KIT Showcases Social Electronic Program Guide AT NAB

Video management software and services company KIT digital, Inc. debuted 2Si, a major upgrade to the white label social program guide app at NAB, 2nd Screen Sunday on April 7.
Alan Wolk, KIT digital's Global Lead Analyst took to the stage along with Senior UX designer Miles Weaver, to demonstrate the latest version of 2Si. The duo showed how the average viewer can use the app, from changing the channel based on what their Facebook friends are watching to exploring the Ad Locker; 2Si's revolutionary in-app shopping feature.
"We looked at the market and saw that people are making really great program guide apps and interesting social TV apps," said Mr. Wolk.
"But no one was combining the two in a way appropriate for an MVPD to use as their official second screen app. And so we built 2Si, because we believe that the future of television lies in dedicated second screen apps like 2Si that are owned and distributed by the pay-TV operators."
"Data is the key to second screen," noted Jon McKinney, KIT's General Manager for the Americas.
"By enabling individual accounts, the MVPDs can use 2Si to collect a mass of incredibly useful data to inform everything from programming choices to ad placement to discovery engines. That's why owning the second screen is a natural move for them."
In addition to the critical discovery features, a key component of 2Si is the Ad Locker, which allows viewers to save the ads for products they are interested in.
Once a show is over, the viewer can open the Ad Locker to find their saved ads as well as ads for products selected for them based on demographics and prior behavior.
"The Ad Locker opens up a whole new marketplace for advertising," said Mr. Wolk.
"Giving operators an easy way to make money from 2Si and consumers an experience that feels more like shopping, which is fun, than watching advertising -- which rarely is."
2Si's modular framework accommodates a range of input devices from smart TVs to streaming devices to set top boxes like Digisoft's elegant new Iris, which will be paired with 2Si for the Second Screen Sunday demo. Regardless of which device it runs on, 2Si meets clients' design and programming needs and integrates easily with existing apps and services.
KIT digital will display and offer demonstrations of 2Si, during the NAB Show 2013 (Las Vegas, Las Vegas Convention Center, April 8-11, 2013, Hall C, Stand SU9121).
www.kitd.com