TV Meets Web. Web Meets TV. Google meets its first epic failure.

So will this be a competitor to XBMC and Boxee et al in managing local media or will it be geared completely toward viewing web video?

ZOMG IT'S WEB TV ALL OVER AGAIN!

Seriously…

Mother's Day MILF?

Great, but what is it?

And targeted ads while delivering tv entertainment.

Great post. I think google will do a good job with this simply because its google, and they always make great things. The milf under search made me laugh!

Interesting! Now more eyeballs to show ads to!

<3

LOL

that's the key to all of this

Nothing here that isn’t possible with windows media center that is included with every PC.

Yup.. This looks like what Apple should be doing with AppleTV. It should run a varient of the IPhone OS and have apps and especially the new IAds platform built in. Wonder if they missed the boat on this of if Google TV is just the first shot in this battle. Really, Microsoft and Sony could still get in the game too. Xbox and PS3 are already delivering video etc.. and have the computing power to compete if there was software built to support this. And they have a large installed base of boxes already. Microsoft envisioned this type of scenario from the beginning of the 360 but it needs to stand alone, not tied to Media Center in order to compete. This should be interesting..

Wow, we watch on average 5hrs of tv per day? – geez, that is a lot.

Another flop after Google Wave..

This is going to be good. I was asked to join the google TV team in NY but decided to not take it. They have a strong plan and some powerful hardware partnerships coming along. http://wp.me/pRpuJ-o

Can we switch to the other box?

How can Flash 10.1 run on Android 2.1 when it's been announced that Flash will only run on Android 2.2? Or is it possible to run it on Android 2.1 after all?

That's pretty cynical. There's a lot here for all of us to play with, and they'll open source a ton of code, giving away a lot of hard work.

Sure, they'll show some ads. But people are watching 5 hours of ads and seeing — what — 20 minutes of ads for a hour show? If Google makes a better TV, why shouldn't they have a chance to show some ads? They're even going to give me a chance to make apps for TV for peanuts.

There's a lot here for everybody.

I don't think Apple has anything to worry about here, it's not going to be that hard for them to offer the same functionality with an AppleTV running the iPhone OS if they're willing to spare the resources for development.

The whole key here to me is nobody in the tech industry can seem to get the big media suppliers to buy-in on IPTV due to pressure from the cable tv industry.

Will it finally unlock the secret power of the intarweb?

all I need is a keyboard for my AppleTV… my PS3 streams netflix videos… and I DVR the shows I like. So unless it's something revolutionary Google, a convenient way for you to send us ads isn't really what I was looking for… and

"As a bonus, as Google showed during its demo, Google TV is one hell of a way to search for “MILFs” from your couch (see pic below)." LOL

So aside from the integration with android and android apps, it's Windows Media Center? Yawn.

+1

Though I am not sure it is their first. Nexus One comes to mind as another epic fail. Though it gets spun otherwise.

I think this thing is totally boring, but even if it was cool, how is it going to work for people that use directv and cable boxes, etc. I am able to find what I want to watch on TV just find. I don't need a google search to find something to watch on TV. Thumbs down in a big way.

Did anyone see the Mother's Day MILF youtube.com result???

"they always make great things" are you using wave?

The battle heats on! But one essential element that is missing is the KEYBOARD. If you are sitting on a couch or walking with your phone, the QWERTY keyboard will simply NOT do it.

An airmouse (http://theairmouse.com/) could simplify this, but it still needs to hunt and peck relatively small keys on screen. A simpler solution is urgently needed, something like MessagEase (www.exideas.com) or even better.

This seems pretty conservative I can see it working, but what are people watching 5 hrs / day?!

My guess, another flop

Intel and Logitect plus Sony? This should be the Super TV then. I say more free streaming in the future.

I'm waiting for Google Go Outside and Run Around. 5 hours a day is a lot.

Hopefully ad agencies will start to realize that Google is just waiting to flip the switch and cut them out. But somehow I doubt it…

We don't really watch it. Often it is "on" in the background. However, many women who don't work and live at home do watch a lot of TV.

Agreed!

USA, the fattest Country of the word, the Active ones Leave the Couch to Enter the Car Heading to a mc-donalds drive-in, the others Call for Pizza :)

I'm hopeful but skeptical about this project. Didn't Apple try something similar to this with their AppleTV box? I know that was to get content from the computer to the TV and not the other way around, but it was still a spectacular failure. Something tells me most people still prefer to keep their television and computer experiences somewhat segregated.

Well….fairly disappointed with the Google TV demonstration. Here is why:

1. The demo itself was awful. Bluetooth issues, "try the other box" comments, and the like. Murphy's law says things will go wrong. What you need to do is have a plan which includes "wired" if needed in order to show the demo. Bad planning….You should have read "The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs" before trying to pull this off.
2. They didn't address what we can do with our own content. Can you link to your itunes library, playing same through the device on your equipment (I hope there are outputs to stereo as well as TV)? What about my video content (be it through my DVD library or home videos)? Completely missed the boat on this.
3. When they did the round table with the other partners, I got the impression that they were way short of the mark. For instance — the Intel CEO used the words "atom", "high performance", and "netbook" in the same sentence. That is simply ridiculous. Logitech's harmony remote is the best, so I can believe what their CEO has to say. Best Buy….whatever. Sony is grasping at straws….overpriced and usually proprietary.
4. Finally, I am majorly disappointed that we have to wait until fall for the launch of these devices. During the conversation they were talking about Christmas. Man….I am fired up about this technology but I totally want to get rid of my TV provider now. Is it worth me waiting for or time to jump into the current market with the WDTV Live offering (which is currently the best on the market).

I really wished Apple would stop with the "hobby" crap and get serious, integrating all the functionality that you get from Boxee and/or playon.tv into their offerings without having to pay for it through itunes. Come on Steve…..do it!!! If you don't Google, with their open platform will and you will be out.

Just my two cents.

Open source….that doesn't happen until 2011 (with the full package available at the end of the year). There is nothing to play with here until then. Major disappointment on so many levels.

It's not the hardware that matters… It's getting the content providers on board. Same issue with AppleTV.

and buzz

This is just another way for big business to find out what you are watching. They got you online already because they are disclosing search engine information. When they get you with their new mainstream what will be off limits.

TO be honest, if you show me ads i am actually interested in based on INTELLIGENCE into what i watch…i am down with that.

t.rex

So is Clicker dead now? Can't Google TV offer a superset of features – not just search and browse guide navigation? And why would Google want Clicker on stage doing a demo of HTML 5 the day earlier?

To be honest if google can actually present ads to me that i am interested in seeing, based on INTELLIGENT analysis of my viewing habits – i am down with that.

Google had everyone -but- the parties that matter up there – the networks (cable and broadcast). WebTV and its variants failed because the networks did not want to allow MS to insinuate themselves into the content world, and build a toll gate between them and viewers. Looks like Google is going to get the same treatment. If the "computer/web" part of this product cannot interoperate with the content being shown, then it is just another WebTV product. Not likely that the networks are going to give this away to Google, either. Apple has the right idea in giving the content providers new distribution channels, then *maybe* they'll agree that the increased revenue stream(s) warrant further interaction with the channel itself (can you say iPad and Apple TV?)… But slapping a browser on a TV with search functions is pretty old school. Also, getting at the CC stream on digital broadcasts requires no consent from the content providers – and if Google TTS technology is essentially what they currently offer, this is at best a bad joke in terms of "features."

Google put their finger on it: integrated devices seamlessly synchronized using the Internet.

John can now download software on his Android phone and take it anywhere: his TV, his PC, his tablet? – all without having to synchronize between devices. John is better off, developers are better off and most importantly Google makes all this possible. I am looking forward to the world of innovation that Chrome is going to bring about.

Where does that leave Apple?

The gloves are off. And this is not a regular fight. Google is hitting Apple with Adobe and the parade of CEO partners that came to the Keynote and Apple, true to itself, will itself themselves alone (for now). But let’s not forget that Apple is still the innovator here. They were there first with the iPhone, first with Apple TV and first with the iPad (Google will soon make it’s own tablet with Verizon). Apple is also still first on usability. I can’t picture my mother using all the amazing things we saw today but she will gladly use her iPhone any time of the day. And guess what? She watches the most TV in the house.

