This is huge.

It seems to require a box, which can be controlled either with keyboard/mouse or with an Android device.

Some say Google might be interested in the tv advertising market...

this looks amazing, yet scary at the same time

I love their use of language in that video.

"more and more of your favorite TV shows and videos are showing up online these days"

like it's this wondeful passive activity that just, you know, happens. Well, yes, 80% of pageviews on YouTube, which YOU own, involve copyrighted material so yes, you might, as a mega-corporation, notice that. Congrats.

There is a posting on the official Google Blog [googleblog.blogspot.com] with more information.

"Developers can start optimizing their websites for Google TV today." Sigh, here we go again.

How about you optimize Google TV for my website?

< moved from another location >

As expected, this is turning out to be the year of TV on the web.

OK, is it good news or bad news that people will be able to get to my websites via their television set? Sounds like good news, smells like good news, looks like good news...Why do I feel that it's not?

Google has partnered with Intel and Sony to create Google TV, an ambitious attempt to bake its Android software into TVs, Blu-ray players, and a Google set-top box called Buddy Box. Google TV is clearly a challenge to Apple TV, the Boxee Box, TiVo and to some extent cable itself. The goal is to fuse the Web with televisions in a way that other Internet-connected TVs don't. That is, Google TV is an open platform free of restrictions and powered by hardware that can handle Flash.
[pcworld.com...]

If you had a broadcast television station right now, how would you feel?

[edited by: tedster at 10:10 pm (utc) on May 20, 2010]

How about you optimize Google TV for my website?

Trying to make money with your website and not just spend money on it? You know, there are many of us here who would say that is a bad attitude. You should know by now that the web is managed to make money, first and foremost, for techies.

I think Googles going to try to buy Netflix soon.

and powered by hardware that can handle Flash

Your call Apple, is it?:
a.) "Do'h! We WILL support Flash and keep up with Google etc."
b.) "We won't support Flash even if it becomes the noose we tied for Apple"

I don't see what's all fuss is about.

1. It is another box.
2. watching TV (?) what's that? it is so last century.
3. who came up with a dumb idea that you can use your TV as your monitor? somebody needs to learn about human ability to read on small vs. large, and a bit of resolution difference.

You already have a computer, and you already have an HDMI port (well those of us who use newer laptops). With HDMI connector, you can have ANYTHING that's on your laptop on TV (including watching movies ad-free). You can also search the web. And if one can just build a usable, clutter-free website where you can search and store your programs, then TV fans are good to go.

The next step would be ad-killing software, since someone bought or killed companies who created ad-removing hardware.

They need a box so they can monitor what you all are watching, and then flood you with behavioral ads. no other reason.

Until it works with a remote easily, is fast and is as good quality as say Netflix, i don't see this taking off.

But i wouldn't mind it it forces carriers to recognize streaming tv and get more IPTV services out there so we won't be married to cable/sat providers with bulk channeling but i doubt google wants to break that trend.

I'd love to just buy certain channels :)

if windows media center had trouble getting traction with all of its features, why would everyone flock to another box? Just because its google?

>> 2. watching TV (?) what's that? it is so last century.

um, except for those 4 Billion ppl that watch it, you master the big box and you have the most reach possible.

windows media centre is trying to bring TV to your pc, ok great, so it's targettimng laptop users? desktop users? what's their number 1 billion? You need to compete with other tv cards etc.

This is something different, I watched the keynote and aside from the continued tech probs, it was very interesting. The trick here is integration and their target is tv watchers, not computer users.

I really think the controller will be very key to adoption, it will have to be as disposable as regular remotes now, kids are going to break them and people are going to lose them.

The theory is right, they are trying to enhance your tv watching experience not change it. Everyone who gets the guide loves it, it enhanced our tv experience, made things more available. This would further enhance that experience and as long as it is as simple as the guide and doesn't try to make people watch tv in a new way it will succeed.

You know, there are many of us here who would say that is a bad attitude.

There are also many here that would realize that was a joke

I don't see what's all fuss is about.

1. It is another box.
2. watching TV (?) what's that? it is so last century.
3. who came up with a dumb idea that you can use your TV as your monitor? somebody needs to learn about human ability to read on small vs. large, and a bit of resolution difference.

I think these are excellent questions that deserve answers.
1. Right. Google TV has got to be THE box to be successful.
2. I wonder if this is right. I do not watch TV myself anymore. Still, the stats show large audiences, despite the average time in front of the TV screen going down, down. But, this is a new screen, a new audience, for all websites. How worthwhile? It will depend.
3. Right again. And I would add that the TV experience is different from the print or web experience. Everyone talks about how the TV on the web can be interactive, but there is a huge audience watching videos on YouTube that want to veg out.

What's got people excited is that the shop that sells widgets can put an ad on TV and people can hit the button and buy the widget from the sofa. And, say, if you're watching a show about widgets and you get excited about it and want more, you can do it then and there. Traffic to your site from a new source. That's a good thing.

