Google TV: The Future of TV

First there was TV. Then HD TV and connected TV. Now — with Google TV — we’re about to enter the era of smart TV. And I’m going to predict that it will change everything.

It really isn’t such a risky bet. Unlike Web TV or widget TV or other attempts to marry the Web and television, Google TV brings the full Web and TV together seamlessly. So we can close the cabinet door on the old model — the TV, the DVD/VCR.

And it’s easy to see how we’ve been moving in this direction — more content, an integrated digital experience — for decades. Ever since Philo Farnsworth, people have searched for ways to improve the tube.

But Logitech Revue with Google TV is different. Google TV is such a significant shift in how content (in all its forms: sitcoms, movies, news, social networks, weather, shopping) is delivered into the living room that it’ll be the way we watch TV for years and years to come.

Why? Two reasons: choice and scalability.

Cable increased what you could watch from about a dozen stations to several hundred stations. Connected TV gave you a few additional apps. It’s mind-blowing to consider, but Google TV increases your content choices from a few hundred to the near-infinite library of content on the Web. That’s why we think it’s not an overstatement to say, if you think it, you can watch it.

Second, Logitech Revue with Google TV comes with Logitech Harmony built in. Harmony Link is a combination of hardware and software, currently built into every Harmony remote, which translates commands (such as a Volume Up button press) into infrared (IR) signals that can control many entertainment devices. And because Harmony is powered by the world’s largest database of A/V device codes — and it grows every time someone adds a new device —you’ll be able to control the devices you own today, and the ones you buy tomorrow.

So I’m not really going out on limb with my prediction. But if you’re like me, you’re getting more excited every day.

For more information on Logitech Revue with Google TV, sign up at www.logitech.com/news/googletv.

Author

Vice President and General Manager, Digital Home Group

5 comments

  • Hi,

    I think I am going to buy a GoogleTV box and a matching Logitech webcam for video calling. But – I asked for that before and hope that Logitech listens – interconnectivity is the key to success.

    What I would want to do is to give my relatives in Europe the ability to make a video call using their TV. There are currently multiple ways to do this:

    – PS3 – but only to another PS3, this limitation makes this option very unattractive as both parties have to be at home and I have a 9 hours time difference to Europe, so that is not going to happen. Also a gaming console is a useless feature if no kids are at home anymore 😉

    – XBox360 – but only to another XBox360, same disadvantages as with the PS3

    – Skype enabled TV to any Skype client (TV/PC/possible Android in the future) – this is essentially what I would want as the TV can connect to almost any device (TV/PC/Mobile), but these internet enabled TVs are very expensive currently.

    – Windows Media Center connected to the TV using vid/Live Messenger/Skype/or any other messager – the PC can obviously do anything, but here the usability is an issue as none of these programs (vid/Live Messager/Skype) can be controlled with a remote control to call or accept calls.

    I actually explored all these options and I do own a PS3, XBox, Media Center (all controlled by one Logitech Harmony btw.). The best camera for video chat that I ever used was the Logitech 9000 with a Skype hack to full HD (1280×720@20fps).
    For TV to video chat to as many of my friends as possible I currently set my hopes on either of these near future solutions: MS Kinekt with an update to support full Live Messenger, a Skype client for Media Center as Skype will release an X86 API soon, or an update to Logitech vid and Google TV with vid.

    It would be great if Logitech would push vid to become ubiquous and by this a successful messenger by:

    1) improve the vid PC client with these very simple steps:
    – keyboard control via cursor keys and enter key thus automatically supporting Media Center remote controls
    – a Media Center client to accept calls from within Windows Media Center
    This would bring the vid client into any living room using a Media Center.

    2) develop an Android client:
    – front facing cameras are becoming common

    3) develop an iPhone client
    – I do not own one, but it makes sense

    4) an API for vid would be a good idea thing to enable developers to customize the video client for whatever uses imaginable

    Well, these are just my suggestions and I hope for an update to vid for Windows Media Center at one point…. (look at the HULU desktop with launcher to see how easy this could be to implement) … and I look forward to buying my google TV box and hope it will be released sooner 😉

    Alex

  • I have “hope.” How high is yet to be seen. I am a big fan of logitech and their Quality…so, that is where my hope lies based.

    Thank You and Carry On 2 Success!

  • I like the idea but I think adding support with the Squeezebox range would be ideal. It already has a great API (CLI) which is easy to interact with (I developed ProntoSqueeze).

    So one feature I would like to see is the box can be seen as a squeezebox and audio can be routed to it like a squeezebox.

    And/Or have SqueezeCenter also process/index video files on your PC/NAS that you can stream to it.

    I think one lesson should be learn’t from the apple approach is everything can interconnect. There are plenty of squeezebox uses have waited YEARS to see Logitech release effectively a squeezebox with video support. But I guess this is as close as we’ll get : )

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