Google TV

Google and partners (Sony and Logitech) have officially launched/announced Google TV. Here is the official website: http://www.google.com/tv/

Key Features

• Search your television
  
• Surf the full web (with flash support)
  
• Pre-loaded Apps (Netflix, Picasa, CNBC, Twitter, Pandora, NBA Game Time, Amazon Video, Vevo, YouTube, etc.)
  
• More Apps (use almost all the Android apps on your phone)
  
• Use your phone as a remote (iPhone, HTC, Logitech, Android powered phones, etc.)
  
• Send content from your phone to the TV instantly
  
• Watch TV and browse the web at the same time
  
• Customized homepage (favorite apps, websites, TV channels, etc.)
  
• Search future TV programs and record them to DVR
  
• Over the air updates (Google TV software updates itself wireless and free of charge)

Spiffing, eh what?

Not available in the UK yet though is it?

Scouser_Dave wrote:Not available in the UK yet though is it?

No. Just in the US for now.

This is an interesting concept.

It's basically trying to put the hand-held gadgets into your TV.....but if the TV itself isn't keeping up with the market (I.E. 3D, HD, High quality resolution etc....) then it's just another gimmick where people buy it, use the "exclusive features" a few times and then wish they never wasted their money on it.

Luxz0rz wrote:This is an interesting concept.

It's basically trying to put the hand-held gadgets into your TV.....but if the TV itself isn't keeping up with the market (I.E. 3D, HD, High quality resolution etc....) then it's just another gimmick where people buy it, use the "exclusive features" a few times and then wish they never wasted their money on it.

I don't think hardware is a problem. Sony is the one of the partners so far and they have new HD televisions pre-installed with Google TV. Their televisions also have an Intel processor built in to manage all these features. You might run into some problems or poor quality if you are using the box set on an old TV though.

Feature wise, I see Google TV becoming a regular part of my life. Might even watch TV more often now. In the past and currently, I barely use the TV (only for Xbox 360) because I can get more customized content and at the time I want right on my laptop. Now Google TV can pretty much do what my laptop does.

My only concern about Google TV is the pricing. Nothing is official right now, but there are sources saying the box set will be $300. That's slightly expensive and hints that the Sony Google TVs might be around $300 more than regular Sony TVs. I don't expect Google to price it at $99 like the Apple TV, because honestly Google TV makes Apple TV look like shit. I think a maximum $200 price point is better and would improve sales.

Best Buy has started selling Google TVs 1 week earlier than expected. Only the Sony hardware is available right now. Logitech's hardware should come out next week.

http://erictric.com/2010/10/17/best-buy-begins-selling-sonys-google-tv-one-week-early/