GigaOm learned that Logitech sales of its Google TV-enabling Revue companion box and its associated peripherals hit only $5 million in the first quarter, down sharply from $22 million from Q4 and $13 million less than it expected.
I guess the holiday sale honeymoon was short-lived. Maybe all of the negative reviews caught up to eclipse the product’s marketing, which has also been scaled back. Haven’t seen the Kevin Bacon commercial in a while now … since January at least.
I still believe in Google TV. I’ve said repeatedly that YouTube Leanback is a huge hit for my family and the Netflix streaming application has gotten a lot better, faster and more functional.
Logitech still believes in Google TV on the record, as it cited the “next generation of Google TV” as a growth opportunity. Logitech is bullishly assuming people will glom onto the Web TV trend, breaking it out of its traditional niche use.
There are things that nibble at my patience. For instance, loading Web pages takes a little longer than it should if you assume the Revue’s Intel Atom chipset and Android software is supposed to render them as fast as a modern computer. My netbook loads Web pages faster.
To wit, Silicon Alley Insider said Google I/O will be the setting for significant Google TV improvements.
Presumably we will hear about and/or see a faster chipset, the Android Market integration Google promised a year ago when it introduced the product and a better UI. I’m happy with the UI, but the speed improvements and additional apps will be welcome.
I would love my Google TV to be like my Motorola Droid X smartphone, albeit on a bigger palette.
Moreover, when I do settle on an Android tablet, I can’t wait to fling content between all three devices, all synced in the cloud. That would be the ultimate Google TV experience for me and my family.
If Google is pushing Intel for a faster chipset, can we paying customers get a free hardware upgrade? Wouldn’t it only be right?
Just askin’.