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Google is reportedly working with Vizio on Cast-ready TVs
Google has tried reworking Google TV into Android TV, but we're still not seeing the platform embedded in many more new TVs that were announced at launch. Now, according to a report from Variety, the company could try convincing manufacturers to build Chromecast-like receiving directly into TV sets. The first rumored partner is Vizio, which could be looking for a new edge in smart TVs with Yahoo shutting down its platform, and the possibility of an Android tablet remote. Vizio tried building its own Android tablet before, but packing one in with each new TV would be a step further.
Android TV's rise is bad news for (most of) Google TV
The writing has been on the wall since Android TV appeared last summer, but now it's official -- Google TV (and all the hardware that used it) is yesterday's news. Google gave developers confirmation that "most Google TV devices won't support the new platform," although a small subset of devices will be upgraded to the new Android 5.0 software. There's no word on exactly which ones are covered, but the team at Google will be focusing their efforts on Android TV and the Cast ecosystem. Old Google TV boxes will still work of course, but you can pretty much cancel any hope of further updates or continued support from future apps.
Google is cracking down on bad Android TV apps
Google has never approved Play Store apps like Apple does, but now says it'll review Android TV apps "for usability... and other quality guidelines." That's a big departure from its previous policy -- Google only pulled apps retroactively from Play if there was an issue. But as Android Police pointed out, it will now test apps to ensure they work on a D-pad or Gamepad, which implies some may not have played well with those controllers. The timing also coincides with the launch of the Nexus Player, meaning Mountain View may be trying to avoid a Google TV-like debacle with Android TV. If you're concerned about further app Orwellism, there's no sign it'll do the same for the rest of the Android ecosystem.
Google strikes back at the big screen with Android TV
Google announced its plan to take on the billions of TV viewers in the world with a groundbreaking product that would blur the lines between internet and broadcast -- four years ago. Executives from Dish Network, Best Buy, Sony, Logitech, Sony and Intel joined the stage with Google's then-CEO Eric Schmidt to herald the coming of a new era -- which never came. Several generations of Google TV devices failed to catch on and it was eventually squeezed out by set-top boxes, game consoles and other "smart TV" platforms. The idea seemed to come right on time; according to market research firm Strategy Analytics as many as 76 million smart TVs shipped last year, and companies like Apple and Roku have sold millions of connected boxes. So why didn't Google TV get a major piece of that action? And what makes Google's latest initiative, Android TV, any different?
Android TV is Google's latest shot at entertainment glory (hands-on)
For Android, smartphones and tablets are only the beginning. Google believes that there are so many other categories of hardware that could benefit from its mobile OS, so it announced that it's building extensions of Android onto the TV, car and smartwatch. Each genre will require special hardware to be truly beneficial, but the former may have the greatest potential in terms of reach -- after all, more people are looking for a solid television-watching experience than putting a "computer" on their wrist, and it's going to be a long time before Android Auto goes mainstream. Sadly, TV is also an area that Google has struggled with in the past (see Google TV), so it's hoping that lightning will strike with its latest effort, called Android TV. We had a chance to check out the company's first official piece of hardware, simply called the ADT-1. Since it's a developer kit, you won't be able to buy it -- but that won't be an issue once manufacturers begin selling their consumer-facing devices later this fall. Naturally, the version we checked out is considered pre-production, so a lot of things will likely change between now and its final release, but at least we have a good idea of what to expect from the experience.
Google targets Amazon's and Apple's set-top boxes with Android TV platform
Google's already well-acquainted with the living room, having launched its Google TV platform at the I/O conference four years ago. It's safe to say the set-top box software has fallen out of favor (with all but Sony, anyway), and Google's been experiencing more success of late with its simpler Chromecast dongle. Well, today the search giant's revealing its next play in home entertainment with Android TV, a brand-new platform that's part of Android L, and it's bringing Google's OS back to the big screen.
Google reportedly looking to simplify home entertainment with Android TV
Google has been edging away from the original Google TV concept for a while, but it now looks like the company is ready to make a sharper break from its past. The Verge claims to have documents revealing a new Android TV release with a more conventional (if very slick) living room interface. Rather than stress apps or the web, the new OS would rely on a familiar, simplified card layout centered around accessing content quickly. It would put more emphasis on home screen suggestions, and it would be easy to resume media you were playing on your phone or tablet. There are also mentions of gamepad support, suggesting that games may play a more important role this time around. We don't know just when the new Android TV software would reach screens and set-top boxes -- the folks in Mountain View aren't commenting. If the leak is accurate, though, we'll at least know that the search giant isn't fazed by Google TV's past challenges.
