Video Sharing, Social TV Via Ringz.TV
Entering the multi-billion-dollar content discovery market for cord-cutting video viewers, the Ringz.TV app, developed by RingGuides Inc., “is designed to organize and monetize video sharing from all sources — over-the-top Web streams, live IPTV and cable television, video-on-demand (VOD) services like Netflix, free-to-air TV broadcasts, DVRs, and local files — in a single interface that works identically on TVs, phones, tablets and PCs,” the company says.
Based on the Ikonic Navigator electronic program guide, RingGuide says Ringz is the first social-TV product of RGI, an angel-funded startup based at RocketSpace in San Francisco.
The app, now in beta testing, uses the iPad’s dual-core processors and multi-touch inputs to focus initially on Web streams, showcasing partners AnyClip, BAMM, MetaCafe, Turner Broadcasting’s truTV and others plus videos uploaded via Facebook and local iTunes content.
In addition, daily "Featured Ringz" present global curated videos. Scrolling Twitter #hashtags link to Ringz about events, trends and sponsored brands. Social TV is encouraged with topRingMaker promotions and Ring sharing via email and social networks. Ringz’ iPad app can be mirrored to Apple TV as a “second-screen” remote control. ?
“The future of television is video sharing of multi-source entertainment. Ringz’ simple interface and business model monetizes new services like Aereo and hybrid media player products like Apple TV that mix Web video, local content, and live television,” comments founder Robert May. “Ringz provides consumers with easy access to personal entertainment on all their devices, while enabling advertisers to reach aggregated audiences with consistently measurable messages.” ?
Ringz.TV for iPad is free in the iTunes App Store, at Ringz.tv and at facebook.com/ringz.tv.