Logitech's Google TV device: $299, out by Halloween

The first set-top box running Google's new TV software was unveiled today by Logitech, the Swiss peripherals company that also makes Harmony remote controls.

Logitech is taking pre-orders for a $299 kit that includes a wireless keyboard/remote control and a set-top box.

Google TV adds a search bar to the TV screen and a collection of applications through which videos and other content is distributed, similar to the applications available on newer TVs from Panasonic, Samsung, Vizio and others.

Google is working with content providers to develop custom applications for the platform, but what's most notable is that the Google TV software includes a browser for viewing Web pages directly, unlike most new connected TV devices, which funnel everything through applications.

Logitech is the first of several partners rolling out Google TV products. On Oct. 12, Sony will announce new Blu-ray players and TVs with Google TV software built in.

Don't look to Google TV to replace your cable TV service yet. The Logitech device requires you to also have a cable or satellite set-top box with an HDMI connection (or DirectTV service). It also requires a TV with an HDMI input to connect to the Logitech box.

Inside, the box has an Intel Atom processor designed especially for set-top boxes. In a way it's similar to the mininature Atom-powered Media Center PCs from Asus, Lenovo and others that are designed to be mounted on the back of a TV, but those are full-fledged computers that let you load, store and share content.

Logitech's "Revue" device has a USB port for connecting to external hard-drives and devices storing content, and it's DLNA compliant, meaning it should be able to stream music, photos and videos from DLNA media servers on a home network.

Google TV Arrives Via Logitech Revue

Dozens of journalists squeezed into a tiny space in Tribeca Wednesday to witness the launch of Google TV's first progeny: the Logitech Revue with Google TV.

The device aims to solve a difficult problem - bringing together all the content from the Web, local PCs, and TV on the home's biggest screen, the living room TV.

According to Junien Labrousse, executive vice president of products for Logitech, there has "never [been] one solution to bring this all together into one interface, because it's complicated."

Logitech's Google TV incarnation includes a set-top box, remote control/keyboard combination, and a variety of accessories, including a Webcam that'll enable video calling through the device. The keyboard remote control is roughly the size of a full-sized computer keyboard, but adds a touchpad and D-Pad, and fully integrates the Logitech harmony remote technology.

Logitech also unveiled a clamshell-style mini controller that fits in the palm of your hand. It also debuted free Android and iPhone apps that accept voice commands and can control the Revue box and share content directly from the phone to the Revue Google TV device.

Revue will, as promised by Google months ago, bring together the worlds of TV, the Web, and local content. The device is DLNA-compliant and can access music, photos, and videos stored on networked PCs. That content is also, as with everything else in the Google TV environment, searchable.

Perhaps the only surprise of the event was the introduction of video-calling through the Google TV-based device. Logitech has been in the Webcam market for decades and most recently delivered a variety of HD-quality Webcams for the PC.

Logitech Vid HD on Google TV comes pre-installed and works with an external 720p-capbablie Webcam that can be attached to the top of your HDTV. The Webcam also features a Carl Zeiss lens and two microphones. While Revue owners can call each other, any Mac or PC owner running the Logitech Vid HD app can also call Revue devices. Logitech execs said it's a "Plug and play solution." Revue owners can pan and zoom their own image via the remote control's D-Pad.

The Revue will ship with Flash 10.1 support, and version 5 of Google's Chrome browser. Chrome will update just like the dekstop-based browser. It doesn't include any special technology to, say, block pop-ups or protect the user beyond what you'll find in the current version of Chome. Google executives explained that the only difference between the Revue Google TV Chrome browser and the PC's Chrome is that there is less "Chrome" on the Revue browser.

The Revue will come pre-loaded with a variety of apps from, among others, Twitter, Netflix, and Pandora. No Hulu for now, though Logitech executives said Google and Hulu are in talks.

The Revue box and keyboard will list for $299.99. The keyboard alone will cost $99.99 and the mini remote will list for $129.99. The HDTV camera will go on sale for $149.99.

