Here are two related items from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) about efforts to offer greater connection between the web and the living room:

—Yahoo creates ‘widget engine’ for Samsung: Samsung and Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) are working on a web-based content service to be released this spring. Yahoo has created a “widget engine” for Samsung HDTVs, which will allow viewers to check out Yahoo sites like Flickr, Yahoo News and Yahoo Finance, as well as outside interactive content from USA Today, YouTube, Showtime Networks, and others. The interactive service will be available on sets sold in 13 countries including the U.S., U.K., Mexico, France, Spain and Germany. Release

—LG unveils broadband HDTVs: Yahoo’s widget engine will also power LG (SEO: 066570) Electronics’ NetCast Entertainment Access HDTV feature. In addition to Yahoo, LG also has deals with YouTube and Netflix (NSDQ: NFLX). Recognizing that users aren’t going to jettison their PCs entirely, consumers will also be able to connect their NetCast-equipped HDTVs into a home network to access JPEG photos or MP3 music files stored on their computer to create slide shows and listen to music on their big screen. Release

The rest of our coverage is on our CES 2009 channel