14 DAY TRIAL // If there is an aspect of consumer electronics that has evolved substantially over the past several years, it is web connectivity. Most, if not all, contemporary handsets, not to mention all PCs, can connect to the Internet, either through cables or via wireless, or both. In the wake of this progress, however, television sets have fallen behind in this area. Fortunately, this issue is ready to be alleviated, now that an alliance of Industry leaders, led by Google, has brought forth the Google TV open platform.
Essentially, this open platform will let consumers directly access web content instead of just what TV providers can supply. For instance, there will be the possibility to stream videos from Netflix, Youtube and Amazon Video On Demand, among other things. The platform will also work with all TV operators, though, at launch, it will be fully optimized for DISH network.
Seeing the potential behind this project, Sony and Logitech have already expressed their intention to design TV models and set-top boxes based on the platform. Sony, for instance, will release both a standalone TV and set-top box-type unit with a Blu-ray Disc drive. Logitech will initially bring out a companion box meant to bring Google TV to current-generation HDTVs. The companion box will supposedly integrate with any set-top box and HDTV brand. All of these electronics will run on the Intel Atom CE4100 processor.
The CE4100 integrates not just the usual computing core, but also graphics/display chips, audio digital signal processors and Gigabit Ethernet support. The first models based on it should show up by Fall, 2010.
"Today marks the next step in the evolution of TV to Smart TV. TV's are becoming smarter as a result of the microprocessor and the Internet,” said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO. “Traditional TV programming will be merged seamlessly with the infinite amount of content on the Internet to enable every viewer to determine what they want to watch, when they want it. This is Moore's Law transforming television, powered by the performance of Intel microprocessors."
As a final note, seeing all the mixed feelings that have been caused by the ever-widening Apple-Adobe rift, the industry alliance made a point of saying that, in addition to HTML5, Flash 10.1 will be supported by the Atom CE4100. As such, the Google Chrome browser will be able to display and run any content on any website.