back to article Logitech unveils first Google TV box

Logitech has unveiled its Google TV settop box, a device designed to meld the web with your television. Dubbed Logitech Revue, the device will sell for $299.99, including a wireless keyboard controller, and it will be available in US stores before the end of the month. You can pre-order the device at Amazon.com, Logitech.com, …

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  1. Russ Tarbox
    WTF?

    Haven't we been here before?

    Take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Network_Computer and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_computer.

    I just don't see why consumers are going to spend this kind of money on a device to browse the Internet on their TV.

    Games consoles all provide access to most streaming services. PCs and Laptops can be had for $299 or less and you can surf the web on those AND watch TV on your TV at the same time. Without the family seeing what you're looking at. And a large percentage of TVs being churned out now have some kind of network connectivity built in.

    This seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Or an attempt to fill a gap in the market that is there for a reason.

    Good luck with this one ...

    1. Giles Jones Gold badge

      Then and now

      That was before TV's were big, flat, widescreen and most important of all HD! 1980x1024 resolution is higher than PCs were doing back then.

      I don't surf with the computer that is plugged into my TV, but when there's a big media event on the web I can display it on the TV if I want.

      1. Russ Tarbox

        Yeah they're HD now and web content takes advantage...

        ...but like you say back then PC res was low so that would have made no difference. I just don't think people want to access the Internet through their TV. Just like people don't really want TV through their mobile, or music through their microwave (!)

      2. Rob Beard
        Coat

        1980x1024?

        That's an odd resolution!

        Do you mean 1920x1080? (i.e. 1080p?).

        My PS3 is plugged into the TV (granted a 32" LCD at 720p), I can connect a USB keyboard and mouse (if I could be bothered to spend the money, a bluetooth keyboard and mouse) and browse the Internet fine (well everything seems to work fine that I've tried apart from Facebook).

        Probably a darn sight cheaper than one of these boxes and it plays Bluray movies too.

        Mine's the one with the 3 metre USB extension cable in the pocket.

        Rob

    2. Dayjo

      Quite often..

      I take my massive tower downstairs to plug into my 50" HD tv in the living room to watch films / online videos. I don't have a games console or Virgin / Sky so my options are limited.

      Wouldn't mind having something like this constantly plugged in, not that I'm going to buy one, I don't watch enough TV for it to be worth while.

  2. Antidisestablishmentarianist

    keyboard?

    You have to use a keyboard? How old school, and not in a cool way. I'll give a week before people are over it.....

    Come on, where are the hookups with Android phones etc ala AppleTV and and iOS.

    And I'll also throw in a 'how much?' 'cause I want be be popular like all you other kids.

    1. Antidisestablishmentarianist

      okay okay

      on further investigation there is smartphone control.

  3. famousringo
    Badgers

    Android 2.1?

    Not Chrome OS? I thought Chrome was going to be for tablets and TV, but Android seems to be the one that's ready to ship. Has Chrome been kicked to the curb or are the early adopters in for a painful transition down the road?

    Also, last I heard, 2.1 wasn't the latest version of Android...

  4. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    absolute genius!

    ... so clever, you'd think His Jobiness had thought of it!

    Yep, right now, nobody can access the internet from their telly, it's been totally impossible until now!

    And all this, for just ... $299.999999 ?

    A *wireless* keyboard too? - OMG, what will they think of next?

    Genius, brilliance, amazing.

  5. RichyS
    Thumb Down

    How much?

    Looks nice enough, but how much are they asking?

    Aside from a bit of iPlayer and YouTube (the horror) what benefit is this going to get a UK user? I can control my PVR via the ever reliable magic of IR blasters? No thanks, I think I'll stick with my perfectly adequate Sky HD UI.

    If this was $99/£79 a la Apple TV, I might give it a go. But at $299 they're having a laugh.

  6. dotdavid
    FAIL

    Disappointing

    I was hoping it'd be much cheaper - $300 will mean about £300 when it's eventually released over here. As others have said, this just won't take off unless it's cheap as chips.

    That said, there will no doubt be some Google TV boxes released by the Chinese and Koreans soon enough that might make it a bit more palatable - Logitech aren't exactly known for their reasonable prices.

