googleTV - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Jun

Vizio Announces Google TV-Powered 'Co-Star', Pre-Orders Begin Next Month For $99

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Google TV, News, Vizio

If you've been wanting to check out Google TV but just couldn't justify shelling out a couple hundred (or more) dollars for the sake of seeing what it's all about, Vizio's new Co-Star Stream Player could be the answer you've been waiting for.

Announced just today, the Co-Star is a $99 Google TV that connects to your current set-top box via HDMI pass-through. It offers the full-on Google TV experience, including an HTML 5 Chrome browser, 1080p and 3D support, a host of apps, and a two-sided universal touchpad remote. What's more, the Co-Star also features baked-in support for OnLive streaming.

Mar

Google Trademarks New Software Called 'Showy', Turns A Device Into A Remote Control

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Google, News

It's hard to say what exactly Google has up its sleeve here, but it recently filed a trademark application for some new software called Showy that "allows users to use their computer, tablet device, or mobile phone as a remote control to operate video display devices and televisions; and downloadable software which allows users to remotely control the content on internet-connected digital signage."

It's highly probable that this new software will correlate with GoogleTV, as El Goog has reportedly been working on a new remote that incorporates voice controls and cloud services, allowing Android users to control their TV by speaking to it.

Feb

YouTube For GoogleTV Poised To Receive A Slew Of Enhancements Via Update Later This Week

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Android OS, Applications, News

In a post to the official GoogleTV blog earlier today, Product Manager Jurek Foryciarz revealed that Youtube for GoogleTV is set to receive an update "in the next few days," bringing some "big improvements" to the app.

First off, Google touts smoother navigation, and a new feature called "discover," which allows users to find YouTube channels by categories, which range from comedy, to cooking, to news, and more.

Next up, you can expect the YouTube app to feature channel pages, meaning users can navigate an individual channel's playlists, videos, and subscribe to said channel quickly and easily.

On the topic of channel interaction, users will also be able to see related videos and videos from the same user, just by clicking the up or down arrows on their remote.

Jan

[CES 2012] Lenovo Unveils Android-Powered IdeaTab S2 10, S2 Smartphone, And "Personal Cloud"

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Android OS, Gingerbread 2.3, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, IdeaTab S2 10, K91 TV, Lenovo, News, S2

Lenovo, "the world's number two PC company," has just introduced a bevvy of new Android-powered devices, emphasizing their specs and compatibility with Lenovo's "Personal Cloud," which promises to make the company a "personal cloud solution." Liu Jun, Senior VP and President of Lenovo's Mobile Internet and Digital Home business group, explained the significance of the Personal Cloud:

Lenovo is breaking down the barriers of device differentiation and weaving together hardware, software, and cloud services that are connected, experiential, and dynamic. We understand our users need more than just the traditional keyboard and screen for a truly satisfying digital experience. Our Personal Cloud vision integrates all devices, from tablets to TVs, for a comprehensive mobile Internet experience anytime, anywhere.

Jan

Always Innovating Announces The HDMI Dongle - An Itty Bitty Alternative To The Set-Top Box

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Android OS, News

Always Innovating, a company which "leverages the latest developments in open source technologies worldwide to create innovative products that solve real problems for consumers," will be debuting a new device at CES this year – the HDMI Dongle. The Dongle looks to replace the set-top box for those who aren't interested in buying a hefty (or more expensive) GoogleTV device.

AI's HDMI Dongle is essentially a complete system on a chip, and has some incredible specs for such a tiny device. Supposedly starting at just $79, the device comes with a Cortex-A9 processor (capable of 1GHz to 1.8GHz speeds, depending on configuration), between 256MB and 1GB RAM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC Connectivity, an accelerometer, and a bundled remote.

Oct

Sony Opens Android Developer Registration For Sony Internet TVs

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Apps/Games, Google TV, News

Things are really coming along in the Google TV world, aren't they? First, a survey by Appcelerator showed that developers were showing strong interest in Google TV. A few days later, Google revealed that major players in the entertainment industry were backing GTV in a big way - and also gave us a short preview.

Fast forward to today, and Sony has opened up registration for its Android Developer Site. Thus far, there doesn't seem to be much to it - but they promise that there will be "... exciting news for the Sony Internet TV very soon," and "In the future, look for more extras such as images, examples, tips and techniques to help you create exciting new applications."

As mentioned above, the big players already back GTV - but that's only half the equation.

Oct

Google Announces Boatload Of New Partners For Google TV

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Applications, Apps/Games, Google, Google TV, News

According to Google’s announcement today, it seems that content providers really, really like the idea of Google TV – which is a good sign, as content can often make or break new platforms. Specifically, Google say they've "been overwhelmed by interest from partners on how they can use the Google TV platform." And by "partners," they mean a fairly significant number of big players:

Turner Broadcasting has been hard at work optimizing some of their most popular websites for viewing on Google TV, including TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, available anytime through Google TV.

NBC Universal has collaborated with Google TV to bring CNBC Real-Time, an application that allows you to track your favorite stocks and access news feeds while enjoying the best financial news from CNBC directly on the TV screen.