GoogleTV
In December, I reviewed the Roku 2 XS here on FFTB. Since then I have continued to enjoy its excellent selection of original free programming as well as the paid programming available from providers like Netflix, and Hulu Plus. I am still a Google fan despite the recent privacy policy changes so I needed to see what Google TV was all about. I snagged the last 40” Sony TV powered by Google TV at Best Buy and brought it home looking forward to comparing it to my beloved Roku 2. I was expecting all of the things I read about Google TV to be too true and likely having to return it.
At first I thought Google TV was another option for those of us who were tired of paying for commercial after commercial stuffed into lackluster programming. What I got was something entirely different. What I got was an excellent solution for integrating traditional television services, DVR/TiVo, home media devices, and web content including the Chrome web browser all into one tidy and easy to navigate package. This device is clearly not a complete solution for the cord cutters out there, but it is a more powerful and encompassing solution for the mediaphiles out there.
The enhanced live television browsing provided by the native “TV and Movies” application also allows you to look at what is available to watch through pay services like Netflix and Amazon. You can apply filters to what you see available for viewing. This includes, Live TV, web streaming services compatible with the Android OS, and free or paid programming. It even grabs the digital OTA signal through my receiver and sorts the programs into categories for easy navigation. All of these features are even further enhanced by the integrated Google Search feature.
Sony did it right with the full qwerty keyboard on the controller. It maintains very similar functionality to a regular keyboard. This includes holding the Shift key for uppercase letters and Chrome keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+ T to open tabs and Ctrl+W to close them. The controller feels like it was designed to minimize the adjustment period and enhance the experience of the “10-foot UI” of the Android OS. It would be nice to be able to adjust the sensitivity of the tiny touch mouse to more aggressively move about the screen. As it is now, it takes a while to navigate with it across the 40” screen to the point where it is frequently faster to use the directional pad to select TV shows, movies or apps. The new controller for of the Google TV enabled Blu-ray player may be a an improvement on the original with a large touch pad on one side with a few buttons and a full keyboard on the other.
There are some definite drawbacks to the device. The amount of original content is a lacking in a big way, and there aren't as many apps as I would like to see available in the Android Market. Some of the apps I really like are Zillow, Classy Fireplace (which does exactly you think) and Pandora. I'm more than a little disappointed that Spotify isn't available, but I'll live. The absence of Hulu Plus is felt, but I think that If I had paid TV service with DVR or TiVo, I wouldn't miss it in the least.
Overall the GoogleTV is a powerful platform capable of doing much more than is currently available. The integration with OTA/Cable/FiOS TV is an awesome feature for those who haven't cut the cord from traditional TV providers. Apps Like PLEX for Android are great for those of us who have converted our DVD collection or download movies and TV shows.
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