Sony HDTVs To Come With Google TV Interface 124
adeelarshad82 writes "Even though Google recently announced its own Google TV, seems like their partnership with Sony is going to make it obsolete. Google has partnered up with Sony to launch four HDTVs loaded with the Google TV interface, as well as a Google TV Blu-ray player. The company's Google TV products will be called Sony Internet TV. With the Google TV, Sony aims to provide a clean and easy way to browse the Web, watch TV, and run applications all on your HDTV. Google TV uses the true Chrome Web browser with Flash 10.1. Unfortunately though, at the moment it only has a handful of apps available but Sony said the OS will be updated in early 2011 to include the Android Market app with more options."
Good idea (Score:3, Interesting)
I think if all TVs had this it would be great. Built in surfing capabilities with WiFi? Who wouldn't want that, and what reason could you argue not to have it?
If it becomes a standard feature, then you could just buy a TV (with it) and not even use it if you don't want it. The only downside is devices like AppleTV will become obsolete. Well, "down side".
Re:Great. (Score:2, Interesting)
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/smartTV/revue
Re:Good idea (Score:3, Interesting)
Who wouldn't want that, and what reason could you argue not to have it?
Because the components will become outdated long before the TV portion does and the only way to update will be to replace the entire thing. Or do you actually think it will be based on an open architecture that will allow replacement of components and still remain in warranty? Sorry, not for me.
I agree. I hate that it has become nearly impossible to find a TV that is just a TV. Hell, in most cases even a TV tuner is unnecessary. It would be nice if some manufacturer put out a line of large-size monitors that skip out on all this BS. Just give me a ~55" LCD w/ as many LED backlights as you can, a few HDMI inputs, a couple s-video, component, and composite inputs, maybe a DVI input, and that's it. No speakers, no network interface, definitely no integrated online "experience". Probably don't even need any outputs. Okay, throw in an IR receiver so I can turn it on and off and change inputs without getting off the couch.
Other than that - I've got all my sources covered already, I don't need redundant sources built into the TV. Seriously, concentrate on providing the best picture quality possible at a given price point, and ditch everything else.
This might not actually reduce the overall cost a huge amount, but it should at least make a difference, and I wouldn't feel like I'm spending money on crap I will never use.
Hmm, maybe I should just get a projector.
Nothing to see here (Score:2, Interesting)
All of the apps on any TVs I have personally used have been sluggish and slow to respond. Hooking a computer/media center/game console up to the TV and using apps hosted on those devices has always resulted in a much more pleasant experience for me and my friends. I doubt the introduction to Google apps on TVs will make an impact on anything.
Re:Good idea (Score:4, Interesting)
Good news!
Luckily enough, the announcement of Sony using Google TV in some of their newest HDTVs did not also include an announcement of the discontinuation of other models which do not include Google TV!
That's right: You'll still be able to buy a TV without all of this gee-wizardry, and it will cost less than than the newfangled kit described in TFA!
If you want to keep things this way, then just keep voting with your wallet and companies will keep making simple TVs that folks like you (and I) like. It's easy, it's fun, and it saves money!
(My own 52" Samsung LCD is nearly as brain-dead as can be. It simply displays video, and occasionally does a little bit of video switching. It doesn't handle audio, it doesn't view Netflix, it doesn't have a built-in Blu-Ray player, and it certainly doesn't fucking run Google TV. And nor will its replacement. It does, however, do a fine job of displaying video. I have other toys for those those other sorts of roles, and want as little co-dependence between them as possible. And I'll keep buying things in such a fashion as to support the ongoing manufacture of stuff that allows doing stuff in this way.)