The Engadget Show returns Saturday, November 20th with Sprint’s product chief, Google TV’s lead dev, and giveaways to really be thankful for!

Attention humans: in case you forgot, the Engadget Show is back in a big way this Saturday, November 20th at 6:30pm! Join us in New York City, where we’ll be interviewing Sprint’s product chief Fared Adib as well as Google TV product manager Salahuddin Choudhary, plus we’ll have the usual mix of raucous editor roundtable, insane giveaways (somebody is leaving with an EPIC 4G and more!), crazy segments, and mind-bending chiptunes music from exileFaker! You don’t want to miss it! Remember, giveaways happen at the live show only, so make the trek and join us at The Times Center in person. We have a new ticketing policy, so if you’re coming to the live show, be sure to read about it below. If you’re geographically incapable of joining us in New York City, just tune into the stream right here on Engadget.

The Engadget Show is sponsored by Sprint, and will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues (see map after the break). Tickets are — as always — free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served… so get there early! Here’s the updated info on our new ticketing policy that you need to know:

  • There is no admission fee — tickets are completely free
  • The event is all ages
  • Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 2:00PM on Saturday, November 20th, doors will open for seating at 5:45PM, and the show begins at 6:30PM
  • We now have assigned seating, so the first people to get their tickets — and the Sprint text-to-win winners (see below) — will get priority seating. This also means that once you get a ticket, your seat is guaranteed — you won’t have to get back in line to get a good seat.
  • Ticketing will continue until all tickets are given away
  • You cannot collect tickets for friends or family — anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket
  • Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we’re full, we’re full
  • The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break)
  • The show length is around an hour

If you’re a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we’ll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.

Sprint is offering 50 guaranteed tickets to the Engadget Show taping to the first 50 entrants who text “ENGADGET” to 467467 or enter online! Standard text messaging rates apply. Click for the Official Rules and see how to enter online.

Subscribe to the Show:

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Continue reading The Engadget Show returns Saturday, November 20th with Sprint’s product chief, Google TV’s lead dev, and giveaways to really be thankful for!

The Engadget Show returns Saturday, November 20th with Sprint’s product chief, Google TV’s lead dev, and giveaways to really be thankful for! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 13:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Internet TV with Google TV ripped apart, messy Intel internals exposed

Sony’s Internet TV with Google TV (we heard you like TV, so we put TV in your… etc.) actually turned out to be pretty much our favorite implementation of Google TV. Imagine our shock and horror, then, to discover what an untidy tangle of wires its cables turned out to be, particularly in comparison to the mega-clean insides of the Revue or the ultra-compact Boxee Box. What gives, Sony? Just because it’s a TV doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter. Don’t feed yourself that nobody-loves-me-guess-I’ll-eat-worms trash. You have to have a little self respect. If you don’t give a damn, who will? Okay, we’re done.

Sony Internet TV with Google TV ripped apart, messy Intel internals exposed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung looks to get down with Google TV in 2011

Samsung looks to get down with Google TV in 2011

Sony was the first to shove a Google TV all up in a display with its Internet TV, and now indications are that Samsung will be the second. According to Bloomberg, Sammy is set to announce a new line of HDTVs that will offer integrated Google TV functionality, as was earlier rumored, and while we don’t have any more details than that, the use of Intel (presumably Atom) processors is noted — though that’s hardly a shocker. The report indicates that the announcement will be made in January, which just so happens to be when a little electronics show will be taking place in Las Vegas. Coincidence? You make the call.

Samsung looks to get down with Google TV in 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 07:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vimeo Adds ‘Couch Mode’ for Google TV

Video-sharing site Vimeo, the classier YouTube, has added a “Couch Mode” to let you kick back and enjoy movies on the big-screen. It was designed for watching on your giant television using Google TV, but will work anywhere friendly to fancy HTML5 code. Right now that means the Chrome and Safari browsers.

To try it out, head to vimeo.com/couchmode and tell your browser to go full screen (this doesn’t work yet in Safari). From there, you can control the video with your keyboard (likely a horrible, zillion-key QWERTY remote if you have bought an actual Google TV box), browse video via on-screen thumbnails and even access your own videos and playlists once you’ve signed in.

It’s very slick, if a little buggy. When switching to full-screen in Chrome, one video got stuttery and another didn’t, but these are just kinks to be worked out. It even works in Safari on the iPad, kinda: you get the navigation, but I couldn’t get a video to play.

The best part of writing this post was cruising around Vimeo. The movies over there are actually worth watching, with lots of very creative and well made short films. The difference between Vimeo and YouTube is like the difference between watching a movie at a beautiful arts cinema and watching the shopping channel through a TV-store window, whilst sitting on a urine soaked couch and sipping Thunderbird.

Introducing Couch Mode… get comfy! [Vimeo blog]

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Ask Engadget: best method for getting the internet on your HDTV?

