From the desktop, to the smartphone, and into your living room, Google is quickly finding its way into every aspect of your life. This time, however, Google is joining forces with Intel and Sony to bring you a platform called Google TV. Google TV is based on Android and is intended to bring web content either directly to your television or through a set-top box. According to the New York Times, "The partners envision technology that will make it as easy for TV users to navigate Web applications, like the Twitter social network and the Picasa photo site, as it is to change the channel."
In the coming months, Google is expected to release the SDK for Google TV in hopes that developers will take to it like they did Android. Presumably, because it's based on Android OS, it should be easy for experienced developers to pick up quickly. Opening the platform to developers to create apps of their choosing could bring new meaning to the term 'surfing the channels.'
In addition to Intel and Sony, Google has called upon Logitech to craft a special remote control with a small keyboard, for the project. Google's intentions in TVLand are (not surprisingly) the same as they are in any other industry, to generate revenue through advertisements. According to an NYTimes informant with knowledge of the project, “Google wants to be everywhere the Internet is so they can put ads there.”
I'm not sure I'm sold on Google TV (or any other webTV variant for that matter). What do you think? Leave your comments below.