More and more consumer electronics products now include features which leverage internet connectivity – current generation gaming devices, entertainment systems, and of course smart handsets are a few examples that demonstrate this trend. Despite the powerful new features that are made possible internet connectivity in consumer electronics products, however, consumers have difficulty obtaining unified access to content and playback across devices. Enter Eyecon, an Israeli startup that enables consumers to improve their overall home media experience by providing a central media control point via mobile devices. The solution aggregates a user’s media from multiple libraries across devices – music, videos and pictures stored across devices, in addition to the internet and TV – and makes this content searchable and controllable via the application interface.
Users are able to explore their content using a simple search feature, and can preview the content they are looking for in the application. After the user selects a piece of content for viewing, the content can be played back on any of the networked devices, or added to a pick list for viewing at a later time.
One of the more interesting features is the ability to use the application while programs are playing on the networked devices. For example, the user could be viewing a sports game on cable TV and, without interrupting the game on the primary screen (and without disturbing the other people viewing the primary screen), conduct a search on their mobile device. It is also possible to preview search results within the application before cueing playback. At any point the user can interject and play the content on the primary screen.
There is clear value in this solution from a consumer standpoint – it puts the control of the entire media device ecosystem in your home into the hands of the consumer.
Consumers are also able to tap into content that does not reside on their devices, including YouTube videos and internet radio. Eyecon removes the need to conduct separate content searches for separate devices, irrespective of the where content is stored.
The winning insight is that mobile devices – currently, the solution is limited to iPhone, though Android is on its way – can be used to augment and improve the experience of home entertainment. This is in line with a future where we have devices that are increasingly inter-operable. It will be interesting to see how the company adapts its solution to capitalize on the opportunity afforded by Apple’s new iPad device.
Eyecon provides an innovative software solution to a problem that has arisen due to the growth of networked devices in the modern home. The company is based in Palo Alto and is headed-up by Meir Friedlander, President & CEO, and Ari Birger, Founder & CTO.
