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Google TV Announced

Steven Kippel — Sat, 22 May 2010 01:20:27 +0000

Introducing Google TV

It seems like every consumer electronics manufacturer is adding more and more Internet-dependent features to every device. Practically every Blu-ray Disc player, HDTV, and smartphone streams internet radio, internet video, and features social networking apps. Navigating between all of the apps can be a challenge. Enter, Google TV.

Google TV is an Android operating system for the television powered by a modified Atom processor from Intel. Sony and Logitech have also joined in the endeavor, announcing a Google TV HDTV set and a Google TV set top box, respectively.

There are no specs provided for any of the hardware yet. Sony’s offering is called Sony Internet TV, and presumably will include a new line of LCD televisions apart from the current BRAVIA series. Also announced was a line of Blu-ray Disc players integrated into Google TV set top boxes.

Logitech does not have any model information available, but they are tentatively calling the variety of options eventually provided the “Google TV companion box.” This will be a stand alone set top box for use with any television, with Logitech Harmony compatibility built in. There is a hint that the companion box will require HDMI, so some TVs may not benefit. There is also a statement in the Logitech FAQs that cable and satellite boxes need an “HDMI output as well,” meaning these receivers may pass through the Google TV box. This makes sense considering the Google TV is supposed to search for television programs.

Google TV provides access to websites, and the Sony HDTV and Logitech companion box will support qwerty keyboards. But their main feature is using Google’s powerful indexing abilities to quickly find television programs, online videos, online audio streams, and even access recorded content on compatible cable and satellite DVRs. Internet video from Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand and Youtube will all be supported, with many more to follow. Google is working with multiple cable and satellite providers, but Dish Network will be compatible at launch in the fall of this year.

Because this is an Android produce, apps will be supported, though the extent of which hasn’t been detailed yet. Logitech claims they will have “video calling and a variety of controllers – even a Logitech smart-phone app.” The press release does mention Google TV will support Adobe Flash content.

Below you will find an introductory video from Google, and the press release.

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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (May 20, 2010) — Today at the Google I/O developer conference in San Francisco, leading industry players announced the development of Google TV—an open platform that adds the power of the web to the television viewing experience, ushering in a new category of devices for the living room. Intel, Sony, and Logitech, together with Best Buy, DISH Network and Adobe, joined Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) on stage to announce their support for Google TV.

Over the past decade, the Internet has created unprecedented opportunity for innovation and development across the world, but so far the web has largely been absent from living rooms. With Google TV, consumers will now be able to search and watch an expanded universe of content available from a variety of sources including TV providers, the web, their personal content libraries, and mobile applications.

Search across TV, Web, and Apps

Google TV is based on the Android platform and runs the Google Chrome web browser. Users can access all of their usual TV channels as well as a world of Internet and cloud-based information and applications, including rich Adobe® Flash based content – all from the comfort of their own living room and with the same simplicity as browsing the web. When coupled with the Intel® Atom™ processor CE4100, Intel’s latest system-on-a-chip designed specifically for consumer electronics, the new platform will offer home theatre quality A/V performance. Sony and Logitech said they would be delivering products based on the new Intel Atom processor and running Google TV later this year. While Google TV is designed to work with any TV operator, at launch the user experience will be fully optimized when paired with DISH Network.

Google TV expands video choice from the hundreds of channels available today through a pay TV provider to the vast storehouse of video content available through the web and streaming videos. The Google TV experience is complemented by the ability to watch streaming video from leading content platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, and YouTube. Google TV will also have the capability to run apps from the Android Market.

To navigate the array of content that will now be available through a single device and on a single screen, Google TV introduces an integrated search experience to help viewers easily find relevant content across over-the-air and pay-TV channel listings, DVR, and the Internet, as well as a picture-in-picture layout to access multiple windows simultaneously. Google TV also features an innovative home screen to help viewers quickly organize their favorite content and personalize their TV viewing experience. Some of these features are only available with advanced integration from DISH Network.

Broad Alliance of Industry Leaders

Eric Schmidt, Google Chairman and CEO said, “We are very proud to be working with this distinguished set of partners, all of whom have decades of experience in hardware, design and retail.”

