Currently viewing the tag: "logitech"
A recent study by analyst group Xyologic suggests that less than 1 million homes are using Google TV. In order to determine this, the group used data from the Android Market to analyze the number of app downloads for Google TV products. Though this isn’t an ideal method and won’t provide a perfect picture of user-ship (especially given the low number of apps available), it seems to be the closest we can get without Google releasing numbers themselves (which isn’t likely).
With few current options to purchase a Google TV (the Revue having been discontinued and Sony HDTVs currently not in production), the chances of Google TV truly cracking the living room market are looking dim. Will the number of new Google TV devices hitting shelves later this year be able to compete with the Apple TV, also rumored for release this year? At this rate, perhaps not.
[via TG Daily]
In keeping with their promise to release more frequent Google TV updates, Google introduced Honeycomb 3.2 last week. The new software, currently for Sony devices only with the Revue soon to follow, provides the following improvements:
- It supports hardware acceleration, making apps with animation effects move faster
- It supports HTTP live streaming which will help with HTML5 video and make local media streaming through apps work
- Improvements to the way Google TV identifies channels will make it easier for app developers to use their own EPGs
- Chrome is getting a boost
This update will likely be one of many before the arrival of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which is rumored to occur before the end of the year. Stay tuned to see what Google rolls out throughout the next year of Google TV.
[via GigaOm]
Sony took advantage of CES 2012 to affirm it’s faith in Google TV by debuting an updated version of their Blu-ray player to be released this summer, along with an all new product to fill the gap that Logitech is leaving behind: a Google TV set-top box to be released in the Spring. Both recently announced items will feature all the perks of 2.0, plus a few fancy tricks to rival the competition.
Making dedicated space for the QWERTY keyboard seems to be at the top of the re-design list this year, as well as a touch-pad remote. Sony’s version will also be responsive to motion via a three-axis control system and will be outfitted with voice-search functionality. Sounds fancy, Sony (and it looks pretty darn good, too).
[via Cnet]
If you unwrapped a Revue this holiday season and have hit a snag in setting it up, it may because of corrupted firmware. Users are reporting that set-up of some new Revue units is failing at step seven of eleve, when attempting to contact Logitech’s server. Logitech’s Senior Product Manager Peter McColgan has made the following statement:
There appears to be corrupted firmware on some of the recently manufactured Revues which is causing the Authentication error. There is nothing that you can do to fix this and nothing we can do except to replace your Revue via the RMA process. You always have the option of returning to the retailer and exchanging for another Revue or getting a refund. We believe that only a relatively small % of recently manufactured Revues are affected.
As stated above, there is no fix besides exchanging your box at your local retailer or through Logitech directly. This will likely mean more revenue lost on account of the Revue–nothing like another upset for Logitech, which just keeps paying for it’s Google TV mistakes!
[via The Verge]
It turns out that the Honeycomb update that rolled out to the Logitech Revue a couple weeks ago was incomplete: the updated Revue does not support the full Google TV Version 2.0 enhancements for video and media streaming capabilities. The limited functionality is centered around the Logitech Media Player, which lacks support for transport streams (.ts) and the MPEG-2 codec, both of which where implemented by Sony in the Honeycomb update.
Upon first discovery of this shortcoming, it was thought that perhaps the Revue had a limited chipset that wasn’t capable of supporting the MPEG-2 codec used in traditional DVDs, but deeper probing has revealed that the Revue is not only capable, but that support had been available in the first leaked beta version of Honeycomb and had been specifically removed in later leaks and the official release.
So, why is Logitech barring its users from some features while at the same time blaming Google for the Revue’s lack of success? Furthermore, why are they bothering to push incomplete updates that only serve to highlight the fact that Logitech has got one foot out the door? This is troubling news for customers who have already invested in Revue units, and even more troubling for customers who have just purchased units this holiday season under high expectations of improvement. We will keep our fingers crossed that Logitech pushes another update that offers full functionality. If not, Logitech may have just sent a message that officially sentences the Revue to market death.
