Comcast's 'Project Dayview' does PDA duty across TV, phone, PC and tablet (update: video)
While we expected to see Comcast roll out its X1 DVR platform today at the Cable Show, more surprising is the new Project Dayview initiative. As seen above, it attempts to provide a single cross-platform home screen that combines info from its services and third party sources to give customers a quick look at what's important to them, on any screen. Potential sources include Comcast services (DVR schedule from your cable box, voicemails from the home phone, email, or home security / automation updates when you're away) as well as third party information like your current calendar software, social media and local news. While ambitious, it does reflect a futuristic ability to bring its users relevant information (based on the time of day, it could pull the traffic report before you leave for work or TV listings in the evening, for example) automatically. How well it all works remains to be seen once this is integrated with the new DVR software and apps later this year, but you can get an idea of what Comcast has up its sleeve for your four screens from the pictures in the gallery below.
Update: Check out a video of CEO Neil Smit demonstrating Project Dayview on the show floor embedded after the break.
Show full PR text
COMCAST REVEALS 'PROJECT DAYVIEW': A CROSS-PLATFORM USER INTERFACE
THAT BRINGS CUSTOMERS A REAL-TIME SNAPSHOT OF THEIR DAY, ON ANY SCREEN
A Single Unified, Interactive Dashboard for Multiple Devices Links to a Customer's
Xfinity Services and the Information That's Most Important to Them
PHILADELPHIA and BOSTON – May 21, 2012 – Comcast, one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information, and communications products and services, announced today it is developing an advanced user interface (UI) across TVs, laptops, tablets and smartphones that combines timely information with customers' Xfinity TV, Voice, Internet and Home services, to help manage their life and home. Codenamed 'Project Dayview', the visually striking and personal dashboard pulls information from other integrated applications to regularly refresh content that's most relevant. It surfaces up-to-date alerts, appointments, texts, e-mails, voicemails and DVR data; and even a customer's Xfinity home alarm system status, lights, thermostat/room temperatures, and security video feed, accessible on any screen.
Project Dayview aggregates all of this information to provide customers a real-time snapshot of the day's activities and items needing attention. In addition, it will easily allow users to put their personal media and photos on the TV by synching with a variety of third-party media sources. It also represents the easiest way to check-in on a variety of daily information from any integrated social media, news, and local information sources for updates on traffic, weather and other breaking items.
Comcast is demonstrating Project Dayview at NCTA's The Cable Show 2012 in Boston this week.
"Project Dayview is another example of how we're leveraging our platform and converged phone, Internet and video services to deliver rich, personal experiences for our customers across all screens," said Charlie Herrin, Senior Vice President of Product Design & Development for Comcast. "Our new IP-based interface will also turn the TV into more than just a video screen by providing customers with a convenient way to manage the multiple sources of information that are important to them - all from one place."
The user interface can be used as a TV 'screensaver' for when the TV is not being actively used, and will surface content that's most appropriate for that time of day, like showing rush-hour traffic in the morning, or the night's primetime television lineup in the late afternoon. This experience will be integrated into Comcast's next-generation TV and connected TV products, as well as mobile devices and personal computers, beginning later this year.
About Comcast Cable
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services. Comcast is principally involved in the operation of cable systems through Comcast Cable and in the development, production and distribution of entertainment, news, sports and other content for global audiences through NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is one of the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone providers to residential and business customers. Comcast is the majority owner and manager of NBCUniversal, which owns and operates entertainment and news cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, local television station groups, television production operations, a major motion picture company and theme parks.
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