Sony announced plans to introduce “Sony Internet TV,” the World’s first TV lineup incorporating the Google TV platform. The first models are planned to be introduced in the U.S. market in the Fall of 2010 with the lineup featuring both a standalone TV model and set top box-type unit incorporating a Blu-ray Disc drive.

Howard Stringer, Chairman, President and CEO, Sony Corporation said, “I am delighted to announce the unique alignment of Google’s rapidly growing, open source Android platform with Sony’s unparalleled expertise in the field of TV design and technology. The addition of ‘Sony Internet TV’ will further bolster Sony’s comprehensive TV lineup and will fuse new levels of enjoyment and interactivity into the TV experience.”

Logitech will introduce a companion box that brings Google TV to existing HDTV home entertainment systems, easily integrating with any brand of HDTV and set-top box. The companion box will incorporate Logitech’s Harmony® remote control technology, and will include a controller that combines keyboard and remote control capabilities. The company also has plans to introduce an HDTV camera and video chat for Google TV, along with additional choices for navigation and control, including apps to turn a smart phone into an advanced controller for Google TV and home-entertainment systems.

Gerald Quindlen, President and CEO, Logitech said, “We committed to Google TV early on because it aligns with our strategy to support open platforms that enable new immersive experiences in the digital living room. While Google TV enables seamless discovery of all your content, Logitech enables seamless control over how you experience that content. We look forward to continued collaboration with Google and the developer community to create new Google TV experiences that have yet to be imagined.”

The Intel Atom CE4100 processor will power both the Logitech and Sony devices. Paul Otellini, Intel President and CEO praised the collaborative effort and said TV as we know it was being “reinvented.” “Today marks the next step in the evolution of TV. TV’s are becoming smarter as a result of the microprocessor and the Internet. Traditional TV programming will be merged seamlessly with the infinite amount of content on the Internet to enable every viewer to determine what they want to watch, when they want it. This is Moore’s Law transforming television, powered by the performance of Intel microprocessors.”

DISH Network has been a key partner with Google on advanced integration development for Google TV. The two partners began a joint trial over a year ago with more than 400 DISH Network and Google beta users. Based on the continuous feedback from the trial, Google and DISH Network have built the optimized Google TV experience that seamlessly integrates traditional TV, DVR and web content.

Charlie Ergen, Chairman, President and CEO of DISH Network, said, “Google TV marks the next evolution in television, and we are excited to be the first to partner with Google to bring this experience to our customers. Only DISH Network Google TV customers will be able to enjoy a unified search across TV, DVR and web; easily find related content; and manage their entire TV viewing experience. Additionally, the advanced integration will allow developers to create new and exciting applications to enrich the TV viewing experience.”

Best Buy will bring their retail experience and consumer expertise to the project, with Google TV devices being sold at Best Buy locations nationwide later this year. “Every day, our 180,000 Blue Shirt store employees and Geek Squad Agents work with our customers to get them the best home theater experience possible”, said Brian Dunn, CEO Best Buy, “We are thrilled about the new and exciting experiences smart TVs, like Google TV, provide to our customers – and we are looking forward to showcasing those experiences in our store and ensuring customers get connected to all the products and services that bring those experiences to life.”

Finally, Adobe Flash Player 10.1 will be integrated directly into the Google Chrome browser on Google TV, enabling viewers to experience tens of millions of web pages with rich Flash content including games, animations, applications, videos, audio and more. Shantanu Narayen, President and CEO, Adobe said, “An open web ecosystem offers endless opportunities for creativity and innovation. Flash Player 10.1 extends the advantages of full web browsing and consistent, rich experiences to smartphones, tablets, netbooks and Internet-connected TVs. We’re thrilled to be part of the Google TV initiative with other industry leaders who share a common vision of enabling access to the best web experiences possible.”

Opportunity for Developers

The demonstration at I/O highlighted the unique opportunity developers have to help shape the future of Google TV. Today Google announced that they would soon release a set of TV specific APIs for web applications, encouraging web developers to begin building unique web applications for use on television sets. Later this year Google will also release an updated Android SDK, which will support applications built for Google TV.

