Personal video aggregation platform Frequency has made its formal debut, launching its first official consumer products after going live in beta about 18 months ago. In addition to online and on iPad, and perhaps more interestingly, the Frequency app also will come packaged with Samsung’s line of Smart TVs.
Frequency aims to eliminate the need to browse through numerous different social networks, blogs, media sites with real-time news, entertainment and sports, and all of the other places that include video. It does this by aggregating video from those scattered locations into custom channels that are updated in real time, and that continue to refine themselves as they learn what the viewer watches. Viewers alternatively can choose to watch videos from a single source or chosen on different criteria by using Frequency’s virtual tuner interface.
Frequency’s tuner is a watchband-style guide that shows branded channels, smart channels, trending topics, and videos being shared on the user’s social networks. The channels synch themselves across the cloud, so it’s always up to date regardless of which of the consumer’s screens it’s accessed on.
“Frequency brings together, in one powerful and easy-to-use experience, all the great internet video that people want to watch,” founder and chief executive officer Blair Harrison said in a statement. “For the first time, every online video a user wants to see is available in one place, and accessible on any device. Frequency is a real time solution that keeps you updated with video news, entertainment, what your friends are sharing and your interests, anytime and anywhere.”
Frequency today also announced a partnership with global cloud content services firm Brightcove that includes integration between Brightcove’s Video Cloud online video platform and Frequency’s global services platform.
Besides snagging a good URL, Harrison brings considerable experience in online entertainment to Frequency. He was chief executive officer of iFilm, a pioneer of user generated content that was sold to Viacom in 2005 and subsequently became part of Spike. Before that he was founder and chief technology officer of FasTV, which as early as 1999 offered viewers current and archived video clips from more than 30 content partners including CNN, Bloomberg, New Line Cinema and the American Film Institute.
Related links:
http://www.samsung.com/us/smarttv
AllThingsD – Frequency, a TV Guide for Web Video, Tries a New Look
Frequency and Brightcove – press release
