Best Kitchen PC/TV - Smart-Leaf!

The all-in-one PC has a rugged build with fold-out, spill-proof keyboard, touchscreen and WiFi, together with options like a TV tuner. Plus, as you can see from this picture, just one touch makes ladies very happy.

The Smart-Leaf debuted at CES 2008 as a concept; it seems that Originatic have been doing some market research since then. Both home and business users are being targeted, with Originatic believing the former want an “out of the way” machine for kitchens while the latter desire “cost-effective, space efficient” alternatives to the usual information kiosks.

Has a great place in the HealthCare Model:

Health Care

Please see website for ordering and more info: http://www.smart-leaf.com/

Google TV Remote App Released For iPad, iPhone And iPod Touch

By Ray Willington
From: http://hothardware.com/

You may have forgotten about Google TV. We can't really blame you, nor
can we say that Google TV has really been able to gain traction in the
market. Google has shown a willingness to push things out into the
market without actually knowing how it'll turn out; Android has taken
off and become a huge success, while things like Buzz, Wave and Google
TV have faltered. That said, GTV is still around in some fashion, and
some folks are definitely still using it. And if you're one of those
people, this new development is for you.

Early on, Google released an Android application that enabled one's
phone to be used as a Google TV remote control, but the millions of
iPhone users wondering if they would be taken care of had nothing to
show for. Now, that problem is over. Google has just released a Google
TV Remote app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch; all you need is iOS 3.0+.
The video here shows exactly what the app is capable of, but here are
the basics: Your phone improves standard TV remote activities like
changing channels or accessing your DVR, and you can also interact with
your TV in ways you never have before. For instance, try using the voice
search to find your favorite shows and movies just by speaking into
your phone.

It's a free download, so you've nothing to lose. The only real downside?
The iOS version doesn't currently support the sharing of web pages from
phone to TV screen, but hopefully that can be added in a later release.

Google TV vs Apple TV: The Showdown and the Lowdown

By snarkydeals

From: http://www.savings.com/

These days in technology it often comes down to a simple question: Apple or Android? Sure, there are other brands, but these are two brands and operating systems that we're all super familiar with in our daily lives. I have an iPod, MacBook, and Android phone (as well as two PCs, but that's another story!).

The Apple vs. Android battle has gone beyond laptop and cellphone to the arena of television--specifically Internet TV.

In a cage match to the death, which is the better product in the long run and also best for your budget: Google TV or Apple TV? It's time for the showdown and lowdown on these cool new Internet TVs: what do you need, how much do they cost, are they worth the price, and which is better? Google TV

The Google TV motto is "your TV just got smarter." I hope that doesn't mean it plans to revolt against its creators, Terminator style. But, being the new kid on the block, it looks like Google may have bitten off more than it can currently chew, so you're probably safe from Terminator-esque Internet TVs plotting against you. Probably.

Google TV boasts a lot of incredible features, but a pretty hefty price tag. To get Google TV, you need one of three things: a Sony Internet TV (enabled with Google TV automatically), a Logitech Revue box, or a Sony Internet TV Blu-Ray Combo Box. Sony Internet TVs start at $599 for a 24" model and go up to $1,399 for a 46" model. The TVs are sleek and cool, and because it's Sony, they are good buys in the long run.

Compared to the $299 price tag for the Revue and the $399 one for the Combo Box, it's hard to say which is the best option. If you've already got a killer big screen, I'd say stick with it and go for the Revue. Otherwise, get the Sony Internet TV. The Combo Box isn't all that great, and for what it does, the Revue does better.

So, what does it do??

With Google TV, you have very few restrictions on what you can do with your TV. Want to watch a movie? Browse Netflix, your DVR, live TV, YouTube and more straight from one source called "the Homepage." Just like in a browser or smartphone, your homepage sets the tone for what you want to do with your TV: you can set-up favorite channels, see what you've recently watched, add movies to a queue, and even record from your DVR straight from the search box. It's super-intuitive, just like you'd expect from Google.

Google TV also comes with applications, automatically installed with Pandora, Netflix, CNBC, and more. Also coming in 2011, the Android Marketplace for Google TV will be opened to developers wishing to create their own apps, so just like on any smartphone, you'll be able to download games, social, and other apps for your TV. (With this, you do run the risk of downloading apps that are not necessarily good for the OS, but I really think if you're dumb enough to download something that looks fishy, maybe you shouldn't have an Internet TV. Just sayin'.)

Other cool features for Google TV include the ability to "fling" content from any smartphone or iPod to your TV with one simple click. Plus, you can use your smartphone, iPod, or your own voice to surf channels or browse the web. It's all inclusive. Or, if you want to use a 'normal' remote, try the one it includes, which boasts a full QWERTY keyboard! All this awesome technology would make Marty McFly say, "This is heavy, Doc."

As for content, Google TV works with Netflix and Amazon (not iTunes, obviously) as well as YouTube, NBA Game Time, Blip.tv, and VEVO. It doesn't unfortunately work with Hulu, CBS, ABC, and some other popular sites due to legality issues (they basically don't want you getting their free content on your TV, even though you can get it on your iPod).