Google also plans to open source the Google TV platform to help spur innovation in the industry and so that other developers can benefit from the project. The long term goal is to collaborate with the entire developer community to help drive entertainment in the living room forward and to introduce the next generation of TV-watching experience.

For more information about the project visit google.com/tv.

About Google

Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Google’s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.

About Intel

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com.

About Logitech

Logitech is a world leader in products that connect people to the digital experiences they care about. Spanning multiple computing, communication and entertainment platforms, Logitech’s combined hardware and software enable or enhance digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home-entertainment control. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

About Sony

Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and on-line businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $78 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010. Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/

RealDVD bested in MPAA match up

Steven Kippel — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:36:21 +0000

RealDVD bested in MPAA match up

Two years ago, the MPAA sued RealNetworks over their RealDVD software, which allowed for backing up DVDs to a hard drive, claiming an infringement of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Last August, the MPAA prevailed in the case against Real. The Judge in the case made a very cryptic comment in the decision stating:

Had Real’s products been manufactured differently, i.e., if what happened in Vegas really did stay in Vegas, this might have been a different case. But, it is what it is. Once the distributive nature of the copying process takes hold, like the spread of gossip after a weekend in Vegas, what’s done cannot be undone.

After months of deliberation, Real decided not to appeal the decision, and paid $4,500,000 to the MPAA for legal fee reimbursement. They also shut off their online metadata service.

From the judge’s comments, it seems this decision affects software which could lead to distribution of the content. This may favor Kaleidescape’s argument considering their closed-architecture does not allow for data on their servers to be accessed except by associated Kaleidescape players.

It also seems to target a retail software, and should be a pronouncement on personal Fair Use.

Vudu adds apps

Steven Kippel — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:08:49 +0000

Vudu adds apps

This year’s CES expo has certainly been well for Vudu. Not only has LG announced a Blu-ray Disc player with Vudu and a 250GB hard drive, and new partnerships with Sharp, Mitsubishi, Vizio, Toshiba and Sanyo forged, but they’ve also improved their service for their users.

Vudu Apps is a platform these stated manufacturers may add to their hardware, much like the Yahoo! Widgets we’ve seen on TVs last year. The user can chose amongst the apps to install on their own device, while manufacturers can deny certain apps at their discretion.

There are over 100 apps already available. The more popular apps include:

Facebook
Twitter
Pandora
Dailymotion
Picasa
Flickr
The New York Times
Associated Press
NBC Nightly News
DiggNation

It seems Vudu is becoming a very serious competitor in the streaming video market. With last year’s introduction of 1080p video, true 5.1 Dolby surround sound, the addition of the Criterion Collection movie library, and Rotten Tomatoes, they truly have an enviable service.

How to play Blu-ray video on portable devices

Steven Kippel — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:19:41 +0000

How to play Blu-ray video on portable devices

If you were interested in backing up your Blu-ray Disc movies and playing them on your iPod, PSP, PS3, AppleTV, iPhone, Wii, Xbox 360, or other device, I may have found the product for you. BestHDsoft is selling BestHD Blu-ray DVD Ripper which includes all of these functions, and more.

The software – which is on sale now for under $56 – can convert high-definition Blu-ray video to standard definition video formats such as AVI, XviD, DivX, WMV, MPEG4, MOV, FLV and other various formats. The software can also convert Blu-ray movies to high-definition video formats for high-def playback.

The audio encoding is obviously part of the package, and the BestHD Blu-ray DVD Ripper software supports 5.1 surround sound audio, as well as subtitles.

Once encoded, the video can be imported into virtually any video playback device you would like.

The software is supported by Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 2000. Of course you also need a Blu-ray Disc drive, which are getting more and more affordable.

New media format: USB drives

Steven Kippel — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:40:19 +0000

New media format: USB drives

Feature length films will be coming to USB “thumb drives” late 2009 from a joint effort by Sonic Solutions and Widevine. Entitled CinemaNow USB Movie Drives, they feature an integrated media player to play the included movie direct from the drive on a PC. When online, the user can connect to their Roxio CinemaNow account to add the title to their library to share up to four other networked devices such as portable media devices, Blu-ray Disc players and televisions. Each device will receive an optimized file for that specific device capabilities.

