Google TV turns on at I/O: runs Android and Flash, partnered with Sony, Logitech, and Intel
By Nilay Patel 
posted May 20th 2010 12:23PM
posted May 20th 2010 12:23PM
Google's not sharing hardware specs, but we're told Google TV devices will have WiFi, HDMI, the Intel CE4100 processor, and... some will have an IR blaster to tune your cable or satellite box, which is just sad. (Like, 1997 sad.) The input devices will all have keyboards, and you'll also be able to use Android devices as a remote, including using voice search to find content and sending content from the phone to the TV. The software is based on Android with Chrome as the browser and full Flash 10.1 support. Since it's Android, there's a version of Android Market -- any app that doesn't require phone hardware can run on Google TV. There will also be a Google TV-specific Android SDK launching in "early" 2011, along with the Android Market for Google TV.
As for partners, it's just as we heard: Sony will launch Sony Internet TVs and Blu-ray players with Google TV in the fall, and Logitech will introduce a set-top box with a Harmony remote and an HD camera for video chat at some point in the future. Dish Network will also launch a Google TV box at some point, while Best Buy will promote the platform as a whole in-store.
Make sure to keep up with the latest from I/O in our liveblog!
WANT.
@Ryan Deen
This is something that no1 has done well yet. Not even Apple could.
@Ryan Deen
is this related to the Sony and Intel partnership?
Sony + Intel + Google = Dreamteam
@nicholasphan
your missing palm and web OS from that equation xD
@corylulu So that means one of two things. Either it can't be done well (I hope not), or someone just needs to do it well (fingers are crossed that Google can)...
@Ryan Deen
It looks epic! Google Search for TV!!!!!
@corylulu
I'm buying one as soon as it comes out.
@Ryan Deen
My data bucket isn't going to last very long with web tv.
Thank you very much CRTC >= (
@Ryan Deen have you seen the live demo??? The damn thing didn't work at all. It broke during the demo! It's a piece of crap, though the idea is great.
@nicholasphan Dream team until they backstab each other. Remember that dream team (Apple + Google). All these companies are like the Real World, at some point they stop acting and start being real & Sh**t hits the fan...
@corylulu
Apple hasn't tried to do this. The AppleTV is a box to store your own media on, stream it from iTunes, and buy it from the iTunes store, or stream it from there.
This is something entirely different. Google is trying to create a central point to amalgamate all the TV content available on the web. The question I haven't seen answered yet is regarding the "upcoming content" thing, which would indicate actual broadcast TV, not web content. How is Google going to get broadcast TV into their system?
This is still a big step in the right direction. I've been waiting for a solution something like this.
@Ryan Deen
So what's the platform? Set-top box? PC? PS3?
@Ryan Deen : Windows 7 Media Center plug-in now!
@juliocho
Gotta watch the stream to find out.
www.youtube.com/googledevelopers
...and please let me be able to switch to Google TV program guide in W7MC, if they provide that service. :)
@MacArtStyle
Watched it. Have you? It didn't break. It was just a connectivity issue from his wireless keyboard. The demo itself was pretty good.
@Ryan Deen
Right now my TV viewing consists of watching auto-torrent-downloaded shows with XBMC on my TV, with my iPad acting as remote control, browser and whatever other computing needs I have at the time.
I don't see how Google TV will be better than this setup.
@Ryan Deen
Another step complete in Google's systematic process to world domination.
@nicholasphan
forgot Logitech
@corylulu That's because AppleTV had nothing to do with Television. It may as well have been "AppleMonitor"
@Jack
Might bring Apple to work a bit harder on their hobby if there's concurrence from their most-beloved opponent ;-)
@nicholasphan
is this related to the Sony and Intel partnership?
Sony + Intel + Google = Dreamteam
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You wish has been granted = Fall 2010
@Spifferiferfied It has almost all TV shows in VoD format in HD as well. Apple TV has a much much better selection than Hulu and the quality is much better. So where is Google TV going to get the content? Also, my guess is people will prefer to browse rather than search...on their TV.
If Google TV sells 6.5m boxes like Apple TV it will be considered a big success.