[via StreamingMedia]
Logitech announced today that the Revue will be getting the long-awaited Honeycomb update this week. Sony Google TV’s got the update in early November, at which time we were told that the Revue was soon to follow. While I guess a month wasn’t a terribly long wait, it sure felt like it to us! In fact, we were starting to wonder if the update wasn’t coming at all, what with Logitech’s recent statement about pulling out of Google TV. But alas, Logitech is still hoping to clear those warehouse shelves via Version 2.0.
For those of you already using the Revue, simply make sure that your unit is hooked up, turned on and connected to the web– an automatic screen pop-up will require that you accept the update when the time has come. New Revue users will be expected to receive the updated version automatically upon start-up.
Along with the improved features of Android 3.1, which include access to the Android Market and easier-to-navigate search features, the Revue boasts “improvements to the Logitech Media Player”, with no detail as to what exactly that means. Luckily we will be able to see for ourselves in just a few short days, so stay tuned for updates.
[via Logitech Blog]
LG will be showcasing its upcoming Google TV at CES 2012, and it is likely that Samsung will be soon to follow. Though Samsung’s version won’t be unveiled at CES in January, an executive with the company told reporters in Seoul that talks with Google are in their final stages, so we should be seeing some Samsung Google TV goods cropping up as 2012 progresses.
Though no details seem to be available yet, our best guess is that Samsung is making a TV-set, as their previous Google TV attempt, a set-top box and blu-ray DVD player in one, was never released. As both LG and Samsung are likely on board to boost TV sales and prices, it will be interesting to see if a fresh wave of Google TV products will do any better than the first. With Logitech backing out of the future of Google TV and Sony undoubtedly feeling a bit burned as well, theres plenty of opportunity for both Samsung and LG to either sink or swim. Stay tuned to see what products and profits will result.
[via LA Times]
It looks like LG is stepping in where Logitech has bowed out: LG is preparing it’s first Google TV for launch at CES 2012 in January. The move is a follow up to when LG was in line to demonstrate Google TV products at CES 2010 before stopping production plans at Google’s request, a request that saved LG from the first round of Google TV disappointment. Back with a vengeance in version 2, Google TV is in need of new hardware partners since Logitech’s recent vow not to replace or further produce the Revue.
The specifics of the new LG Google TV are unclear at this time, as sources have only said that it will be a TV set with Google TV 2.0 integration. Hopefully LG will tread lightly, not making the same pricing and large-scale production mistakes as Sony and Logitech did in the first round. We will keep you posted as the LG Google TV devices hit shelves.
[via Slash Gear]
Hey everyone, remember a few weeks back when we speculated that Logitech may be pulling out of Google TV? Well, as it turns out, it looks like we were right. As stated by Logitech’s CEO Guerrino De Luca, Logitech is done with Google TV:
To make the long story short, we thought we had invented [sliced] bread and we just made them. [We made a commitment to] just build a lot because we expected everybody to line up for Christmas and buy these boxes [at] $300 [...] that was a big mistake.
While Logitech still undoubtedly hopes to unload their remaining stock of Revues with what may be a renewed wave of interest with the Honeycomb update, their work on Google TV is done. De Luca noted that while Google TV may have marketplace success in the future, he believed any notable success is still a long way off, and that Logitech will not be involved if and when that success occurs.
Logitech, which “executed a full scale launch with a beta product” (De Luca), lost $100 million dollars when consumer demand failed to (even remotely) meet expectations. It really must have hurt if they are swearing off Google TV forever, despite acknowledging that it may still have a significant future. If Logitech is out, should Google worry about losing Sony, which has also suffered significant losses as a result of low Google TV interest? Stay tuned to find out.
[via MacRumors]
Sony Google TV devices got the Honeycomb update this week, and though us GTV Hub-ers are still waiting on the Revue to come around, TechCrunch is already talking 2.0. In summary, they are dubbing it beautiful but not brilliant– a definite improvement but still with vasst short fallings. As more and more reviews surface it will be interesting to see if this is the general consensus: did Google miss their mark again? Hopefully Logitech will jump on the 2.0 bandwagon in a hurry, so I can find out for myself! Stay tuned folks, the GTV Hub Google TV 2.0 Official Review is soon to come!
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