

Google TV, Take 2: Android Apps now on Smart TVs  - acak
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/10/google-tv-android-market/

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avree
I got my Google TV for free at Google Zeitgeist. I'm really, really, glad I
didn't pay for it.

I was pretty excited when I got it, since I've never subscribed to cable, and
watch most of my shows online.

Unfortunately, there's a huge issue with Google TV: almost every streaming
content provider has summarily blocked Google TV's access.

So, if you buy a Google TV, what you're essentially getting is a fancy
YouTube/Netflix player. Google has this pipe dream of YouTube replacing
traditional and nontraditional premium content channels (cable, Hulu,
Netflix)... but honestly, YouTube is a terrible user experience on the TV,
since most videos only last minutes.

The thought of having to use that tiny controller-keyboard (the Google TV
boasts an absurdly complicated controlled that kind of feels like using a
PlayStation3 Controller, a smartphone from the early 2000's, and a TV remote,
all at the same time) to navigate through the complex menus of GoogleTV every
time my 3 minute YouTube clip ends is pretty unappealing.

Today, my GoogleTV sits collecting dust. I hooked up a cheap laptop to my TV
through HDMI, and control it through VNC. It's a cheaper, easier to use, and
simpler solution for watching Netflix and YouTube, and I even get to watch
other things that I want to watch or download movies too.

The UI and platform improvements to GoogleTV are nice, but until they get some
content providers on board, I don't see much point.

Right now, it seems like they're catching up with the AppleTV in terms of
UI/UX... which is good, except when you realize that AppleTV is and was a
failure as well.

~~~
planb
> Right now, it seems like they're catching up with the AppleTV in terms of
> UI/UX... which is good, except when you realize that AppleTV is and was a
> failure as well.

AppleTV has one killer feature: AirPlay. For me, this does exactly what you
are doing with your VNC-controlled PC, but it has a nicer UI and is wirelessly
connected to a device I always carry with me.

~~~
nextparadigms
Android devices have DLNA since before Airplay existed. It does pretty much
the same thing.

~~~
SigmundA
DLNA can share the devices screen, including any app? I did not think it went
that far?

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escoz
I'm probably the only one, but I love the GoogleTV. Had it since early this
year and use it absolutely every single day. It's always on, so it's always so
easy to look up something on youtube, show somebody your pictures, watch a
video from my NAS, look up a recipe or a place to visit on the web, etc.

At first I thought the full keyboard was a bit too much, but now I don't mind
it at all, just makes it easier to find stuff online. I love it, can't wait
for the update.

The fact that it's always on is the killer for me. One keypress and you're
searching for whatever you want. Whenever people visit me and we're talking
about something, I just press the search key and we can all search together
for it, much more social then pulling up a phone and looking down. I love it,
cant wait for the update.

~~~
voidfiles
How do you watch video from your NAS. Did you setup a DLNA server, or
something. That has been hard for me to figure out. Other then that it's been
great.

~~~
escoz
Yes, I use an asus router for my wireless, with Tomato running, and that
includes a DLNA server. I added a 2Tb harddrive connected via USB to the
router, so my videos stay online all the time. Pretty awesome.

------
mark_l_watson
I got a free GoogleTV from Google last December and I really enjoy it,
especially after a software update that auto-installed earlier this year. My
only disappointment has been not having time to try writing an app for it -
this has been a busy year for me. (I wrote a simple web site
<http://cookingspace.com/> 3 1/2 years ago to help me track nutrients in the
meals I eat, and I had hoped to have time to write a custom rich client for
this web app for my own use.)

I may buy the new version if the hardware is much better but I'll wait a while
to see what any future software updates do for version 1.

Most of my use is with Netflix streaming, and I have considered quitting my
Hulu+ account because they block use with GoogleTV.

------
mark_l_watson
I got a free GoogleTV from Google last December and I really enjoy it,
especially after a software update that auto-installed earlier this year. My
only disappointment has been not having time to try writing an app for it -
this has been a busy year for me. (I wrote a simple web site
<http://cookingspace.com/> 3 1/2 years ago to help me track nutrients in the
meals I eat, and I had hoped to have time to write a custom rich client for my
own use.)

I may buy the new version if the hardware is much better but I'll wait a while
to see what any future software updates do for version 1.

Most of my use is with Netflix streaming, and I have considered quitting my
Hulu+ account because they block use with GoogleTV.