Overall, I love the idea of the Google TV, but at the moment it is extremely pricey and is not without bugs and limitations. That said, it does the most of any Internet TV solution on the market and offers free updates through its interface, so when the technology does catch up to the ideas, you'll get it all free. A great option if you have a little extra cash and want an all-inclusive solution.

Apple TV

Compared to Google TV, Apple TV doesn't appear to offer very much. There's no built-in web browser, so you can't get all the content you can from Google TV, the remote is small and weird, and there's no app store. But what Apple TV does offer, it does well: it is seamless to set-up (literally, just plug and play), offers a familiar interface for those of us who've used an iPod, MacBook, or iPad, and is extremely affordable. At just $99, it's a real bargain for becoming a media solution, but it has a ways to go to be comparable with other devices on the market.

The big content from Apple TV includes the ability to rent from Netflix or iTunes (no Amazon) as well as YouTube. You also can stream Internet radio, access Flickr photos and use MobileMe galleries, but it's missing the big thing that makes Internet TV unique: The Internet! I think in a year or so, Apple will jump on the bandwagon with a built-in web browser, as they can't really compete if Google TV lowers its prices. But for $99, you really may feel more comfortable getting your movies and some Internet abilities through Apple.

Also in the 'coming soon' stages, Apple TV will soon offer AirPlay, which will allow you to stream content from your iPod, iPad, or smartphone straight to the TV. This will really up the value of Apple TV, as will an extensive app store, if they decide to offer that.

The biggest downside I found for Apple TV was really the lack of content. You do have access to YouTube for a lot of great shows, but otherwise you're stuck with NetFlix's unfortunately limited selection of streamable TV shows (assuming you're paying the $9/month fee for Netflix) or the $1 per episode charge through iTunes. I mean, I'll pay $1 per episode if I have to, but only if every single show I want to watch is there. iTunes and Netflix have limitations, which YouTube can help fill in, but not entirely. Without a web browser, you're stuck with just these three options as a hopeful catch all.

But for the budget, there's really no getting around how affordable Apple TV is. For $99 (plus the cost of an HDMI cable if you don't already have one), you can see some TV shows, movies, YouTube videos, and your own iTunes content to your heart's desire.

Overall, if you're working on a budget or require the familiar, go with Apple. If you're willing to spend a little extra for a lot more content, try Google. Both will be updating more and more as the months and years go by, and they can really only get better with time.

WHDI Kits Explored: Asus WiCast, brite-View HDelight

by Dave Altavilla in Graphics/Sound
from: http://hothardware.com/

Home Theater PC buffs rejoice, wireless HDMI technologies have finally come of age. Though there are two camps firmly entrenched in the market (Intel's WiDi and WHDI), the bottom line is lag-free full HD 1080p HDMI wireless video/audio transmission is now a reality. No longer does that HTPC need to be shoehorned into the confines of your entertainment center. And that desktop replacement notebook you have perched on the coffee table just got a major display upgrade, seamlessly connected to your HDTV; look Ma, no wires. Stay with us as we take you through a tour of two WHDI standard-based wireless HDMI transmitter kits--the Asus WiCast and the briteView HDelight. Big screen gaming nirvana and multitude of media center goodness takes center stage at HotHardware.

Both of these WHDI-based kits utilize the same family of Amimon WHDI transmitter and receiver chipsets. The technology is capable of full 1080p HD video and Dolby Digital surround sound audio transmissions over distances of up to 30 feet with less than a millisecond of latency. This new technology is, in a word, "amazing" actually.

Asus WiCast and brite-View HDelight Specifications Amimon Power WHDI Standard-Based Technology

Video: Up to 1080p at 60Hz, <1>Audio: Up to 8 channels
Wireless HDMI Technology: WHDI
Transmission Distance: 5 to 10 meters (line of sight), can function not line-of-sight
Operation Frequency: 5.15 ~ 5.85 GHz
Data Rate: 3G bps
Power Supply Transmitter: DC 5V, 2A adapter or USB power
Receiver: DC 5V, 2A adapter
Interface: Transmitter: 1 x HDMI input
Receiver: 1 x HDMI output

• Air-bridge your PC and HDTV in uncompressed 1080p HD quality
• Support up to 1080p @ 60Hz HD quality resolution
• Less than 1ms latency making it ideal for PC and online gaming, HD video and Blu-ray
• Wireless transmission protected by HDCP Revision 2.0
• Auto Set-up, Plug & Play
• HDMI 1.3 supported

Diagram showing an integrated transmitter implementation of the WHDI standard...

Amimon WHDI Transmitter and Receiver Pair Chipset


Asus WiCast WHDI Wireless Transmitter Kit - Click for full resolution images


brite-View HDelight WHDI Transmitter Kit - Click for full resolution images

We're giving both of these kits a solid HotHardware rating with our Editor's Choice award. Yes, they performed that well. Performance with both products was identical for all intents and purposes with only a small size advantage going to the Asus WiCast. Currently we see prices ranging from $189.99 to $199.99 for the Asus WiCast and the HDelight from brite-View is listing for $169.99. If you're in the market, you can decide which system makes most sense to you.

