Internet on Your Television Returns in Style: Google TV
There have been a lot of poor attempts to put the internet on a television. The first attempts were limited by dialup internet and the CRT technology televisions used to use. Low bandwidth and low screen resolution never makes a good combo. Attempts after that have not been popular because let’s face it, internet on a television has traditionally been a pretty clunky experience and most people have laptops now. However, Google is moving forward on the success of its Android OS for smartphones and now wants to have a permanent spot in your living room. Welcome to Google TV.
As with Android, Google is simply making the software technology behind the hardware. This means that manufacturers can build pretty much any type of Google TV they want as long as it can run Google’s software. The pitfall of this is that some pretty dreadful Google TV compatible devices will probably make their way into your local electronics store in the near future.
Right now, there are three different Google TV powered devices (Google TV is based on Android by the way). You have the option of buying a new television with Google TV built in, a Blu-ray player with the technology, or you can just get a standalone unit to plug into your current TV. It is nice to see options, since if you are in the market for a new TV anyway, Sony’s new line of Internet TVs come with Google TV look pretty nice. (Do look carefully at the specs though, since their screen refresh rate is only 60 Hz at the moment.) If you already have a TV you are happy with, Logitech’s Revue—the current standalone model available—might be worth looking at.
However, since Sony also does have a Blue-ray player with Google TV for only $100 more than Logitech’s unit which lacks such a feature (Logitech’s does have video chat abilities however), if you haven’t upgraded from your trusty DVD player yet, definitely take a look at it. I am still sorting through all the features each have and will be writing a side by side by side comparison of all three options tomorrow. It’s a pretty close race at the moment and the competition will only heat up as other companies jump on board.
Right now, it looks like Apple’s new Apple TV has been outgunned. As to whether or not Google TV catches on remains to be seen, but Android has, and this is starting to look like Android for your TV. Anyone else excited? Let me know if you’re interested in Google TV and thinking of checking out one of the three current options. More devices are sure to come out soon and I am sure both Sony and Logitech will be refining their offerings in the near future.
Tags: Google Sony Blu-ray, Google, Google TV, sony, TV
Heck yeah I want google tv. I’ve been looking for something like this for 6 months when I upgraded my tv but was dissapointed to find this wasn’t an option. I’d probably be most interested in the blue ray player since I’ve aleady got the apps logitech can give me on the tv.
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So does the google tv, have a dvd player built into it, or would you have to get that and the dvd player
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I was told by a Sony representative that the scan rate could theoretically be upgraded to 120hz via a firmware update. Does anyone know if this is possible?
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I’m guessing that if Sony’s Google tv sales are strong they will add the Google software to their more expensive sets with the fancy motion smoothing feature.
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Right now, Sony’s Google TV models are not up to spec with some of their other TVs. Make sure you read the fine print. It’s too bad Sony isn’t releasing some really big, really nice TVs with this yet.
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My 12 yr old tv died a few weeks ago. I looked at the Sony Bravia EX710 in a store and it had an incredible picture – much better than the pictures on the other tvs on display. Plus its housing is a bit smaller than on most 32 inch tvs so it fits inside my existing cabinet. I decided to wait a few weeks to buy it as the WSJ had an article that flat screen prices would get cut significantly in the 4th quarter as the manufacturers have too much inventory.
Then the Sony Google was announced this week and I was puzzled that the 32 inch version of Sony Google costs LESS than the EX710 32 inch. Only one article other than this one addressed the fact that the Google tv is inferior (versus EX710) in handling motion. Sony has started rolling out rebates to the retailers on the EX710 series so yesterday I purchased it online for $789 (list price $999.) I called a local store and told them I’d buy it from them for $750 but they told me no and mentioned that they only get updated pricing sheets from Sony MONTHLY. In this day and age that is nuts. They may now be entitled to a rebate that will allow them to drop the price in the store without them even knowing it yet!
My understanding is that Sony is targetting younger buyers with the Google TV presuming they will want internet on the tv more than other age groups, and that they won’t mind the inferior picture. Sony may be wrong on that – lots of us middle aged people who are willing pay more for a better picture would also prefer to see the internet on a bigger screen (versus on the excessively warm laptops we have in our living rooms.)
In a month or so I will buy the Sony Blu Ray Google DVD player. My DVD player is 8 or 10 years old so I might as well upgrade to Blu Ray AND get Google tv. HOWEVER, I don’t want a WHITE Blu Ray player. I’m hoping Sony will sell it in black in the future. I can wait a while.
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