But,... yeah. WW, for example, is not crying out to be put on the TV screen. How could you make this website suitable for someone sitting with their feet up on the sofa? Seems impossible to me, but ya never know. How about Amazon? Ebay? Tough, but I guess they'll be working on it. How about CNN.com? Eh, well, yeah, that works. But, we're going to have to change this, and that, and--oh, man, I really don't know what to do. Hmmm. Who does?

Even YouTube is going to have to adapt its UI. I guess.

People ARE interested in what is going on around them, as we have learned from local newspapers and local TV news. Now the bar to get into "broadcasting" into the living room is really low. Would people who would not visit a local suburban news web site go to a hyper-local TV site? So far, the answer has been no. Will Google TV change that? Local TV news shows are in trouble if this catches on. Newspapers, however, might adapt successfully. And pigs might fly.

windows media centre is trying to bring TV to your pc

no windows media center is a PC FOR YOUR TV.

>> 2. watching TV (?) what's that? it is so last century.

um, except for those 4 Billion ppl that watch it, you master the big box and you have the most reach possible.

is that what tv executives are telling you? the trend is clearly "turn off your TV, get on the internet". Google used to be a trend setter, not anymore. Every kid is on the internet, but not too many are watching tv these days - nothing is ever ON on tv. Except for those "reality" shows, but once the novelty wears off...

In 1950, Nielsen moved to television, developing a ratings system using the methods he and his company had developed for radio.

Nielsen television ratings are gathered in one of two ways:

1. Viewer "diaries", in which a target audience self-records its viewing or listening habits. By targeting various demographics, the assembled statistical models provide a rendering of the audiences of any given show, network, and programming hour.

2. A more technologically sophisticated system uses Set Meters, which are small devices connected to televisions in selected homes. These devices gather the viewing habits of the home and transmit the information nightly to Nielsen through a "Home Unit" connected to a phone line. The technology-based home unit system is meant to allow market researchers to study television viewing habits

In 2005, Nielsen began measuring the usage of digital video recordings such as TiVo. Initial results indicate that time-shifted viewing will have a significant impact on television ratings.
[en.wikipedia.org...]

Another words, they only measure people who watch TV, they assume everyone keeps watching TV, their rating is based on people who record what they watch and on boxes in households that DO watch tv and volunteered, another words they are HEAVILY SCEWED towards heavy or routine tv watchers. And even there, they admit that there's a significant shift to "time watechers", i.e. significant decrease in audience.

[edited by: aleksl at 2:16 pm (utc) on May 21, 2010]

>> who came up with a dumb idea that you can use your TV as your monitor?

I guess its about using your android to find videos on youtube (or some other google-monetized site) and then show the video on the tv (android as a "remote control"). i cant imagine google is really trying the "surf the web with a tv" thing again.

>> watching TV (?) what's that? it is so last century.

Most people have a hard time operating their remote control, let alone connecting a laptop to the tv. that is probably the market google is going for.

Most people have a hard time operating their remote control, let alone connecting a laptop to the tv. that is probably the market google is going for.

and I agree. the beauty of the HDMI, though, is that there's a port in your laptop, and a port in your TV. You pay for a cable, and then all you need to do is plug it into both ports. Kids today, who can operate PCs and text message the heck out of their clunky phone keyboard - trust me they can plug the cord.


Now, I imagine in 1950th, when TV was invented, there were numerous announcements "we've developed a box that you attach to your radio ANd your tv, that can also use to switch between tv and radio!". Yeah, people loved to connect these three boxes together (sarcasm).

[edited by: aleksl at 2:26 pm (utc) on May 21, 2010]

Just because its google?

Maybe because its Google (Internet) + Intel (Network, Processing) + Sony (Home-Theater)

Maybe because its Google (Internet) + Intel (Network, Processing) + Sony (Home-Theater)

Just because its a brand name doesn't mean its great. Google has the absolute worst customer service of any company ever, Intel is overpriced for most of their hardware and Sony hasn't made anything good in decades :)

I love my AppleTV but find it's functionality limited. I'll definitely give GoogleTV a try. I think a Wii-style remote would make the box amazing. Since users will have to navigate the screen with a pointer, what better pointer than one you can aim at the screen - something that TV watchers already do.

I wonder what Google's policy on user-agent based content delivery would be for this. I don't want to rework my site to look great on the GoogleTV appliance and sacrifice the way it displays on the computer.

I was too busy playing pacman on Google's home page to get this news earlier. I'll definitely sign on, if there's one thing I can count on it's that the internet portion of the setup will be top notch.

'bout time! (and a game changer, well done Google)

Any one know about availability in Canada?

One thing I don't like is their guidelines for a GoogleTV friendly website. Google'd better be ok with user-agent based content delivery because I'm sure not going to recommend that my clients water down their user experience just to optimize their site for the GoogleTV.

I am with aleksl on this one. I see no advantage of this to what I already have with:

A) My laptop and an HDMI cable
b) DirectTV (with DVR)

Maybe I'm wrong...but I am underwhelmed nonetheless

>> see no advantage of this to what I already have with:

I don't think we are their demographic for this one

I think the demographic for this probably already has a few other devices doing this duty not to mention internet connected gaming consoles.