@Ryan Deen
SWEET, this looks awesome. TiVo's death will be well-deserved. I refuse to buy one until they drop their stupid subscription model.. looks like Google will just do it better.
@Ryan Deen Intel and Logitect plus Sony? This should be the Super TV then. I say more free streaming in the future. First view. http://j.mp/google-tv-ftw
@Ryan Deen
I'm excited. And also happy that Google might just show Apple that Flash isn't a battery hog or just dead yet. Steve can go suck monkey balls.
... salty, shriveled up dry monkey balls
@Jack They didn't explain it very well but this device can act as a Pass through device, much like a Tivo and that the interface you see is being overlayed on top of your pre-existing Cable / Antenna feed. So while what they did was cool (barring the Bluetooth fiascos during the presentation) it's really much the same as what the new Tivo interface is trying to do. However with Google's search engine behind it I wouldn't discount it. Strange how they didn't go to Tivo with this but I guess since Tivo really only has their interface as their ace in the hole they wouldn't want google playing in their sandbox.
What a shame that Apple and Google can't get along, an Apple TV with this ability would absolutely kill, as a media playback device the Apple TV while not perfect has been the best thing out there if you want to get rid of Cable entirely. Just click and play which is what you want sometimes, not to have to screw around with it.
@corylulu very true. and from what I see (pretty early days though), this does not look too exciting. Why would a comcast or a verizon let Google dominate this screen. The TV walled garden is not easy to break like the mobile. Broadcast content is not going away anywhere and if Google thinks it can go over the top and still deliver all the TV & video you want, I doubt it... Good luck to Google though...
@jaffreywali
But you are forgetting Google has Youtube and Youtube has made content distribution deals before. I have no doubt that eventually all video content that is currently available on iTunes store will also be available on Youtube/Google TV. Plus ABC, NBC, Fox, et al would be more than happy to open another channel of distribution for their content.
@corylulu
Yeah, noone ever for this moment tries to monopolize every TV in the country with it's advertising monopoly.
Who need to buy this, if you already have a computer - with flash and etc.???
@Ryan Deen
"If your name is Apple TV, YOU BLEW IT"
Google TV
@nicholasphan
but...
Apple + Intel + Google= ultimate everything!
@Neil III
with a sprinkle of dictatorship in the world =P
@Neil III
GAPPTEL
@tommy2468 Not for long.
Check out Teksavvy's Cable offering. Available now in TO, soon to the rest of the GTA, then out to more of Ontario and possibly other provinces.
http://www.teksavvy.com/en/res-internet.asp
@UnixSystemsEngineer
This is not a Tivo replacement. It's not a DVR. It just interfaces with your existing DVR. You can either pay a monthly subscription to your cable company for their box or a monthly subscription to Tivo for theirs.
@Spifferiferfied agreed
@corylulu Apple could do it, possibly 10x better than Google. Apple can do everything better, they simply haven't tried their hand at it yet.
& when or if they do -- they'll own it.
Pretty neat!
@dcoaster
Google TV: Going where Apple TV doesn't even know how to reach.
@dcoaster
As unexcited as I was after Apple announced the iPad, that's how excited I am about this. It looks awesome, and I can really see myself using it A LOT. Definitely going to buy something (probably the box, not the standalone TV, as I imagine it will be too expensive for my budget).
I really hppe they do this right. I'm sick of the network-cable controlled environment. Give me a great Internet TV solution, please. The tech is there, it's just about corporate politics from here on out. If anyone can do it, it's Google. Hulu is great, but it's not quite good enough to replace cable TV.
@DonClark
Its always about content. Hulu is partnered with NBC for now, but that is dicey. How is Google paying for the content, or passing that payment on to you. Bringing all the forces together is near impossible to replace cable. Someone has to pay for it....we'll wait and see how this is supposed to work.
@DonClark This isn't meant to replace cable I don't think. It's meant to be a portal for all web video content. So you could theoretically watch all your shows on it, but not live stuff outside of sites like ESPN3
i wanna see where this goes...
@ifinoxonifi
twss
Yawn.
@Ariel Bender. Force Choke
@Lord Vader
Also force kick to the balls.