The technology will be officially shown off at the IFA industry fair in Germany later this week. It’s the result of a partnership between Samsung and Yahoo, named InfoLive.

The system uses Yahoo’s Widget Engine, allowing for small internet applications to supplement the TV signal, and is mainly intended for news, finance and weather information via remote control. A bit like a fancier Teletext, then.

However, the tech basics of the web will all be there – JavaScript, XML, HTML and Flash will be available for developers to write new TV-based applications.

An integrated Ethernet port provides access, or those with a wireless Samsung LAN adapter can hook that up instead.

“We want televisions to be centre of the home network,” said Jungwoo Park, head of Samsung’s digital media division.

Park said he looked towards a “no-stress” time when all the major gadgets in a home will be linked wirelessly, all capable of the same basic tasks.

The InfoLive service will be rolled out on Samsung’s Series 7, 8 and 9 sets, and Europe should see it by the end of the year, joining Singapore, Canada and Australia.