The WiCast is slightly smaller and minimalistic, something that could be important in your usage environment. But then again, currently you can save up to $20 going with the brite-View product. Either way, you really can't go wrong and we're more than comfortable giving these two products our full EC rating. True, the fact of the matter is, the technology is best implemented fully integrated on the transmitting device side. However, a kit like this provides users with the flexibility of connecting virtually any standard HDMI output from any device and also make use of it on multiple devices you may have kicking around. Wireless HDMI technology has finally come of age, thanks to Amimon and the folks at Asus and brite-View. And we'd have to say it's .

12 Nostalgic Halloween Specials You Can Watch For Free

By Jessica
From: http://www.clicker.com/

Halloween means one very important thing to the television world: a good excuse for a holiday special.  Every year, writers find some creative (and some not so creative) ways to write-in the spooky holiday, from costume parties to ghost-themed episodes.  While you’re counting down the days until this year’s Treehouse of Horroron November 7^th, why don’t you revisit some free episodes of Halloweens past?  Maybe you’ll find a little inspiration for that costume you’ve been putting off.

Halloween with the Addams Family & Halloween Addams Style, The Addams Family

What’s better than spending the holiday with the spookiest family around?  When everyday is Halloween around the mansion, find out what makes October 31^st special for the Addams family.

Some Enchanted Evening, ALF

Finally! ALF has an excuse to come out in public.  He’s excited, I’m excited, but the Tanners aren’t excited. Find out what mayhem ALF can cause when he doesn’t have to hide out in the garage.

Halloween, Beverly Hills 90210

Kelly’s friends warn her about choosing a sexy costume but she doesn’t listen and ends up with some unwanted male attention.  In other news, Donna wears a mermaid costume and she can’t walk in it. Typical!

Trick Or Treat, Bewitched

Endora puts a curse on Darrin that causes him to turn into a werewolf.  Why? Simply because he wouldn’t let Samantha go out on Halloween.  He should probably know better at this point.

The Night of the Living Pumpkin, Bobby’s World

This one’s a Halloween episode for the children, or maybe just for the nostalgic. Bobby creates a spooky maze in his living room, earning money for charity and candy for himself.

Halloween, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

In this classic from the second season, trick-or-treaters run amuck in Sunnydale as they begin turning into real life versions of their Halloween costumes. Ghost and goblins and Medieval maidens, oh my!

iScream on Halloween, iCarly

Carly investigates a haunted apartment in her building, in typical iCarly fashion.  Watch out for the gigantic pumpkin!

Haunted Halloween, The Jetsons

For the kid in all of us! This one gives us a chance to find out what Halloween will be like in the future. The Jetsons is based on fact, right?

Halloween Knights, MacGyver

MacGyver has to save the day yet again.  Only this time, he attends a costume party to do so.

Halloween, My So-Called Life

Angela travels back to 1963 to witness the events leading up to a high school student’s mysterious death. But mostly, she just looks adorable in her 60s glasses and sweater.

Pinkeye, Hell on Earth, and Korn’s Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery, South Park

As if you need any excuse to watch South Park on repeat, here’s a good one.  Halloweens there involve space stations, Satan, and Korn. I can’t think of a reason why you wouldn’t want to revisit these gems.

The Lyin’, the Watch, and the Wardrobe, Ugly Betty

Go back in time for Betty’s first Halloween on air.  Same drama, different outfit.

Halloweens might come and go, but these special holiday episodes remain forever.   We’re looking forward to seeing how television deals with Halloween, 2010 style. Got a favorite past episode or something special you’re excited for this year? Let us know!

Sony LCDs build in Google TV, cost $599 and up

by David Katzmaier

from http://news.cnet.com/

Sony NSX-GT1 series of TVs is the first to incorporate Google TV.

(Credit: Sony Electronics)

 

Today Sony announced full details on its NSX-GT1 line of LCD TVs and its NSZ-GT1 Blu-ray player, the first products of their kind equipped with the Google TV service.

The TVs range in size from 24-46 inches, in estimated selling price from $599 to $1,399, and will ship starting October 16 (preorders available now at Sonystyle.com and Best Buy.com). The Blu-ray player is available at the same time for $399.

Sony's NSZ-GT1 Google TV-equipped Blu-ray player.

(Credit: Sony)

 

The promise of Google TVs is to integrate all available video content--regardless of whether it comes from cable, satellite, antenna, or the Internet (like Netflix or YouTube)--onto one screen that you can search as easily as Google.com searches the Web. The Sony TVs and Blu-ray player come with a special remote control with a keyboard, can control other devices in your AV system, and even enable you to surf the entire Web with a built-in Chrome browser. Aside from actually hooking a PC to your TV, it's the closest you likely come to converging the two devices.

