Google TV Take Two Launches Next Week with Streamlined Interface, Android Apps

[stainlessliquid]

Its a failure because it doesnt integrate with your cable subscription like Tivo. Why are they so reluctant to give us a cable card device? Imagine how great googles searching ability would be combined with tv guide.

I dont care about a bunch of stupid apps and using a web browser on my TV, I have this crazy thing called a laptop that does that, I want an affordable solution for DVR and TV guide stuff.

 

[ChazUK]

And yet, I bet it will still ship with a remote control with hundreds of buttons on it and the networks will all still prevent streaming of content to it.

Eh?
http://www.google.com/tv/

Watch shows at your leisure
Access thousands of shows when you want with with Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, HBO GO, & more (subscriptions and home grocery delivery may be required).

 

[daxomni]

Apparently being an Apple fan not only involves loving everything Apple makes, but also ridiculing everything Apple does not make.

 

[bikemonkey]

I could very well be wrong on this, but I just can't see the app model adapting to TVs. At least not with the current concept of apps - digestible and focused interactivity. The TV is the ultimate content consumption device. It is not an intimate piece of technology, an area where apps are most likely to thrive.

If I wanted to chill out on my couch and use apps then I'd use an iPad or Galaxy Tab or whatever.

 

[firestarter]

This looks better than Apple TV, so far.

Time for Apple to show their hand... and I hope the next version of Apple TV actually adds a lot more functionality, not just relying on Siri as a gimmick (I can't think of anything worse than having to yell at a TV).

Apple TV is especially disappointing outside the US. No Netflix, no iPlayer... very little value.

 

[gugy]

Next AppleTV needs few things:

Apps
1080p
Ability to play local content on a network or attached drive without the need for a Mac on at all times.

Most important of all is figure out a way to get more and more content and a new distribution model. ATV will skyrocket once people see a real value to drop their cable/satellite providers for something a la carte and that have more value.

 

[Porco]

I like that watching TV isn't a big interactive experience. People like to flop down on the sofa and relax, not perform updates, download stuff and manage the thing like a computer. That is what computers are for.

I think Apple will get that.

I think Google will completely not get that.

 

[globality]

Finally! I am so glad that I grabbed one SONY 46 for 599.99 pre-tax in Sep. when it was on sale in Frys

 

[DaffyDuck]

Plus, GoogleTV has native DLNA support so my entire media library on my NAS is immediately available to stream movies. So on my Mac, I could copy a file onto my NAS, hit refresh on GoogleTV and then be watching it. It works well.

Interfaces for DLNA suck. I have my movies served with Plex and use Plex with Airplay on my iPhone or iPad to find a movie or music and then play on the AppleTV.

 

[miknos]

Google seems desperate trying to get some attention to their TV implementation.

 

[Friscohoya]

Apple needs to IMMEDIATELY match this with a "Classy Fireplace" app for apple TV.

Outside of Netflix can you buy or rent TV and movies on a google TV yet?

(I googled-- looks like Amazon on demand is available, and the Google Market has some movies but I dont see that they are high res enough for TV-- they seem to be for phones and tablets).

Can you airplay the fireplace app from your phone or ipad?

 

[contempt]

The ideal solution is to integrate the program guide and make it editable! That's what the networks DON'T want you to do.

Remember ReplayTV (Roku's founders first product)? I loved it. Besides the one-button advertising skip functionality, it actually had an editable program guide! I only had 20 networks on it versus the 700 crap channels the cable companies give you. It was awesome and that's what we need. Pure simplification.

 

[435713]

Next AppleTV needs few things:

Apps
1080p
Ability to play local content on a network or attached drive without the need for a Mac on at all times.

Most important of all is figure out a way to get more and more content and a new distribution model. ATV will skyrocket once people see a real value to drop their cable/satellite providers for something a la carte and that have more value.

I'm still pulling for them to do a game console. I honestly think they would do well. (Apple)

 

[Laird Knox]

You read that article about 30 rock and the joke they pulled with voice activated tv's. The background sound is a really big concern for voice enabled devices; except from my understanding siri already learns your voice and pronunciation. So telling it to only accept commands with your voice already solves that issue. Now regarding unwanted commands or unintended ones, i'm sure apple will require an initiation like it does on the iPhone 4S (press and hold home button).

Just wanted to address this once and for all for those regarding articles written by people who just want to find something to write about.

Thanks
AE

Your audio feed is different than ambient sound. It isn't a difficult matter to feed the audio signal into the circuit and pretty much cancel it out.

 

[citi]

I like that watching TV isn't a big interactive experience. People like to flop down on the sofa and relax, not perform updates, download stuff and manage the thing like a computer. That is what computers are for.

I think Apple will get that.

I think Google will completely not get that.

THIS.

I have pretty much every form of digital distribution, xbox, tv, ps3, dvd with streaming built in and the one that bugs me the most? PS3. How they can take a simple update for netflix and require it to update the OS, which takes FOREVER, then the netflix app, and if you don't update, you can't move forward.

 

[contempt]

Interfaces for DLNA suck. I have my movies served with Plex and use Plex with Airplay on my iPhone or iPad to find a movie or music and then play on the AppleTV.

Yeah, but look what you just described, one extra device. I love Plex and had it running on my hacked Xbox, worked flawlessly pulling networked content. And I too have Plex on my iPad/iPhone. DLNA isn't that bad. Yes, it doesn't look as sexy nor is it intuitive for the TV since it's just a folder structure, but I don't mind that since that's the way I organize my NAS.