All devices are available for pre-order now on Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, and Logitech.com. Consumers who pre-order a Revue should receive it by month's end, executives said.

Meanwhile, partner Dish Networks, has built the Revue technology in its latest DVR so it can work with the Logitech Revue set-top box. It will not work with, say, a Sony Google TV. The Revue-ready Dish network DVR's ($179) should be ready by the end of this month. Current Dish boxes should be able to accept software upgrades that allow the same pairing.

Logitech confirms Google TV announcement

Give us the right date we deserve

THE MAKER OF SET TOP BOXES for Google's TV service, Logitech has confirmed it will be making an announcement later today.

The INQUIRER spoke to Logitech earlier today and the company confirmed speculation that it will be releasing a statement about Google TV.

While Google has been shouting to anyone willing to listen all about Google TV, its hardware partners have been relatively silent. Sony's Google TV remote got an unexpected outing in the US on ABC's Nightline programme, but the company hasn't made any announcements yet.

Logitech did tell The INQUIRER in May that Google's TV service was due to start slowly rolling out from January 2011 in the UK. It was widely rumoured that you'd be able to get your hands on a Logitech set top box this Autumn. Since then, Logitech has kept mum about when its set top box is coming out. At the time, Google also said you'd see Google TV gear at Best Buy stores in the US from September.

What is for sure is that all parties involved in Google TV are mentioning conflicting dates, especially Google, which can't seem to agree with itself.

The INQURIER reported in September that Google CEO Eric Schmidt said during his keynote speech to the IFA consumer electronics show that the US will get Google TV in October.

However, on the same day, Intel's CEO Paul Otellini pinned the Google TV release timeframe as September for the US.

So we hope Logitech can help clear up all this confusion and give us a definite date.

Logitech unveils its Google TV box

If Google’s TV talk is to be believed, then how we watch the box is going to change. But the box that we watch TV through is also going to change. Here’s the first one compatible with Google TV.

While Logitech couldn’t tell us when the device would be available in New Zealand (it’s due in the US later this year), the company has opened up on what the set-top box will be able to do.

“Revue comes with an easy to set up companion box and an intuitive companion keyboard controller,” says Logitech. “Simply connect your TV, cable or satellite set-top box, and your Internet connection to the Logitech Revue, and you’ve got Google TV. As long as your TV has an HDMI port, you are ready for Google TV.”

Revue is described as a companion to your TV and not a TV itself, so it’ll work with any TV and any HDTV you get in the future with a HDMI port.

The included keyboard is used to find shows, surf the web or turn up the volume. “By combining a compact keyboard, a touchpad, and a remote in a sleek, living room-worthy design, Revue gives you full wireless control over all your entertainment without leaving the couch,” adds Logitech.

You’ll also be able to control Revue with your iPhone or Android smartphone via a software download.

In the US the Revue comes with a choice of fast 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi or Ethernet connectivity, offering high-quality audio and video whether you’re connecting to the internet wirelessly or through a cable.

Hit this link to find out more. We’ll let you know when New Zealand plans for the device are firmed up.

Google TV Highlighted on Logitech's New Companion Box

Logitech on Wednesday took the wraps off a set-top box called Revue, which will be the first device to bring the highly anticipated Google TV platform to television sets.

The device is a "companion" box, and brings programming and movies from multiple sources including the Internet, broadcast providers, PCs and mobile devices to the large-screen TV, said Junien Labrousse, executive vice president of products at Logitech, during a product launch event in New York.

It comes with Google TV software, which is designed to blend Internet surfing with TV programming. Google announced the Google TV platform to much fanfare in May along with partners Intel, Sony and Logitech. Google at the time said the platform would revolutionize the way people watched television by merging the Internet and TV into a single interface.

Logitech's Revue provides a glimpse into Google TV's capabilities and its promise.

Consumers have access to a vast amount of content including videos, pictures and games from various sources using the box. Google's search capabilities will make it easier to find the right programs from the TV, Internet, digital video recorder or PC. For example, a search for a particular program could render listings from TV channels, YouTube or DVRs.