Google TV's software offering was first introduced on the $300 Logitech Revue set-top box, which still provides the least expensive way to add the service to an existing system. Sony integrates Google's service into the LCD TVs, so no additional box is required--although most people will hook the Sony devices to a cable or satellite box at least. One major difference between Sony and Logitech, however, is that Sony's TVs and Blu-ray player will not allow streaming of music or video files from in-home PCs or other networked devices at launch, although Sony says this feature is in the works.

Sony LCDs build in Google TV, cost $599 and up

Sony Internet TVs
The Sony NSX-GT1 series, which will inevitably be known as "The Google TV," and which Sony calls the "Sony Internet TV, the world's first HDTV powered by Google" in its ads, includes four sizes.

Sony NSX-GT1 series (Google TV)

• Sony Bravia NSX-24GT1: 24-inch ($599 estimated sale price)
• Sony Bravia NSX-32GT1: 32-inch ($799 estimated sale price)
• Sony Bravia NSX-40GT1: 40-inch ($999 estimated sale price)
• Sony Bravia NSX-46GT1: 46-inch ($1,399 estimated sale price)

Each TV has four HDMI and four USB inputs, as well as built-in 802.11N Wi-Fi, so you don't need to run an Ethernet cable to your living room to access the Internet.

Otherwise, aside from Google TV, NSX-GT1 is a relatively basic edge-lit, nondimming LED-based LCD that's missing step-up features like 120Hz found on the KDL-EX700 models. Its closest equivalent in Sony's 2010 TV lineup is the KDL-EX600 series, whose list pricing at Sony's Web site makes the rough "premium" for Google TV on a Sony NSX-GT1 $250 at 46 inches, $200 at 40 inches, and just $100 at 32 inches--relatively affordable considering the $300 Logitech Revue (the 24-incher has no ready equivalent among current Sony TVs, and uses standard CCFL backlighting instead of LED).

Sony's TVs operate similarly to the Revue. You plug your cable or satellite box in via HDMI, and the Google TV service overlays the TV feed, which can also appear in an inset window Sony calls Dual View. The TV also has an ATSC tuner for over-the-air HDTV reception, and Google TV search incorporates local TV channel listings, including OTA.

The TV controls a cable box using infrared emitters to power up, change channels, and schedule DVR recordings, for example. Sony includes a second IR emitter that allows control of other devices, like a home theater system, but unlike the Logitech there's no discrete emitter built into the front of the TV, so you'll have to put up with the clutter of physical IR balsters. Users of compatible Dish DVRs are treated to "full integration," which means that control happens via Ethernet and that the Google TV search will also find current recordings on the DVR.

Sony's remote is designed for thumbs-only use, complete with touchpad (upper right, under the 'home' key).

(Credit: Sony)

 

The Sony remote included with the TV was first leaked by ABC News and spotted by Engadget, among others. It's held just like one of Sony's PS3 game controllers, and the full QWERTY keyboard and touch pad are designed for thumbs-only operation. The remote commands your other gear as well, so you only need one remote, and interfaces with the TV by radio frequency so you don't need line-of-sight.

In a brief hands-on I found the remote ergonomic enough, the "shoulder" keys for scroll and zoom a thoughtful touch, and the responsiveness of the thumbpad a pleasant surprise--it worked like any laptop touch pad for shoving a cursor around the screen, albeit more sensitive (sensitivity is adjustable). The sheer number of buttons and shortcut keys was a bit intimidating, although I'm sure I'd get used to it in time.

On the downside the clicker was bulky, and the large keypad was a stretch even for my big hands. At first blush I prefer the Logitech's mini keyboard option ($139) or a full-size keyboard, especially for heavy searching. Of course, like the Revue, the Sony will work with any Android or iPhone as the controller via forthcoming apps, and Sony says you can plug standard PC keyboards (wireless or otherwise) into the TV too.

Using Google TV on the Sony revealed excellent response times, similar to what we noted on the Revue and the lightning-fast PS3. Searches came up quickly and we noticed no lag navigating between menus.

Sony Internet TV Blu-ray player
The NSZ-GT1 Blu-ray player operates just like the TVs, includes the same remote and ability to command other gear, and features a slot-loading Blu-ray drive, similar to the one on the PS3. It has one HDMI input (for your cable box, to enable the Google TV overlay) and one output, with connectivity otherwise identical to the TVs--although it lacks the ATSC tuner.

One additional extra is integration with the Gracenote service (a Sony property) for easy searches on meta-information, such as a movie's page at IMDB, an artist's Web site and the like, from inserted discs. Sony also says the NSZ-GT1 is technically capable of being upgraded for 3D Blu-ray playback, but wouldn't elaborate on whether it was in the works.

Google TV software
Both the Sony TVs and the Blu-ray player share essentially the same Google TV software with the Logitech Revue set-top box.

