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Topic: Mobility

Open thread: Will Google TV change your viewing habits?

Summary: Every tech giant---Apple, Microsoft, Google and others---wants to change your TV viewing habits. And they all have failed so far. Is there anything different this time?

Larry Dignan

By for Between the Lines |

Google CEO Eric Schmidt detailed his plans to conquer TV. In a nutshell, Google will be in your living room and allegedly change your viewing habits.

Sound familiar? Well it is. Every tech giant---Apple, Microsoft, Google and others---wants to change your viewing habits. And they all have failed so far. Your living room is a country that's continuously invaded by superpowers. However, you still resist.

The big question: Will Google's TV efforts be a hit? Or is it just another WebTV? Finish this conversation between Sam and I. I'm the cynical guy sitting on the couch drinking a beer while watching the Philadelphia Eagles. Sam is the Apple Google fanboy.

Larry Dignan: “Once you have Google television, you’re going to be very busy,” Schmidt said via this Wired story. “It’s going to ruin your evening.” Larry Dignan: he's smoking crack Sam Diaz: no he's not. Sam Diaz: google tv is gonna rock Larry Dignan: PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO INTERACT WITH TV Larry Dignan: THIS IS WEBTV Sam Diaz: yes they do Sam Diaz: my wife is constantly yelling at those bimbos on the new jersey housewives Sam Diaz: HAHAHA!!! Larry Dignan: exactly Larry Dignan: she's not searching for their bios Sam Diaz: once google gets past the set top box... they're rule the TV Larry Dignan: and there's the fallacy Sam Diaz: nope... but she is looking for all the related s**t Larry Dignan: you'll never get past the set top box Larry Dignan: because we're lazy Larry Dignan: and as jobs says we have computers Sam Diaz: the technology is already on the way. embedded broadband in the set Sam Diaz: no no no... the days of computers are numbered Larry Dignan: I don't know I've got a bunch of widgets on my set Larry Dignan: tried em once or twice Larry Dignan: you see tv you want to veg Larry Dignan: screw the interaction Larry Dignan: none of these nerds get that Sam Diaz: old guy alert! old guy alert! Sam Diaz: east coast old guy alert! east coast old guy alert! east coast old guy alert! Sam Diaz: you gotta start thinking a bit more silicon valley, pal

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Topics: Mobility, Google, Hardware

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59 comments
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  • to finish the interaction

    Larry Dignan: take your Google schmoozle butt off that couch, leave the beer, and go home!<br>Larry Dignan: ps...you're fired! Go to work for Google!<br>Sam Diaz: but, but, but...Google analytics didn't say I ran a risk of being thrown out and fired! What do I do?<br>Sam Diaz: fingers frantically flying over his Android phone trying to find a way to type a resume on a 4 inch screen to send to the HR dept at Google...gives up, goes home and sinks on his own couch, using his Android phone as a remote to thumb through 500 channels of GoogTV...nothing on but ads, now in deep depression...
    wizard57m-cnet
    Reply Vote

    • continued

      Sam Diaz: in attempt to lift his spirits, contacts a few contemporaries at former employer ZDNet, namely Garret Rogers and Christopher Dawson (Zach Whittaker is just SOOO to young GenY!!)<br>Garret: Don't worry bro, just "google" for a new gig! Have you updated to Froyo yet? I mean it is just so way much cooler than RIM!....<br>Sam: Ehhh, thanks anyway, later!<br>Christopher: Hey bud! Come and look at my new Apple gear!! I've given up the open source mantra, and Steve Jobs promised me a new propellor beanie! Look at all this way cool expensive stuff! Wow! I can browse the web on my Macbook Pro! Sure glad I leased this kit!<br>Sam: No, no, Chris...I need help! How can I get back in Larry Dignan's good graces? Sheesh, you used to be somewhat helpful, now it's all "Mac this, Mac that". I need an inexpensive solution here!<br>Christopher: You Windoze/Linsux LOOOOSER! Go ask Adrian Kingsley-Hughes!<br>Sam: I would, but we all know AKH can't spell and gets the words all wrong and twisted around. Thanks anyway!<br><br>And so Sam, now at his wits end, contacts Dana Blankenhorn...<br>Sam: Dana, I messed up. Called Larry an east coast old guy...among other goofs. Any ideas to soothe things over and get my job at ZDNet back?<br>Dana: Well, Sam...open source should have just the thing, granted it might not be free, but at least you can look at it and change it to what might or might not work.<br>Sam: Thanks, Dana...anybody else you can think of that might have an idea?<br>Dana: Well, if your looking for a Microsoft answer, get with Ed Bott. Want something "green", check with Heather Clancy (she's not bad looking either!!). Rachel King (also quite easy on the eyes!!) might have a good idea as well, especially for real world.<br>Sam: Thanks Dana! Maybe some of you old guys aren't so misguided afterall.<br>So, Sam checks in with Rachel...<br>Sam: Rachel, I messed up, got canned by Larry. Any ideas how to mend this mess?<br>Rachel: Yeah, Sam...we all heard...drop the fanboyism, and give Larry a signed promissory note to buy him the latest Windows Phone 7 when they are released if he'll hire you back!! That might get your foot in the door. Check with Mary Jo Foley for release dates of WP7. Leave your Android gizmos at home, and go ask Matthew Miller if you can borrow his 1997 Palm Pilot when you go apologize to Larry, that way you'll at least appear to appreciate older tech that just works!<br>Above all else...don't mention Google! Or the fact that the Eagles will probably lose to Dallas this year.
      wizard57m-cnet
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Open thread: Will Google TV change your viewing habits?