Enblink dongle now lets you control your home appliances using voice commands
In case you've never heard of Enblink, here's a one-sentence primer: it's an $85 dongle that plugs into your Google TV box, allowing you to control any Z-Wave-enabled appliance (door locks, lights, etc.) using an app. Got it? Good. Anyway, as of a few days ago, you can control everything using voice commands (Google TV still required). Basically, once you've gone through the trouble of creating so-called scenes, like dimming your living room lights, you'll need to go into the settings menu of the app and add a voice widget to the main screen. From there, you can use commands like "lamp on," "TV off" and "dim." The three-minute video below breaks it down nicely -- and serves as a helpful introduction to folks who had never heard of Enblink before today.
Android TV at CES 2014 highlighted by Chinese manufacturers Hisense and TCL
The project formerly known as Google TV has a limited presence on the CES show floor in 2014. While a number of companies are still working up Android-powered boxes and dongles, the largest TV manufacturers we saw on the floor promoting it were Hisense and TCL. Both are showing off skinned versions of Android TV with Google Play, which look different, but offer similar features like gesture and voice control. Hisense was also showing a new version of its Pulse add-on box, which sports some very Chromecast-like video sharing features. Announced in December, Pulse Pro will ship later this year with Android 4.2.2 and brings a new remote with an integrated microphone for voice control. Hisense's Android TVs include its Ultra HD H9 and H8 line While other manufacturers focus on their homegrown smart TV platforms, it appears Google is doing battle by opening up the services and apps it developed for Google TV to the companies interested in using Android. We'll see if this looser approach helps its reach any, or if Google has any major surprises up its sleeve in 2014, like that Nexus TV box that has been rumored.
Google rumored to launch its own TV set-top box under the Nexus brand next year
We haven't even seen the latest iteration of Google TV yet -- oops, sorry, that's "Android with Google services for TV" these days -- but a new rumor from The Information's Amir Efrati points to a Nexus-branded set-top box directly from Google in the first half of 2014. Previous rumors have noted TV-connected hardware focused on videoconferencing and gaming, and this new rumor also focuses on the latter, indicating that at this stage it runs Android game apps with a touchscreen controller, but doesn't carry live TV. The suggestion is that an "aggressively priced" gaming box (that also plays streaming internet video and is controlled by phone or tablet) would give Google the advertising foothold it's looking for on your family's TV screen. The $35 Chromecast dongle has been well received and achieves many of those goals, but we'd like to see what Google could do to separate itself from competitors like Apple TV and Roku or Android-powered hardware like the Ouya -- not to mention the next-gen consoles from Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony. What's not mentioned here are other rumors that Google might look into IPTV services, however after Intel bailed on that route it's not surprising. One more competitor that could throw its hat in the ring is Amazon, which has also been the subject of rumors about a TV box on the way. The only thing we're sure to be purchasing anytime soon however, is an HDMI switch to plug all of this stuff in.
HiSense unveils Android-powered H6 Smart TVs and Pulse PRO set-top box
HiSense continues its dedication to Google as an operating system with a slew of new hardware powered by Android 4.2.2 that features Google services for TV (the product formerly known as Google TV). The first is its new line of H6 Smart TVs powered by Marvell's latest ARMADA 1500 PLUS HD Media processor, an upgraded over last year's chip that powered many of the first ARM Google TV devices. Available in 40-inch, 50-inch and 55-inch sizes, the televisions come equipped with the company's Social TV and Cloud Services app, a 120Hz refresh rate, Energy Star 6.0 qualifications, 1GB RAM and 8GB ROM. The remote has 30 keys, a built-in air mouse with IQQI Smart Input and voice search functionality. For those who already have a TV but want the same services, HiSense also revealed the Pulse PRO set-top box, which has many of the same features as the H6 but, like the first generation Pulse, can be hooked up to any television set. Other features of the Pulse PRO include Netflix, Vudu HD movies, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube, Google Play, HDMI, IR, DLNA, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB and Ethernet. We're not sure of pricing and availability just yet, and there are no pictures of the new hardware either.