The basic pitch for Google TV is the ability to search all of your TV content through a search bar similar to Google.com. The bar overlays whatever screen you're on and combs through online video sources as well as live TV from your cable/satellite box--or antenna in the case of the TVs--to find content (currently the Sony TV can only search only DVR programs for Dish DVRs, although a Sony representative told us he expects compatibility with non-Dish DVRs to roll out over time). The idea is that you don't need to know whether the video originates from Netflix, your cable box, YouTube, or a random Web site--Google just finds it.
For launch, the Google TV software has support for several streaming-media services, including YouTube, Amazon VOD, Netflix, Pandora, and Napster. Google announced partnerships with TBS, TNT, CNN, and HBO, which take the form of customized Web sites and, in the case of HBO, access to HBO Go's service for subscribers.

Sony adds many of the niche streaming video providers found on its Bravia Internet Video service, such as Blip.tv, Howcast, and the like, to its products, along with its proprietary Qriocity video-on-demand play.
Google TV also has built-in apps for Twitter, the NBA, and CNBC at launch, and we'd be shocked if Facebook didn't show up soon. Later in 2011, there will also be support for the Android Marketplace, so you'll be able to use Android apps on your HDTV. Phone apps will be scaled to fit bigger TV screens, and Google expects developers to start creating apps specifically for the Google TV platform.

Beyond these services, however, Google TV's big selling point is the capability to directly access any Web site. Google TV has a built-in Chrome browser that supports Flash 10.1 and HTML5 video. No other current Internet-connected TV features a built-in Web browser. Google's browser should allow virtually the entire world of video on the Web, including video from sites like ComedyCentral.com and PBS.org, to show up on your HDTV.

The accent is on "should," however, and at launch Google TV is already missing one of the key providers of Web-based video: Hulu.com. The browser inside Google TV is technically capable of handling Hulu.com's massive library of free streaming video, but as of press time we were told Hulu is blocking the Google TV from accessing its content. Google and Hulu are apparently in talks regarding the situation, but it's unclear whether that would mean paid-for Hulu Plus access (at $9.95 per month) or full free access to the Hulu content available on a standard browser. We're guessing Google TV will get Hulu Plus once the dust settles, but there's no telling for now.

Our take
Despite the relatively affordable price, Sony's Google TV faces an uphill battle. Like many other readers, I prefer a "dumb monitor" to a features-festooned super-TV, if only because those features can look painfully outdated in a year or two. Boxes are cheaper to replace or upgrade than TVs, and most people are saddled with at least one box already--the one from the cable company.

Then there's the fact that, if the proliferation of Android phones provides any indication, Google TV will soon be available on numerous other devices sure to cost less than these first-generation Sonys and Logitechs.
The main audience for the NSX-GT1 series of TVs, as far as I can see, is comprised of Sony fans looking for a new TV who don't mind paying the premium for the Google TV experience now. It might also appeal to cord cutters who want to use the ATSC tuner and who don't mind missing a DVR. Hey Sony, why not allow an attached USB drive to record content from the NSX-GT1's ATSC tuner, huh?

Sony's $399 Blu-ray player is somewhat appealing for early adopters choosing between it and the $300 Logitech. Blu-ray players with streaming services and built-in Wi-Fi currently sell for around $150--and don't have nearly the capabilities of the Sony NSZ-GT1. On the other hand, a certain other $299 Sony Blu-ray player has seemingly unlimited capabilities and upgradeability too. Hey Sony, where's the firmware update or $99 dongle/remote bundle that gives the PS3 Google TV? Talk about widespread adoption.

Either way we're looking forward to checking out Sony's new Google TV products in our full reviews. In the meantime, let us know what you think in comments.

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A Google TV Refresher: What We Know So Far

Jared Newman, PC World

Google TV's planned fall launch is not news, but given that Google hasn't said much about its television plans since May, it's time for a refresher. Here's a quick rundown of everything to know about Google TV as anticipation grows for the imminent launch of the service:

What is Google TV?

It's a platform that joins the Internet with traditional television. Google TV shares some traits with TiVo Premiere -- search by name for a movie or show, and you'll find ways to watch on cable or the Web -- but Google's approach to the Internet is more open. Google TV can act as a full Web browser for Flash videos, e-mail and reading, and users can set up home screens for their favorite channels, shows and Web sites.

So it's not actually a television?

Not necessarily. Just as Android is a platform for smartphones, with hardware partners like Motorola and HTC, Google TV will run televisions and set-top boxes from other manufacturers. So far, Logitech has announced a set-top box called the Revue, and Sony plans to launch a television that integrates Google TV. Any cable box should be able to connect with Google TV devices at launch, but Dish Network HD DVR receivers will be "optimized" for the service, extending universal search to the Dish TV Guide, DVR recordings and on-demand movies.

How will subscription Web TV services work?

They'll be available through the browser like any other Web site, but whether there will be special treatment for services like Netflix and Hulu Plus remains unclear. Google has at least demonstrated embedding of Amazon and Netflix content within the main Google TV interface.

Will there be apps?

Google TV will start supporting the Android Market next year, bringing smartphone apps to the television, but it's still not clear how touchscreen apps will translate to the remote control. Separately, Google is encouraging Website developers to create Web apps for the television, optimized for viewing from the couch and controllable with buttons.

