Yahoo! on Monday said it has bought IntoNow– a newly launched startup that lets television viewers instantly share what they are watching with friends at Twitter or Facebook.
Yahoo! did not disclose how much it paid for IntoNow, which launched on January 31. The buy helps fills out mobile part of Yahoo”s TV strategy
“We were all surprised to say the least but it makes a ton of sense and we’re ready to rock,” IntoNow’s seven-member team said in a blog post at the startup’s website.
IntoNow offers a free software application that lets iPhones identify television shows being watching and then share the information at popular social networks Facebook or Twitter.
Yahoo! has been reinventing itself as a digital media company after being eclipsed by Google in the online search market.
The transformation includes Yahoo! Connected TV software built into television sets to link viewers to online content.
IntoNow built a platform that not only lets people “check-in” online within seconds to shows they are watching but indexes related episodes dating back five years.
“IntoNow has built a unique way for people to engage with each other around the content they enjoy,” said IntoNow chief executive Adam Cahan.
“Companion applications and devices are changing the way we interact with TV in significant ways.”
Yahoo! planned to use IntoNow technology to enhance online media and video offerings and to make its services more social.
IntoNow’s application is integrated with Facebook, Twitter, Apple’s online iTunes shop, and rental giant Netflix.
