Google launches Google TV

So some background on this space.<p>This is hardly the first entrant and pretty much every tv and blu-ray you buy moving forward will have similar capabilities to what Google has announced. Though perhaps with a different provider.<p>Yahoo actually has the most TV's out right now with similar interactivity using their widget platform. They're on Sony, Samsung, Vizio and LG tvs <a href="http://connectedtv.yahoo.com/" rel="nofollow">http://connectedtv.yahoo.com/</a><p>Samsung has their own platform running on their TVs and blu-ray players. Its an HTML engine and also supports a "Flash Lite" or Stagecraft. (and their tvs still run yahoo widgets as well) <a href="http://www.samsung.com/us/internetTV/" rel="nofollow">http://www.samsung.com/us/internetTV/</a><p>Vudu (recently bought by Wal-Mart) has an app platform being supported by many manufacturers as well its Lua based and on Toshiba, LG and Sanyo products. (this is outside of their on-demand video service)<p>Panasonic has "Viera Cast" which is actually a cloud based service I haven't really figured out yet<p>So besides these there's quite a few "Over The Top" boxes that provide similar functions such as<p>Roku<p>Popcorn Hour (about to launch their new Popbox in a bit)<p>Apple TV<p>Boxee<p>Anyway its fun to see Google hopping into the space we'll see how well they do.

Not impressed yet. I watched the video and I can't tell if Google TV will know about the channels I already receive. If you look at their pitch (around 0:30), they say it's too hard to find what I want to watch because I receive hundreds of channels. I don't know about you, but I have a DVR, and it's quite easy to find and record any show and watch them anytime.<p>So if Google TV doesn't give me access to the live shows I already receive, it doesn't really solve a problem. I also have an AppleTV, so I understand the value of being able to watch video podcasts and YouTube on my large screen TV.

RIP AppleTv. Apple had 3 years to do this and they missed it.<p>Android apps on the TV. The first person who gets the games to work with Logitech Controller or any generic controller will win - big.<p>This thing can dent iPhoneOS big time.

I don't have TV, I have a 30" monitor. My sweetie and I roll the chair away from my desk and sit on the couch a few feet behind. HD content looks great, and I have a variety of sources to choose from, you tube, hulu, USENET, etc.

It's unfortunate that the demo they performed went so badly. If I'm going to view internet on my TV, it has to be easier than plugging in my laptop. After watching them fiddle around with their devices so awkwardly, I doubt it will be any easier. Part of me was wishing that I could watch Steve Jobs debut a new web-enabled Television that just freaking <i>works</i>.

Is it just me, or does this seem a lot like what boxee does? Perhaps Google, with it's brand name will be finally able to push the web+tv concept into the mainstream.

This doesn't seem to offer much more than TiVo. Based on Google's 2 minute pitch, much of what they promised is already available on the Gen 3 TiVo: record programs, Netflix, YouTube, video on demand, photos. The only things I saw that were new were a "global" search capability and bookmarks. Is that enough of a difference maker? Probably not. Maybe if there was some other benefit thrown in (aka no recurring service fees).

I've never understood why solutions such as these are better than simply plugging your computer into your TV. Any answers? Am I missing something?

The analytics they gather will be invaluable. Like nielsen ratings for web video (correlated by household instead of user or computer).

I already have a google tv. It's call projector + laptop.<p>But of course, I'm not the market segment they are going after.

This looks many times more powerful and easier to use than my current cable box (of which most cable companies give you no choice). Searching for shows on my cable box is slow and time-consuming, so GoogleTV looks very promising if it can interact nicely with existing set-top boxes.<p>This is also a great way for Google to enter the home entertainment space and begin leveraging this platform to expand the reach of their advertising and analytics platforms.

They could do what iPhone did to phones to the desktop/television. A simple platform that does what 90% of people need (watch Hulu/Netflix, browse eBay, send email, etc). The Chrome Web Store can provide the App Store component.<p>I think the really critical part is getting the price so low that they get massive distribution. At least until TVs have it built in. No one thinks "I need to buy an internet computer for my TV", so they have to make it cheap enough that people will say "why not?"<p>They should make good money off ad revenue, so hopefully they can give the devices away, or get them down to $19 or $29.

It'll be interesting to see if this goes anywhere. Microsoft (Xbox), Sony (PS3) and Apple (Apple TV) all have boxes that in some way attempt to bring in TV/movie/photo content to your TV. Those three haven't impressed me too much with their efforts. Of course I'm in Canada, so many great features are inaccessible to me.<p>Apple TV in particular has been particularly weak. It should have been something like this from the get go. Maybe they'll finally announce some interesting stuff for it now that the iPad is out the door.

Cheapo laptop ($500), connected to my TV and surround sound, wireless keyboard + remote control to switch back to my FiOS TV is close enough for all of this for me.

I see a simpler and arguably better search-find-consume cycle that includes more sources like the TV channels you subscribe to, PPV, etc.<p>I'm not sure if thats enough though. I guess that would depend on the price point + execution. Right now I already get what seems like the same results it promises — all of my video is sourced online and I just feed the video from my computer to my TV setup.<p>But I don't find cable valuable. Maybe this is more valuable for people who do?

I just looked at this and thought "Boxee. Yeah, I have that already."<p>OK, so they've jumped into a market that's already got a few players and since they are so big they'll bring it to the masses. That's not all that exciting from where I sit.

The video was mostly fumes. It's hard to really see the true vision of the product with that they released. But, at least this announcement may actually get Apple to rethink their Apple TV strategy.

For anyone interested in an earlier failed attempt of Microsoft (China) into the living room<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Venus" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Venus</a>

It's not at all clear from the video, but what are you typing on when you watch to search for whatever it is you're asking the Google TV device to search for?<p>A keyboard plugged into the set-top box?

Maybe there is something i am missing here, but how is this better than hooking your laptop to your TV and bookmarking on your favorite shows on your browser?

I am all the sudden reminded of Windows Media Center. Microsoft sure seems to have a lot of trouble getting traction in some markets.

I start feeling Google is spreading itself a little too thin... and we all know what happen when other giants made that mistake.

It sounds good, but what are the chances that this will come to Canada? We still don't get Hulu or Google Voice...

I am totally confused. Is Google going to sell a box like apple TV and Boxee box?

Genius move, love it. It should make watching TV really fun.

And the world yawns...

looks like xbmc+apple tv combo (minus itunes)

GTV is running on Atom instead of ARM, the Android VM approach makes sense to me now.