Google TV – Game Changer for DVRs and Television Consumption

From the guys who brought you search, here’s the “Virgin Airlines” pre-flight animatic on Google TV – yes, their official two minute introductory video. This hardware/software jawdropper potentially open sources your TV, freeing you from multi-devices and esoteric program guides.

Plus, it kills the Apple TV and puts a general hurt on all set-top devices including indie notables like Boxee. I think Google has figured out TV – separate from their early Dishnet advertising beginnings – now to see what the ad ratios and overlays look like on your HD tv (those screenshots are thankfully not animated…yet).

Takeaways:

1. Entertainment hub that searches all your channels, recorded shows, YouTube, Netflix Streaming…
2. Full web browser = Chrome (best browser in market currently)
3. Tagline: “Spend less time finding what you want and more time watching what you want.”

2 Comments

• 
  jake May 21, 2010 at 11:33 am

  What friction does Google create with big media / content owners who want their search results at the top of the list? Does Google implement an AdWords model for TV? That could cause some conflict methinks
• 
  Adrian Sexton May 22, 2010 at 12:22 am

  Good question, Jake. Big media/content owners will likely try to impose some form of exclusivity or control if users are on their network, and over their respective multi-channels. However, as they have shown with their AdWords buys in the past, Google favors competitive auctions. So, while there may be certain trademark/pirated AdWords’ blocking, for the most part, it will be open season.

  Google TV is a search browser (plus Chrome) on top of your current set-top connection. Sony and Intel are first, but expect Verizon FiOS, DishNet and others to follow if it’s a great offering.

  Also expect YouTube links to rise to the top as there’s very little competition for their catalog of SEO’d video. Wikipedia missed the bigger video/SEO market here, fwiw. This will also likely force Hulu to go hyper-premium or paid with most of its content, so that it doesn’t cannibalize its broadcast and cable programming.

  If this works out for Google – and on a consumer product level, it would be an incredible EPG (electronic program guide) experience – the next generation will be Google buying Boxee for the personalization/POV that adds a crowdsourced guide (guide as in a navigator) approach.

  So, fully searchable, programmable and personalizable content. Again, many have not succeeded on this path: Intel Vive, Microsoft TV, Vulcan, etc., so Google has to enter the market “perfectly.” My guess is they give the Google TV micro-set-tops away for free – those that aren’t OEM’d into HDTVs and other set-tops.