Google TV v4 close to release, hacked 'Android TV' ROM is running in the wild
News that the Google TV platform will get an update to Android Jelly Bean came at the I/O event back in May, but there's been little in the way of information since then. GTV Hacker team member CJ Heres points out a zip file containing the open sourced code for LG's Google TV devices, and even has a hacked ROM up and running on a Sony box. The code was updated in the last week or so and uses Linux 3.4.5, which is the same version that Jelly Bean is based on. Separately, he's posted an image (above) of proper Android 4.x on a Sony NSZ-GS7 Google TV box, complete with the operating system's NDK support that enables high-performance apps so it can run XBMC (barely -- it crashes on any attempt to play video). The software is pulled from a Chinese Android device and as he mentioned to us, hopefully the coming update will make this type of hack entirely unnecessary. Google confirmed the platform will get Chromecast-style features and "bring the latest experience of Android and Chrome to devices," but we don't know if that's due in this update. Reports months ago indicated the Google TV brand will fade into Android as the two projects grow back together, and GigaOm points out that Sony's new BRAVIA Smart Stick doesn't use the title, while developers have moved away from it (even the I/O presentation rocked the title "Android: As seen on TV!"). Google TV or Android TV, we should hear more shortly -- in the meantime check out an I/O demo of LG's TV running Android 4.2.2 after the break.
BRAVIA Smart Stick costs $149, adds Google TV experience to Sony's TVs
After appearances in early FCC leaks and a quick preview this weekend, Sony has officially announced its next Google TV device, the BRAVIA Smart Stick. We already knew the MHL and USB connected dongle would only work with Sony's 2013 or later HDTVs, and its functionally similar to the company's previous Google TV boxes so what's left? Sony has revealed that the NSZ-GU1 carries a $149.99 pricetag and a bit more about the product's strategy. This stick doesn't replace the TV's built-in smart features, the UI is built so it "seamlessly integrates Google and Sony's own BRAVIA apps, allowing viewers to stay in a single menu to launch any of their apps." That also means owners don't have to switch inputs to access live TV thanks to the HDMI passthrough, and should offer quick access to BRAVIA apps not on Google TV like Hulu Plus. The downside? Its limited compatibility means it's no Apple TV or Roku alternative, and until software updates arrive it's not a replacement for Google's popular and cheap Chromecast HDMI dongle. If you have / plan to buy a new Sony HDTV and are interested in living the GTV lifestyle, you should find it at Sony Stores and "select retailers", although we couldn't locate one online (yet) after a brief search.
Sony BRAVIA Smart Stick revealed, it's Google TV in a Chromecast-like dongle
The Sony NSZ-GU1 Google TV device we've seen pop up in FCC filings has been at least partially revealed today, and it's called the Sony BRAVIA Smart Stick. The blog post doesn't specifically mention any Chromecast-style features, but it is an MHL dongle that runs both Google TV and Sony's own BRAVIA apps. The features are just like Google TV boxes Sony has released before, with a remote (that the FCC filings showed is at least similar to the previous ones) that has QWERTY and voice search support. Additionally, its "picture-and-picture" feature lets users see a browser in one window and TV in another. Since it's a true Google TV device it can install and run Android apps from the Play Store, but any other details will have to wait until it's officially announced on Sunday (the truly dedicated can dig into the source code, linked after the break). Of course this does leave one other question: Now that app support is available as a simple plug-in dongle, does that mean Sony is going to ship plain-jane HDTVs and leave the "smart" features for add-on accessories like this one? Update: @CJ_000 points out the web-based instruction manual is up on Sony's site, and should answer most questions about how it works. It also lists the pre-installed apps, and at least so far, Hulu Plus is not among them. We're not seeing any DIAL-related features available to start with, so now we really want to know when it will be available, will it work with TVs other than Sony and how much will it cost? Update 2: Reader Bryan points out a page in the manual that confirms this accessory is only for 2013 model year (and later) Sony HDTVs.
Sony's first post-Chromecast Google TV device is a dongle, not a set-top box
We first got a whiff of Sony's NSZ-GU1 earlier this month from an FCC filing, and now the folks at GTVHacker point out those documents have been updated with more info and pictures. The first new Google TV hardware seen since the $35 Chromecast dongle launched, this device appears to be a blend of the two. A key difference revealed from the pictures however, is an odd stepped design, with the MHL/HDMI port protruding from the bottom of the box. The brief user manual included in the filing may explain this however, as it can draw power via that MHL output and the USB connection to a BRAVIA TV. A tiny diagram in the truncated user manual shows it plugged into the side of a TV like the Chromecast or Roku Streaming Stick. If you're wondering about the PS4 -- yes, we looked, but there's no indication it's meant to work directly with the upcoming console. Like previous Google TV devices, it brings HDMI passthrough to the table along with an IR blaster, remote diagrams (in a separate filing) look similar to the one included with the NSZ-GS7 and GS8. Inside is a low power Marvell DE3108 SoC, 8GB of flash memory and 1GB RAM, however the specs indicate it's limited to 720p video output. As GTVHacker put it, the entire thing is similar to the Chromecast but with Google TV features. What remains to be seen is when it arrives, how much it costs, and what software tweaks Google and Sony can cook up to make this generation of Android-powered smart TVs more appealing.
