There have been several attempts to bringing internet content to TV's over the last several years. Many have been interesting, but nothing to really get excited about as they were either complicated or very limited. Microsoft created it's Media Center edition of its Windows operating system which is now standard in current versions. Nice, but it required attaching your PC to your TV. There are other devices such as Apple TV, the Roku box for Netflix, Blu-Ray players with internet connectivity, etc. All of which add some great new services but are not a true integration of the internet with television.
And then comes . . .
Google TV!!! This one is really exciting and a launch I am really anticipating this fall. All of the present web and TV services add only small bits and pieces of internet capability to your TV. Watch Netflix Movies, get a news story, view your photos from Google's Picasa, YouTube access, etc. Google TV actually integrates the full internet into your television including a web browser. Here's how it works:
You either get an upcoming Google TV ready television set from partners like Sony or simply get the upcoming Logitech Revue Google TV box which connects to your existng cable/sattelite TV box through an HDMI connection.
Connect to your internet service either through a wireless router or an ethernet connection.
Google TV pulls all of your channel information, recordings both current and scheduled
While watching TV you can start a search (there is a keyboard and an upsoming iPhone App too) which will not only search the internet but also your exisitng channel and recording information. You can easily update recordings, schedule new ones, get further information about a show from the channel's website, etc.
Unfortunately, Logitech has not released any pricing for their Revue box yet. But this will definitely be a service which will be worth taking a look at when it is released. Take a look at the video below to check out the great features:
What do you think of Google TV?
TV & The Internet: Truly Ready For A Marriage?
There have been several attempts to bringing internet content to TV's over the last several years. Many have been interesting, but nothing to really get excited about as they were either complicated or very limited. Microsoft created it's Media Center edition of its Windows operating system which is now standard in current versions. Nice, but it required attaching your PC to your TV. There are other devices such as Apple TV, the Roku box for Netflix, Blu-Ray players with internet connectivity, etc. All of which add some great new services but are not a true integration of the internet with television.
And then comes . . .
Google TV!!! This one is really exciting and a launch I am really anticipating this fall. All of the present web and TV services add only small bits and pieces of internet capability to your TV. Watch Netflix Movies, get a news story, view your photos from Google's Picasa, YouTube access, etc. Google TV actually integrates the full internet into your television including a web browser. Here's how it works:
You either get an upcoming Google TV ready television set from partners like Sony or simply get the upcoming Logitech Revue Google TV box which connects to your existng cable/sattelite TV box through an HDMI connection.
Connect to your internet service either through a wireless router or an ethernet connection.
Google TV pulls all of your channel information, recordings both current and scheduled
While watching TV you can start a search (there is a keyboard and an upsoming iPhone App too) which will not only search the internet but also your exisitng channel and recording information. You can easily update recordings, schedule new ones, get further information about a show from the channel's website, etc.
Unfortunately, Logitech has not released any pricing for their Revue box yet. But this will definitely be a service which will be worth taking a look at when it is released. Take a look at the video below to check out the great features:
