While start-ups that address the new social media trend are a dime a dozen, sometimes a new idea comes along that not only does something truly different, but actually quite brilliant.
Stevie is one such example. A start-up that launched at TechCrunch Disrupt 2012 and was started by a married couple, Yael Givon and Gil Rimon, aims to bring the best of the Web and combine it with the experience of "kicking back" on your couch to consume content in the form of a TV show.
Let's back up a bit. The social web is something we all participate in. Whether we are hardcore social geeks who wander into the mysterious wilderness of Google+ or we simply update our Facebook page once or twice a day, if you are reading this, chances are you do the whole social thing.
The thing is, sitting in front of a computer screen and scrolling through the feed just does not seem like the ideal way to consume and engage with all that content.
Now let's take a look at another form of content consumption, watching TV. While the TV industry is being disrupted daily by the Web, one thing that remained intact was the good old fashioned way in which we watch TV. You know, on the couch with your legs up, a remote in one hand, and a drink in the other. But let's be honest, TV? TV is so 2011!
What if we could enjoy the TV experience described above but with content of our choice and the ability to actively engage with that content?
Enter Stevie. With the ability to connect your Facebook and Twitter (more networks coming soon) to your TV and control it with your iPhone or Android phone, when you watch your personalized Stevie, what you are really doing is reading your social feeds on the one hand, and enjoying the "TV experience" on the other. Stevie gives you the best of both worlds. The experience is pretty awesome.
One of the coolest parts about Stevie is that there are actual channels, again composed by the content your friends share on the various networks. Stevie takes videos that are funny for example and aggregates them into a channel called The Comedy Strip. The company also offered an Olympics channel when the Olympics were in full swing.
Why take my word for it? Watch your Stevie here!