GoogleTV, AppleTV and the Battle For The Living Room 226
An anonymous reader pointed us to an article talking about Google TV and AppleTV challenging the major networks and taking their place in your living room. It'll be a tough battle, amusingly waged on cable company wires in many major markets.
TV is so 20th century (Score:3, Informative)
I can't help wondering if they're fighting over the best deck-chair seating on the Titanic. I haven't turned my TV on in months.
Re:UI? (Score:4, Informative)
From the demo, Google TV requires some sort of keyboard/mouse interface. From the FAQ [google.com], it doesn't appear that it will be a standard Bluetooth one. Other the other end, Apple has a simplified remote but will allow for control through one of the iOS devices. I think where the battle will be won is how consumers will like the UI.
At the demo in Berlin they said there will be both Android and iOS apps for controlling Google TV. They even mentioned voice search integration.
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Re:They haven't challenged anyone (Score:4, Informative)
Apple has already failed at this "hobby" of theirs and all they've really done this time around is release a less capable device.
This is the same old AppleTV as before. The only real change is the addition of a service that is already being bundled in nearly ever other consumer video device out there (netflix). ...that and a decreased ability to play non-Apple content.
Re:UI? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Net neutrality (Score:4, Informative)
Oh no, cable companies would never do such a thing! [gigaom.com]
I hope you're being sarcastic.
Re:They haven't challenged anyone (Score:4, Informative)
And Google wasn't relative in the video market until it bought YouTube, since when it's been synonymous with "Internet TV". TV even has a whole show replaying YouTube clips.
Re:Bundle discount (Score:4, Informative)
The assholes at Comcast are using their digital switch* as an excuse to force cable boxes on their customers. Sure, they could just send unencrypted QAM like all digital TVs are designed to receive, but why do that when the FCC and FTC are too spineless to stop them from encrypting everything and charging $5 per TV for boxes?
*Note: Comcast's switch to digital is not the same as the broadcast TV switch and is not mandated by the government, even though Comcast representatives will consistently and blatantly lie by telling you that it is.
Re:Doesn't matter (Score:3, Informative)
Grow a pair man....get it back!!