Google today announced at the Google I/O developer’s conference Google TV. As you would come to expect, the system will allow you to watch TV, but Google incorporated an interesting quick search feature. In the demo, a search for “MSNBC” will gather results across both TV, DVR, and web. Selecting the channel of course will tune you to MSNBC.
Some other interesting items include bookmarking and picture-in-picture viewing. That is to say that you are able to keep track of a sports game in the lower corner of the screen whilst watching another program, or even browsing the web.
More information coming soon as the keynote progresses.
Update: More information, images, video, and press release after the jump.
Google stated that the main four things that they’ve wanted Google TV to focus on are:
- A way to help users spend less time finding content and more time watching
- More ways to personalize content
- Make existing TV much more interesting
- Make the experience something more than a TV
Google TV — which is basically a set-top box — will work with existing cable or satellite boxes. At the moment, the device is powered by Android 2.1 [Eclair], but the platform is expected to be upgraded in the near future. The device will work with Android smartphones, which can serve as individual remote controllers. Additionally, users can use their Android smartphones to search content on Google TV using voice search, which has become one of Google’s signature features on the Android platform.
Just as many expected, Google TV will also be able to run applications based on two different frameworks — web apps and Android apps. The device will also be equipped with Google Chrome [browser] and Flash 10.1. There will also be an optimized YouTube experience for Google TV called “YouTube Leanback.”
Google partnered up with Sony, Intel, and Logitech. Google TV will be built-into quite a few devices such as HDTVs and set-top boxes with built-in Blu-ray players manufactured by Sony, and companion boxes by Logitech. Intel will provide the Atom processors. Google has also partnered with Dish Network for an “advanced integration,” and with Best Buy to sell all the Google TV merchandise.
Google TV is expected to become available here in the U.S. in the Fall, just before the holiday season, and will launch internationally next year. Additionally, the operating system will not be released to developers until 2011.