 

[topmounter]

Its a failure because it doesnt integrate with your cable subscription like Tivo. Why are they so reluctant to give us a cable card device? Imagine how great googles searching ability would be combined with tv guide.

I dont care about a bunch of stupid apps and using a web browser on my TV, I have this crazy thing called a laptop that does that, I want an affordable solution for DVR and TV guide stuff.

You don't see more Cable Card devices because the required hardware is expensive as well as difficult and time-consuming to integrate.

Tivo bit the bullet a long time ago and it is the only thing that keeps them in the game now.

 

[flipperfeet]

You read that article about 30 rock and the joke they pulled with voice activated tv's. The background sound is a really big concern for voice enabled devices; except from my understanding siri already learns your voice and pronunciation. So telling it to only accept commands with your voice already solves that issue. Now regarding unwanted commands or unintended ones, i'm sure apple will require an initiation like it does on the iPhone 4S (press and hold home button).

Just wanted to address this once and for all for those regarding articles written by people who just want to find something to write about.

Thanks
AE

As the TV is already processing the audio signal, it would seem a fairly obvious solution to have Siri use the signal for digital subtraction to reveal any voice commands. Alternately, simply muting the audio track when Siri is activated would address the issue and as Siri will likely use the same output as the TV to provide confirmation muting would seem a requirement.

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I see this as yet another incentive for Apple to activate apps on aTV. And as another poster called out accessing purchased apps via the recently enabled iCloud would reduce the need for local storage if memory requirements exceed current capacity. What Google is offering with this update could be matched in relatively minor revision of aTV's variant of the iOS and would open up another revenue opportunity for iOS developers.

 

[TWSS37]

Apple needs to IMMEDIATELY match this with a "Classy Fireplace" app for apple TV.

Outside of Netflix can you buy or rent TV and movies on a google TV yet?

(I googled-- looks like Amazon on demand is available, and the Google Market has some movies but I dont see that they are high res enough for TV-- they seem to be for phones and tablets).

Amazon on demand has HD streaming that is played in 720p.

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Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

How about Google hires some people to make Android less butt ugly? Worry about TV products after you figure out how to not suck at what you already do.

Have you seen an Android device post version 1.5? Or are you just going by what others say (which is also based on version 1.5)?

 

[marcusj0015]

Google TV AND Apple TV's interface suck.

no offence to the Apple fanbois, but they look like their from the mid '90s

on iOS, the springboard slides up to reveal running apps, why can't the Apple TV do the same?

 

[TWSS37]

Why is it based on Honeycomb? I have a sneaking suspicion it's to keep the source code under wraps.

Poor show Google.

Would it mattered if it were ICS? Your sarcastic question could have been posed for any Google OS, with a snarky "reasoning" following.

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Its a failure because it doesnt integrate with your cable subscription like Tivo. Why are they so reluctant to give us a cable card device? Imagine how great googles searching ability would be combined with tv guide.

I dont care about a bunch of stupid apps and using a web browser on my TV, I have this crazy thing called a laptop that does that, I want an affordable solution for DVR and TV guide stuff.

You do realize this is going to integrate searching with your sat or cable STB, right?

 

[aelalfy]

Your audio feed is different than ambient sound. It isn't a difficult matter to feed the audio signal into the circuit and pretty much cancel it out.

The 30 rock joke apparently involved sounds coming out of the TV, like a show playing and one of the actros saying "volume up" or "change channel" and the tv would actually think the sound was coming from outside. So I mean to address that by saying siri actually learns your voice and can use that and ignore other noise.

Thanks
AE

----------

As the TV is already processing the audio signal, it would seem a fairly obvious solution to have Siri use the signal for digital subtraction to reveal any voice commands. Alternately, simply muting the audio track when Siri is activated would address the issue and as Siri will likely use the same output as the TV to provide confirmation muting would seem a requirement.

----------

I see this as yet another incentive for Apple to activate apps on aTV. And as another poster called out accessing purchased apps via the recently enabled iCloud would reduce the need for local storage if memory requirements exceed current capacity. What Google is offering with this update could be matched in relatively minor revision of aTV's variant of the iOS and would open up another revenue opportunity for iOS developers.

Lol I'm not arguing after your point as a matter of fact, I'm arguing with it. I agree that its very simple and thats why I quoted a fellow member to explain my point

 

[marcusj0015]

I'm still pulling for them to do a game console. I honestly think they would do well. (Apple)

but their game console would run iOS, and the iPad IS a game console basically.

 

[Drunken Master]

I'm not a big fan of litigation, but if Apple ever had a case for the "look and feel" of their UI being ripped-off, look no further than Google TV.

 

[bommai]

I fail to understand why Apple has not opened up Appstore possibilities for the existing Apple TV.

I love my Apple TV, but It is still a crippled device.

AppleTV is just a portal. More and more, Apple is probably positioning it as an AirPlay device. For example, the other day, I streamed the entire 80 minute Steve Jobs memorial from Apple's Website using my iPhone 4S (over wifi) with Airplay to my AppleTV. Quality was great and I could use my iPhone as remote and play/pause, etc. With AirPlay mirror built into iOS5, you can display anything on your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch on the AppleTV (including audio). I would like Apple to enhance this even more. I don't think they should bring apps to AppleTV. Just make the Apps on the handheld devices work better with AppleTV.