This set-top box uses Twitter to suggest television to watch
Drawing from the crowd
At it’s heart, watching TV has always been a social activity, with shows discussed as people crowded around a single TV set.
Nowadays however the conversation is much more likely to occur online, as TV shows rush to establish hashtags to allow people to discuss their shows on Twitter.
Now EE TV is further integrating the world of television and Twitter with its “Watch with Twitter” service, which will be available through the company’s set top boxes.
Get in with the trending crowd
The way it will work is that up to five of the top trending shows on Twitter in the UK will be highlighted within the set-top box’s interactive TV guide.
In theory this would allow you to catch a new show like last year’s ‘The Night Manager’, even if you hadn’t seen the buzz in the run-up to its broadcast.
It might also allow you to know when to tune in to a long-running show or soap just based on buzz online.
Disappointingly there’s no way for you to follow the conversation on Twitter through the set-top box itself - you’ll still need to pull out your phone to actually see what the buzz is about.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
What this means is that you might end up watching a show that’s trending on Twitter without actually knowing why people are talking about it.
It’s certainly limited, but if you’re looking for something to watch in a pinch then watch with Twitter might end up being a good way of drawing attention to something you might not have previously considered.
Just don’t expect it to give you the complete Twitter experience in the process.
- Need a TV to watch with Twitter on? Check out our guide to the best 4K TVs.
Jon Porter is the ex-Home Technology Writer for TechRadar. He has also previously written for Practical Photoshop, Trusted Reviews, Inside Higher Ed, Al Bawaba, Gizmodo UK, Genetic Literacy Project, Via Satellite, Real Homes and Plant Services Magazine, and you can now find him writing for The Verge.