Enblink turns any Google TV device into a home automation control center
Meet Enblink: a dongle that plugs into any Google TV device and turns it into a home automation control hub. Enblink works with any Z-Wave enabled gadget, from door locks and lamps to security sensors and video cameras. The dongle itself will serve as a Z-Wave radio (once it's passed through the Z-Wave certification process) when plugged into your GTV device of choice. From there, its software runs atop GTV's Android underpinnings and leverages the device's CPU to control the locks and lights in your abode. A companion app for Android turns your phone into a remote control and monitor for appliances hooked into the Enblink system, plus there's an iOS app currently in development. Input from mobile devices goes through Amazon Web Services, which relays commands to the dongle to execute your bidding from afar. It's up for pre-order right now for $85, with the price rising to $99 when it officially goes on sale sometime in the next month or two. Of course, if you're streaming video to your mobile device, there's an ongoing fee (of undetermined cost) for the privilege once you've used up your free allotment of 30 seconds of streaming per day. Regardless, by leveraging existing GTV hardware and AWS to do the lifting on the backend, Enblink is a fraction of the cost of many purpose-built home automation base stations. So if you're a home automation geek that counts yourself among those very few with a Google TV and a slew of Z-Wave toasters, locks and light bulbs, your ship has, at long last, come in. Update: We snagged some rendered screenshots of the TV and mobile UI, check 'em out after the break.
Sony NSZ-GU1 FCC filing hints at a post-Chromecast Google TV
We already heard from Google that it will press forward with its Google TV ambitions along with the new Chromecast dongle, and this FCC filing for a Sony device may reveal what the future holds. Dug up by GTVHacker team member cj_000, the NSZ-GU1 internet player has a model number that follows all of Sony's previous Google TV set-top boxes (NSZ-GT1, NSZ-GS7 and most recently the NSZ-GS8), so there's little doubt about which family it belongs to but there are other questions. Unlike Sony's previous Google TV hardware it actually has an FCC filing, dated June 20th and credited to manufacturer Wistron, and it comes with a USB cable. The notes also show a test layout (after the break) suspiciously similar to the one found in Google's FCC documents for the H2G2-42 Chromecast. Does this mean it's a Sony-branded Chromecast device? While it's possible, there are a few differences that suggest it isn't. The NSZ-GU1 has an IR blaster like other Google TV boxes, and Bluetooth where the Chromecast doesn't include either. The power adapter it's tested with also could be overkill for a simple dongle-like device, but its input rating is very similar to what's listed on the MST3K power adapter that shipped with the Chromecast. We couldn't find any other information to base a final decision on (update: other than a hit on the A1: Dev SD benchmark), hit the source link to take a peek at the filing for yourself and see if there are any clues we may have missed.
Chromecast bootloader exploit surfaces, opens up plenty of possibilities (video)
"Give it time." It's something many mums have uttered to their frustrated youth, and it's something that's also uttered amongst the hacker crowd each time a new device emerges. In the case of Google's $35 Chromecast, it took but a couple of days for the HDMI streaming stick to be exploited. Granted, Google's never been one to keep its biggest software projects under lock and key, but for those looking to tinker a bit with their new toy, GTVHacker has the goods. The exploit package has thus far been used to confirm that the software within is not Chrome OS -- it's described by the aforesaid site as "a modified Google TV release, but with all of the Bionic / Dalvik stripped out and replaced with a single binary for Chromecast." Those interested in giving it a go themselves can test their luck here, while the timid among us can hop on past the break for a video.
Google TV getting Chromecast support in a future update
In the wake of the Chromecast announcement yesterday, some Google TV owners began to worry that Mountain View was taking a different approach to its smart TV business. But those fears were evidently unfounded, as the company's own Warren Rehman confirmed on his Google+ page that not only is Google TV alive and well, but it'll soon support Google's new HDMI streaming dongle. While we don't have an exact date on when Google TV will get the upgrade that introduces Chromecast functionality, we'll keep you posted as we learn more.
Plex for Google TV refreshed with dynamic layout, more big screen love
After launching a brand new Android app, Plex is now giving its Google TV app more room to roam inside your HDTV. An update allows you to dynamically switch your layout to a "TV style" to better take advantage of your flat panel's extra breadth, even if you're running it from an Android smartphone instead (which you totally can). PlexPass subscribers can sideload the app to Google TV or any other Android device via an APK now, and a new Google TV app will arrive on Play within a week. So, if you've already got the pixels but need more screen acreage, check the source.