Do you need a mouse and keyboard?

It's a possibility, but Logitech's set-top box will include a remote that combines a mini-keyboard, remote control and touch screen. Logitech also has free remote apps for iPhone and Android, and this image shows the different kinds of controls that can be used. Sony's remote control plans are not as clear-cut.

Any other phone integration?

Android phone owners will be able to control the TV with voice searches and push videos that they're watching on the phone onto the television.

Can I watch movies and shows stored on other local media?

At the very least, I hope Google TV's future support for Android apps will allow streaming from networked computers and media centers, but I can't find any remarks from Google, Logitech or Sony on this topic.

How much will Google TV cost?

Pricing is still a mystery. For context, consider that Apple TV costs $99, and the upcoming Boxee Box, another Internet TV device that uses its own interface to pull in Web content, will cost $200 when it arrives in November.

Logitech To Create First Google TV Set-Top Box In Fall 2010

by Ray Willington
from: http://hothardware.com/

Google managed to score quite a few big partners with their Google TV launch, with Intel and Sony being two key partners in moving the technology forward into the mainstream. But for those who don't want to purchase any entirely new television this fall with a CE4100 processor and the Google TV app onboard, they'll need a set-top box to connect to their existing setup. For that, there's Logitech.

This whole situation feels a little bit like when Microsoft first launched "Extenders for Windows Media Center" at CEDIA a few years ago, but those boxes eventually failed and are pretty much relics today. Google's hoping to have a lot more success with their own STB, with Logitech selected to be the first out of the gate. The details on the box have yet to be fully revealed, but it's pretty clear what it will do. You'll connect the box to your existing HDTV, and then the Google TV platform will come to life via the internal hardware within the sleek, small black shell.

Coupled with a Logitech Harmony remote, the total hardware solution could be compelling...

No price points were discussed either, but consumers were told that it will be compatible with existing Logitech Harmony remotes and it will ship with a few accessories, too. A compact keyboard, remote control and touch pad, to be specific. Logitech will also be responsible for a few more Google TV-related accessories, including an "an HDTV camera for video conferencing, and specialized apps that allow you to turn your smartphone into a Google TV controller." Expect the box to launch alongside the service this Fall.

Announcing Google TV: TV meets web. Web meets TV.

From: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/

If there’s one entertainment device that people know and love, it’s the television. In fact, 4 billion people across the world watch TV and the average American spends five hours per day in front of one*. Recently, however, an increasing amount of our entertainment experience is coming from our phones and computers. One reason is that these devices have something that the TV lacks: the web. With the web, finding and accessing interesting content is fast and often as easy as a search. But the web still lacks many of the great features and the high-quality viewing experience that the TV offers.

So that got us thinking...what if we helped people experience the best of TV and the best of the web in one seamless experience? Imagine turning on the TV and getting all the channels and shows you normally watch and all of the websites you browse all day — including your favorite video, music and photo sites. We’re excited to announce that we’ve done just that.

Google TV is a new experience for television that combines the TV that you already know with the freedom and power of the Internet. With Google Chrome built in, you can access all of your favorite websites and easily move between television and the web. This opens up your TV from a few hundred channels to millions of channels of entertainment across TV and the web. Your television is also no longer confined to showing just video. With the entire Internet in your living room, your TV becomes more than a TV — it can be a photo slideshow viewer, a gaming console, a music player and much more.

Google TV uses search to give you an easy and fast way to navigate to television channels, websites, apps, shows and movies. For example, already know the channel or program you want to watch? Just type in the name and you’re there. Want to check out that funny YouTube video on your 48” flat screen? It’s just a quick search away. If you know what you want to watch, but you’re not sure where to find it, just type in what you’re looking for and Google TV will help you find it on the web or on one of your many TV channels. If you’d rather browse than search, you can use your standard program guide, your DVR or the Google TV home screen, which provides quick access to all of your favorite entertainment so you’re always within reach of the content you love most.

Because Google TV is built on open platforms like Android and Google Chrome, these features are just a fraction of what Google TV can do. In our announcement today at Google I/O, we challenged web developers to start coming up with the next great web and Android apps designed specifically for the TV experience. Developers can start optimizing their websites for Google TV today. Soon after launch, we’ll release the Google TV SDK and web APIs for TV so that developers can build even richer applications and distribute them through Android Market. We've already started building strategic alliances with a number of companies — like Jinni.com and Rovi — at the leading edge of innovation in TV technology. Jinni.com is a next-generation TV application working to provide semantic search, personalized recommendation and social features for Google TV across all sources of premium content available to the user. Rovi is one of the world's leading guide applications. We’re looking forward to seeing all of the ways developers will use this new platform.

We’re working together with Sony and Logitech to put Google TV inside of televisions, Blu-ray players and companion boxes. These devices will go on sale this fall, and will be available at Best Buy stores nationwide. You can sign up here to get updates on Google TV availability.

