Google TV 2.0 Arrives

7Nov/110

As November starts, Google is launching “new” Google TV 2.0 software that uses the same hardware but includes a newer, but not the newest, version of Android. It had originally promised the upgrade for September but what are a few months between friends. Having screwed up the first Google TV version, it’s more important to get the second one right than to have it out on time.

Google TV is a technology that allows TV sets to access Web sites, OTT apps and browse the full Web. It can be embedded in TV sets and Blu-ray players like those from Sony or in smart TV adapters like the Logitech Revue.

What makes Google TV different from other smart TV platforms is:

- It includes a full browser that can access any Web site and play any online videos — well except where it is barred such as on the Web sites of NBC, CBS, ABC, Disney, Fox, Hulu (the free one) and Viacom, which owns a number of pay TV channels like Comedy Central and MTV. There is also the Google brand and Google’s ability to deliver YouTube videos in a way that’s suitable for a TV set.

- Google search that can find content on any live TV channel, any OTT site and the user’s home network. Google TV includes apps for the most popular OTT services with the exception of Apple’s iTunes.

Google TV is a direct competitor to the smart TV platforms that have been developed by TV set makers like Samsung, LG, Vizio, Panasonic and the proposed industry-wide standards HbbTV and YouView. Samsung and Vizio have talked about making TV sets with the Google TV technology but have not announced a shipping date. Google TV is also a direct competitor to Apple TV and other smart TV adapters plus it would compete against any smart TV sets that Apple may be thinking about making.

A major difference between Google TV and other smart TVs and smart TV adapters like Roku and Apple TV is that it has a full browser, Chrome of course.

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