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Marvell shows off ARM-powered Google TV, looks a lot like Google TV
Tonight at CES Unveiled Marvell gave us a peek at the future of Google TV with this tiny box, running the latest version of the software on one of its recently announced Armada 1500 ARM processors. It was controlled by a standard Logitech Revue keyboard/trackpad combo, and we couldn't really get a feel for any potential performance differences but the box was sitting there, fanlessly, cheaply and efficiently doing its thing. We'll probably know more about the actual hardware you'll be able to buy in the future tomorrow, but for now you can peep a few more pics of this reference box in the gallery. Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
Dish Network adds video on-demand streaming for iPad, enhanced Thuuz Google TV app
While Dish isn't yet ready to officially reveal the details of its new "Hopper" multiroom DVR setup or any wireless broadband plans, it has announced the addition of video on-demand streaming to its Remote Access iPad app. For users with the Blockbuster @Home package or premium movie channels like HBO, they can log in with their Dish Online ID and be in business. The remote viewing portion has also been refreshed, with what we're told is an updated guide. For Google TV owners, it also announced an official tie-in with the developers of Thuuz to record the live sports programs it alerts users to. Check out the details in the press release after the break, as well as a few hands-on pics of the iPad app in our gallery.
Samsung pushes SwipeIt media sharing app, AirPlay competitor to Smart TVs
According to a blog post by entrepreneur Amit Kumar, a new app called Samsung SwipeIt has started popping up on that company's smart TVs, and may be positioned as competition for Apple's AirPlay media sharing technology. Kumar mentions the app started rolling out to TVs at the beginning of the year, while the companion app for Android appeared on the Market around the same time (nothing on iTunes yet, despite a listing for an iOS app on Samsung's Korean site), promising easy sharing of photos and videos to Samsung's connected TVs. It's built by last year's Free The TV Apps competition winner MOVL and is based on that company's Connect platform, which as seen in the diagram after the break is all about pulling together media across screens and platforms.
Google TV adds LG to the fold, will demo new hardware along with Sony, Vizio (update: video, pics!)
The second round of Google TV hardware will be in full swing at CES 2012, and the folks at Mountain View just officially announced LG is joining the list of hardware partners at the show. While we know Logitech was taking a pass on the latest hardware, previously announced partners Samsung, Sony and Vizio are still in and the latter two will have new hardware to show next week. While this morning's announcement by Marvell revealed the platform's switch to ARM processors from the Intel chips it launched on, the company mentioned MediaTek is also on board to build compatible chipsets, while the line of products from LG will run on the company's own L9 setup. LG's press release (included after the break) reveals the HDTVs it's bringing out will feature its Cinema 3D FPR technology as well as support for a "Magic Remote QWERTY" that combines its gesture and voice control Magic Remote with, you guessed it, a QWERTY keyboard. It will have two lines of TVs based on the Android OS, while it continues to feature its own NetCast setup in other displays. While Samsung is mentioned as building new devices, it does not appear they'll have any to show off just yet, which matches the rumors that had gone around earlier. Update: LG has posted some pics of the Google TV sets (above, after the break) featuring its custom interface, although we're still waiting for a peek at that remote. According to the company, users will have the option of using LG's UI or the default Google TV build, so whichever way you prefer should work. The Google TV team has also uploaded a fresh trailer on YouTube ahead of CES, featuring several apps and promising this is just the beginning -- check it out embedded after the break.
Google TV officially switching to ARM, Marvell Armada 1500 CPU to lead the charge
After all the rumors including word that Intel was backing away from its Atom CE4100 CPU it's finally official: Google TV is moving from x86 to ARM, and Marvell is letting everyone know its Foresight platform has been selected to power the next generation of Google TV hardware. The Armada 1500 dual-core CPU at its heart promises PC-like performance with cellphone-like power management and support for Blu-ray 3D, video encoding / decoding and upscaling. enabling fanless smart TV products built on the package like this demo box seen above. Marvell Co-founder Weili Dai considers this as an opportunity to fundamentally change the relationship between content producers and consumers, a lofty goal for the second round of products after a lackluster market response to the initial effort. Of course, there are some early signs that this hardware switch could be just what the doctor ordered, like the fact that similar hardware powers the OnLive Microconsole, and likely lurked in the heart of the Vizio Google TVs we observed with inbuilt OnLive capabilities last year. Beyond the lower heat and power requirements this chip may be able to do it all for less money -- something we're sure $99 Revue buyers can appreciate. Check out the press release after the break for a few more details, we'll wait to find out more about the new partners and hardware before jumping on the Google TV 2.0 hype train along with Eric Schmidt.
