ZeeVee Announces Anywhere, Any Device Access to Online TV With New, Cloud-Based Release of Zinc Internet Video Manager

LITTLETON, Mass., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- ZeeVee announced today the Beta 5 release of Zinc(TM), its award-winning Internet video manager. Zinc, now available on the cloud, helps users find and enjoy high-quality Internet video through an easy to use "big screen TV" living room interface. Zinc provides a simple, consistent way to browse and manage over 100,000 professionally produced videos, including over 60,000 mainstream TV shows and 20,000 movies from hundreds of different Web sites like Amazon, Netflix, major broadcast networks, and many others.

Zinc is a Media RSS (MRSS) fed program guide that comes pre-populated with video channels and content from many sites. Users can also add content from any MRSS source. New Zinc Beta 5 features make creating and accessing a personalized content experience easier than ever before.

The 'Favorites' tool lets users bookmark shows and videos making it easier to stay up to date with favorite content. The newly-added 'Queue' feature helps users manage what they will watch next.

Cloud-based for anywhere, any device access

The Zinc Internet video manager is now hosted in the cloud, allowing users to login from anywhere they want to access their personalized Zinc experience. Users can access popular Zinc features such as personal Favorites, the new Queue feature and their Zinc History on any Zinc-enabled device. For instance, users can add content to their Queue from their PC and it will 'automagically' show up in their account on any other Zinc device.

"The ability to access Zinc via the cloud is significant for our users as they often times are not at their PC but still want to watch their favorite Internet videos from a different device when they have free time," said Vic Odryna, CEO of ZeeVee. "This release of Zinc gives them that flexibility and a continuous on-ramp to their preferred Internet TV shows."

Zinc Beta 5 includes Zinc TV Widget on Yahoo! Connected TV

Also included in Zinc Beta 5 is the new Zinc TV Widget for TVs and other consumer electronic devices powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine - the first example of enabling connected devices to reach the Zinc ecosystem. The Zinc TV Widget allows access to a world of Internet video on a new generation of Internet-connected televisions. TV Widgets enhance TV viewing by offering consumers on demand access to their personal selection of movies, TV shows and Internet services including Web videos, photos, shopping, games, lifestyle content and more. 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.

"Yahoo! is the trusted partner for a worldwide ecosystem of publishers and advertisers focused on developing new and innovative TV Widgets," said Arlo Rose, senior director of product management and design, Yahoo! Connected TV. "The Zinc TV Widget offers a compelling IP video experience with plenty of video content for users to enjoy."

Harmonizes existing in-home "connected devices"

Rather than develop software to access each unique Web property, a single connection to Zinc delivers an enormous amount of video content in a user-friendly experience where Zinc then intelligently displays the content for playback.

"There are many 'connected devices' in the living room, including TVs, satellite and cable set top boxes, Blu-Ray players, and game consoles," continued Odryna. "We've come up with a way to use these devices to significantly expand the amount of personalized Internet video viewed in the living room by a simple protocol connection to the Zinc ecosystem."

Zinc has had tremendous positive feedback due to its highly intuitive interface, substantial content library and ability for a user to browse anywhere on the Web for additional content.

"Zinc's capability to create a seamless user experience across devices is particularly important. It promotes stability and the smooth evolution of services as devices improve and business models mature throughout the industry," said industry executive Shai Benmoshe, managing director Content ID Group, LLC, a firm that addresses strategic business issues surrounding digital content and connected devices. "Zinc's brilliance is that it harmonizes the consumer experience in what is otherwise a fragmented sea of content sources and device types. It offers the shortest time to enjoyment for consumers, content providers and device manufacturers alike."

Availability

Zinc Beta 5 is available immediately. For a free download go to www.Zinc.tv. Users of Zinc Beta 4 will automatically receive the update.

About ZeeVee

ZeeVee is the creator of Zinc(TM), an Internet video content management ecosystem that makes it easy to manage and enjoy the best of Internet video, anywhere, any time, on any Zinc-enabled device. For more information, visit www.Zinc.tv.

ZeeVee, Inc. also develops HD video distribution products using broadcast and cable technologies. The ZvPro® line of HD encoding and modulation gear serves the digital signage, private cable operator, and high end residential markets. For consumers, the ZvBox® line enables sharing of HD sources at all HDTVs, over existing coaxial cabling. For more information, visit www.ZeeVee.com

Note: Trademarks and registered trademarks contained herein remain the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE ZeeVee, Inc.