Widevine is providing a Hollywood-approved DRM and video optimization for the drives, while Sonic is providing the software and hardware. Sonic is also partnering with 250 content providers, including all major Hollywood studios and independent distributors.

The intent is to sell these drives through retail to keep brick and mortar stores in the loop while providing flexible viewing options. I imagine this should appeal to the consumer who likes the idea of streaming video, but the inconvenience of going to Best Buy to buy the product. However it does solve the desire to possess a real copy of the movie.

Sony adding Netflix streaming to BRAVIA televisions

Steven Kippel — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:11:44 +0000

Sony adding Netflix streaming to BRAVIA televisions

Sony was the first company to add streaming directly to the display, and now they’re adding Netflix streaming to their BRAVIA line of LCD televisions.

The current 2009 models BRAVIA models connect via Ethernet to the internet and stream video via the Xross Media Bar (XMB) interface. But most Sony TVs from the past two years have the ability to connect a “BRAVIA Internet Video Link” module, meaning there is a large installed base right now that can benefit from this relationship when it releases in the Autumn.

Sony has developed their own interface for the Netflix instant queue which they call “a little more elegant.” You still have to add movies via a web browser, however. I imagine the interface will look a lot like the current XMB interface.

In addition to Netflix, Sony offers video from over 25 sources, including Amazon Video On Demand, YouTube, Sports Illustrated, Sony Pictures, and Crackle.

Is it lights out for video rental outlets?

Steven Kippel — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:36:08 +0000

Is it lights out for video rental outlets?

The video rental game is a changing climate. With by-mail services like Netflix, combined with the convenience of video-on-demand and rental kiosks like Redbox, the traditional video rental outlet seems like a vestigial service.

The evidence is immanent. Blockbuster closed hundreds of stores over the last two years, and the regional players are closing at a brisk pace.

A local independent rental outlet recently changed their model to provide $1 rentals for anything in the store – Blu-ray, DVD, and video games. This is a great deal to be sure. But you know this came from the fact that every grocery store in the area has a rental kiosk for $1 per day for new and catalog titles, and it’s more convenient. Convenience seems to trump the fact that stores have a much greater selection of movies, and a better chance they’ll have a copy of the new release you want to see, and they have foreign and independent films the kiosks don’t carry.

But we’re in a culture of instant gratification. For so many, getting it now beats out over quality and content, even if price is at parity.

Do you still go to a video store to rent? Why or why not?

Roku HD review, Netflix digital video player

Wesley Novack — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:25:58 +0000

Roku HD review, Netflix digital video player

Roku was kind enough to send us their Roku HD digital video player to review. This player was also originally referred to as the Netflix player by Roku. The Roku “set top box” allows you to view streaming internet video on your TV, bridging the gap between the living room and the internet.

The Roku HD player currently supports the Netflix Instant Viewing service and the Amazon Video On Demand service. Over 50,000 TV episodes & films are available to watch instantly using the supported services. Amazon VOD was recently added via a firmware update, so we are hoping that additional services will be supported in the future as well (Hulu & YouTube please!).

Let’s take a look at the devices specifications.

Roku HD review: player specifications

Networking: Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) with WEP, WPA, and WPA2 support 10/100 Ethernet (RJ-45)
Video Outputs: Composite video, S-Video, Component video (Y/Pb/Pr), HDMI
Video Modes: 16:9 HD (720p), 16:9 anamorphic (480p), 4:3 standard (480i)
Audio Output: Stereo (L/R RCA), Digital Optical (Toslink), Digital over HDMI
Remote Control: NEC protocol, supported by various universal remotes
Power Input: 5V, 1.5A provided by included AC adapter
Power Consumption: 5 watts peak, 3 watts in standby
Size: 5 x 5 x 1.75 inches (130 x 130 x 41 mm)
Weight: 11 oz (300 grams)

Roku HD review: What’s inside the box?

The package includes the Roku HD digital video player itself (top right), a remote control (top left), power adapter (mid left), a getting started guide (bottom left), composite video cables & batteries for the remote (bottom right).

Roku HD review: Video demonstration

To give you a look at the user interface, the usability of the device and some of the available Netflix instant viewing titles, we recorded the video below.