The device will also run specific applications to stream movies and TV shows from websites like Netflix or Amazon, or to access other Internet services like Twitter. Applications will also allow users to listen to radio from sites like Pandora, check stock prices or read newspapers and magazines from the Internet.

Google earlier this week announced content distribution partners for Google TV, including The New York Times, USA Today, Turner Broadcasting, HBO and the NBA.

Applications from the Android Market will become available next year, opening up the device to many more games, content and applications, Labrousse said.

Users can also watch TV and run an application simultaneously. For example, users will be able to check Twitter messages or sports statistics while watching a TV program. Users also can use the Chrome browser provided within the software to surf the Web.

The home screen provides quick access to applications, podcasts, videos, spotlighted programs and programs currently playing. Within the interface, programming and applications are broken down by category.

An application called Logitech Media Player also allows playback of video or music from home PCs. The device connects to a PC over a Wi-Fi network or Ethernet.

The companion box connects to a TV set or DVR boxes using an HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) port. The device also ships with a controller that functions as both a remote and keyboard. A smartphone application from Logitech can also convert an iPhone or Android handset into a remote control.

The device also comes with Logitech's Harmony Link technology, allowing the box to talk with and take commands from multiple devices such as home theater systems using infrared technology.

The device will ship for US$299.99, which includes the controller. The device is available for preorder starting on Wednesday, and will start shipping by the end of this month, Labrousse said. It will be available in the U.S. in retail stores like Best Buy and online retailers like Amazon. The company did not immediately comment on worldwide availability.

Logitech is also selling a number of accessories to complement Revue. An optional $149.99 high-definition video camera allows for videoconferencing at a 720p resolution with friends through the TV. The company is also selling a smaller controller for $129.99.

With Revue, Logitech will compete with the likes of Apple, which makes the Apple TV, and Roku, which offers a digital video player that streams content from the Internet to TVs. A number of TV companies such as Samsung also have their eyes set on using the Internet to stream movies and TV shows. Sony has already said it would provide HDTVs and Blu-ray players with Intel's chips and Google TV software built in.

However, the device won't be able to download movies from the Apple TV service. It is also missing support from popular video sites like Hulu.

iOS 4.2 Beta Reveals Apple TV Runs iOS

Apple's new-look Apple TV is running the same iOS as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) reports a tipster sent the website details of the USB device configuration list in the new iOS 4.2 beta, which reveals the Apple TV is indeed an iOS device.

Apple made no mention of the change, when Steve Jobs unveiled the cheaper Apple TV on 1 September.

"An entry in iOS 3.2 was referred to as iProd2,1, and we suspected that it was likely an early prototype of a next-gen iPad," Ars Technica's Chris Foresman notes.

"However, an updated configuration file in iOS 4.2b1 reveals the same numeric product ID is attached to an entry for AppleTV2,1, referring to the second major hardware revision of the Apple TV."

Both TUAW and Ars Technica doubt we'll see iPhone style apps running on the new Apple TV anytime soon, due to the lack of onboard storage capacity.

However, being based on iOS, the Apple TV will likely be a target for the jailbreak community, offering potential enhancements and modifications. "If hackers are able to jailbreak the device, there may not be enough room to run custom apps, nor is it clear how those applications would interact with the Apple Remote," TUAW's Steven Sande adds.

Why Apple TV Will Eat Google TV's Lunch

Forget about Google TV. Apple's got five secret weapons that will help it pull the plug on Google TV.

Perhaps you were disappointed with the new look Apple TV when it was introduced one month ago; perhaps you expected more from Steve Jobs' hobby; perhaps you think itseems a little puny in comparison to the Google TV solutions we're hearing so much more about this week. Look a little deeper though and it seems pretty clear Apple's quietly putting together the pieces it needs to outmaneuver its Android enemy. Here's five clues:

1/ Apple TV can run apps
We're definite on this now. Not only has the new product already been jailbroken in order that it can run independently-produced software from jailbreaker developers, but it's possible to install iOS apps on the device -- no jailbreak required.

