Hasta La Gadget!

No patience left to wait for Google TV? Tough luck, bubs — ’cause Bonux’s Android set-top box ain’t shipping till the year’s end, either. Tucked away in a small corner of Computex was the gem you see above: an Android 2.1-based set-top box designed to bring… well, Android to your television. The white mockup box was strictly in place to demonstrate the software, and the inability to find a live internet connection on the floor crushed their desires to demonstrate connected extras. Essentially, this STB would scale a mobile OS up to TV size, which isn’t exactly the most elegant of solutions. That said, it does “work,” and the idea of using Android to pull in local media and web content may tempt those who aren’t willing to deal with the expense and complications of snagging a full-blown HTPC. We were told that the box could play back nearly every major file format known to man, and the HDMI output ensures broad compatibility with practically every HDTV ever sold.

When speaking with company representatives at its booth, they asserted that their goal was to shrink the white box down to the size of the black unit sitting beside it, or something barely larger than a deck of cards. If all goes to plan, they should be shipping worldwide by the end of this year, but they stated that it would be awhile before Froyo (Android 2.2) was supported given the intrinsic need for more potent hardware. Speaking of which, they’ve yet to actually nail down a final processor, and they’re still debating whether they’ll have WiFi as an option. In the end, consumers should expect “between one and three” variants (including one with an integrated TV tuner, possibly), and a retail starting price of around “$120 to $130.” So, found that patience you were looking for yet? Per usual, a video demonstration awaits you after the break.

Continue reading Bonux’s Android set-top box is pretty much Google TV lite… really lite (video)

Bonux’s Android set-top box is pretty much Google TV lite… really lite (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Could the white box splayed atop the FCC workbench above known as the NSZ-GT1 be the first Google TV box from Sony? Sure seems to be: the 25 x 33-cm (9.8 x 13-inch) device is called the “Internet TV Box” in the FCC documents, similar wording to Sony’s already announced “Sony Internet TV” with integrated Google TV thingamaservice. The Foxconn-built settop box with 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi radios just cleared the FCC en route to an apparent US launch. The when is the big question — presumably on or around September 1st, the date that Sony’s short-term confidentiality request expires — that’s considered Fall right? A few notable document images after the break.

Continue reading Sony Internet TV Box revealed by the FCC as Google TV device?

Sony Internet TV Box revealed by the FCC as Google TV device? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 07:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  FCC  | Email this | Comments

Hey Google, shall we try the other box? Maybe it has hardware acceleration built in for your new WebM video format? Intel’s Wilfred Martis has told IDG News that his company is keeping a close eye on Google’s new VP8-based format, and should it prove popular enough, hardware acceleration for it will be built into the CE4100 and other Atom chips headed to TVs and overpowered cable boxes in the future:

Just like we did with other codecs like MPEG2, H.264 & VC1, if VP8 establishes itself in the Smart TV space, we will add it to our [hardware] decoders.

Not exactly astonishing news, as Google TV is still likely to proceed on those chips with WebM getting decoded by software in the mean time, but at least Intel’s absenteeism from the WebM hardware partner list can now be explained as simple precaution, rather than some deeper division between the companies.

Intel mulling WebM hardware acceleration in Atom CE4100 chip originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 06:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Computerworld  | Email this | Comments

Google made a big splash into the home entertainment world yesterday with the announcement of Google TV — particularly because it’s partnered up with some major names like Sony, Intel, Logitech, Best Buy and Dish Network. That’s a lot of industry momentum behind a platform that’s trying to achieve what many believe to be impossible: marry the television to the internet. Will Google finally be the one to pull it off? To be honest, the Engadget staff is nowhere near agreement on this, so we’re just going to let everyone speak for themselves — read on!

Continue reading Editorial: Engadget on Google TV

Editorial: Engadget on Google TV originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 May 2010 20:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

The Google TV has landed and is already sending ripples through the marketplace, but what about all the companies already blending internet and TV? Whether they are already planning to work with the new initiative (Rovi), even more firmly staking a claim on their existing technology and vision for the connected TV (Microsoft, Yahoo), sounding like it’s an option for the future (Samsung, VIZIO, Boxee) or already working on their own Android on TV projects (People of Lava, MIPS) each one should tell a little bit about where this market is headed in the coming months and years. Read on for their statements — and a quick breakdown of what each is bringing to the table in case you weren’t already running a network cable to your HDTV years ago.

Update: Now with reactions from Roku and PlayOn!

Continue reading Google TV: Who is the competition and what are they saying about it?

Google TV: Who is the competition and what are they saying about it? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 21 May 2010 13:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments