Google is prepping… something. An announced Google media streamer was recently found in the FCC’s testing database. Details are nearly nonexistent as most are held under a confidentiality agreement for the next 45 days. However, the documents released to the public call the device several times a “media player” and that it features WiFi connectivity. → Read More
Google issued an update for its iOS application today that adds the “Send to TV” feature to its apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The feature allows you to quickly and easily pair your mobile phone with select TVs, making it possible to play and control video from the app on your television set. → Read More
![LG Google TV 01.jpg[20120106092650465]](http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/lg-google-tv-0120120106092650465.jpg?w=220)
Google TV is adding a new feature that could make it easier for users to search and navigate all the different content on various video applications, without having to use keypads or clunky text interfaces. It’s also rebranding its digital video store PrimeTime, as a way to entice users to shop for — and buy — movies and TV shows on their devices. → Read More
Google announced today that it’s bringing Google Play movies, TV shows and music to its Google TV platform through an update that will allow users to rent or buy content through the included Google Play store on Google TV devices. In addition, purchases that users have made on other supported devices will also be available on Google TV following this update. → Read More
Qvivo has raised $1 million from SingTel Group’s corporate venture capital fund for a media-only cloud that people can use to store and watch movies and television shows, as well as and listen to music available in its library. The Singapore-based company will use the funding to build out its service and white label program for telecommunications providers, media companies, and others.
The… → Read More
Vizio quietly posted that it sold out the Vizio Co-Star Stream Player pre-order in the first 12 hours that it was available. → Read More
Content is king, and so far Google TV is sorely lacking content. However, with the launch of the famed Xbox Media Center on Android, Google might have a chance in the battle for living rooms. The group behind the classic media player software announced the project and released the source code over the weekend. This could be big.
XBMC was a pioneer in media streaming software. Originally… → Read More
I feel like we’re watching Google TV roll by and off into a nearby ditch. The company doesn’t have much dedication to the platform and, like Apple TV, GTV is failing to gain traction.
As Ryan notes, outside of a few I/O sessions, Google said very little about the Google TV project this year and I’m almost certain it means they’ve scrapped the project but don’t want to tell their partners. They… → Read More
Google TV, the company’s first serious foray into the living room, hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. That doesn’t mean Google has given up, though. Far from it. While there hasn’t been much news about Google TV itself lately, the YouTube app for Google TV is getting an update today. Google says that its developers have “been working like it’s a 24/7 hackathon over here to bring all of YouTube… → Read More
Google today announced another step in the build-out of its Google TV service: it is adding several new international channels in the form of apps to the Google TV platform, aimed at those who live in the U.S. but are missing content from home. Among them are a mix of entertainment and news services, including al-Jazeera, the Chinese-language PPTV, the IslamBox collection of channels, Yupp TV… → Read More
New data from app search firm Xyologic released this morning paints a picture of the relative success (or lack thereof) of the Google TV platform. By examining the install base for the apps exclusive to the Google TV platform, it’s clear that the Google media center product is still only attracting a niche crowd of early adopters. Of the nearly 4.8 million installed apps that are exclusive to… → Read More
Last month, Google began showing the new versions of Google TV at CES, giving the press a taste of what was in store. One particular panel discussing Google TV’s new capabilities led Rupert Murdoch to take to Twitter, bemoaning the pirating ways of the search behemoth. Forbes has the backstory here. Google TV posted on its Facebook page yesterday, saying that it has some big announcements in store… → Read More
Sony released the first Google TV product back in the fun days of 2010. Since then, the smart TV platform has survived more than a year of criticism and a major overhaul. It’s still far from a industry leader, that title is head by Samsung’s SmartHub, but Google is sticking with it. And so it Sony. → Read More
In keeping with our prediction that Google TV would be seeing something of an expansion this year at CES, LG’s first foray into the Google TV ecosystem has just been unveiled ahead of the show.
As you can see in the picture, it’s got a new interface but the guts are still Google TV. This is probably something that we’ll be seeing more of: manufacturer-specific builds, like Sense and TouchWiz… → Read More
Everyone has already seen what the Google TV 2.0 update looks like, but Google and their hardware partners have been pretty tight-lipped about what kind of hardware will eventually run the show. Well, that ends today — chipset vendor Marvell has just announced that their new their ARM-based Foresight platform will be providing the power for this year’s new crop of Google TV devices. → Read More
Proof of concept though this is, Airtight purports to be the first app that will enable Apple’s Airplay on the Google TV. Priced at a mere 99 cents, the app allows you to stream non-DRMed movies to your TV via any Airplay-enabled device like an iPad or iPhone. Music and mirroring are not yet supported and you have to have an update Google TV with the Android Market available. → Read More
In 2011, the long-promised ubiquity of video—on-demand anytime, anywhere—started to become a reality, driven by mobile (smart phones, tablets). While this may seem obvious, remember, it was not so long ago (a couple years, really) that most doubted that consumers would ever watch anything other than short-form YouTube-like video clips on the small screen. Consumers are now beginning to… → Read More
Google chairman Eric Schmidt spoke yesterday at Le Web in Paris, and now the entire interview is on YouTube (thank you, Loic!). Schmidt talks about politics, and Google’s rapid acquisition pace (one a week).
