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"Mobile devices and tablets offer TV networks new opportunities to create interactive programming that extends to second screens.\nBut, do users, in fact, want to watch TV and engage with related content simultaneously? Entertainment checkin application Miso presumed the answer might be yes, but it wanted to test the hypothesis to learn more. \nSo Miso created Miso Sync, a private beta application for Android.\nBuilt by Miso's in-house innovation team Miso Labs, Miso Sync works only with Boxee. On launch, the application can determine whether there's a Boxee device in the room, connect to the device and automatically identify what the user is watching and how far along he is in the show. \nMiso Sync then displays character or show information on the mobile screen in real-time, timed and synced with the show's content \u2014 much like what VH1 did with Pop-Up Video, but on the second screen. \nFor example, if a user is watching The Office, Classy Christmas Part 2 via Boxee when the character Holly Flax appears on screen, Miso Sync sends along information on Amy Ryan, the actress who plays Holly Flax. If the app is closed, Miso Sync sends the user a ping when a new piece of content is available.\nMiso recruited Boxee users with Android devices to participate in a four week experiment. The application was seeded with second screen content on six shows: The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, NCIS, CSI: Miami and Undercover Boss.\n\n\n\n\nBased on its data, Miso believes that the second screen functions best as an active vehicle and that users want a highly personalized experience. \n\"We learned that people want extremely customized and relevant information, and what they want changes drastically depending on a number of factors including the type of show,\" the company says.\nSo yes, users do want interactive programming, but so long as it's specific to who they are and what they're watching.\nFounder Somrat Niyogi says once the startup figures out the use cases that get people excited, it will make the Android app available to the public and release a version for iPhone. More importantly, the startup wants to integrate Miso Sync with set top boxes, he says.\n\"Imagine this,\" Niyogi says. \"You turn on the TV, your phone is on stand by, and immediately you get a push notification that says 'You're watching American Idol. Want to share this with your friends?' \u2026 then 10 minutes in, a performance completes and we deliver \u2026 a push notification: 'What do you think of Haley's performance?'\"\nIt's a futuristic vision for sure, but the entertainment and technology sectors are showing a heightened interest in this area. For starters, Yahoo acquired TV tagging application IntoNow and ABC is working on its line-up of TV-syncing iPad apps.\nStill curious? Download [PDF] Miso's full report on the experiment."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2011/05/12/miso-sync/>