    1. Oliver 7

      or Taiwanese?

      Asus already have a range of media player STBs with networking capability. They're compatible with UPnP media servers like Tversity and have a range of (mostly rubbish) Internet capabilities, though the only thing they're really lacking is a browser. The GoogleTV platform would be a perfect partner by the sounds of it.

      I've got a HDP-R1 myself, which now retails on Amazon for less than £70.

  7. Rob Beard
    WTF?

    Camera

    "Logitech offers a $149.99 video camera that mounts on top of your television and an accompanying application for making video calls."

    HOW MUCH!?!?!?!?

    Bloody hell, I'm sure they could have done a video camera cheaper than that.

    I think I'll stick to using my Playstation Eye camera on the PC attached to the telly with Skype, worked fine when our family chatted to our relatives over Christmas (and the quality was reasonably good too!).

    Rob

  8. jai

    150 bucks for a camera?

    are you sure that's correct? never mind the overpriced google-tv rubbish, tell us more about what kind of amazing tech is inside that $149.99 camera that sits on top of the telly? it must be incredible

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      Its expensive

      Because its actually a stealth google cam which is doing "living room view" to build up a perfect visual map of all the slobs sitting in front of their telly.

  9. ad47uk
    Thumb Down

    more google spying

    it is bad enough to have google trying to find out what you are doing on your computer, but at least we can stop them on the computer.

    i think even if it comes to the u.k, i will leave well alone

  10. Neoc
    Thumb Down

    Meh.

    I have a WDTV-Live hooked up to my TV and it plays just about every format I could care bout. It does Netflix / YouTube / Apple Trailers / etc... as well, but since I don't have a high-bandwidth net setup, I don't use those (and, frankly, I don't miss them either). The ability to control the box via Android? The WDTV-Live (with custom software, admittedly) has a website with a representation of the remote control (and other goodies), so anything with a browser (phone, laptop, etc) can control the WDTV-Live. (I love that little box, can you tell?). It also has shoutcast, SMB, NFS, UPnP servers and a torrent client ready to be turned on should I ever feel the need.

    If I want the Web, I have my laptop. And if I *really* need to hook my laptop to my TV, there's a hidden HDMI cable between my Amp and where the laptop normally sits.

    So unless this "Google"(1) box has something decent that others don't have (maybe a decent subtitle engine?) I see no reason to buy this overpriced equipment.

    (1) I use quotes because, one again, Google is merely rebranding someone else's product - HTC for the Nexus and Logitech for this box.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Happy

      Re: decent subtitle engine

      This could actually prove entertaining - on-the-go Google translations of subtitles (or eventually voice?).

  11. Sartori
    WTF?

    Latest Version of the OS?

    Quoted from article -

    "Google TV is based on Android 2.1 — the latest version of the OS"

    2.2 is the latest version of the OS not 2.1, so does it have the latest Android or is it the slightly older 2.1?

  12. MJI Silver badge

    Rather use a PS3

    At least you can play games on it as well

  13. Natalie Gritpants

    Not good value

    For £100 pounds more you can get a Sony 32" Freeview HD TV that does all of the above, plus does Freeview, Freeview HD and includes a nice HD screen. OK, it doesn't have a keyboard.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Which lorry

      Did this fall off for £100?!

  14. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Ah Cade Metz, how we have missed you..

    ..with your crystal-clear articles and peerless research.

    The Android device in my pocket runs 2.2, does this mean that I AM FROM THE FUTURE?

  15. sjiveson
    Grenade

    Boxee Box

    Take a look at a much better alternative, the Boxee Box;

    *$199 or £199 (shame)

    *It does all the same stuff and more

    *Plays files from your NAS or any other UPnP/DLNA device

    *Looks very sweet

    *Has a great interface

    *Is truly open source.

    It's out worldwide on November 10th, can't wait.

  16. sjiveson

    Boxee Box - Remote

    Did I mention the incredible remote with a QWERTY keyboard on the other side?

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    It is SET-TOP!

    Don't even go there with that "settop", "nettop" nonsense! Grrr!

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