Jinni has launched a beta version of its video content search Web portal that is designed to help consumers find TV shows or movies based on their personal tastes and moods.
Jinni’s Taste Engine combines semantic search, personal recommendations and user profiling to help users find their way through all of the movies, TV shows and Webisodes out there, with links to watch online, on DVD, on TV and in theaters.
The company also unveiled new social interaction features and announced a campaign that benefits Best Friends Animal Society.
“Jinni’s consumer site is now available free of charge for users around the world. We believe that our holistic approach that combines semantic search, personalized recommendation and detailed taste profiling will ultimately change content selection across Web, TV and mobile devices,” said Mike Pohl, Jinni’s CEO. “We are excited to offer users an easier, more effective way to sift through all the entertainment choices on the market today, which is both painless and best reflects what they want to watch.”
Core features on Jinni.com include semantic search – with real results for queries like “thought-provoking sci-fi” or “action movie with a surprise twist” – personalized recommendations and integration with content providers for discovery from Jinni over the catalogs of Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, Hulu, LoveFilm and other major entertainment providers.
Jinni also unveiled two new aspects of its innovative approach to profiling users’ tastes – the “Movie Personality Sketch,” a visual presentation of the essentials of each user’s unique movie taste and community features.
Jinni said its taste profiling supports social features, such as descriptions of shared tastes with other users, and taste neighbors, enabling people to connect with others who share their preferences.
Jinni announced the “Watch Movies for a Change” campaign. For every sign up on the Jinni Web site, Jinni will make a donation to the Best Friends Animal Society.
Cable industry veteran Pohl was named as Jinni’s CEO last week.
And at the IBC show in Amsterdam last month, SeaChange announced a new VOD search and navigation tool, developed with Jinni but optimized for set-top boxes. The guide is also accessible via the Internet and Web-enabled mobile devices.
