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 to your Google TV.” With this update, the developers have added recommendations, a Google+ button and the ability to search for channels. The new version now also handles suddenly drops in bandwidth more gracefully. → 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 (another aggregator, this time of Indian content) and Japan’s Crunchyroll.
But while it is going international on one level, it is not on another: still no definite dates on when Google plans to launch its service outside of the U.S. → 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 Google TV, only 352,000 of them represent user downloads – the remaining 4,441,000 are pre-installed applications.
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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 for Monday.
Today, it announced that it is upgrading the YouTube experience on Google TV with a new, revamped app. → 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
![LG Google TV 01.jpg[20120106092650465]](http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/lg-google-tv-0120120106092650465.jpg?w=250 "LG Google TV 01.jpg[20120106092650465]")
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 for your TV. → 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.
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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.
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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 watch premium long-form video (TV, motion picture content) on their most important screen on a massive scale, despite the frequent paucity of compelling content offered by service providers. Yet, we are still in the early innings of this video revolution—so, we truly haven’t seen anything yet. With this in mind, here are my predicted “big stories” for video in the coming year: → 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 fast-forward to around the 37-minute mark, which is when Schmidt starts to get feisty. “Android is ahead of the iPhone now,” he says, based on “unit volume, price is lower, more vendors, it’s free.”
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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 being seeded, and if it’s anything like other updates, will roll out over the next week or two. → 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 companion device at last year’s CES. Here’s a demo and the press release. But here we are, almost a full year later and Samsung has still yet to release a model, which in retrospect, was probably for the best. Isn’t that right, Logitech?
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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 through the new Google TV set top device”. In high-definition, no less. → 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 random Android apps, from LauncherPro to Twitter. Sideloading is allowed but it’s hit or miss. Some apps work, most do not. The five apps after the break mostly fill out Google TV’s features although one of them is included because of a fun drinking game. → 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 to finally be the bridge between cable and internet content. But it’s still nothing more than a fancy Netflix and YouTube box.
Hear this: The latest Google TV, referred to as Google TV 2.0 throughout the rest of this review, is a star performer. It runs like a champ and it’s clear that Google engineers paid close attention to criticism of version 1.0. Most of the functions and design elements previously missing are elegantly included. However, most of the downfalls of the older version had nothing to do with user interface. Content is king and Google TV sill doesn’t wear the crown. → 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 should pop-up when your box’s number has been called. → 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 getting it shortly thereafter. As with most mass roll outs, you might be waiting in line awhile until a spot opens on the server. Thankfully Google released these demo videos that show off a bunch of the new features to pass the time. → 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 when it launched last year. But for everyone else, either those looking to cut the cord or supplement pay TV with Internet video, it’s still a tough sell. All the downfalls associated with Google TV a year ago still exist. While the system might not be half-baked anymore, I’m still not sure if Google TV deserves a place in your living room. → 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 Jill Szuchmacher, who both previously served in leadership roles to grow the Google TV business. → 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 cuts.
Google TV hasn’t been a major hit here in the States. It hasn’t, as it was predicted, disrupted big media. Instead, big media shut off access to its online streaming services such as Hulu.com and others, essentially leaving the Google TV as an expensive Netflix streamer. Google has long said that a major update would hit before the end of summer, which will hopefully put the platform back on track. → Read More
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