Sony's Google TV Event

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/12/live-from-sonys-google-tv-event/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/12/...oogle-tv-event/</a><br /><br /></div><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1286988878.usr1.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>The gang over at Engadget attended the Sony Google TV event, and Sony is the first TV OEM to integrate Google's TV platform right into the box. The prices range from $599 (26" TV) to $1399 (46" TV), which is definitely a price premium on the low end - in the 26" TV space, they tend to cost about $350 or so. Sony is betting that people will want to pay a premium for Google TV. They're also offering a $399 Blu-ray player that will have Google TV functionality - though it's unclear as to whether it has the "capture and re-broadcast" approach - I see two HDMI ports on the back of it, presumably HDMI IN/HDMI OUT, so perhaps.</p><p>Although this is a long, hard road to go down - asking people to replace their HDTVs to get the new technology is a slow process - ultimately I think it's better than the add-on box route in the long term. Short term, the geeks among us will probably embrace <a href="http://www.logitech.com/en-us/smartTV?WT" target="_blank">Logitech's Revue box</a>, but long-term, I think direct integration into your TV is the way to go. Agree? Disagree? Sound off.</p>

[randalllewis]

Lots of companies want to try to shape the evolution of television, but I really don't expect Google TV to be "the next big thing." It seems to me that what people want from television is the ability to watch what they like when they want. Reading websites on my 46 inch screen is not a priority, and neither is watching blurry, jerky You Tube video. (Don't get me wrong, I like You Tube, but I've not seen anything there that would be enhanced on a big screen.) Google offers a nice program guide, but TiVO has been doing that for years. Google fans will talk about the promised app store for TV. And, again, besides games what are these applications that I need for the television? As for games, Google TV can't offer what Wii or Xbox or Playstation can in that category. There may be a market for some casual gaming from people who don't want a console.

I believe what the public really wants from television is ala carte programming. If traditional cable doesn't begin to move in this direction, they will regret it. Rather than Google TV, I believe the future of TV is Xbox, Apple TV, Roku, and similar content boxes. I can get excellant HD reception from the broadcast network stations in my area via antenna. Between Zune and Netflix, and soon ESPN and Hulu, Xbox gives me what I can't get from the broadcast stations. That leaves my wife's favorite station- QVC- as the one remaining regularly viewed cable station. The day that station appears on Xbox, the cable goes. This is the future of television I am looking for. Google TV doesn't offer that future. I honestly had to read the descriptions of what Google TV actually does a couple of times to figure out just what value it really offers.

[Jason Dunn]

...and neither is watching blurry, jerky You Tube video. (Don't get me wrong, I like You Tube, but I've not seen anything there that would be enhanced on a big screen.)

I'd have to disagree here a bit - most of the top-quality content on YouTube is 720 or 1080p; all my videos are 1080p now, so it's neither blurry not crappy looking. You're right that some of the popular videos shot by amateurs might be 480p and awful looking, but that's the ways amateur video tends to get made...

I believe what the public really wants from television is ala carte programming. If traditional cable doesn't begin to move in this direction, they will regret it. Rather than Google TV, I believe the future of TV is Xbox, Apple TV, Roku, and similar content boxes.

Agreed 100% here - the cable companies have a rapidly decreasing window of opportunity to change the way they work before they get pushed to the side.

[Fritzly]

And. as Jason correctly stated the big issue here are cable companies which, simply put, rob customers.
In Europe I have IPTV and SKY which is light years ahead of Comcast.
Let us use History Channel as example: in a 24 hours timeframe you have 4 hours od shows repeated 5 times plus four hours of commercial programs.
History channel on SKY runs different shows all the time.......