Google rumoured to be working on Android TV set-top box

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Google rumoured to be working on Android TV set-top box


Following Apple, Roku, and most recently, Amazon's efforts to battle its place in the living room, Google is said to be working on the launch of a new set-top box to follow up its £30 Chromecast dongle. The new box is dubbed Android TV.

According to documents obtained by The Verge, a new Android-powered media platform which will help users gain easier access to movies, TV shows, music and more, from their living room TV screen, is being prepared for launch by Google. Video app providers are apparently building for the new platform right now and the box is reportedly an improved generation of Google's not-so-successful Google TV which was launched back in 2010.

Scrapping Google TV's attempt to turn one's TV screen into a bigger, more powerful smartphone, Android TV turns the television into an "entertainment interface, not a computing platform," says the document. "It’s all about finding and enjoying content with the least amount of friction" and it will be "cinematic, fun, fluid, and fast."

Rumours are, Google is trying to simplify the new set-top box where they are encouraging developers to create extremely intuitive and easy to use software. The leaked screenshots provided in the report shows a minimal scrolling UI reminiscent of other popular set-top boxes with categories including movies, shows, apps and games. The UI can be controlled using a remote with a four-way control pad and a few other buttons.

The document highlights that it should never take more than three clicks or gestures to go from the homescreen to a piece of content and the device even recommends what it thinks the user may want to watch. Another easy access feature allows users to resume content they started watching on other devices as soon as they turn their TV on.

Apps including YouTube, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora and Vevo are also shown in the screenshots whilst support for an extended list of Google services such as Hangouts is also planned for the box.

Similar to Amazon's Fire TV, the set-top box is said to double as a gaming platform where an optional gaming controller will be available. It will also support voice commands where content can be found quickly.

It is still unclear whether Google's Android TV software will be showcased in one of Google's own devices or if it plans to rely on other hardware partners, like it has done with Google TV previously. The platform will not replace its Chromecast dongle; therefore developers may have to build two different interfaces, once for Chromecast and one for Android TV. It will be interesting to see if Google manages to take over the living room space with the combination of these two devices in the near future.


Google rumoured to be working on Android TV set-top box - Entertainment - News - HEXUS.net

 

[Tech Info]

Google Preparing 'Android TV' Set-Top Box

Google is gearing up to release a new Android TV set-top media box that utilizes a simple card interface with native apps and games, voice search, and a proactive recommendation system, according to new documents obtained by The Verge.

The documents note that while Android powers the box's experience, the interface offers a series of "cards" representing different channel options, including movies, shows, apps, and games. Users will be able to scroll through the interface with a four-way directional pad that contains Enter, Home, and Back buttons, with the set-top box reportedly featuring optional game controllers.

"Access to content should be simple and magical," reads one Google document, which adds that it should never take more than three clicks or gestures to go from the homescreen to enjoying a new piece of content. Even search appears to be secondary to intuitively understanding what you want and delivering it as soon as possible, though search will be still be one of Android TV's primary tools. In addition to universal search, pressing the Search button on the controller will let you search from within individual apps as well.
Moreover, Android TV is said to contain support for voice input, notifications, and search, with the set-top box also being able to recommend content based on a user's interests and resume content viewed elsewhere the moment Android TV is turned on. Google is reportedly asking select developers to create games and apps for its new set-top box with optimized interfaces for the TV, as apps for Vevo, Netflix, Hulu, Pandora are expected to ship with the device. The company will also work in its own apps including Play Movies, YouTube, and Hangouts.

Android TV is Android, optimized for the living room consumption experience on a TV screen," writes the company, but the focus is on simplicity for now. Google is stripping away unneeded features like telephony, cameras, touchscreen support and near-field communication to keep developers focused, and handing them ready-made interfaces where they can hopefully just plug in shows, games, photos, music, and films.

For more Google Preparing 'Android TV' Set-Top Box with Native Apps, Simple Interface, Voice Search - Mac Rumors

or ​

Exclusive: this is Android TV | The Verge​

 

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RE: Google Preparing 'Android TV' Set-Top Box

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