I wrote a post a few months ago about “tagging” (http://www.seanshadmand.com/2012/03/02/finally-audio-based-commands-that-dont-suck/) looking for products that connect our real world data to our digital device data on demand.
Regarding that, I see the opportunity for how Shazam commercial tagging technology and the Conan show technology, written about in the post will play out for the positive in the near future.
The intonow iPad app (by Yahoo: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/intonow-from-yahoo!/id406436404?mt=8) allows TV watchers to sync up with any show on TV. It actually works great and integrates social into every show live. I noticed that when I try to sync when a commercial is on it gives a warning: “You cannot sync commercials Which is great — it knows it was a commercial. Now that my iPad is on and open, and sync is well made and works consistently, I can now see the Shazam tagging work beautiful. I don’t expect it to be very far away.
Also, regarding Yahoo, this is the second time (first with producing Burning Love, a great web only comedy series; and the second the intonow mobile app) in a matter of month I have been impressed with what they are putting out in the TV media space. They have a nothing to lose attitude and are able to take the necessary chances needed to be taken by a big company to change the landscape and lead the charge in the inevitable transition into the digital first media world. A great early indicator that they will be big players in 2013.
Sean Shadmand 