We need Android TV

[ponyo]

I have no experience with Google TV so I don't know if it's the same thing as my desire for Android TV. I love Apple TV. It's inexpensive for what you get which is basically 8gig iPod Touch without the lcd screen. But I wish Apple TV supported the Apple App Market. I was thinking how awesome it would be to have something like Splashtop Remote app running on Apple or Android TV. Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and we wouldn't need HTPC.

 

[Tristicus]

I'm pretty sure the Smart TVs run a variant of Android I believe.

 

[Mopetar]

You might be able to do something like that if you jail break an AppleTV, but I'm not entirely certain. That said, the kinds of apps for devices like this would be vastly different from the type you'd normally put on an app store, due to differences in screen size, interaction method, etc.

The fact that Google TV was widely panned as having a miserable user experience just goes to further that point.

 

[zerocool84]

Apple TV is good only if you have other Apple products so you can Airplay and other stuff. If you just want to stream web content/Netflix/etc there are cheaper options. Also searching on it sucks a lot if you have a large collection of personal stuff to stream. I didn't think Google TV was good for how expensive it is either.

 

[ponyo]

You might be able to do something like that if you jail break an AppleTV, but I'm not entirely certain. That said, the kinds of apps for devices like this would be vastly different from the type you'd normally put on an app store, due to differences in screen size, interaction method, etc.

The fact that Google TV was widely panned as having a miserable user experience just goes to further that point.

Yeah you can add apps like XBMC and Plex once you jailbreak it. AppleTV runs on the same hardware as iPod Touch and iOS software. So it should be possible to get Splashtop Remote app working on AppleTV. AppleTV has hidden built-in Bluetooth that is supposed be enabled with the upcoming iOS5. AppleTV, Splashtop Remote, bluetooth keyboard, and mouse would be the same as having your desktop computer connected to your TV. I guess I was just daydreaming about Splashtop Remote and AppleTV and all the possibilities.

Apple TV is good only if you have other Apple products so you can Airplay and other stuff. If you just want to stream web content/Netflix/etc there are cheaper options. Also searching on it sucks a lot if you have a large collection of personal stuff to stream. I didn't think Google TV was good for how expensive it is either.

No, AppleTV is only good right now if you jailbreak. XBMC makes JB AppleTV awesome. Every person who have seen my JB ATV has been in awe of what it can do. No one cares about stock AppleTV. That's why it has been a sales failure despite being priced competitively and having Apple logo on it. So I guess AppleTV proves the haters are wrong about people only buying things because it has the Apple logo.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I don't think Google TV will ever amount to much (although I could be very wrong).

The content providers are afraid of Google, and are unlikely to work with them, ever.

 

[Anubis]

I don't think Google TV will ever amount to much (although I could be very wrong).

The content providers are afraid of Google, and are unlikely to work with them, ever.

yea sadly this is what will most likely happen

 

[ponyo]

OK, after reading more about Google TV, it sounds exactly like what I want. It has full web browsing, Flash, and Android market support. The only thing missing is support like XBMC but if Splashtop Remote app could be made to work, than I could just access XBMC on my computer through Splashtop.

If Google TV was priced better like $99, it would be no brainer. I searched on Amazon and Logitech Revue Google TV is $220 which is too expensive IMO. It does come with wireless keyboard/trackpad so maybe $150 would be a good price. Now I have to find a deal on Google TV. Google TV has so much potential.

I don't think Google TV will ever amount to much (although I could be very wrong).

The content providers are afraid of Google, and are unlikely to work with them, ever.

Access to free and illegal content is what's going to determine whether platform succeeds or not. Going paid content route is sure way to failure. Youtube paid movies will be failure. The only reason AppleTV is not complete failure is because of XBMC.

GoogleTV should be able to access free streaming content from Veetle, Seeon.TV, theStreamDB, etc. AppleTV can access all these via XBMC. GoogleTV should be able to do it natively. Not to mention thousands of other Flash sites. The only thing that won't probably work is Icefilms since there's no XBMC on Android yet and I doubt VLC streaming or Divx webplayer will work on GoogleTV. Until free Hulu and Icefilms work and GoogleTV is $99, AppleTV will be the better player/buy. But GoogleTV doesn't sound so bad after reading about it. I dismissed it without learning about it because of all the bad initial reviews. Now I will keep my eye out for a deal on GoogleTV.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Just buy a Roku box or build a HTPC.

Google brings nothing to the table except a mess of wires, a complicated interface and way too much attitude.

 

[zerocool84]

Yeah you can add apps like XBMC and Plex once you jailbreak it. AppleTV runs on the same hardware as iPod Touch and iOS software. So it should be possible to get Splashtop Remote app working on AppleTV. AppleTV has hidden built-in Bluetooth that is supposed be enabled with the upcoming iOS5. AppleTV, Splashtop Remote, bluetooth keyboard, and mouse would be the same as having your desktop computer connected to your TV. I guess I was just daydreaming about Splashtop Remote and AppleTV and all the possibilities.




