Hasta La Gadget!

If you were wondering what was next for webOS now that it’s gone all open source on us, webOS Nation chimes in with word that Gram is working with LG to bring it to connected HDTVs. Several names from the HP / Gram team are dropped as being involved in the effort, which reportedly was under way even before HP revealed it would spin the project off as an independent. Of course, when we actually saw Open webOS 1.0 it was already stretching to fill the space of an HP TouchSmart computer screen (project architect Steve Winston specifically mentioned hotel kiosks as a possibility, a market LG is all over) so it makes sense that larger displays have been a target. With LG supposedly both looking to replace its existing NetCast smart TV platform and unhappy with Google TV based on its rate of adoption and Google’s terms, engineers have been working to port the software to its dual-core L9 chipset. In the past LG has pursued voice and motion control, the aforementioned Google TV integration and even Plex support to make its smart TVs more appealing, and has founded the Smart TV Alliance for cross platform apps. We only have to wait until CES 2013 to see if webOS is next up to power its efforts, stay tuned.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD

Open webOS-powered HDTVs said to be on the way from… LG? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 02:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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During Google I/O this summer the Google TV team promised more features were on the way — the upgraded Google Play app just arrived — and now it’s posted a “sneak peek” video (embedded after the break) that shows us a few. As promised, there’s second screen integration allowing users to browse live TV and streaming content on the app, then choose it so it starts playing on the TV. Much of the demo is focused on the big improvements it says it’s made to search, with voice search that works across TV and the internet to quickly pull up specific content, content by genre or perform specific tasks like tuning in a particular channel or website like Google Maps. There’s also a new mini-guide overlay based on its personalized TV & Movies app so you can get an idea of what else is on without jumping completely away from what you were watching. Getting cheaper hardware available from more manufacturers is just one part of the puzzle, we’ll see if these improvements make Google TV a desired intermediary between broadcast television and internet streaming.

Update: Someone may have goofed and released the vid accidentally, because it’s been marked as private now. We did manage to grab a couple of snapshots though, check them out after the break.

Update 2: As we suspected, this was definitely an accidental early release of the video so while these updates are certainly on the way, they may not be right around the corner. According to a Google spokesperson “We’re excited to bring users the next version of Google TV’s software in the months ahead, but have nothing further to announce at this time.” And so the waiting game begins.

Continue reading Google TV v3 demo video teases better search, mini-guide overlay and tablet control (Update)

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Google

Google TV v3 demo video teases better search, mini-guide overlay and tablet control (Update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 09:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hot on the heels of YouTube’s launch of 60 new original content channels, the BBC has announced that it will be partnering with Google’s video service to present two of those. The UK broadcaster said it will introduce a nature channel, with content coming from its BBC Earth Productions unit, and a science channel featuring Top Gear presenter James May “and his crack team of scientists.” The new portals will come online in 2013, and “Auntie Beeb” has also redesigned its six current YouTube stations and added new clips from Top Gear (season 18) and other original programs, too. All that comes along at the same time as the refreshed iPlayer — another way the company’s been creative with technology, lately.

Filed under: Internet, HD, Google

BBC announces YouTube original content channels for science, nature originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Oct 2012 09:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And then there were two. We’re talking about standalone Google TV boxes, folks, with the Vizio Co-Star recently joining Sony’s NSZ-GS7. Both feature the same version of Google’s software and come with a remote offering a full QWERTY keyboard and touchpad. But with Vizio’s model selling for just $99, it’s half the price of Sony’s entry, so you might be wondering how extensive the differences are. Now that we’ve had a chance to test both, we’re ready to weigh in. Read on to find out if that 50 percent price difference makes the Co-Star worth it.

Continue reading Vizio Co-Star review: how good a deal is this $99 Google TV box?

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Vizio Co-Star review: how good a deal is this $99 Google TV box? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It wasn’t a part of Samsung’s IFA 2012 press conference, but Samsung is showing off Google TV hardware for the first time since CES 2011 (pictured above), and will release a Smart TV with Google TV later this year. According to its press release and a blog post by the Google TV team, it will “enhance the Smart TV experience” with premium content from its Samsung Apps services. How exactly it will be merged we should see soon, but now that ARM chips are powering a cheaper, more conventionally built experience we figure whatever hung up the deal has been squashed. We should get an eye on it if it’s anywhere on the show floor soon, as well as the Google TV box from Hisense, and Sony’s NSZ-GS7 which already launched in the US and UK, but is coming to Germany, France and the Netherlands soon.

Update: We caught up with working hardware at Samsung’s booth, but the device was disconnected from the internet, so we weren’t able to take it for a proper spin. You can take a somewhat superficial look in our hands-on gallery below, along with the video after the break.

Continue reading Samsung Smart TV with Google TV on display at IFA 2012, ships ‘later this year’ (update: hands-on)

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Samsung Smart TV with Google TV on display at IFA 2012, ships ‘later this year’ (update: hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 04:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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