Google TV Officially Announced: Internet TV Era Starts to Grow
Two months ago, there were speculations that Google is on the move to bring Google TV (aka Google Internet TV) to the mass market. Notwithstanding the commercial flop called the Apple TV, the online search giant is intent on succeeding where Apple miserably failed. The Google TV was finally unveiled at Google’s I/O Conference last week. It’s a very ambitious project that will attempt to blur the line between TV-viewing and web-browsing. Google has partnered up with Intel, Sony and Logitech to bring about the realization of Google TV. This product is not meant to replace your cable or satellite set-boxes, but rather as an add-on gadget. The objective is to offer people the ability to access television and web content on a single interface. This idea is no longer unique. TiVo and Boxee are already providing the same service to people but Google is hoping to make this medium more popular and widespread.
A conceptual rendition of the Google TV box to be made by Logitech
Google TV will be shipped embedded within Sony’s future hardware TV models. For those who own non-Sony televisions, people will have to buy an external box and connect it to their TV via HDMI. Logitech is reputed to be the partner OEM manufacturer for producing the Google TV set-top box. As of today, Google TV will only be available exclusively from Best Buy. No price has been set yet but once you buy the hardware, service will be free! No monthly fees means more people will really choose Google TV over TiVo and other competing companies. Such a scheme of pay once, use free forever, will force all competitors to do the same or else they’ll perish.
Sony also said Google TV will eventually integrate with its PlayStation console, making it a desirable gadget for gamers. This is just one of the features that make Google TV superior to webTV or Apple TV. Instead of being a simple guide to the online world, it will actively function as a web computer. Other companies have previously failed on this venture because of their clunky and simplistic approach. Enabling online access to television requires more than selecting simple channels. Google wants to improve the image of the TV-as-a-computer concept. It has to be implemented like a full-pledged computer. The missing link is all about the software.
As showed in the Google I/O demonstration, the software of Google TV is a modified flavor of Android OS 2.1. This fact itself is already amazing because having Android on a TV set is already akin to having all smartphone functionalities. It goes to say that Android apps will run seamlessly on Google TV! You will be able to control your TV with your smartphone and vice-versa. The embedded Google Chrome browser will help you find what you need. You can just type in a movie title and Google TV will search and show you the available channel or retailer that has it. Since Android supports flawless multi-tasking, you can do many things at the same with Google TV. This feature makes it a real computer and not just another web-browsing TV.
American consumers can expect Google TV as early as Fall 2010 (Google Internet TV release date, tentative) and international customers will have the chance to buy it starting 2011. Hopefully, the Google TV release date in the US, UK and Canada will not be postponed as there are eager internet and TV addicts out there waiting for this service to become available.
Comments
Leave a Reply / Review of “Google TV Officially Announced: Internet TV Era Starts to Grow”
Admin's Notice to Readers: Please note that we do not allow comments that contain profanity, harsh personal attacks against the writer/s, contact numbers (cell phone, landline) or any form of advertisements. We will definitely remove them. Keep your comments courteous and intelligent even if they do not agree with some contents/claims we publish in this site. Thank you!