The CES 2011 demonstrated several products and technologies for gadget geeks, book publishers, entertainment providers, computer manufacturers, smartphone manufacturers, TV manufacturers, gaming manufacturers and more. The one most common product used by billions of people around the world, the TV, is also getting an interesting transformation with the interfacing of the same with the Internet.
According to officials of Google, like Android, the Google TV will be an adventure where the TV meets the web, apps, search and the world’s creativity. Being an open software platform, the Google TV will be able to work with any TV and before long, anyone will be able to build applications for it. Like the computer and the smartphone, the TV will also have a home page and you will also be able to use your phone as a remote control, browse the web, watch TV shows and clips from the Internet on your TV set.
Let us have a small review and compare Google TV (Logitech Revue), Boxee, Roku and Apple TV. As regards resolution of Internet TV devices, the Apple TV has it as 720 in comparison to the other three as 1080. Wi-Fi networking is available on all four and also wired networking. While Google TV, Boxee and Apple TV offer full web browsing, Roku enables high speed streaming. As in the case of Apple you can get it at $40. The other interesting area for a vast population the world over is social networking. As regards video calling, while Google is making it possible using a Logitech TV camera, Boxee and Roku do not have these features and Apple is probably developing the app using FaceTime. Facebook is available on Logitech Revue, Boxee and the Apple TV. An edge that Google TV (Logitech Revue) has over all the three others is the availability of the e-mail, while Boxee, Roku and Apple do not provide it. Picture viewing is available on all four. Apple TV may be providing games shortly, and the Roku has an application available, while the Boxee and Logitech Revue Google TV have it through interesting applications further announcing that gaming could be a major factor in the Android applications and via the browser in the Logitech Revue – Google TV. Streaming content – Amazon VOD, Netflix, YouTube and music – are available on all the four products. iTunes is available on the Apple TV and the Roku while Boxee does not support it.
While individual perceptions can change, one cannot but ignore the fact that, the Logitech Revue – Google TV seems to be having big aims in this specific internet TV device market, Boxee is not very far away and Apple is quite close in competition. The Roku device, of course aims at different segments of the market.
