We have already heard of smart phone and 3D phone. Now letâs move to the next level-TV. Google has unveiled its new smart television in October 2010 in US and it will be launched in Europe in 2012. Google, the internet search giant, tries to collaborate all the popular internet applications with all the connected devices such as game console, mobiles, DVD players, video streaming applications and television network together so that people can access them from their couch only.
The initial version of Google TV was not able to leave an impression on peopleâs mind. But Google and Sony are continuously working on improving the internet TV experience.
Pricing and availability
One is the stand alone TV from Sony which is available for $369 and the other one is the TV with a separate box for current HDTV and this is available for additional $55. Locally this one is available only in US. But one can order Google TV online as well.
The new update from Sony was announced in the mid Octoberâ11 and it is already available in the market known as Google TV 2.0. This is the very first and major upgrade since its launch in 2010. Users of this Sony Internet TV with Google TV service can avail this upgrade for free whenever they will be connected through the internet. They can view their programs and in the background the upgraded software will automatically install.
Whatâs great?
Google TV is powered by famous Google Android Operating System. This gives Google immense power and applications to make the viewing a great experience. Using the Google TV one can watch the TV shows at their own leisure time. Users can access thousands of programs from internet video resources such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO etc. Viewers can also watch video from the streaming websites such as You Tube, Daily Motion, Vimeo, Redux etc. Users can create their own personal radio station using Pandora, Slaker Radio etc. At the same time they can also stream their collection over the web. One can also view the photos from Picasa, Flickr in the big HD screen. One can view the TV show and tweet at the same time using the Google TV, or they can check on the name of the actors/actress/directors or the name of the movie or the language at that instant with the help of the applications on the live TV.
With this major upgrade viewers will get four major upgrades. They include:
Simplified interface: The new version of Google TV 2.0 lets viewer customize their home screen and at the same time they can preview all the other different applications. This way with much cleaner interface viewers can have more control on their viewing experience.
Improved search: The new upgrade also has added great search functionality in the Google TV. Users now can search different programs and contents through HBO, Netflix, Live TV and the âTV & Moviesâ search will give users a whooping choice of over 80000 movies and TV contents across satellite TVs, Amazon, You Tube.
You Tube integration: With this upgrade Google will provide much cleaner interface to the You Tube and at the same time as per the preference of the viewers you tube will show possible results that the viewer may want to look for. Also this time viewers can view HD videos through You Tube without buffering or waiting time.
More choice of applications: Google has now opened Google TV application to the Android market so Android developers now develop different programs for Google TV. Google TV also now runs on the new Android 3.1 operating system which is much more faster and has more features than the previous version.
Whatâs not so great?
The interface of Google TV was not so good and it was messy. The users were complaining about the user interface as they were not very informative. Also the numbers of applications were not enough to support the GPS functionality or the touch screen functions. At the same time viewers are still not able to watch popular channels such as ABC, NBC, FOX or Viacom as they had locked Google TV. The major upgrade is now available to Sony Internet TV only. Logitechâs Revue upgrade hasnât been announced yet.
Things to watch out for
Google has upgraded their operating system to Android 3.1 and at the same time they have upgraded their hardware which will soon hit the market. Earlier Google TV was available only in Sony made TV. This TV has a handheld QWERTY keyboard. But Google has now released a new Logitech Revue set-top box with a full featured keyboard. Also Google is working on voice based command system to get rid of the physical keyboard and button system.
Verdict
The initial version was not perfect and it was not a major hit among viewers as well. When it was first launched in 2010 many critics were disappointed with the performance. But today Google has taken a step to move ahead and they are continuously working on updating their Internet based Google TV so that viewers can have a unique experience. Many new applications are coming and at the same time Google is working with the other major TV channels so that they can make their product the most innovative one in the market.
