The Verge: Google Is Working on a TV Box Of Its Own

Amazon may have a slight lead in the world of Android-based TV-centric mini-boxes with its Amazon Fire TV, but according to this story, Google is getting set to release just such a box itself. "According to documents obtained exclusively by The Verge, Google is about to launch a renewed assault on your television set called Android TV. Major video app providers are building for the platform right now. Android TV may sound like a semantic difference — after all, Google TV was based on Android — but it’s something very different. Android TV is no longer a crazy attempt to turn your TV into a bigger, more powerful smartphone. "Android TV is an entertainment interface, not a computing platform," writes Google. "It’s all about finding and enjoying content with the least amount of friction." It will be "cinematic, fun, fluid, and fast." ... What does that all mean? It means that Android TV will look and feel a lot more like the rest of the set top boxes on the market, including Apple TV, Amazon’s Fire TV, and Roku."

Sounds like it's still pretty far off...

[berchca]

"Google is currently courting select app developers to create apps and games for Android TV"

"Earlier reports suggested Google would build Android TV itself, which would put it in direct competition with its hardware partners."

Seems like maybe they're just letting people know there's something in the pipe, so maybe some folks will hold off on buying a Fire TV, but there's not much about what the thing might look like or do.

Re:Sounds like it's still pretty far off...

[davester666]

exactly, this is a microsoft-like FUD move to try to stall the market so they can ship something...this will be swing #4 after 2 absolute failures [that ball thing and Google TV] and a so-so Chromecast.

Predated by...Logitech? Sony?

[txsable]

We got a Logitech Revue when they dropped the price on them a few years ago. Been pretty happy with it, although not with the major broadcast networks who think that there's a difference between watching browser- based streams on a computer vs on a set-top android box, but that's another post.

Sadly, Logitech last released an update for the Revue with Android 3.2, and nothing new since then; they dropped support for it, and the only updates it seems to get any more are for the Google Play Music app. Some of the other providers, like Crunchyroll, have an app that will work with the revue, but many don't. The Revue was a good idea, seems to be pretty well implemented, but perhaps ahead of its time.

Re:Chromecast?

[Anonymous Coward]

That already works fine. The limitation in my opinion is that you are restricted to apps that "support" casting, which for me are google play and Netflix.

Fuck Google...

[Sooner Boomer]

...and fuck Google TV. A couple of years ago, I bought an LG TV, which ran on Android. Fairly good performance, fairly good price. It's a 3D TV, and I was disappointed that ESPN cancelled it's 3D broadcasts just after I bought it, but what the heck. I found a Samba client that let me watch video files over my network. I even had a couple of 3D video files, like the Dr. Who Anniversary episode I could watch in 3D. Then Google "upgraded" Android. I tried EVERYTHING I could do to reject the upgrade and not accept it, but somehow it went ahead and installed the new version. Now, almost everything on the TV is broken. The native media player that was part of the original Android software is gone. The Samba client is gone. I can't even play videos from an attached USB device. LG has been less than useless. I've sent multiple emails and they are either clueless or blame Google. They have DELIBERATELY removed functionality that I specifically purchased the TV for. All that's left now is legal action.

Re:Chromecast?

[bobjr94]

My sister has a chromecast stick, it's kind of a pain, we are staying with her for a week. You need to keep your phone nearby, keep netflix or whatever running all the time, cant use your phone for anything else and can only see apps that support chromecasting. You can't just display anything from your phone on your tv. Movies will cut off half way though if your phone goes dead and if you want to run to the store, you have to leave your phone home or whoever is watching netflix will have to wait till you get back. So after 2 days I bought her a roku 1 box at walmart for 48$, it's much better. Has its own remote (or you can use your phone) plays netflix, hulu plus and more, streams content from local networks (movies from my laptop, with a upnp server, xbmc in my case) and it's always there. Spend the extra 10$ and get a set top box and skip the chromecast. It's a neat gadget but long term not very useful.