Google TV Announced Finally

Google has finally announced the much awaited Google TV in partnership with Sony, Logitech and Intel. Rishi Chandra, Google's group product manager said, "Google TV is a new platform that we believe will change the future of television," at the Google I/O annual developers conference in San Francisco. Google TV will sport Android based graphical user interface. Complete Google TV supporting product is expected to arrive in Fall (September-October) this year.

Google wants to incorporate a single seamless experience to the user. Based on Google Android, this embedded OS will have Chrome web browser to surf websites and Android Market for downloading various apps. Navigation and interaction would be the two intuitive features of Google TV. The search function incorporated is expected to give faster navigation to TV channels, shows, movies, websites and apps.

Google is working with Sony and Logitech to put Google TV in their products like televisions, Blu-ray players, digital video recorders and other devices. These special devices would have Bluetooth and even Wi-Fi inside them. Intel would be providing Atom chip variants for these devices. Brooke Crothers of CNET's Nanotech blog stated that Intel CE4100 system-on-a-chip would be the brain power in Google TV boxes. More information about Intel CE4100 chip can be found here (pdf).

Logitech would be coming out with a QWERTY keypad loaded wireless remote control. Apart from that, Google TV may also be designed to work on your existing devices. Flash support also comes along in the Google TV and soon the SDK along with web APIs would be released for the developers. So users can expect more Flash applications and games on their TV sets.

With this new product Google has once again smartly jabbed Apple TV which comprises of physical hardware and a software to be used along with. Google has combined TV with web with its new platform and has opened up gates for selling apps through Android Market.

We'll have to wait when Google TV beta SDK is released. Get more information about Google TV athttp://www.google.com/tv/.