
Google TV launch hardware looks to be expensive, clunky - evo_9
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2010/10/google-tv-launch-hardware-to-be-expensive-clunky.ars
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Jun8
The basic problem becomes obvious once you compare the device shown on this
page with the Web TV hardware from 1997
(<http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2325942,00.asp>): They both have a
similar looking keyboard. A TV interface with a keyboard is bound to fail. The
interaction has to be minimized.

But what to do if we want to enter search terms, etc., you ask? How about
using your smartphone or iPad to do it. That way they could have also reduced
the cost from the ridiculous $300.

If this is so obvious why didn't they do it with GTV? They made the mistake of
partnering with a hardware maker (Logitech) who has a stake in selling more
equipment, not less and is not exactly known to make the simplest remotes.
After years of TV remote development from Logitech, I think still the most
intuitive and comfortable remote is TiVo's.

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cmars232
Smartphone integration for typing is a great idea for a set top. XBMC needs
this!

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ZeroGravitas
Is the Sony controller-keyboard-remote-thing IR, or RF? It might be tricky to
type and point it in the right direction if it's IR.

Other than that I don't see the problem with it, all the complaints seem to be
the typical new-Apple-fan snobbery (like the fact that making things out of
plastic is now apparently déclassé even though my favourite Apple designs,
from eMate through to the new Apple TV, via UFO Airport and dalmatian iMac,
are all made of plastic).

I'd probably have bought something like that controller for my XBMC setup if
it had been available at the time. My many Apple remotes weren't really up to
the job so I had to buy one with a few more buttons.

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brk
A startup I worked at 10 years ago (Ucentric, acq: Motorola) learned the hard
way that keyboard interfaces are bad for TV control. Even mouse-based cursor
movement (we had a keyboard with a little joystick nub thing) didn't work very
well.

The arcade-style text entry (like Tivo uses) works best for 99% of the
audience. Some more tech-savvy users will use or want a keyboard, but the
majority of users STILL just want a couple of buttons and simple options. It's
really a (fun) UI design challenge.

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CrazedGeek
That remote irks me for one reason:

Sony's already made a small keypad and a remote for the PlayStation 3... Duct
taping them together would be strange, but it would still look (and probably
work) better than that Jaguar-esque oddity.

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geuis
I've been working with this hardware for a month. I have _not_ been impressed.
The GTV interface itself isn't bad. The Google TV team have really been
working their asses off for the last few weeks cleaning stuff up and fixing
bugs.

Some of the downsides are basically around performance in the browser. The
hardware in question (pictured in the article) has only about 2-3x the
javascript performance of an iPhone 4. CSS transitions and animations work
pretty well. The other big downside is the keyboard. Its a cheap plasticy
thing thats hard to type on and feels like it was made for $4.

I am anxiously waiting for different companies to start making some very
performant hardware for it. I think the OS has a lot of capabilities, but I
can't recommend getting this particular hardware.

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Someone
What do you think makes it problematic that it has "only 2-3x the javascript
performance of an iPhone 4"?

I could see problems if its 2D or 3D graphics were slow, but Javascript? Are
you thinking of specific sites that require lots of it?

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geuis
I have been developing a GTV-specific webapp for it. I have not seen any
native apps yet, other than Chrome itself and one for Amazon. It's problematic
because webapps are meant to be a big part of the GTV ecosystem. I had to
greatly cut back on many several features of our app because of performance
hits with js. My 2-3x number comes running sunspider on my iPhone and the GTV
hardware simultaneously. In some instances while browsing the same sites, it
felt that my phone was faster. Another issue I completely forgot to mention is
the abysmal performance of Flash. Yeah, GTV supports it. The Flash runtime is,
typically, the worst part of the user experience yet again.

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slantyyz
I find it interesting that Apple's recent offerings of the iPad and AppleTV
are surprisingly price competitive.

I know people have been getting their hate on for that Sony Remote for
GoogleTV, but I thought a blackberryesque keyboard was probably needed for a
web surfing device. Entering text on a PS3 using the standard remote or an
Apple TV with its even more spartan remote becomes a chore quite fast.

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wmf
All of Apple's iProducts are price-competitive; it's just taking people a long
time to unlearn the "Apple is expensive" meme.

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rdl
iProducts are expensive if you factor in the iTunes media sales/rentals, vs.
free content on something like hulu, pandora (or bittorrent). While Apple TV
makes sense if you use it as a Netflix box (although everyone has an xbox360
or ps3 already for that), renting TV shows looks quite expensive.

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tvon
I have a very hard time seeing anything that requires a keyboard as being any
kind of success outside of the techie community.

Typing on a TV screen sucks, it sucks a lot.

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ZeroGravitas
My cable provider just updated their software so that I can find on-demand
shows by using T9 style prediction (i.e. press 1 three times to make C). It's
a million times better than paging through long alphabetical or chronological
lists and that's despite the software being relatively clunky.

I'm not wanting to write the sequel to war and peace, I'm just trying to
navigate a ridiculous amount of content. I need text entry.

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tvon
Fair point, I tend to think of typing things into the XBox or the wireless
keyboard on my HTPC (which annoys me whenever I have to use it), but I've used
Tivo search before and it's not bad.

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revjx
This looks dreadful. Why would I want yet another box and remote connected to
my TV, especially when it looks as cumbersome as this to use?

Who is this actually aimed at?!

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124816
"Sony is expected to launch a line of Google TV-powered Bravia HDTVs sometime
this month"

Sounds like you won't need an extra box if you have a new tv. As far as the
remote -- I'm guessing they're going for "one remote to rule them all," with
GTV driving all the other boxes you might have.