Roku HD review: Positives

Small size & light weight
Easy to connect & setup
Supports WiFi & wired networking
Easy to use interface
Supports a wide range of cable outputs
High Definition 720p support via HDMI & component
Very good video picture quality
Playback memory; remembers where you stopped watching last time
Automatically goes into Standby mode

Roku HD review: Negatives

Cannot search for & add Netflix instant viewing titles from the player itself
No power off option
No HDMI or component cables included

Roku HD review: Final Thoughts

Overall, we are extremely happy with the performance of the Roku HD digital video player with Netflix and we highly recommend it. Connecting and setting up the player is easy, the performance is solid and the value of having thousands of on-demand movies & TV shows for a low monthly fee is unmatched anywhere else (Netflix plans $8.99 and up include unlimited instant viewing).

Our biggest complaint that we have about the Roku HD box is that Netflix instant viewing titles must be added from a computer. You cannot browse and view available streaming content options directly from the Roku HD player itself.

The player has performed extremely well in our months of testing, with relatively little problems. The few playback problems we did experience can most likely be attributed to local network connectivity problems at our home or temporary Netflix instant viewing server problems. The majority of our viewing experience with the Roku HD box has been over a WiFi connection and the performance and reliability has been solid.

If you already have a Netflix subscription and you need a bridge between the internet and your TV, the Roku HD player is a no brainer. Do yourself a favor and pick one up today, you won’t regret it.

If you don’t have Netflix, I recommend that you subscribe and pick up a Roku player for hours and hours of on-demand entertainment (with DVD’s by mail as a side bonus).

Roku HD review: Buy a Roku HD player

You can purchase one at Amazon or direct from Roku.

Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972

Steven Kippel — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:24:42 +0000

We don’t usually write on specific titles, but this is a first of what I assume will be many like it. Neil Young’s Archive project will be coming to Blu-ray Disc in November with high-resolution 24 bit/ 192 kHz audio on 10 discs. The collection includes the entire collection of Neil Young’s work from 1963 to 1972, including The Squires, Buffalo Springfield, and Crosby Stills Nash & Young, 128 tracks in all (43 of them previously unreleased). But more than that, rare recordings, bootlegs, and piles upon piles of never before released photos, set lists, hand-written lyric sheets, and myriad other items are all included in the interactive discs. Retail is $349, but Amazon has it for $279. Quite a bit of cash, but for the collectors this is the most definitive set you can get with the highest-quality audio available yet.

I would venture to guess many more artists and record labels will try to do something similar in the future. Already Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead have sold limited edition box sets for hundreds of dollars each, and labels are finding a good revenue steam in re-releasing classic records. It makes sense. Plus this should be pushing a few more Blu-ray players into the homes of fans. We might just see a life for audio on Blu-ray yet.

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Hulu adds desktop app

Steven Kippel — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:26:05 +0000

Hulu adds desktop app

The increasingly popular, and profitable, Hulu recently released a desktop application bringing their streaming video out of the web browser. Currently in beta, Hulu Desktop is available for download on PC and Mac.

The application is configured to receive commands from Windows Media Center and Apple remote controls, which helps Hulu bring their content to the living room television. Windows remotes can be purchased at most electronic retailers.

Hulu Desktop alleges to carry the same content the browser version does, but the company is ambiguous over if that is the case now or if it will stay that way in the future. You can login to your existing Hulu queue however.

I installed the Mac version on my Macbook, but I can’t get any content to appear in the application. It is in beta so I’m not expecting it to necessarily work smoothly, but for me it’s not working at all. I also installed the Windows version on a desktop computer. I got the message “We’re sorry, but Hulu Desktop cannot connect to the Internet.” So that’s two times the fail.

I’ll continue working with this new application and let you know how it works.

UPDATE 6/3/09-10:25AM

Hulu must have been working on their servers this morning. I have successfully connected with Hulu Desktop on both Mac and PC and the interface is very slick, quick, and easy to navigate. I navigated through popular TV shows with ease, and the video played very quickly.

It appears like Hulu is checking your internet connection and providing the best video quality available. Good job! I’ve been waiting for an option from Hulu to always play the high quality video, but this makes it even easier.