Google and Sony will launch a web-connected TV set-top box on July 16 in the UK, marking the first time Google TV reaches the United Kingdom. The new set-top box will cost roughly £200, and will offer free HD video via YouTube. The voice-controlled Sony gadget will allow users to access video channels and search the Web, and it also comes with a motion-controlled remote for games.
Moreover, the service will be built into Sony Blu-Ray players as well, starting October. Meanwhile, several rumors have indicated that Apple may be working on a flat-screen TV set of its own.
The new Sony gadget comes as a redesign of Google's Web-TV service, and will deliver faster processing speeds. Earlier iterations of Google's TV service faced mixed reviews in the United States, and left consumers mostly indifferent overall. The new box, however, aims to offer better performance and more features, and allows Android smartphone owners to use their handsets as a remote for the new gadget, adding extra convenience.
Meanwhile, Logitech, one of the first Google TV device makers, lost a reported $100 million on the set-top box gadgets it built. Despite Logitech's reported loss, Sony appears confident that its Google TV gadgets will be more successful.
"Entertainment content is available through so many channels and sites, and Google TV helps consumers easily find what they want to watch, listen or play with the freedom of the internet and using the familiar Chrome browser," said Gildas Pelliet, European Head of Marketing at Sony.
The NSZ-GS7 set-top box from Sony aims to transform the average HDTV into a Smart TV, bringing apps, on-demand media and Web browsing in the Web-connected Google TV platform, marking the first Google TV Internet player.
The QWERTY air remote operates in landscape position, and has two sides for maximum functionality: one side features the tactile, full QWERTY keyboard for easy typing, while the other side sports a touchpad for PC-style mouse navigation. Users who prefer to use their Android smartphone, tablet, iPhone or iPad as a remote can download the Google Media Remote, available for free from the Google Play Store or Apple's App Store. The new gadget hooks up to the TV via HDMI and to a home broadband connection via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
According to Google, the number of apps designed to work exclusively with Google TV products will gradually increase, as new apps will be added "all the time."
The Sony NSZ=GS7 Google TV set-top box is available for pre-order, and will hit the UK on July 16, with a £200 price tag.