        @wizard57m@... Well done. Bravo
        Larry Dignan
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Open thread: Will Google TV change your viewing habits?

        @wizard57m@... Best comment thread *ever* on ZD!
        brandons
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Open thread: Will Google TV change your viewing habits?

        @wizard57m@... Awesome post! I wouldn't trade it for a Mike Cox post.
        20kwfence
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Open thread: Will Google TV change your viewing habits?

        @wizard57m@... Now that is great! Bravisimo!
        athynz
        Reply Vote

  • Hold up

    [i]In a nutshell, Google will be in your living room and allegedly change your viewing habits.[/i]

    First of all, I am not letting Google into my living room. Second, no they are not going to change my habits.
    The one and only, Cylon Centurion
    Reply Vote

  • moved

    moved and combined
    wizard57m-cnet
    Reply Vote

  • moved

    moved
    wizard57m-cnet
    Reply Vote

  • will not change my viewing habits because i'm never using it..

    'normal people' (non-nerds) don't want to twitter, surf, google map on their TVs.. etc TV's are for <i>vegetating</i>.. how many times do we have to go through this??? how many times can a concept be tried and fail??<br><br>not only that.. TV watching is generally something people do with others.. people's family and friends tend to smack you in the head when you minimize the video of the season premier of <insert name of hit show here> so you can check your twitter.. <br><br>people can already do all of these things right now using a vastly superior system... smart phones, tablets sitting in your lap while watching TV.. everyone gets their own personal device.. you can share if you want and you don't annoy everyone around you..and you are all also enjoying the TV experience together as well<br><br>people don't want googleTV or AppleTV or any of these services etc.. <br><br>-people want an on demand, a la carte service.. the are tired of paying cable through the nose for channels the don't care about so they can get movies or some premier movie channel that they can only get if they buy the super-duper-extra combo pack first.. people want specialty channels like e.g. HBO, these 10 shows, and access to 95% rental movies and shows and buy the odd show and movie and have access to all of them on any device i currently have..<br>- buy music<br>- access to live sports and events<br><br>the first person to produce an on-demand a la carte service with lots of flexibility, plus a la carte live sports and events at a reasonable price wins... it's that simple!<br><br>this could even be the cable company.. this has nothing to do with the internet.. people want a passive service.. not this interactive BS.. we've been around this bush before.. NO ONE WANTS IT.. people want a service to access to the media they want without being force to pay for stuff they don't care about
    doctorSpoc
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Open thread: Will Google TV change your viewing habits?

      @doctorSpoc You are spot on. Give me the ala carte menu! The only two things keeping tied to cable are live sports and disney for the kids. And my guess is most of the disney is on demand anyway. I watch TV shows on netfilx albeit a season or two behind.
      jhuddle
      Reply Vote

    • When I was still in School . . .

      @doctorSpoc

      Where we lived Warner Cable was testing the "new" interactive cable system called 'Qube'. They had interactive game shows, and would hold impromptu contests while you were watching specialized content.

      None of this was on demand, you had to wait for them to activate your console during the show(s) so you could respond. My brother and I watched one of the first Concerts on cable (The Rolling Stones during the Tattoo You tour). We even won a free copy of the LP (They gave away about 100 or so, I think).