No, AppleTV is only good right now if you jailbreak. XBMC makes JB AppleTV awesome. Every person who have seen my JB ATV has been in awe of what it can do. No one cares about stock AppleTV. That's why it has been a sales failure despite being priced competitively and having Apple logo on it. So I guess AppleTV proves the haters are wrong about people only buying things because it has the Apple logo.

The biggest reason I see Apple TV not selling great is lack of advertising for it. They really never pushed it like other Apple products. Apple TV 2.0 did better than 1.0 but definitely wasn't an average consumer device because lack of awareness.

 

[cheezy321]

Just buy a Roku box or build a HTPC.

Google brings nothing to the table except a mess of wires, a complicated interface and way too much attitude.

This. My HTPC is amazing and with windows you have so many options for interfaces it is ridiculous. You can build one for less than $500 and it will do much more than any of these other streaming devices can do.

 

[zerocool84]

This. My HTPC is amazing and with windows you have so many options for interfaces it is ridiculous. You can build one for less than $500 and it will do much more than any of these other streaming devices can do.

My HTPC is great, I have it in my large room but for other rooms I've bought a cheap Roku because all I cared about was streaming Netflix and other simple stuff. Don't need all the functionality of a HTPC for that.

 

[cheezy321]

My HTPC is great, I have it in my large room but for other rooms I've bought a cheap Roku because all I cared about was streaming Netflix and other simple stuff. Don't need all the functionality of a HTPC for that.

True. I haven't branched out beyond the living room yet for HTPC, but that does make a lot of sense.

 

[ponyo]

This. My HTPC is amazing and with windows you have so many options for interfaces it is ridiculous. You can build one for less than $500 and it will do much more than any of these other streaming devices can do.

That's the thing. We all agree HTPC is awesome and can do the most. But it's also bulky, big, and hot. And it costs like $500. If we have Splashtop Remote App working on AppleTV, we wouldn't need HTPC connected to our TV. It would be the same as having HTPC since you can just log on to your computer in your basement, computer room, etc and control that PC. You then get the best of both worlds. Tiny AppleTV unit by your TV controlling your computer giving you full HTPC and all of AppleTV features. I guess the title of my post should be "We need Splashtop Remote app for AppleTV or GoogleTV." GoogleTV in current state is the closest to full HTPC.

Roku may be nice for older folks happy with Hulu Plus and Netflix but without XBMC support and plugins, it's really not even in the running. Plex is a poor substitute and Roku channels can't make up for lack of XBMC.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Yeah I don't get why I'd pay $200+ for a Google TV device when I can get a WDTV for less than $100. What does it bring to the table? Web browsing? I guess that's nice but it's not worth paying 2x as much.

Western Digital needs to partner up with Google and get a simple, no-frills Google TV box out there for $150 or less. Bring your own keyboard.

 

[MagickMan]

Logitech Revue to drop in price to only $99. For that price, considering all it offers, it's a damned steal!

 

[AstroManLuca]

Well damn, looks like I bought my WDTV a bit too soon.

EDIT: Or not. Given the WDTV's flexibility I may be glad I have it even if the Revue has some cooler features. The WDTV's core functionality (i.e. its ability to play different file types) is unmatched by anything but an HTPC.

 

[UNCjigga]

The new Google TV products due this Fall will be based on Android Honeycomb and include the Android Market.

 

[Mopetar]

Logitech Revue to drop in price to only $99. For that price, considering all it offers, it's a damned steal!

http://thisismynext.com/2011/07/28/google-tv-update-logitech-revue-boxes-returned-sold-q1-price-dropping-99/

Apparently this is because in the previous quarter, there were more of these things returned than sold. I think just further shows that they're just not ready for the mass market yet. Even at $99 I'd rather have a Roku or an AppleTV.

 

[ponyo]

Logitech Revue to drop in price to only $99. For that price, considering all it offers, it's a damned steal!

Sweet! Now we're talking! :awe: $99 is a great deal for a unit with wireless keyboard and trackpad. Now we just need the official price drop to trickle down to retailers like Amazon.

EDIT: Or not. Given the WDTV's flexibility I may be glad I have it even if the Revue has some cooler features. The WDTV's core functionality (i.e. its ability to play different file types) is unmatched by anything but an HTPC.

Not true. AppleTV with XBMC or Plex can play just about any file with way better interface. Roku now has Plex so it should be able to do the same.

AppleTV is still the only stand alone device other than PC that can play free Hulu.

 

[s44]

$100 is the magical price point. I'll probably get one as a DLNA target box. (WDTV isn't bad for that, but Android integration should be simpler with El Goog all around.)

 

[Midwayman]

For $99 I might pick one up just to play with it. Plus it'll integrate into my dish network receiver.

 

[MagickMan]

For $99 I might pick one up just to play with it. Plus it'll integrate into my dish network receiver.

Mine too, I have a ViP722 and it has direct support. Zing!

Hurry up and get those $99 units out!

 

[zerocool84]

$99 is a great price and I might actually pick it up as well.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Lol, no way in hell, they're a lagfest, and too much blocked content, worst thing is no local storage & 2x the ads. You get google tv ads and ads from the tv. Screw that.

Logitech got more units returned in it's last quarter than it sold. They'll be on Woot for $50 soon.

For what Netflix costs, it's still a bargain.