CriterionCast

What You Should Know About Google TV

With Google TV set to hit the world like a sack of app filled set top boxes this month, it appears as though there are quite a bit of reasons to get massively excited for what looks to be one hell of an addition to the world of set top boxes.

First and foremost, cinephiles now have the right to freak out, as Netflix has announced that they will be available from launch on the hotly anticipated piece of software known as Google TV.   It will be a streaming app, as can currently be seen on pretty much any device ranging from the Nintendo Wii to your iPod Touch (which I’ve recently used, and really loved, at least for a film streaming app on a mobile device), and has sparked many   to believe that Netflix will soon announce an Android-based phone app, as Google TV runs on Android. Personally, I dig this announcement, but at this point, this is far from shocking, as every piece of software and its mother has a Netflix application, so it seemed inevitable that Google TV would join this party of film and TV streaming.



As far as TV goes, the Google TV blog has announced that Turner Broadcasting has been working to bring some of its major websites (including TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim) to view on Google TV, which isn’t the only network to get into this game.   Apparently NBC Universal will have an app known as CNBC Real-Time which will allow users to track their stocks and get access to news feeds, so for those of you with a penchant for Criterion releases and day trading, this may be your device.   HBO will also allow access to their network on Google TV through HBO GO, and even the world of sports have hopped into the fold with the NBA and their new application, NBA Game Time, which is basically a Red Zone-like (allowing access to multiple game scores in real-time with highlights as well) app allowing sports fans to geek out as much as us cinephiles.

Finally, Gizmodo has a few, far tech-heavy reasons to get excited about this software.

Google TV will not only be able to be controlled by any Android phone, it is also a platform, which will be available through Logitech boxes, and a series of Sony TVs right out of the gate.   However, with the fact that it is a platform, it will then be able to go on multiple other pieces of hardware, which will in turn give Google a far bigger and broader market reach.

Overall, I can’t wait for this thing.   It sounds and looks like a fantastic piece of software, and while I’ve decided to skip most products like this, I do have to say, I may have to pick up a Logitech box, as this sounds far too good to be true. Hopefully this will be the platform that decides to give us the much needed Criterion application.   Just imagine, a Google TV based application that alerts you to new Criterion releases, or in conjunction with something like MUBI, gives you access to streaming content like trailers, clips, and even full films.   Talk about a killer app.

What do you think?

Source: Netflix / Google TV / Gizmodo


Joshua Brunsting

Josh is a critic, a member of the Online Film Critics Society, a wrestling nerd, a hip-hop head, a father, a cinephile and a man looking to make his stamp on the world, one word at a time.

1 comment

  • I haven’t been too excited about this, but I’ve certainly started to consider it since I’m tired of using my 7-8 year old pc as my media center. Knowing that Turner/HBO/Netflix will be available, along with HULU and Comedy Central, I can continue to evade the cable/satellite companies. If AMC and one of these platforms has a DVR appliance I’ll be set to go.