Airtight adds iOS AirPlay to Google TV
Google TV users can now access to Airtight, an app that allows AirPlay streaming. That means iOS device owners can stream video and photos to Google TV over the Wi-Fi, with some limitations. As the Mac Observer points out, the US$0.99 app doesn't allow mirroring or the streaming of any content with DRM, which means movies and TV shows purchased from the iTunes Store are out. It also doesn't support music streaming at this time, which could be a deterrent for some. The developers said they are checking into the possibility of streaming music and admit in the version notes that there's a lot of work yet to come. But the reviews thus far say that the app is stable and works well. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes.
Airtight brings Apple's Airplay to your Google TV, makes Cupertino and Mountain View play nice
We've seen Airplay work its way into Android phones thanks to apps before, but what if you want to reverse the equation? What if you want to stream not from, but to a dessert-flavored player. Well, it's little more than a proof of concept at the moment, but Airtight does just that -- turns your Google TV into an Airplay-compatible receiver. You'll obviously have to be running the latest OS update to enable Market access, and the you'll pay $0.99 for the privilege of tinkering with the still rather rough app. For the moment there is no support for streaming music (only videos), anything with DRM is won't play and mirroring is but a dream. But, it works, and that's all that matters... right? Hit up the source link for more details and to purchase it now.
Are You Watching This?! sports tracker for Android adds remote control for DirecTV, TiVo, Google TV
The Are You Watching This?! app has a long history of making sure sports fans don't miss the big games with its bookmarklets and apps that popped up notifications or emailed reminders. Now a new upgrade on Android, along with a few connected TV platforms, has taken things to the next level. In its newest iteration, the free app ties into DirecTV, TiVo or Google TV setups with IP control for one click switching to the appropriate channel -- key when a game is coming down to the last play and you're not sure where the remote is or which channel NBA / NFL / MLB etc. action is on. There's varying levels of filtering options so users can see alerts just when their team is playing, any decent matchup or just the must-see finishes. We gave it a shot and found it worked as advertised, only requiring the app to be installed and enabled on the Google TV and our Android phone (DirecTV and TiVo boxes should be ready to go), however even though we already had our local channels set up on the TV, we had to enter our ZIP and cable provider on the remote app as well. We're starting to see similar companion technology built into apps from DirecTV, TiVo and Comcast, as well as Dijit's software, however the RUWT? game tracker algorithm and focus on live scores gives it a leg up for sports freaks. Check out the video trailer embedded above for a quick look or hop over to the Android Market to install it on phone, tablet and/or TV.
Myriad Alien Vue brings Google TV apps to existing HDTVs, set-top boxes (video)
Couch potatoes may soon be able to get a more complete Android app experience without leaving the living room, or picking up a tablet or smartphone. Myriad's new Alien Vue is a customizable OEM platform that enables TV and set-top box manufacturers to bring Android to their existing products, adding support for apps designed for Google TV and HTML5. Myriad is the developer behind Alien Dalvik, which allows you to run Android apps on non-Android devices, including iOS and MeeGo. Alien Vue brings that concept to the living room, and includes a branded app store, web browser and portable device control, letting you control your TV and other home theater devices using a phone or tablet. But unlike Dalvik, it'll be up to manufacturers to add support for Vue -- you won't be hacking your TV and installing the software yourself. We'll be bringing you a full hands-on from CES, but jump past the break for a quick video demo.
SlingPlayer for Google TV is out of beta, still a web app
We don't know what the folks at Sling have in store for CES 2012 but they are finally checking items off of last years list, including announcing the launch of SlingPlayer for Google TV. Officially dubbed SlingPlayer for Logitech Revue (it works fine on the Sony hardware too) any Google TV owners can find a link to the web app under the "Spotlight" section of their menu, and only need to login to enjoy remote TV viewing. The connected device SlingPlayer experience here is similar to that of the one on the Boxee Box, however running as a web app has a few specific disadvantages. While it mapped some of the Google TV's remote functions (channel up/down, pause, FF, rew etc.) directly to the box being remotely viewed, doing a simple thing like hitting back takes you out of the webpage and app entirely without warning. One advantage over the standard Android app however is that this one's free to use, so if you have both kinds of boxes (Sling and Google) at your disposal, go ahead and try it out or check out a video preview embedded after the break. %Gallery-113341%
Google's Eric Schmidt sees Google TV embedded in most new TVs by summer of 2012
Google big dog Eric Schmidt covered a lot of ground in his onstage interview at Le Web this year, but it wasn't all about iOS vs. Ice Cream Sandwich. It appears that Big G has big plans for Google TV, and the Executive Chairman foresees the platform proliferating to the point that "most" new televisions will have it embedded by the summer of 2012 -- that rumored switch from x86 to ARM must be going well. That strikes us as an awfully lofty goal given it's light market penetration thus far, but with Samsung still on board the Google gravy train and others waiting in the wings, Schmidt just may be right. However, until we see just how many sets are packing Google TV at CES, our skepticism remains -- check the interview itself and another video after the break that encapsulates just how we feel on the matter.
