that minimize the number of accounts they need to manage.
  Tags:

  • audience
  • report
  • second screen
  • study
  • tablet tv
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Ooyala, a leading provider of digital video technology, analytics and services today published its Q4 2011 Video Index report revealing insights into video viewing behavior and engagement across the web, smartphones, tablets, social networks and connected TVs. Each quarter Ooyala provides key insights and trends based on the viewing habits of its more than 100 million viewers every month, to help publishers better understand audiences, increase viewership and earn more revenue with online video.

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The Video Index report is available in English, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish to support Ooyala's broad customer base. Key highlights from the report include:

1. Video plays on tablets, mobile devices and connected TVs nearly doubled in Q4 2011 over Q3 2011
2. Both iPhone — boosted by the iPhone 4S release in October — and Android grew rapidly quarter-over-quarter in terms of videos played and hours watched
3. Facebook users on average share ten times more video than Twitter users
4. Video plays on Google TV grew 91% in Q4 2011 over Q3 2011
5. Tablet viewers continue to be far more engaged than desktop viewers — they were 45% more likely to complete at least 75% of videos played, a reliable measure of engagement
6. Q4 viewers were more than twice as likely to complete a video when watching on a connected TV device than when watching on a desktop.
7. Q4 data suggests that copying and pasting a video URL is a more common way of sharing than Tweeting.
8. People are watching longer on their tablets: they watched 21.9% longer per video in Q4 than in Q3.

"The dramatically increased engagement with IP-delivered video creates opportunities on a massive scale for publishers and brand marketers," said Bismarck Lepe, co-founder and president of products for Ooyala. "Understanding the changing dynamics of multi-device video consumption is key to delivering a more personalized experience for consumers while creating new revenue streams and growing audiences. Ooyala unlocks this knowledge in a way that is highly actionable and mission-critical to our customers' success."

Ooyala's video analytics technology measures viewer engagement in real time and they analyze conversion rates (the ratio of video displays to video plays), video completion rates, social sharing events and a bevy of other key metrics and variables. When combined with data delineating device type and geography, these metrics increase understanding of viewer behavior and their data suggests that viewers are watching more videos online—they're clicking "play" at a higher rate and watching longer per video play. The average conversion rate across all devices, for instance, increased from 35.1% in Q3 to 39.6% in Q4. Moreover, viewers in Q4 watched longer on all devices, as shown in these charts.

 

 

 

Viggle, a loyalty program for television created by Function(x), today announced its acquisition of the assets and business of Loyalize, a technology company that enables brands and content providers to engage with nationwide audiences during live TV shows. The company demonstrated the power of Loyalize's functionality during Sunday's broadcast of The Grammys. Viewers who checked into the show with Vigglewere able to participate in "Viggle Live," a program of real-time polls and voting, giving them the opportunity to earn extra Viggle points that are redeemable for real rewards such as music, movie tickets and gift cards.

"Seventy-eight percent of active Viggle users checked into The Grammys on Sunday night and sixty-four percent of this group played along with 'Viggle Live,' answering real-time questions, voting, and responding to polls related to the awards ceremony," said Chris Stephenson, president of Viggle. "Viewers engaged with Viggle for more than one hour and 20 minutes as we asked them questions about what was happening live onstage. Loyalize introduces a level of engagement unlike anything on the market."

In addition to enhancing the Viggle experience, Loyalize's innovative technology can be licensed as a white-label solution by brands and content providers looking to create new touch points with audiences of live sporting events, political debates, and more. Viggle first used Loyalize technology to create the "Viggle Bowl," a special event for Viggle users that gave fans who checked into the Super Bowl the opportunity to answer sports trivia questions and vote for their favorite commercials. More than 40 percent of all Viggle users participated in the event, demonstrating how in-app experiences can capture and hold the attention of audiences.

"The Loyalize team is delighted to join Viggle," said Kai Buehler, general manager of Loyalize. "Together, Loyalize and Viggle are a powerful combination that will help deepen the connection between TV fans, their favorite shows, and the brands they love."

Loyalize has enjoyed other successes, launching in December "FANGO", a partnership with Yahoo!7 in Australia. FANGO allows TV fans to have real-time interactive experiences with other viewers before, during and after a show. It also gives them access to a guide that illustrates viewing trends; the ability to earn awards like badges, points and leadership within the app for participating in activities; and access to videos, blogs and videos related to the show. These capabilities are further examples of how Loyalize technology can deliver interactive content on the second screen to enhance the TV viewing experience.