The gloves are off but the fight is only just beginning.

The times ahead will be soap opera times. Alliances are bound to be broken, new ones are bound to be made, old enemies will become good friends and old friends will become the most fierce enemies. Let me showcase a scenario that would illustrate this:
It is clear, that Google has become a competitor of both Microsoft (with Chrome OS) and Apple. Interestingly, Microsoft is becoming less and less of a threat to Apple. The Mac operating system itself and Mac computers are not Apple’s first stream of revenue. Imagine an alliance between Microsoft and Apple – you can giggle at it now, but if Google start eating up their market share and push them to the corner they might just do that. And when that day comes – if it ever comes – Google better be – as I pointed out yesterday – better at EVERYTHING. The tricky thing with an open platform will be the guaranteeing the security and the stability of the system. If there is as much as one single faux pas, users will change allegiance. Google beware.

Twitter @socialemon
Web: socialemon.com

FIRST epic failure? What about Wave, Buzz, Froogle, Gears, Orkut, Picnik, Base, Checkout, Fast Flip, Rebang, Scholar, Answers, Browser Sync, Coop, Deskbar, Freesearch, Music Trends, Page Creator, Lively, Spreadsheets, Writer, etc. etc. etc…..

Yeah, I was disappointed about that, too. I'm happy they've already committed to open sourcing it though. It's at least better than most.

I'm sure the Android and Chrome parts will be released long before all that though.

You think froogle is a failure? I use it all the time. And Scholar? I take it you're no academic, because most of my colleagues use scholar as their primary search for publications. Personally, I think the jury's still out on buzz. And by the way, what you're mentioning were all at one point Google Labs projects and were meant as a means of exploring innovation. etc. etc. etc.

I don't get it… is it just a glorified youtube video-delivery method with web browsing and aps, or is it a competitor to cable? I'd *love* to get something other than Comcast or Verizon… if Google could do that, I would be forever greatful, at least if it drove the industry's absurdly-high prices down…

People like you, Brent, will start the backlash, but that's not what will last.

An open system, after a while and after some bumps, will be the big winner.
http://www.sco.tt/scott_yates/2010/05/google-tv-b...

Half of these proyects are now implemented in current google products.
—–

Dont' compare with Apple TV, that is a closed device, with no other TV manufactured in between. Apple is in the stone age, with the "all closed environment".

Google TV is open too any manufactured, and any developer that want modify Android (yes, remember: the OS inside is OPEN OSURCE, with Chrome, Flash, and the 50.000 apps).

can we switch to the apple tv box ?

have to agree. If your data/content is coming from the source this becomes interesting, but if you're scraping for content and information, then it's only as good as it's source material and for entertainment purposes, that's a weakness… unless you want to watch a talking orange or charlie bit my finger all day long.

Cool story.

I can do almost all the things that Google TV is doing – I just have to switch inputs from my TV and media center. I can get fancy by putting in a TV card /w component input and using alt-tab to switch between browser and TV output window…but why bother?

Correction. It's the Average household watches 5 hours of TV.

this is amazing. I wonder if google will make it possible to order things directly off the screen.

oh man, i laughed out loud when i saw the Mother's Day MILF.

ahhh, you didn't mention browsing the web from your TV….forgot one, eh?

Once again, like all other web TV products, this will (by and large) fail because you can't watch tonight's TV shows TONIGHT!

I still want to know why the slide item: Mothers Day MILF was placed there… trying to be funny? It didn't work.

Huge problem here. We thought the internet would open our minds due to all of the new information. What happened is that we ended up self-selecting the information we desired. We have a ton of more stuff that is just like ourselves. It has concentrated our beliefs & desires. This is a neurotic process that reduces human thinking, I believe, into a perverse form of intellectual incest. By adding TV to the process, we further reduce our human value, one to another. NICE.

