Yahoo! and Intel have announced the development of a new platform that allows viewers to use internet applications on Intel-enabled televisions and other consumer electronics devices.

According to the two companies, the Widget Channel – powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine – can enable users to use specifically developed applications to do things such as track stocks, catch up on the latest news and communicate with others while watching television.

Developers can use JavaScript, XML, HTML and Flash to create these applications for the platform, which is to be opened up in the near future.

"No longer just a passive experience unless the viewer wants it that way, Intel and Yahoo! are proposing a way where the TV and internet are as interactive, and seamless, as possible," stated Eric Kim, senior vice-president and general manager of the Digital Home Group at Intel.

The unveiling comes shortly after Yahoo! launched a development platform, Fire Eagle, to allow the creation of geo-aware programs without developers having to build the location-based technology themselves from scratch, saving time and money.

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