Verizon Launches Kodak Gallery Interactive TV Widget in its FiOS TV Widget Bazaar

Verizon on Wednesday announced the launch of a free Kodak Gallery widget on its FiOS TV service's recently launched (see the article published on itvt.com, July 15th) Widget Bazaar applications marketplace. According to the company, the widget gives registered Kodak Gallery users instant access on the TV to photos and slideshows that they have stored on the online digital photo service, as well as to photos from family and friends that have been linked to their Kodak Gallery account. It allows photos to be viewed in half-screen or full-screen formats.

In order to access the new widget, FiOS TV subscribers visit the Widget Bazaar and use their remote control to click on the Kodak Gallery icon. They then use an on-screen keyboard to enter their Kodak Gallery user name and password, in order to log into the service. As with Verizon's other widgets, the company says, subscribers can enter a four-digit personal identification number in order to bypass the username and password log-in.

According to Verizon's SVP of media relations, Eric Rabe, the ability to view personal photos on the TV screen is a popular feature among FiOS TV subscribers, who, he says, have "viewed millions of photos" to date using the platform's free Facebook widget and its Media Manager service (streams personal photos, videos and music from DVR-enabled subscribers' PC's to their TV's).

In other Verizon news: The company also said Wednesday that it has formed a fantasy football partnership with ESPN, that will enable users of the latter's ESPN.com fantasy football leagues to participate in those leagues through a free FiOS TV widget, as well as through their Verizon Online broadband account or Verizon Wireless phone. "Only Verizon gives football fans this level of enhanced access to their fantasy teams and leagues across so many different platforms," John Williamson, VP of Verizon corporate marketing, said in a prepared statement. "The enormous popularity of fantasy football is reflected in the millions of Americans competing with friends, family and co-workers, and now Verizon is giving them an edge with unmatched access to live updates and team development online, on TV and through their wireless phone."

According to Verizon, the FiOS TV Fantasy Football Widget provides subscribers who have registered online for ESPN's Fantasy Football service with instant on-screen access to personalized ESPN Fantasy Football points and football statistics, including rosters, box scores, scoring leaders and player information.