I think it's pretty cool, combining Android with Chrome. . . heck I would like to see that on some other devices. I can certainly see many non-computer users being able to use this easily.

Lol, how will ads be measured? The TV way or the Web way?

Every company has failed products. Google may seem like they have a LOT of failures, but they also have a lot of successes, because they enter pretty much every market out there. They try a lot of different things. Some of them are a hit. Some of them aren't. That's the way it is. Overall they are obviously a very successful company and have made a lot of amazing software.

Wave is great as long as your friends use it too.

but I already connect my laptop to my tv. Why do I need google tv?

Hey…forgetting the COMCAST !!! What happens to this carrier who takes all the LOAD to STREAM this concept ?

Not sure I agree on a few points

1) Looks like a market destined to mix with the Web and Google's open platform plan seems better then anyone else has come up with
2) Google's first failure ??? The only success they've have had is Search and maybe Android (time will tell) everything else has just failed to make them a penny.

You have got some wrong ideas. Apple was not the first to the TV business. Windows Media Center was released as early as the XP days. They took it a step further with Microsoft Mediaroom the very next year.

And first of all Google needs to SHIP first. their gmail was in beta for god knows how long, wave and buzz were big flops, and even with all the hoolah around chrome, it is yet to reach double digits (in market share %). Google is the "following innovator" now and you are right that they need to get their act together, but only to stay in the competition.

hmm, Google trying to increase its market reach with this product. i doubt its success though, because there are well established players like Samsung and Sony

failing frequently is a requirement for success

My hope is that it will include its searching capabilities for local media too (similar to Google Desktop). Boxee is slow.

A lot of negative comments here, but I don't think people are seeing why this will work. You don't need to buy a new TV, just the logitech box or the BD player that has Google TV in it. If the logitech box is cheap enough, this will take off, and be fun to use when in front of the TV. Not many people have media centre PCs because they are very difficult to set up and keep running smoothly. I know because I have a media PC under my plasma. Great for games, but it's not a user-friendly experience for everyone. Media PCs don't integrate well – they are often noisy, power hungry, too expensive and too many points of failure such as OS, software players, devices, sleep-mode management etc – all simple in theory, but in practice an expensive pain. Google TV sounds promising…. and the browser supports flash! Yes! Apple dropped the ball by snubbing flash (their real reason for dropping flash is they want everyone to use their app store for anything that isn't static text).

Awesome news!
surely gonna look in
Thanks for such a wonderful share

Perfect device… I've been looking for months.
I have bose home theatre, LED HDTV, XBox, HD with movies and songs, laptop with more media. I always wanted to design a device that can integrate everything at one place. So that I can stream media from my phone/ laptop/ harddrive to a TV and/or speakers.
I dont understand why ppl think this wont be a great device. maybe google wont succeed but someother company will succeed with a similar kind of device. Apple will be coming up with same kind of device in a few months with iphone app.

Key to Google's problem – enough compelling to the consumer.

Did anyone watch the foolish video fro Google? It doesn't look like it from these remarks.

They put out this video that says: it's too hard to search current program guides. You will find it much simpler to deal with the chaos of the web.

What alternate universe do the Google engineers live in? Or maybe they just don't watch TV.

If Google can't show more significant consumer value, it's a nonstarter. Too bad. There is real potential to make programming better when the web and TV are on the same box. But that is not what Google wants. This looks like a cynical play for TV ad revenue. They have failed at this once.

Nexus One an epic failure? That's absurd.

A new revolution has arrived to a sector that is still not captured by the latest in IT and telecom. Lots of attempts have been made but none has made a huge impact. But it seems this time the story is different as couples of companies are getting together with Google to tear it apart. The sector is none other than what is watched 5 hours on average per day by every American and more than 4 billion people watch it across the world.

google has never been first

they were not the first search engine

but google were simpler, faster and better. just what people wanted

it doesnt matter if you're first or last, as long as you get the formula right or better

Hopefully ad agencies will start to realize that Google is just waiting to flip the switch and cut them out. But somehow I doubt it

this is very nice event from google,and now the world waiting for google operating system,any way thanks