Hasta La Gadget!

Speaking of Google-related leaks, we’ve got another one for you. After a bit of digging, we were able to hunt down some images of the rumored Nexus Q, and it now seems inevitable that we’ll be getting some up close and personal time with this particular device after today’s keynote session. According to some documents found by Droid-Life, the Nexus Q will have some interaction with YouTube, Google Play Movies, Play Music and TV, and will require the use of a phone or tablet running Gingerbread or higher.

Update: it looks like the official product page on the Google Play Store has been updated. So here’s the details: the Nexus Q lets you stream music and movies from Google Play and YouTube to your home entertainment system. It offers a 25W amp, enabling you to power it to a set of speakers, or you can hook it up to an AV receiver or HDTV. According to the product page, the Nexus Q will be available for $300. So far it appears to be a US-only product, so we’ll have to wait and see if more is revealed at the I/O keynote session. Check out the video after the break!

Continue reading Google leaks Nexus Q video and images ahead of I/O keynote

Google leaks Nexus Q video and images ahead of I/O keynote originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sirius XM has long had a love affair with Android, going so far as to build an Android-powered satellite radio just a few months ago. That flame is burning for at least a little while longer with plans for a Google TV app launching this summer. Much in line with Sirius XM’s more recent internet options, subscribers can soon tune into virtually anything from the satellite radio lineup, including the obligatory Howard Stern, as well as online-only bonuses like ESPN SportsCenter. The radio provider tells Reuters that it worked “closely” with Google to build the app, but what secret sauce that adds (if any) is left to the imagination: the live pausing and five-hour content storage don’t exactly break the mold of what we’ve seen so far. We’ll find out very soon just how category-busting Sirius XM can get when we get a full reveal of the Google TV app in sync with the start of Google I/O.

Sirius XM gives Google TV a Stern look, plans radio app for this summer originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 08:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google I/O 2012 is almost upon us, and already Google TV is rallying for its second charge at the smart TV segment. Sony and Vizio have each revealed their Google TV set-top boxes, throwing hardware up for pre-order, and while Android tablets are expected to dominate the search giant’s keynotes this week, there’s likely to be at least a little time spared for the company’s TV strategy. It’s vital it does, too; sparse updates to the Apple TV in its third-generation has given Google a window in which to act, but it’s an opportunity that’s rapidly expiring.

Google TV has already addressed what was perhaps its biggest flaw: using Intel processors initially, rather than ARM chipsets. Those x86 chips were more power hungry, less high-def media capable, and – crucially – more expensive than the sort of CPUs running most smart TVs and set-top boxes, meaning first-gen Google TV hardware was hot, over-priced and underwhelming in performance in comparison.

Now, with ARM at its core, Google TV has sidestepped the performance and price conundrum. What’s left is a legitimate play for an holistic ecosystem within which it can slot: not just “here’s the internet overlaid onto your TV” but a compelling portfolio of interactivity features that combine with Google’s other strengths in phones, tablets, Chrome OS and the cloud.

So far, you see, companies still aren’t convinced that Google TV is the way to go. Only last week we saw LG announce a smart TV proposal of its own, diluting its own Google TV commitment from CES back in January with an alternative strategy it’s shopping around competitors. Google TV’s lack of existing traction in the segment means there’s little motivation to adopt it; if it also had the combined heft of Android on mobile devices at its back, however, that would be a far more alluring proposition for OEMs.

“Is a Nexus Google TV the way forward?”

Is a Nexus Google TV the way forward? It’s still probably too early for that; Google has previously saved its “reference designs” for when products are midway into market penetration, and when manufacturers are beginning to stray from the company line. If there’s any new Nexus at Google I/O this week it’s most likely to be a tablet.

Nonetheless, with third-party application support now onboard, and ARM at its core, Google TV is likely to be more of a platform play than a standalone revolution in the living room. Tablets and phones are already finding themselves in regular circulation among sofa-surfers as second screens, something Apple is yet to join the dots on with the iPad and Apple TV. If Google can not only announce its own portfolio of connected services, but push them to the new hardware with alacrity, then it stands a chance of giving Google TV the reboot it deserves.

SlashGear is at Google I/O 2012 this week, so stand-by for all the news worth reading!

I/O 2012 is Google TV’s last chance for a reboot is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Vizio has just announced the launch of the Co-Star Stream Player which will rely on the most recent version of Google TV in order to turn any HDTV into a smart TV that you would want to make the effort to come home to at the end of each day, where live and streaming entertainment is merged into a singular intuitive and easy experience. With the Vizio Co-Star Stream Player, you are able to instantly access thousands of apps, and to experience full screen web browsing capabilities thanks to Google Chrome with Adobe Flash Player and HTML 5 support. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Google TV Hardware Delayed Due To Software Upgrades, Toshiba And Vizio Planning To Offer Google TV Products,

Back at CES 2012, Vizio revealed that it wouldn’t just be pumping out affordable televisions but also Google TV set top boxes. One of the devices at the time held the uninspired VAP430 moniker, but the company has today announced that the box has officially launched, and is now called the Vizio Co-Star. The box uses the latest version of Google TV, features support for the full Chrome web browser as well as apps, and has brought OnLive along for the ride too.

Vizio say that the Co-Star has support for Flash and HTML5 in the web browser, allowing users to make full use of the internet without encountering any problems. The box can be plugged in to exisiting satellite or cable boxes via HDMI as well, allowing customers to use Google TV while keeping an eye on live television. If you’re trying to cut the cord, then all the relevant streaming services as onboard, such as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and YouTube.

On top of all of that, Vizio has partnered with OnLive to bring streaming games to the box. You’ll be able to control everything using the provided Bluetooth remote, or by using a separate QWERTY keyboard. Connectivity for the box includes 802.11n WiFi and a USB port for hard drives and other accessories. DLNA support has also made the grade, allowing you to wireless pipe media to the box from DLNA enabled devices.

Pre-orders for the Vizio Co-Star begin in July from Vizio’s website. The box will cost $99.99, and the company will throw in free shipping for a limited time.

Vizio Co-Star offers Google TV and OnLive for $99.99 is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.