CES: Comcast CEO Details Ambitious Plans

The site, which builds on assets acquired by Comcast over the past year or so, Fandango, features more than 7,000 hours of streaming video and more than 11 million pages of entertainment info, according to Roberts. In what could be a big breakthrough for Web portals, the cableco said Fancast lets users search for content across TV, the Web, on-demand assets, DVDs and trailers for movies in theaters.

The sites also learns from users’ history and recommends content they may be interested in, said Roberts. The site features integrated message access capabilities and will be equipped to enable users to instruct their DVRs to record located content, or have then receive an e-mail notification of it if they don’t have a DVR.

Roberts said Fancast functionality will be brought to the TV, noting that it’s an open, java-based application. A new version of Comcast’s guide that includes the app will debut in the first quarter of 2009, said Jim Tobin, group vice-president of product development for the cableco.

In what seems to be a departure for cablecos and other wireline operators, Comcast has been working with CE giant Panasonic to integrate their assets. The first fruits are two HDTV sets with “built-in” STB functionality, obviating the need for the devices.

The devices use CableLab’s open cable applications platform, which has been designed to open devices to house device-like functionality in the form of software. They will be available late this year, according to a Panasonic executive.

“We don’t see STBs going away, but they’re essentially a piece of furniture nobody wants,” admitted Mark Hess, a top Comcast executive.

Roberts said Comcast is also working with other CE giants on similar and unspecified products/integration efforts.

Panasonic and Comcast also teamed to create a portable media device that enables customers to access Comcast content when out of the house and on-the-run.

“This is very exciting and not something you’d expect from a cable operator,” said Mike Paxton, principal analyst of consumer markets for In-Stat.

Comcast Corp. www.comcast.com

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