How good does it really need to be? I’ve read a lot of criticism of Google TV. Leo LaPorte and Gina Trapani got it when it was new but never used it. My Google TV hasn’t updated to the new version yet. But I find it more than satisfactory already. I can easily find shows in the guide, listen to Pandora, watch Netflix and Amazon Instant Video. YouTube is awesome. Slideshows of my Picasa albums are dead simple to share. Hulu Plus or minus doesn’t really matter to me. It is so hamstrung now that it is irrelevant.
Leo has stated a few times on his shows that what it needs is the (out this week) Android app store. The few apps I tried besides the aforementioned gems were okay but fell short. For example Flixster had movie trailers but not local theaters and showtimes like it has on its website. In short, Google TV does everything I want except replace my DVR. So, if this new version makes the menus easier to navigate that will be great.
But I’m already happy with my Sony TV. I just got it Saturday for our second TV. It isn’t quite as nice as the Windows Media Center I use on my main TV. For one thing, it can’t record my shows. But it beats the crap out of the Tivo interface when it comes to doing anything besides watching TV. The remote has been dissed in several reviews but it falls easily to hand, is easy to use, and has a QWERTY keyboard right there when you need. It is the first remote in a long time that I liked better than the Tivo remote.
So, let’s cross our fingers and hope the update doesn’t mess up a great product.
