Google has secured support for Google TV from Turner Broadcasting, NBC
Universal, HBO, Amazon and several others, paving the way for an ambitious
launch this month.
Google TV is the search engine's bid to successfully wed television programming with Web
surfing.
For example, users will be able to watch TV, surf the Internet and access
Web applications such as YouTube and Twitter from a special remote control with
a keyboard.
The product, based on Google's Android 2.1 operating system, is set to
launch on Sony Internet TVs and Logitech's companion box this month. Google TV
will also compete with Apple's more modest Apple TV product.
Not long after Google introduced Google TV in May, skeptics claimed the
company, which had no television service experience, would not garner enough
support for the fledgling service from broadcasters wary of the competition.
The skeptics may be wrong.
"Since our announcement, we've been overwhelmed by interest from
partners on how they can use the Google TV platform to personalize, monetize
and distribute their content in new ways," said Ambarish Kenghe, developer product manager for
Google TV.
Kenghe added that while most of the partner Websites will work with Google
TV, some are tailoring their content for Google TV on the television.
Specifically, Turner Broadcasting is optimizing TBS, TNT,
CNN, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim for Google TV.
NBC Universal worked with Google TV to create CNBC
Real-Time, an application that lets users track stocks and access news feeds
from a Web-enabled TV.
Twitter for Google TV lets users access their Twitter accounts through the
Chrome browser on Google TV, and do all of the things they are accustomed to
doing on Twitter.com through the desktop or mobile phone. This includes tweet,
retweet, @mentions, trending topics, recent searches and favorites.
HBO has written HBO Go to grant Google TV users access to its original
programming. NBA has built NBA Game Time, an application that lets users track
game scores and watch highlights in HD.
On the content side, Amazon Video on Demand agreed to offer users access to
over 75,000 titles for rental or purchase. Netflix, meanwhile, will allow users
to stream movies and TV shows to the Google TV-enabled TV.
The New York Times and USA Today and music sites VEVO, Pandora and Napster
are also on board.
While the broadcasting, content and media partnerships have been made, the
service has to be attainable, too.
Fortunately, Logitech Oct. 6 is expected to roll out its Revue set-top box,
which will play Google TV on users' existing televisions. Sony is slated to
unveil its Google-TV enabled TVs and Blu-ray players Oct. 12.
Both events are scheduled for New York City.
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