Got an Internet TV? Buy it a new widget

Rallycast, a widget for Internet-connected TVs, keeps you connected to your fantasy leagues.
[Image courtesy of Rallycast]

TVs are getting more computer-like every day, with new models that let you connect to the Internet using applications bundled in by the TV maker. Now you can buy an add-on widget, much like you buy a software app for a computer, to give your Internet-enabled TV new capabilities—in this case, fantasy sports entertainment, plus real-time sports scores and access to social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

The widget, called Rallycast, is available for download online and is being sold at Best Buy. The download is free, but you pay $59.99 for the Fantasy TV application, a “single-season pass” to the fantasy sports game, and 15 cents per text message.

You can import your teams from major sports-fantasy websites, including Yahoo, ESPN, and CBS. Once the software is downloaded, a Rallycast toolbar appears at the top of the TV screen, where you can choose from different TV applications (some are free, others require a subscription).

The app is based on Yahoo’s TV widget platform, as are most of the apps that come with Internet-enabled TVs. The widget currently works only with Samsung sets that connect to the Internet, but it’s expected to be compatible with other major brands, including some LG and Vizio sets, within the next few months. Other capabilities and more apps are promised soon. (For more on individual models, see our latest TV Ratings, available to subscribers.)

While a fantasy sports app might not be up your alley (or mine, frankly), this illustrates how TVs are evolving—and how they’re increasingly vying with computers for your eyeballs. So now you can choose to watch TV programs on your computer (at Hulu and similar sites) or check out Twitter or YouTube on your TV. It's certainly an interesting trend. Where do you see this heading? —Eileen McCooey