According to a report in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, Google is teaming up with Intel, Logitech and Sony to bring you a WebTV-like platform for Web viewing in your living room called Google TV. Everyone involved seems to have something in mind as to their own gains for doing this deal.
Funny, given their vision for this, none of them seem to have realized that the PlayStation and the XBox both already do everything that’s been said this new Google TV setup will do. Tell me if you can’t already do this on the new game systems on the market today:
- Surf the Web and use apps like Twitter and Facebook
- Use photo sites like Picasa or Flickr
What Google seems to want to bring the mix is to base the whole thing on the Android platform. That would be interesting, since it would leave it open to developers to create all kinds of nifty apps and wizbangs for the setup. Sony seems interested in capturing exclusivity on built-ins for TVs and DVD/BluRay players while Logitech will likely provide the underlying hardware with Intel doing the processor(s). Both Google and Intel have nothing in the realm of television, really, and Sony is fast losing market share thanks to their high price points.
ComputerWorld says that an SDK is going to become available as the technology progresses. If it does, then this whole idea will have some merit and could be very interesting. Watch for Apple to make a similar announcement in the coming months to keep up with the Joneses Google-es.
