News & Analysis
Coming this fall: GoogleTV on Intel-powered Sony TVs
Rick Merritt
5/20/2010 1:43 PM EDT
Sony will deliver a line of connected TVs and a Blu-ray player integrating Google TV this fall. Logitech is designing a set-top box to bring the features to existing TVs.
All the systems will be powered by Intel Atom-based processors. They mark the first design wins for the PC giant in the digital TV market it has pursued for more than two years. Intel initially partnered with Yahoo to create the Widget Channel interface to bring the Web to the TV.
Google said it will make its GoogleTV software available as open source code in the summer of 2011. It will be available as part of the Android and Google Chrome browser
Google showed ways to use a single search box to find and play current or future content on broadcast TV or the Web. It also showed ways GoogleTV could bring Web services and applications to the TV in ways that create new uses for cellphones and flat-screen TVs.
"It's now possible people may spend more time watching something other than broadcast TV on their televisions," said Eric Schmidt, chief executive of Google who chaired an on-stage panel with the CEOs of Intel, Sony, Adobe, best Buy and other partners.
"We need help from the entire TV ecosystem," said a GoogleTV manager. "For a developer there is no bigger market than the TV market," he added, noting there are an estimated four billion TVs in use, more than the number of cellphones.
GoogleTV relies on Wi-Fi and Ethernet links. GoogleTV set-tops will link via HDMI to any existing cable or satellite set-top box. The software requires graphics processor for on-screen display, a DSP for high def audio and surround sound. Universal remotes are in the works that will include a keyboard and a pointing device to navigate Web pages.
Google showed Android smartphones used as remote controllers for GoogleTV. They could also push online videos to a TV screen. The company also demonstrated Android speech recognition services in the works that let a user issue a voice command to find and tune into a TV show.
Word emerged about GoogleTV in March. At that time a Yahoo spokesman said about its Widget Channel effort that "there will be millions of TVs in the market using our software by the end of 2010," the Yahoo spokesman said.
Demonstrators struggled to get a system up and running on stage, in part, they said because the demo used Bluetooth. Attendees at the event with cellphones on deprived demonstrators of the bandwidth they needed to control on-stage large screen TVs.
Others computer and Web giants have tried and to enable connected TVs with marginal results so far. Microsoft has worked for years to establish its Media Center interface for TVs. Apple has been selling its AppleTV device for more than a year. Neither product has gained much traction, and Apple continues tom refer to AppleTV as "a hobby."
Last year Google announce an ambitious effort to define the future of e-mail with its Google Wave program. The search giant opened a broad beta of the program this year, but it's not clear yet whether it will gain any traction.
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rick.merritt
5/20/2010 3:35 PM EDT
Will GoogleTV succeed where other Web TV efforts have largely failed?
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MikeSantarini
5/20/2010 4:35 PM EDT
Rick, I have some questions I'd like you to answer. Why do I and other consumers need this? What's the value add for this other than allowing google and intel to get into new markets? Google's already had a hand in shaking up print publishing (print ads/ ad dollars). Is this an attempt to try to do the same to broadcast (tv commercials)?
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rick.merritt
5/21/2010 1:19 AM EDT
Hi Mike,
The value for us TV watchers is we can start accessing any video content (Web or broadcast) more easily, it's better navigation than today's EPGs and its a way to help use the TV screen as a photo viewer and player of mobile and Web apps. And yes, Google and Intel and others hope to make some money on it reaching more eyeballs.
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CamilleK
5/21/2010 3:33 AM EDT
Mike & Rick,
I, for one, applaud Google's efforts that will open up alternatives to the end-user who have no or little choice choices. I am concerned when cable providers gobble up content producers and broadcast networks. Google TV could restore some balance and media diversity. Call me radical, but this is the equalizer move we all could use to build a better medium for media.
Oh and I do think Google Wave is defining what e-mail and messaging and collaborative communication should be. I tried it and it is terrific. Give it time to get established/fully deployed like gmail did.
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PWithington2
5/21/2010 7:01 AM EDT
The cable tv providers don't like this as it makes them operators of a data pipe and unable to derive revenues from content.
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whizkidtn
5/24/2010 10:29 AM EDT
IMHO, you better have the service providers on board and pushing this to really penetrate the space and generate revenues.
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zhgreader
5/25/2010 8:40 PM EDT
new combat on tv set.
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John826
5/26/2010 1:46 PM EDT
Getting Google involved will only push the development and spread its acceptance faster and farther.
I have been watching streaming internet content on my TV's for about a year now courtesy of the Netgear EVA9150 and the PlayonLabs software. I disconnected my cable TV, but kept the internet connection. I can get more content than I need, it is truly amazing. Everything connects via HDMI and and ethernet cable. The Netgear has a wireless feature but it gets choppy when you stream HD, the cable solves that proble.
Check it out....
John
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MeirG
6/10/2010 6:56 AM EDT
Connecting our TV sets to the Internet can (and IMHO will) replace the neighboring video rental store.
I am more than willing to pay for the contents on a per-view basis rather than paying a constant but nevertheless exorbitant fee to my Cable-TV operator.
This could also help to cut out the blood-sucking middlemen, make it more profitable to the content creators and a little less expensive for the viewer. A win-win for both. And yes, Google, with its search engine (including keywords for the type of video you are looking for?), could mediate the two and profit too. Why not?
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MIrandaSB
1/26/2011 2:19 PM EST
I love being able to use my Revue, its fantastic. I purchased mine from DISH, since I work there I knew when they were going to launch it. I ordered it the same day, and since then. Its the Bonnie to my Clyde. The set-up was super easy, and moving between the screens is super smooth. You have the option to watch picture in picture, and surf the net at the same time. Its worth it! (Its not so expensive with DISH BTW)
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