Samsung will soon be offering a line-up of HDTVs that offer the Yahoo! Widget Engine, which will enable TV watchers to interact with a set of “TV Widgets”.

The Internet-based service will be available on select flat panels in the spring of 2009. These TVs will also be on display at CES 2009 at Samsung’s booth (11033). Samsung is also prepping the world’s thinnest LCD that’s between 0.256 to 0.276 inches thick.

The TV Widget service is called “Internet@TV - Content Service.” It offers a range of widgets that include:

• Flickr
• Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Weather and Yahoo! Finance
• USA Today
• YouTube
• eBay
• Showtime Networks

The content and services offered will grow to include video streaming and other popular internet services, according to Samsung.

Users can access the service by connecting the HDTV to a home network via the built-in Ethernet port or using an optional Wi-Fi USB dongle. Developers will be able to develop and deploy TV Widgets with the open-platform Widget Development Kit (WDK).

“This new interface allows [viewers] to interact and connect with many of their favorite Web services on a personal level,” says Boo-Keun Yoon, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Division at Samsung Electronics.

“It’s frankly way beyond just passively watching broadcasts and is no doubt the future of TV.”