This is an incredibly exciting time — for TV watchers, for developers and for the entire TV ecosystem. By giving people the power to experience what they love on TV and on the web on a single screen, Google TV turns the living room into a new platform for innovation. We're excited about what’s coming. We hope you are too.



*Nielsen, Three Screen Report, Fourth Quarter 2009

Update 2:26PM: Updated to include more information about other developers.

Posted by Salahuddin Choudhary, Google TV Product Manager

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Cut your cable!

After canceling my cable TV subscription, I realized that online TV is much better

Mike Elgan

May 16, 2009 (Computerworld) As part of my transition to semi-nomadic living and gadget-consolidation project, I canceled my subscription to cable TV and returned the cable box and remote.

I assumed tradeoffs in this arrangement: I would end up with an inferior TV experience, but save money. What I discovered, however, is that the overall experience is actually better. Much better.

My TV, which I've had for a couple years, is a 42-inch Sony Bravia. My laptop (and now my one and only PC) is also a Sony: A Sony Vaio AW that has an HDMI port. To watch online TV on my big-screen TV, I simply plug the laptop into the TV with HDMI (The Vaio even comes with a remote). Other cabling options are almost as good.

Finding a show is easy: Just Google it. All major shows that I'm aware of have a link to the streaming or downloadable HD version on the first results page. You can also find clips and shows on social bookmarking sites, TV sites like Hulu, and on YouTube.

The picture and sound quality is amazing. It's not quite as good as HD programming via cable, but far better quality than analog TV or even DVDs. That surprised me. But a long list of other benefits surprised me even more.

Cable TV creates a minor anxiety. If you don't record shows, you feel the need to essentially keep an appointment each week to catch updates of whatever shows you're following. If you record them using TiVo or something similar, you feel pressed to hurry up and watch recorded shows before your available storage maxes out.

When relying exclusively on shows online, however, I don't have to think about TV schedules or DVR storage space. I can watch whatever I want whenever I want, or I can just stop watching TV for any amount of time. The missed episodes are always online when I want them.

Location independence: Of course, you can always watch your regular TV shows on a laptop. But by carrying cables while traveling, you can plug in to whatever big-screen TV is available. That laptop becomes a portable cable box. Time savings: Many shows, such as Saturday Night Live, TV news programs, the Colbert Report and others tend to be a mixed bag containing a lot of time-wasting junk, but also nuggets of entertainment gold.

We have been acclimated over the years to suffer through entire shows, essentially fishing for something funny or interesting. But TV is presented online often in the form of individual clips. One of the best sites is Hulu, which offers shows both in full format and in clip form. The clips are sortable by "Popular Clips" and "Featured Videos." The site does a great job of separating the junk from the gold. You can watch only the good bits and save a lot of time.

Watch in "epic-sode" form: In the same way that you can reduce shows into their component parts, you can also combine episodes into "epic-sodes" - multiple episodes viewed as one. By doing this, you can watch shows a season at a time.

Rather than watching one episode each of four shows per week, you can find shows online where the season is completed and watch consecutive episodes of only that one show (15 minutes per night, one hour per night, two hours per night - whatever you like) until the season is done. Then you move to another show. This is a great way to watch shows like "Lost," where every episode references previous ones.

Fewer commercials: Online HDTV shows often have commercials, but about a quarter of the commercials you'll find on regular TV.

Money savings: Obviously, not paying for cable saves money. In my case, the elimination of my landline phone and cable bundle saved me about $110 per month. (If I put all that money in the bank for 10 years, I'll be able to pay cash for a brand-new car.)

Browseability: Amazon Kindle users will tell you that they both read more and read more widely with a Kindle because books are easier to discover and browse. The same goes for online TV. It's much easier to find and browse for shows online and to try them out.

Two weeks ago I thought canceling my cable subscription was a good idea for digital nomads. But now I'm convinced it's a better way to go for everybody. It changes the way you think about and watch TV, and improves the whole experience.

If you don't believe me, then I challenge you to try it out. Before you cancel your cable, go cold turkey for one week without using the cable service, getting all your TV online and watching it on your regular TV. Let me know how it goes!

Mike Elgan writes about technology and global tech culture. He blogs about the technology needs, desires and successes of mobile warriors in his Computerworld blog, The World Is My Office. Contact Mike at mike.elgan@elgan.com, follow him on Twitter or his blog, The Raw Feed.

How to Ditch Your Cable Provider Without Giving Up on TV

Let's face it. You don't like your cable provider (here's why). Yet the average American cable subscriber pays more than $700 per year on subscription fees. But with the right combination of antenna and Internet streaming sources, you can get the shows and movies you like without the expense.

By Glenn Derene

Published in the May 2009 issue.

(Photograph by Chris Eckert/Studio D)

Times are tough, money is tight, and Americans are starting to take a long, hard look at their monthly bills. One expense, in particular, stands out: cable. It’s hard to cut back on most utilities—a modern home doesn’t quite run without electricity, water or fuel, and some sort of phone seems essential, but television? Don’t they broadcast that for free?

