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Sergey Brin: “I’ve Been Accused of Vaporware”

Posted on 20. Jan, 2011 by Daniel Cawrey. 1 Comments

As I was listening to Google’s fourth quarter earnings call, which featured an introduction that addressed the leadership change at Google, I was struck by Sergey Brin’s comment about vaporware. I wouldn’t really say that it’s him personally, but the fact that there have been many rumored projects in the works by Google that have not come to fruition. As he starts his newly appointed role of managing new products, maybe he’s just taking responsibility.

Sure, many of these new projects are definitely being tested internally, but for those of us outside the Googleplex, it appears as if nothing is going on, which is likely far from the actual scenario taking place.

Google has been long rumored to be working on a social product that has been identified as Google Me or more recently Google +1. This is expected to be a competitor to Facebook. One analyst said not long ago that the company has “given up on social“, possibly sparking the vaporware remark by Brin since he did say it on an earnings call with a bunch of, you know, analysts. But surely we can expect to see it in 2011, but only time will tell when. Brin did allude to social during the call today, saying that they have only touched one percent of what social search can be.

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The Samsung Google TV Devices

Posted on 07. Jan, 2011 by Daniel Cawrey. 0 Comments

I write about Google TV here because it uses Chrome. Any commercial product that is using the browser deserves some space here because it certainly is worth the while to use because of its speed. I think it has a future in a lot of different devices.

There’s been a lack of updates on Google TV recently; the main factor in this is reportedly because Google is working on a software update to make the platform more usable to the general public. Major consumer electronics companies are working on Google TV, but the only one to show it off at CES has been Samsung.

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Vizio is Bringing Out Google TV Products

Posted on 03. Jan, 2011 by Daniel Cawrey. 0 Comments

Vizio has always been known as a flat screen television company. They’re certainly planning on expanding that role to offering Google-platform gadgets as well. It’s expected that the company will be showing off not only Google TV at CES, but an Android tablet as well. In the TV space, this is in direct competition with their major rival, which is Samsung who has been rumored to be working on Google TV as well.

We’re hoping to get a look at the Vizio Google TV product at CES. What’s interesting about Google’s television offering is that manufacturers are able to create hardware on their own. Examples of this can be found with the difference between Sony’s Google TV and Logitech. While Sony has a handheld controller that looks like something you might use with a Playstation, Logitech utilizes a full keyboard.

The key element for Vizio’s Google TV product to become popular is how they develop the user interface hardware. Hopefully they have come up with something that is innovative. Will Vizio save Google TV? That might be a tall order. I think Google’s next software version is going to be the saving grace.

via GigaOM, TechCrunch

New Google TV Products Delayed, Problems with Software?

Posted on 20. Dec, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey. 1 Comments

The New York Times is reporting that several hardware partners working on Google TV devices are being asked to delay any product unveiling that might have happened at CES. This is due to the fact that Google wants to be able to update the software that runs these devices. Google TV currently lacks an application marketplace and has received a lukewarm reaction since its launch.

It seems like the platform is starting to have trouble selling devices; the Sony Blu-Ray player with Google TV has been discounted heavily. But consumers have complained that it is hard to use, likely because it doesn’t replicate the traditional television watching experience.

Does this delay shows that Google has issues partnering with hardware manufacturers?

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thechromesource Daily: Links for 11/26/10

Posted on 26. Nov, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey. 0 Comments

It’s possible that Google’s Chromebooks have already missed their window according to Search Engine Land.

Both Vizio and Toshiba are planning to show off Google TV products at CES in January.

Multiple profiles in Chrome browser are going to be available as a settings option in the near future.

TechCrunch’s John Biggs already believes that Chrome OS will be a top seller for next year’s holiday season.

Here is a list of five cloud operating systems that are already on the market.

Rebutting CNN’s “Chrome OS May Have Missed It’s Moment”

Posted on 22. Nov, 2010 by Chris Sorensen. 2 Comments

Living in the New York City metropolitan area offers interesting insights. For example, it’s always fun to watch the New York Yankees play a nationally broadcasted game. The shiny nationwide television “A”-ranked sportscasting team jets in. Through the game they espouse countless facts about the Yankees.

The only problem is – for us locals – some of the information is dead wrong, or a week old. It’s simple to understand since locals hear about the Yankees 7 x 24. In New York City there are two sports radio stations, dozens of newspapers and countless internet resources. These resources disperse news, facts and fiction about the Yankees.

The shiny nationwide “A” broadcast team doesn’t stand a chance for captivating diehard Yankees fans in New York regardless of how outstanding their production meeting is. I guess this is why my cross country betting buddies call me up to get the local view on the game.

Recently CNN Money broke a story entitled “Google’s Chrome OS may have missed its moment”. To us Chrome OS early adopters, this is a rather stunning statement. Now how could this be?

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thechromesource Daily: Links for 11/16/10

Posted on 16. Nov, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey. 0 Comments

Samsung plans on getting into the Google TV game in 2011, possibly with a launch at CES in January.

There is a compatibility issue with Chrome and Microsoft’s Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET).

TechCrunch’s Devin Coldewey notes that although Chrome OS will launch with netbooks, things change in the Google-verse.

Here’s a look at how much Google is expanding in Mountain View, they are even planning company housing.

It appears that the internals for Sony’s Google TV are made up of a tangle of wires.

DISH Network Subscribers Can Get Logitech Google TV for $179

Posted on 11. Nov, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey. 8 Comments

We were a bit confused as to how Google TV was going to work with existing cable and satellite providers, and initially we were under the impression that Google TV would make its debut on Logitech exclusively.

It didn’t happen that way, and it’s probably for the best. But now that Google TV hardware is on the market, Logitech and DISH Network are teaming up for a great deal on the Revue set top box by offering it for just $179. The Revue traditionally goes for $299, but DISH subscribers get a good deal.

Interestingly, those who get the Revue will also have to pay $4 a month to DISH as an “integration fee”. Whatever that means.

It’s hard to say how this whole content thing is going to shake out, but this is great if you’re already using DISH.

via SlashGear

thechromesource Daily: Links for 11/9/10

Posted on 09. Nov, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey. 0 Comments

Google is currently testing out a new navigation bar at the top of its sites.

The Dev Channel of Chrome browser has been updated with some AutoFill fixes.

Instant Preview, a new search feature, was announced by Google today.

TechCrunch’s Matt Burns talked to Google TV product manager Salahuddin Choudhary about the network television blockade.

Here is a tip from Lifehacker on how to set Chrome plugins to run on-demand as opposed to all the time, which is a new feature.

Google TV Giveaway Starts Announcing Awards

Posted on 04. Nov, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey. 0 Comments

It’s Google’s plan to make sure that Google TV is open-sourced next year, whatever that announcement means. For the time being, the platform is closed off and is not accepting apps, mainly because the company doesn’t appear to believe that applications as they are designed today for things like smartphones won’t work for television.

Recently, Google announced a giveaway of over 2,500 Logitech Revues to developers who applied.

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There Goes Google TV, Disrupting Another Industry

Posted on 25. Oct, 2010 by Daniel Cawrey. 1 Comments

I had a chance over the weekend to get myself a hands-on take of Google TV. I tried the Sony Internet-enabled TV at a local Best Buy. If you’re not familiar, the Sony version differs from the Logitech box by having the Google TV components built right into a flat screen television. Also, Unlike Logitech’s full-on keyboard, Sony also has an input device that looks like it is half remote control, half Blackberry style keyboard.

It’s possible that the settings can be changed, but my first impression was that using the cursor on the input device was cumbersome. It seemed like it was not sensitive enough to be able to navigate the real estate of a huge screen on a television.

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