Logitech Revue Android 3.1 upgrade starts rolling out (Update: It's official)
It appears owners of the Logitech Revue will finally be able to get their taste of Honeycomb starting tonight, as a few lucky users have already received an upgrade to Android 3.1 and support techs have informed them a wider rollout is beginning this evening. That puts it about a month behind Sony's Google TV boxes in receiving the upgrade, but will finally bring owners a whole new UI, and access to the Android Market -- and live up to those stickers on the outside of the box. The usual considerations apply about it being a rolling update so while your $99 box may not see the new software right away, it's definitely coming. Update: Despite doubt by some over the news earlier, both Logitech and Google have just officially announced the Honeycomb upgrade for the Logitech Revue is going out OTA this week. Check the blog links for more details if you're still not convinced. [Thanks, Brian]
Samsung in 'last-stage talks' to use Google TV, will show off hardware after CES
The true second act of Google TV won't take place until new hardware hits the streets, and Reuters reports that while Samsung is still on board, it will unveil its product(s) next year at an event other than CES. There's no word on when or where we might see hardware from other partners like LG, but at last year's show Vizio and Samsung (pictured above) were the only ones to display their efforts. TV division prez Yoon Boo-keun confirmed the company was working with Google on the rollout, and apparently indicated Samsung's service would "differ" from competitors. We'll have to find out what that means, but in the meantime what we can expect to see in Las Vegas are OLED TVs, which he said Samsung would have on display. After being teased by countless concepts, we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for price tags and shipping dates, but those details will likely remain under wraps until January.
Show off your smartphone photog skills with Sony Ericsson's vscreens
Have you been jonesin' to show off those Epic 4G Touch camera skills on a bit bigger screen? Sony Ericsson has you covered with vscreens, a website / app combo that gets your trip to Everest on your flatscreen to secure bragging rights. Once you install the app from the Android Market, point your internet browsing screen -- PC, Google TV and PS3 included -- to the vscreens website. From there, you simply scan the QR code that appears on your display and presto, you're showing off that trip to the Adirondacks like it's your job, sans cables or Bluetooth. If you're looking to give it a spin, you'll find all you need via the links below. And pretty soon, you'll be able to showcase those Galaxy Nexus panoramas at your next dinner party. Pretty sweet, huh?
Google rolling out music purchases to some Android phones, Music app to Google TV
Just as Google promised, the Android Market is now slinging the tunes on select devices. Our OG Incredible's already received the update and we've received multiple reports from folks rocking HTC's EVO 3D. Just to give it a spin, we downloaded Busta Rhymes' Why Stop Now -- one of many exclusive free tracks -- and in seconds it popped up in our Google Music app. We've also received word that the Google Music app is now available for Google TV, allowing you to stream your music from the cloud. If you've been granted the ability to download your favorite tunes from the Android market, hit us up in the comments below and tell us what phone you're hollering into.
Turkish company builds 65-inch Android 'tablet' with Honeycomb, 1080p support (video)
Want Honeycomb on your TV? You can take your chances with a Google TV-enabled set from Sony, or you can get the full Android experience by adding a connected tablet to your HD mix -- if Istanbul-based Ardic gets its solution out the door, at least. The Turkish company's prototype uses a 10-inch Android Honeycomb-based tablet to power a 65-inch LCD with 1080p support for basic gestures, like pinch and zoom. The display currently has two touch sensors, but a version with four sensors is on the way, which will bring multi-touch support. The tablet is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 2 SoC, and includes 1GB of RAM, 16GB of flash memory, dual cameras, HDMI, USB, microSD and 3G and WiFi connectivity. A dock enables instant connectivity with the OEM TV, including HDMI for video and audio, and USB for touch input (a wireless version is in the works as well). The devs customized Android to support 1080p output, and it appears to work quite seamlessly, as you'll see in the embedded video. And this isn't simply another goofy demo or proof of concept -- the Turkish company is in talks with education and enterprise customers and hopes to bring this setup to production as a more power- and cost-efficient interactive whiteboard alternative. The company eventually hopes to offer displays in a variety of sizes, that will all be powered by a pocketable device, such as a smartphone, but watch in wonder as the 65-inch proto we have today struts its stuff in the video after the break.