Developer Steven Troughton-Smith has discovered that apps can be installed, it isn't possible to run them on an Apple TV just yet, as the operating system inside doesn't yet offer a launcher to enable apps to run.

[This story is from Computerworld's Apple Holic blog. Follow on Twitter or subscribe via RSS to make sure you don't miss a beat.]

Could this debut in a future software update? I don't know for sure, but it seems an obvious strategy.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has hinted that an App Store for the Apple TV could appear one day, as Business Week puts it:

What Jobs didn't say is that Apple wants to become king of the living room. He tells Bloomberg Businessweek that when the time is right, Apple could open an App Store for the TV that could do for television sets what all those apps have done for the iPhone.

Google TV already offers several integrated apps and the promise of support for many Android early next year.

2/ TV isn't TV anymore
Steve Jobs is honest. He just isn't always easy to understand. Recall when he said he didn't think people really wanted to watch TV on a small iPod screen? Or when he said he wasn't sure of the eBook business? Or when he revealed that Mac OS X ran on Intel machines for five years before the Intel switch was revealed. What was his throwaway comment on television following launch of the new Apple TV?

He told BusinessWeek: "Asked if the iPad could evolve into the TV of tomorrow, Jobs shrugs and says, "That's how I do most of my TV watching today."

Now imagine for a moment that Jobs is using an iPad that's perhaps a little more beta than anybody else. Imagine for example he's actually streaming TV of various kinds to his television from his iPad.

3/ When video out goes wireless
AirPlay is great. When products licensing the technology reach market we'll be looking at a beautifully-connected end-to-end vision for a powerfully-featured digital home at a much lower cost of entry than ever before.

You'll be able to beam music from any iOS device to any AirPlay device (and via an AirPort Express also -- anyone noticed the huge discount on these at Amazon at the moment?)

Recently some clever Apple-watchers claim you can also stream video from an iOS device running AirPlay to the Apple TV. If true, this could be why Mr Jobs is watching his TV using his iPad.

4/ Why Apple TV loves 720p
Many complain the Apple TV won't output video in true high-res video format, its supported resolution is 1,280-x-720, or 720p. Why? Take it to Troughton-Smith once again. He's noticed that the Cocoa-like UIKit development kit already lets developers create apps with 720p video output. It has done so since iOS 4.2. And who uses it? "Mainly those creating TV-out UIs in iPad apps."

"Developers have already started crafting ten-foot-UI experiences in existing iOS apps, so it would be a no-brainer for that to translate over to AppleTV wholesale."

Oh -- one more thing: Apple has already added remote control support into iOS, making it possible to create remote-control driven iOS apps. In other words, apps which run on your TV, controlled by a remote, or (potentially) by an existing iOS device.

5/ Look inside
Inside the Apple TV you'll find 8GB of flash storage, 256MB or RAM and an A4 processor -- the same processor as you'll find inside an iPad, iPhone 4 or iPod touch. Indeed, it's the same amount of RAM as you'll find inside the iPod touch or iPad.

Why is all that power there just to drive Apple's 'Lowtide' Apple TV software?

Apple's made the news today with its decision to pay $1.7 million to a couple for a small house standing in one acre of land, a house that's situated right beside its new billion dollar data center.

That Apple is prepared to pay that much cash just for an acre of land should be enough to convince anybody that the company is engaged in a serious strategic play.

We're looking at big moves into the cloud in Cupertino once that data center is completed at the end of the year. This will likely include progression in Apple's plan for iTunes in the cloud.

Summing up
Turner Broadcasting, NBC Universal and HBO have all developed applications for the Google TV. These networks say they don't want to climb aboard the iTunes bandwagon. But now Apple supports Netflix on Apple TV, it is only a question of time before perhaps it allows broadcasters to offer and profit from their own Apps. Perhaps.