We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Troy, who clearly longs to relive the glory days of WebTV. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“I can hardly believe I’m saying this, but I’ve got a curious desire for a good-to-great web browsing experience on my television. I know there are countless connected HDTVs out there, a few new Google TV options and the idea of using an HTPC. I’m not afraid of putting the legwork into hooking up a full-blown computer, but I’m trying to keep everything under $400 or $500, so that eliminates the high-end rigs with Blu-ray, CableCARD, and the like. I also am leaning towards the HTPC so I can have a standard user agent for viewing Hulu content, etc. Anyone in the same boat with any opinions?”

With Google TV just hitting the marketplace, you’ve got more options than ever before. Hard to say just yet if that’s a boon or not, but surely a few readers have a couple pennies each to share on the matter. Toss out yours in comments below.

Ask Engadget: best method for getting the internet on your HDTV? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 22:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Logitech Mini Controller for Google TV now available

You may have been lucky and able to find one floating around before now, but Logitech has just officially announced that its Mini Controller for Google TV is now widely available for purchase. As you’ll recall, the controller is basically just a Google TV-friendly version of Logitech’s classic diNovo Mini controller, and a decidedly smaller alternative to the standard keyboard that comes with the Logitech Revue. At $130, though, it’s not exactly a cheap alternative — head on past the break for a brief video of the controller courtesy of Logitech, and don’t forget to check out our hands-on with it right here.

Continue reading Logitech Mini Controller for Google TV now available

Logitech Mini Controller for Google TV now available originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fox.com joins NBC, ABC and CBS by blocking Google TV

Looks like Fox has finally made a decision, following the other major networks, Hulu and several cable channels by opting to block streaming video on its website from Google TV devices. Blocking by Flash ID is the order of the day and takes simple browser workarounds out of play, so unless users want to go the PlayOn route, there’s large swaths of legitimate video on the web that’s now inaccessible. This same type of blocking is likely to affect other devices like the Boxee Box that launches tonight, so prepare for a bit more preening by the “get an HTPC!” crowd while fans of dedicated media streamers will have to look elsewhere for video to feed their hardware.

Fox.com joins NBC, ABC and CBS by blocking Google TV originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dish Network officially starts pushing Google TV integration

There’s no surprise on the pricing front ($179 for the normally $299 Logitech Revue, plus $4/month service fee) but today Dish Network officially started offering the integrated Google TV experience for its customers. The $4 fee applies to and will work with Sony’s Google TV devices as well, but the Revue is the only unit to get a price break up front. Dish is so far the sole TV provider that will let Google TV search through and control its compatible DVRs, and it’s put up a video demo to show how that works (embedded after the break.) Beyond the continuing questions about the Google TV platform itself, we’ll wait and see if Dish got the price right, those interested can check the press release for details on how to sign up.

Continue reading Dish Network officially starts pushing Google TV integration

Dish Network officially starts pushing Google TV integration originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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YouTube Remote app released, controls Leanback on GTV or PC from your Android phone

We weren’t completely in love with Google TV’s YouTube Leanback experience when we gave the platform a run through, but that could change now that the YouTube Remote app has been released to the Android Market. Users pair the devices simply by signing into YouTube Leanback on the TV or PC and the app on the phone with the same account, then select a video on the phone and send it to the bigger screen with a press of a button. At least, that’s how it should work. TechCrunch got a hands on with the new app and a new Topics sorting system for the site during a demo and found some potential, however trying it on one of our devices elicited a slew of crashes before we eventually got everything synced up and working. QR code’s after the break so you can have a go of your own.

Update: Once we got everything rolling, we were able to get a better impression of the app. While it was a bit slow to open on our Galaxy S phone, once it is up, it worked smoothly, scrolling side to side through various queues of types of content and our favorites list. While the task of pulling up Leanback in a browser window or even on a Google TV device makes it ill-suited for viewing just one video at a time, where it excels is building a up a queue of videos and sending them over all at once. It will work on multiple screens at the same time as well, but there’s no Airplay-style syncing to be had, if one of them starts to slow down or buffer it will simply continue lagging behind, and without any volume controls or ability to reach other functions, you’ll still need to keep other remotes handy.

Continue reading YouTube Remote app released, controls Leanback on GTV or PC from your Android phone

YouTube Remote app released, controls Leanback on GTV or PC from your Android phone originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google TV’s Fancast.com backdoor to Hulu video closed; Syfy starts blocking too

Even though Hulu has been blocking Google TV, for a few days users could still access the videos through Comcast’s Fancast.com portal, but that loophole has been closed, repeating a pattern seen after the launch of Flash on Froyo and the overall path of Google TV up to this point. Even more notably, Syfy has joined corporate parent NBC in blocking its streams from the devices. So there you have it, despite being technologically able to play most video on the internet, the Google TV’s selection is still limited by license agreements. Obviously a HTPC is the access route of choice if you’re into cord cutting or just don’t like limits, but if it can’t fix the access problem soon, where does Google’s baby really fit into the connected TV market? Check NewTeeVee for a list of what streaming services you can still check out on Google TV, at least, when you’re not playing WoW.

Google TV’s Fancast.com backdoor to Hulu video closed; Syfy starts blocking too originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 19:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceCrunchgear, GTVHub  | Email this | Comments