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Google TV 2.0 Review, Tweaks, and Screenshots
DeviceGuru writes "Google and its Google TV 2.0 partners made quite a splash at CES this week. As a followup, this detailed blog post at DeviceGuru reviews Google TV 2.0's features, specs, apps, and flexible new user interface, and shows how you can add customized folders and shortcuts to the home screen for accessing hundreds of favorite apps and websites within a couple of mouse clicks."
Anyone who has ever used or read about the original Google TV would know that the problem wasn't about technical details, lack of customized folders and shortcuts or user interface and apps. You know what it was? The lack of content! Since Google didn't work out deals with content providers, all of them just started blocking Google TV. I don't care about whose fault it is, but since Apple TV and all the competitors have worked it out (hell, even Microsoft with Xbox360!), there is no point in buying Google TV! The worst part is those who bought the original Google TV could not know about it beforehand, and soon found that there is absolutely nothing to watch apart from some stupid YouTube clips.
Another funny thing is that they're adding tracking and suggestions to Google TV. Can't wait for those "did you mean to watch this instead?" questions!
So what Google should do is stop playing with new user interfaces and features and actually work out the core feature, having content to watch!
The link in the summary says one thing from google. Here's a thought from someone who isn't from google saying something about google
http://gigaom.com/video/google-tv-ces/
The last paragraph reads
While it’s clear that the CE industry needs to do something to fight fragmentation between the dozen or so smart TV platforms, it seems unlikely that Google TV will be its savior in the near future. Google might have more partners than it did a year ago, but they’re hardly adopting the platform en masse. Unless something drastic happens, don’t expect that to change anytime soon.
Very poor of slashdot to drink the Koolaid like this.
Watch those corners
I have a Logitech Revue with the new Google TV 2.0 and I still don't have access to many of the Streaming Channels I have on my Roku (like Hulu plus). The DLNA Media Player doesn't work, menu navigation is cumbersome, and the search feature doesn't work with Netflix. It just doesn't seem polished for TV. It's like using my Android Phone on my TV and having to navigate with a touchpad keyboard, not something my kids or wife could easily use. I think Google missed the boat with this one!
-- By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out.
I saw this demo'ed at CES and Google made a serious mistake in capability. it turns out you can run only a small set of applications available on the market on Google TV 2.0. The reason for the limited selection is that Google TV 2.0 doesn't support touch/multi-touch. I asked the Google TV person why they weren't supporting multi-touch (at least 2 finger touch) from Bluetooth keyboards/keypads that could provide this capability and hence open up pretty much the full market to Google TV 2.0. he said the capability wasn't in the OS/libraries at all because some OEMs - he specifically mentioned Sony - couldn't support it in their devices. What an amazingly stupid decision. Build the capability into the OS and let the manufacturers with half a brain support it. Users will get most of the market apps and developers will have their lives made simpler as opposed to having yet another Android fragmentation issue to deal with. A truly stupid decision.
I have a Revue purchased late last year for $99 and upgraded to 2.0. Here are my answers to some of the issues posted above.
1) CIFS/SMB easily supported using File Expert. Sees and opens the SMB shares on my Ubuntu media server just fine.
2) DLNA also works. The Logitech DLNA client works just fine with both MiniDLNA and Media Tomb. The limitation is the codecs supported by Android. If Android will play it you can get it via DLNA.
3) Plex is even easier. Set up a plex server, install plex on the Revue and, voila, streaming video. Plex promises that shortly (ha) it will overcome most codec limitations.
That said I don't want to watch Hulu or some of the other sites others are interested in. I want Amazon streaming video (well supported) and ESPN. Amazon is well supported and ESPN is reasonably will supported. The problem with ESPN is in Flash and, as I understand it, is partially a problem of Adobe, Google, ESPN and hardware. There are some glitches on all fronts, one of the most important is that when Flash sites are coded they make assumptions about the minimum level of hardware available on the client (memory, processor speed, storage) that the Revue does not meet.
So for me its a win. Amazon + 90% ESPN + excellent integration with my Dish box + full web browser + personal movies and photos. Your mileage may vary.
I own both an AppleTV and a Roku XDS. The Apple has only HDMI output and Ethernet, and will do really annoying things like quit providing Internet Radio within just a few minutes if you turn off the HDMI monitor.
The Roku XDS has HDMI+audio, composite, component, analog audio, digital optical audio and USB ports, along with WiFi and Ethernet connectivity. And it works just fine if you tune in, say, the (totally awesome) 1rockfm* stream, and then turn off the monitor.
The *new* Roku looks more like the AppleTV, it's missing all that glorious connectivity; that lack sent us to EBay recently looking for another Roku XDS.
The very first thing that comes to mind when I hear about new set-top boxes is connectivity. Because what use is one of these if you can't hook up to it? And why should I have to keep my video monitor on in order to listen to an audio stream?
*not associated with 1rockfm other than it's my favorite rock station
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.