As a matter of fact, they do. And yet the average monthly cable bill in the U.S. is $58.80—more than $700 per year. Satellite TV generally offers a mild savings compared to cable, depending on what equipment and channels you select. But is there a way to get the range of TV content that typically comes from these services without the steep monthly fees?

Well, yes … and no. If you’re just looking to get local channels, an ordinary antenna will do. In fact, given the level of digital compression that cable companies use to squeeze ever more channels down the pipe, an antenna may deliver a better quality signal with hi-def content.

To receive over-the-air digital television, you need a TV with a digital tuner and an antenna that receives UHF and VHF signals. Plenty of television antennas are currently marketed as HDTV antennas, but as television engineer Mark Schubin puts it: “There is no such thing as an HDTV antenna.” That doesn’t mean that all antennas are the same. Weak digital signals, unlike weak analog signals, don’t show up with static—they don’t show up at all. So if you live in an area with substandard reception, it may be worth it to buy an amplified antenna to boost signal. Check out antennaweb.org to get an idea of what stations to expect, based on your address.

Variety-Packed

Problem Solved: From Web to TV

Fancy new HDTVs have Internet hookups built right in, but there are plenty of ways to get Web video to your existing set.

Game Systems

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 streams Netflix and sells TV shows through its Xbox Live service. Sony’s PS3 has movies and shows for rent. But both gaming consoles are limited to content approved by their parent companies.

Blu-Ray Players

Players from Samsung and LG have integrated Netflix streaming. As yet, no Blu-ray players offer support for online TV sources, but many players are firmware updatable, so stay tuned.

Stand-Alone Players

Roku’s video-streaming box plays content from Netflix and Amazon. Apple TV users can purchase content from the iTunes Store or tap into free, Web-based content by installing open-source Boxee software (which will violate their warranty).

Okay, that takes care of local channels, but cable offers hundreds. What about ESPN? CNN? HBO? What about video on demand? Can you replace those once the coaxial cable is cut? The honest answer is that, if you love surfing through an endless series of channels, then nothing will truly replace cable. But according to a 2007 Nielsen study, the average American household received 104 channels—and watched only 15 of them regularly. So if statistics are any measure, a broad selection of content is important to viewers, but sheer quantity is not.

A surprising amount of TV and movie content is now available over the Internet for free or for a nominal price. The richest and most impressive source of Internet video, aside from outright torrent theft, is Netflix’s “Watch Instantly.” This streaming video service is a freebie extra for anyone who subscribes to the company’s DVD-by-mail service (any plan over $8.99 per month offers unlimited streaming of content). Watch Instantly lets users browse through a library of 12,000 movies and television shows, much as they would surf channels on a cable box. It nicely combines the joy of serendipitous movie discovery that comes from watching HBO or Showtime with the impulse entertainment of video on demand.

Most major networks and cable channels offer a deep reservoir of content that can be streamed over the Internet. CNN’s site posts video feeds of breaking news, and ESPN has partnerships with various Internet providers around the country to offer its ESPN360 live sports streaming service. New episodes of popular TV shows such as Lost and 24 are usually up on network sites within a day. NBC and Fox have teamed up to create the site hulu.com, which has so many shows and movies available for streaming that it is beginning to resemble a separate network itself.

Magic Boxes

Internet streaming video is great, but how do you get all that cable-­obviating goodness onto the big-screen TV in the living room? Many new digital TVs from manufacturers such as Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and Vizio come with Internet hookups that can directly link to sources such as Netflix and YouTube. Also, Dell and HP sell computers under $500 with HDMI outputs that can be hooked up directly to a TV.

In addition to full-featured PCs, there are a variety of Internet-enabled boxes that can be tricked out to tap into one or more of these sources. The Microsoft Xbox 360 can show streaming Netflix movies with a $50 yearly Xbox Live subscription. Perhaps the most elegant add-on device is the $99 Roku video-streaming box. It has built-in Wi-Fi and is a snap to set up and use. Roku streams Netflix movies and video-on-demand from Amazon, which has both free and rentable content.

Which brings us to the big question: How much do you really save out of all this? To take full advantage of online content, you’ll need to have an Internet connection of at least 1.5 megabits per second (expect to pay at least $30 per month for that). And if you don’t have a computer that hooks up easily to your TV, you can quickly find yourself stacking various set-top boxes at $100 to $300 each to get the selection of content you like. If you really go crazy with this stuff, you can burn through enough time, money and trouble that you might look back on your cable box with longing. On the other hand, if you’re taking advantage of equipment and services you already have, there’s a double sense of satisfaction to telling a monopolistic service provider to take a hike, combined with cash back in your pocket. That more than makes up for the loss of The Jewelry Channel.

Kill your cable bill: Make your computer a TV

Thanks to services like Netflix, iTunes and Amazon On Demand, consumers can simply stream or download movies or previous seasons of TV shows directly from the Web any time they want. And for those viewers looking for current seasons of TV shows, they can turn to Web sites such as Hulu.com or TV.com.......

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