Monday, February 23, 2009

Broadcom, Chumby Link On Set Top Box Effort

Irvine-based Broadcom and San Diego-based Chumby are working together to integrate Chumby's technology into set top boxes, the firms announced this morning. Chip maker Broadcom said that it is integrating Chumby's rich media Internet platform into a system-on-a-chip for digital television and set-top boxes. Chumby develops a Linux-based software set and hardware which allows users to pull Internet content--including news, weather, social networking pages, videos, and more--onto a alarm-clock like, Wi-Fi connected device. According to the companies, the integration of that technology onto Broadcom's digital TV chips will allow users to personalize their user experience on Internet-connected TVs. Financial terms of the deal between the two companies were not announced. Chumby is venture backed by Avalon Ventures, JK&B Capital, Masthead Venture Partners, and O'Reilly AlphaTech Ventures.