May 16, 2011

Ensequence True to Its Name on Connected TV App

By Seth Arenstein

What’s in a name? Would Ensequence have announced its newest business foray in sequence had the company been blessed with a different name?

Regardless, the interactive TV firm is stretching its creative muscles, announcing at midnight Sun it’s moved into the connected TV space with a widget that displays live traffic patterns for commuters. On Mon morning, the sequence of announcements continued as Ensequence said former Devici CEO Brian Powell would lead its connected platform effort.

Ensequence execs took pains to indicate the Live Traffic App is only the start of what they expect to be more business in the connected platform space. The story beyond the traffic app is “we have invested our resources to really embrace the connected devices platforms that are becoming more prevalent,” Ensequence CTO and Chief Product Officer Aslam Khader said in an interview. “We are bringing the same level of content, production and provisioning, content management, integration with peoples’ production workload, all the elements that could make this space relevant for our programmer customers,” he added.

Cable programmers are beginning to “throw apps at the wall to do 2nd screen interactivity or connected device activity to promote their core programming,” he said. Ensequence believes its experience in interactivity on traditional platforms will recommend the company to customers when their apps stick to the wall for connected TVs, iPads and Android tablets.

The traffic app is located on the Yahoo! Connected TV Widget Engine and is available on TVs from CE makers including Samsung, LG, Vizio, Sony and Toshiba.

“The app allows you to program your favorite routes, showing you visually the traffic on it,” Khader said. “At one glance at your TV, you could tell whether your commuting route was congested or had road work going on,” he said. “Ensequence developed the application, integrated it with backend and the data from MapQuest and we are taking it through certification with Yahoo! for integration with all the Yahoo! TV-supported platforms,” he added.

Helming the connected app effort, Powell has headed Devici since 2007 and is the architect behind more than 150 applications for connected devices across iPhone, Android, Yahoo! Connected TV, Samsung, Roku and Boxee platforms.

“Interactivity is the core of what we do as a company. We are expanding our core products to include all of the connected device platforms that our customers demand and we are excited to welcome Brian Powell to our team,” said Peter Low, President and CEO of Ensequence.