      This was in the Seventies, in Columbus, OH. Fun times, but Warner eventually determined that it was not worth the effort (even though most Cable/Satellite remotes STILL have interactive buttons), and to this day, even DirecTV has only limited interactive capabilities, and is limited to mainly ordering content, and on demand movies, although you can bring up your local weather on DirecTV.

      In short, Interactive TV will NEVER take off. If I wanted to get on the 'Net, I'll grab my laptop while watching whatever show is on (That's what we do now, on the VERY rare occasions where we want info NOW, Mainly limited to ordering things off of QVC - Well, she makes me order HER stuff . . . :) ).
      JLHenry
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Open thread: Will Google TV change your viewing habits?

      @doctorSpoc I agree.

      Heck, if I want to use my iPhone to check my e-mail or twitter feed, I have to leave the room, because it disturbs my girlfriend! She wants to sit there and watch something, where she doesn't have to think. She doesn't want interactivity, she wants to unwind from the day.

      That said, she checks her e-mail about once a month. ;-)
      wright_is
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Open thread: Will Google TV change your viewing habits?

      @doctorSpoc

      Absolutely. And like many who commented - TV in our house is a social thing and No One in our house is going to put up with messing with the story unfolding on screen for any interactive stuff. I will sit with my lap top on occasion to check out IMBD.com to figure out "Who is that? Where have we ween him/her before?". Even that can annoy my husband who says "Remember when we just used to sit and watch the movie?"

      The independent personal devices are perfect for this type of 'interactivity'.
      Lila M
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Open thread: Will Google TV change your viewing habits?

      @doctorSpoc
      I agree completely. Ala Carte system or nothing. That is why I still have an antenna outside my house. No cable, nor satellite, nor U-Verse in our house. Too much money for junk we would not be watching. As it is we have NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, CW, MyNetwork, PAX (ion), and a couple religious channels ( one had 5 .1,.2...) and one independent, PBS (.1,.2) a shopping channel, a couple of Spanish language ones...no Netflix--more than I want there too. It would not be worth it, I can rent movies at Hastings, or RedBox, buy at Borders, Barnes and Noble, Hastings...
      dhays
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Open thread: Will Google TV change your viewing habits?

    They won't change my viewing habits. Neither Apple nor Google are offering anything new or compelling....And they make you buy more hardware to watch the same shows on. Ridiculous and unnecessary. You can TV online from a program like Seetvpc [dot] com. These light weight programs offer more and run on software that can be installed on a PC or Apple.
    JenniferWeb
    Reply Vote

    • grown-up people with 58" TVs don't want to watch TV on a tiny computer..

      @JenniferWeb - .. monitor.. most people would prefer not to watch there programing on a computer screen with crappy, artifact ridden, stuttering video the size of a postage stamp blow up to 20 inches with crappy computer speakers for sound.. people have bought nice widescreen TV and many have invested in AV receivers with surround sound system and would like to leverage that for enjoying their media.. they want pristine video with at least 5.1 surround sound..
      doctorSpoc
      Reply Vote

      • Really? I download HD to a small Dell computer

        (With Windows7) and watch it through the HDMI connection from the computer to the TV: sharp, no sputtering, all running through the 7.1/5.1 connection in the back to a set of Bose speakers.

        but that's all: Who actually sits in front of there TV to interact? No one I know, as we all just use ot to watch TV shows and movies, who wants to interact when they just want to relax?
        John Zern
        Reply Vote

      • i said people don't want to watch ON a computer.. not THROUGH a computer

        @John Zern..and that crappy, bootleged STREAMED video on a computer monitor was not what people wanted either.. although i think most people don't want to watch through a computer either.. do you think you mom would like to use your setup to watch video? normal people want a dedicated setup with an easy interface that anyone in the house can pickup and use..
        doctorSpoc
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Open thread: Will Google TV change your viewing habits?

        @doctorSpoc
        Not so much on a pc/mac screen etc....
        What I would like is to tbe able to take it on the go...
        ex: watching the Colts/Bills game. Have to run to pick up daughter at school. Switch game to my phone and listen to it via car stereo till arrive. Park and wait for daughter - watch on phone. Listen to on drive home and back on tv for the finish.

        Flexibility.
        rhonin
        Reply Vote
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