The hour-long interview is punctuated with bon mots like: “It is much easier to start a revolution, but it is harder to finish it.” If you don’t have time to watch the whole thing… → Read More
The Logitech forums are alive with music, or rather screenshots, or rather, if I’m honest, one screenshot. Yes, one user has reported that the 3.1 software has appeared on his Revue box. Users of Sony Google TV products already received this update more than a month ago, so Logitech users are probably foaming with righteous anger and expectation. But the screenshot does suggest that the update is… → Read More
Uh-oh. Samsung and Google are still in talks regarding its upcoming Google TV offering. Reuters is reporting that Samsung’s president indicated that the two companies are in “late-stage talks” and that Samsung’s devices will launch in early 2012, just not at CES like it was previously thought.
Google has been working with Samsung for sometime now. In fact Samsung demonstrated a Google TV… → Read More
Never mind the Internet – the TV was invented for pr0n. And now Google TV users can get their fictional passion fix, too, thanks to adult film studio Vivid Entertainment. The latter, always aiming to please, is today giving birth to a dedicated Google TV app (NSFW) – or channel if you will.
According to Vivid, it will be the first app “designed to make sexually explicit content available… → Read More
Google TV 2.0 launched earlier this week, finally bringing Android Market to the living room platform. But Google TV still isn’t perfect. For better or worse, the product’s dependence on apps allows 3rd party developers to stand up and fill the voids.
Hopefully Google TV will one day feature a rich app ecosystem filled with fun and glorious apps. That’s not today. Most of the launch apps are… → Read More
It’s with a heavy heart that I write this revised Google TV review. The product is teetering on a ledge between falling into an abyss of obscurity or sliding downhill into geekdom. There doesn’t seem to be an exit path to the mainstream. Google TV, at least in this latest incarnation, fails to impress or resolve the major fundamental issues that doomed the first version. Oh how I wanted Google TV… → Read More
The much-anticipated Google TV update is systematically rolling out today. Sony Internet TV devices are first in line followed by Logitech Revue units shortly thereafter. But wait patiently. As with most major updates, the OTA update will not hit all the boxes at once, but rather at a selective pace. You can initiate a manual check under the About section in the Settings menu, but a notification… → Read More
Google just announced the major refresh of Google TV. It adds a bunch of new features to the platform including Android Market and a TV & Movies. I’m not entirely sure this new coat of paint will help sell the house per se, but it will certainly make the current owners happy.
The update will slowly hit existing Google TV units starting with the Sony models on Sunday with the Logitech boxes… → Read More
Google TV is finally ready for prime time a year after it officially launched. Starting on Sunday, the update will first roll out to the Sony Internet TV units with the Logitech Revue units getting it shortly thereafter. Existing users will probably love the update as it brings a redesigned interface and a selection of the Android Market. It seems to be exactly what the platform should have been… → Read More
Vente-privee, the French flash sales juggernaut, announced in May 2011 that it had teamed up with American Express to form a joint-venture for its U.S. operations (dubbed vente-privee USA). Earlier today, the company announced the latest members of its management team, which is headed by vente-privee USA CEO Mike Steib.
The hires that I thought were most notable were those of John Saroff and … → Read More
Google TV soft launched in the US last September with the Logitech Revue and Sony Internet TV products. Google however is reportedly working on bringing the system to the UK and per a Telegraph report sourcing Eric Schmidt, the fun starts within the next six months. Thankfully, UK buyers don’t exactly have to start saving their quids since both product lines recently got major price… → Read More
Google TV hasn’t exactly set the world on fire, and while we could argue all day about what exactly prevented it from achieving greatness, the expensive hardware has to at least be part of the discussion. Logitech bit the bullet two weeks ago and lowered the price of their Revue from $250 to $99 — and it seems Sony has decided they might take a bit of that medicine too. → Read More
I’ll just say it: Google TV is sinking and taking its crew down with her. The service promised to bring new life to HDTVs when it launched last October. But it didn’t. Big media made sure of it by blocking access to their online streaming, seemingly taking away Google TV’s most novel feature. Without online streaming, Google TV’s awesome search tool is crippled and the system is just an overpriced… → Read More
Austin, TX
Seattle, WA
San Diego, CA
Menlo Park, CA
Boston, MA
Disrupt Europe: Berlin Hackathon
Berlin, Germany
