Intel always needs new places to put its chips; Sony needs to spark the TV space; and Google hasn't found an internet opportunity it doesn't want to conquer. It therefore makes sense that the three have teamed to develop Google TV, an offering that combines the search engine power of Google with the processing power of Intel and the display power of Sony.
The unholy trio is jumping into a TV space already muddled by mobile and Internet offerings by opening Google's Android-based TV platform to software developers to build new TV specific applications. Google has built a prototype set-top box, but, is likely to incorporate it into (Sony?) TVs. This is a good idea since the FCC's National Broadband Plan makes clear that set-tops are out of vogue. Adding to the computer elements of the deal, the trio has selected keyboard and mouse company Logitech to build peripheral devices like a remote with a tiny keyboard.
Intel, meanwhile, is already pushing the connection between computers and TVs with new streaming technology called WiDi (Wireless Display) that allows certain computers to link to certain televisions and mirror the computer image to the TV.
For more:
- this article in the New York Times
- and this story
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