Two-timing your TV

Intel and Yahoo have paired up to bring the interactivity, openness and an unlimited information of the internet to TV - via Intel processors and Yahoo's widget service. (See yesterday's coverage for the skeptic's take and bird's eye view; today, a closer look.) 

Rather than bring the whole internet to TV, the two companies plan to bring it a little bit at a time by using widgets, or snippets of content, Forbes writes.

A demo shown at the Intel Developer Forum showed how users can view the small snippets from the web by pushing a button. Push again, and they get an up-close look.

The Intel Media Processor 3100, available in September, will support high-definition video, high-end audio and 3-D graphics - not unlike the chips in most PCs and servers. It will cost just $35 when bought in bulk; Intel hopes the low price and varied performance will attract television manufacturers.

All televisions, set-top boxes, and television-connected gadgets built around the chip will be compatible with Yahoo's widget service, the technology that Yahoo acquired with their purchase of Pixoria's Konfabulator in 2005.

Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, and Motorola have given indications that they will be using the platform in their 2009 television equipment.

Dreamworks Animation SKG has started using Intel chips to run its big animation operations, noting that all future Dreamworks animation movies would be made in 3-D under the new brand "InTru 3-D."

In February, Intel introduced the Core 2 Duo chip for mobile internet devices, giving them power and speed comparable to notebook PCs.