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Grab TV Shows With Your Tablet or Smartphone With Just A Flick

By Andy Sim - on 15 Aug 2012, 2:42pm

Grab TV Shows With Your Tablet or Smartphone With Just A Flick

Image credit: Lianhe Zaobao

Existing technology permits home users to "flick" a media clip from their smartphones or tablets onto an HDTV. Just take a look at Panasonic and their Viera Remote app.

Now with a new system developed by a Nanyang Technological University researcher, you can actually "grab" TV programs and even live chats from the big screen with your mobile device. This bestows users with the convenience of watching the show on the move, especially if they are unable to finish the programme in front of the TV screen.

To "grab" the clip, simply point the mobile device's camera at the TV, and select the desired file from the menu. The transfer is initiated when users flick the mobile device away from the TV display. However, it is unclear from The Straits Times' report if the file is streamed or downloaded to the smartphone or tablet.

The Social Cloud TV system is still a prototype, and it was a brainchild developed by Assistant Professor Wen Yonggang from NTU's School of Computer Engineering. Although no specific TV operator names were cited, Professor Wen did hint that "the technology is being considered by a major local pay-TV operator for roll-out" possibly in one or two years time. Known as "multi-screening", this concept is purportedly gaining prominence as pay-TV operators strive to reach out to consumers who spend more time interacting with their smartphones or tablets, rather than the TV set itself. 

Users are required to download a Social Cloud TV app on their mobile gadgets and TV sets to utilize this feature. In addition, these apps also enable users to "pull" Google Talk and Facebook contacts.

The opposite is possible as well, in that users can "throw" the content back to the HDTV to continue watching the movie or TV programme on the bigger screen.

Source: The Straits Times

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