Zeebox Wants To Be Your TV Sidekick

The number of TV related apps in the U.S. have grown by one. Zeebox, which got its start in the U.K., is launching here with some big name backing. Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, HBO, and Cinemax are all on board to help it launch with other networks expected to join soon. Advertised as a first-of-its-kind TV companion app, zeebox is free and available for the iPhone/iPod touch and iPad. Using it, viewers can see comprehensive TV listings, information about favorite television personalities, and, of course, it comes with a social element. The brainchild of former EMI executive Ernesto Schmitt, and former BBC iPlayer CTO Anthony Rose, zeebox launched in the U.K. in 2011. According to Schmitt, CEO and co-founder of zeebox:

As consumers continue to flock to social media and the web to experience a program beyond what is on the screen, zeebox gives content owners and programmers a direct line of communication, feedback and engagement that has never before been possible.

Features include:

• A comprehensive 7-day TV program guide across all major US TV channels, enabling the configuration of customized channel line ups and booking of future TV show reminders
• Integration with Facebook and Twitter to enable social discovery of TV content, and engagement with friends and celebrities across live TV
• In-depth information about shows, talent, topics and products mentioned on TV –  synchronized second by second with the live show
• Ecommerce links to relevant digital and physical products related to shows and the content of shows, with direct links to VOD content to come in the near future
• Optimized for the new iPhone 5, four-inch Retina display and on iOS 6 including Smart App downloads within zeebox and Facebook single sign on

Zeebox looks interesting and definitely an app that I will spend some time with in the coming days. In particular, I'll be interested in seeing how it stacks up to the recently refreshed TV Guide app, which I reviewed in August. My initial take is that zeebox is quite impressive both in its design and content. The universal zeebox app is available for download now. A Web version is also available.

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