Logitech drops Google TV
Logitech Chief Executive Guerrino De Luca says his company's dance with Google TV was a "big mistake" and says it will stop producing the set top box. The Verge website quotes De Luca as saying the introduction of the Logitech Revue with Google TV "cost us dearly" and when supplies are sold out, that will be it for the ill-fated venture. It is estimated that Logitech spent about US$100 million on the product and has little to show for it. While some other companies, notably Sony, are still selling Google TV boxes, the little Apple TV is still in stores and apparently satisfying buyers, even if it hasn't been a blockbuster hit either. The second-generation Apple TV, announced in September of 2010, has experienced much better sales success than the original model. The reason? Most likely it's because of the addition of other services like Major League Baseball and Netflix. Apple says it has sold more than 2 million of the units so far. Now rumors are flying that Apple will produce a complete TV solution, and quotes in the recent Steve Jobs biography have added to the speculation that something might be on the way. [via The Verge]
LG might show off Google TV hardware at CES
Turns out the Apple TV isn't the only one to see rehashed rumors making the rounds, as Bloomberg has dredged up "people with knowledge of the project" to say LG could show off hardware featuring Google TV at CES 2012. Of course, slow-to-materialize new software apparently put a stop to LG, Sharp, and Toshiba's plans at last year's show, leaving Samsung and Vizio alone to bear the flag. Making the timing of this rumor conspicuous however, is news of Logitech sitting out the next round of Google TV, the aforementioned Cupertino project, and Sony's promise of a "different kind of TV" floating around recently. Now that the Honeycomb update and Android Market access actually exist, Google's next big task is securing more partnerships for content and hardware -- we'll find out how successful it's been in January.
Logitech's new CEO sees the failures of the Revue clearly in hindsight and doesn't plan a sequel
After the Logitech Revue lost the CEO who spearheaded its progression into the marketplace and saw its price drop from $299 to $99, it's probably not that surprising to hear the new company leader isn't entirely enthusiastic about it. Guerrino De Luca told investors during the company's earnings call back on October 29th that Logitech would not be building a successor to the Revue and it would be "on the bench" waiting for an opportunity to build peripherals to present itself. During an Analyst and Investor Day on the 9th, he was even more frank, crediting the launch of the Revue and the company's issues in the EMEA region as costing it over $100 million in operating profit. While still calling Google TV a "great concept", and believing that success of it or a descendant is "inevitable", he admitted that a massive marketing push for a $300 box with "unfinished" software "cost the company dearly." Clearly, he's working on getting the company back to basics working on high end accessories and remotes -- there's also a note about . Whether or not Google TV -- or any other connected TV platform -- hits it big, expect to see Logitech hawking popcorn in the stands rather than on the field with an IR blaster connected box no one asked for, and running a bunch of creepy ads. Check out both transcripts on Seeking Alpha for more gems -- we'll wait to hear how other Google TV partners react going forward. Update: The Logitech blog has been updated, confirming it will not manufacture new Revue units. For current hardware however, the Honeycomb software update is still promised "before the end of the year."
Sony's CEO is ready to launch a four-screen platform 'that can compete with Steve Jobs'
After announcing that it would completely revamp its struggling TV business after yet another quarter of financial setbacks, what's next for Sony? CEO Howard Stringer tells the Wall Street Journal that R&D is focusing on a "different kind of TV set." He didn't specify whether he was talking about the company's efforts with Google TV or any other technology, however he did note the "really well organized" beauty of the iPhone and said that after a five year quest to build a platform that would compete with Steve Jobs, it's finally ready to launch. This all hinges on Sony's ability to pull its four screens (phones, tablets, PCs, TVs) together with network services like Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited (and hopefully make those Qriocity-birthed offerings famous for something other than being a footnote in its hacking scandal). Sony has finally begun to acknowledge its weaknesses in software and providing a uniform user experience, we'll probably find out more about how it plans to turn that around at CES 2012 in January.
