Watch TV in a new way with GoogleTV

It seems that Google might again revolutionize another area of life, watching TV.  The Logitech Revue will be one of the first devices to come to market with the innovative GoogleTV technology.  The device connects between your TV and video source.  The video source will typically be a CableTV or satellite receiver or digital video recorder.  To accomplish this, the Revue has two HDMI connectors.  This allows for the display of a video overlay with menus and other GoogleTV options.  For example, you could be watching a football game and need to check scores of some other games.  You would simply bring up Google Chrome on the Revue and go to Yahoo while still watching the game on a picture-in-picture window on the screen.

Several other content providers also signed up.  Services like Netflix, Amazon, CNBC, and Pandora Radio are some of them.  Users will also be available to use the Revue to access digital media locally stored like family pictures, music, and movies.

The device goes head to head with the AppleTV, with the main difference that the Revue provides seamless TV integration.  Google is also working with other manufacturers like Sony to embed the software within TVs and Blu-ray players.

View digital media on your TV using a Boxee Box


The Boxee application has been available since 2008.  It can be used to conveniently access widely available audio, video, and other digital media on the Internet.  One of the great features of Boxee is that it can be operated with a simple remote control.  The software can run on MacOS, Windows, Ubuntu Linux, and on an AppleTV.  Most recently, a dedicated Boxee appliance has been announced and will be manufactured by D-Link.  For about $230 users can play almost any media available on the Internet as well as on the local network in a Boxee Box.  The Boxee RF remote is also very innovative because it includes a QWERTY keyboard in the back side.  This makes navigating and entering text very easy.  The Boxee appliance contains an HDMI, optical audio, RCA, Ethernet, USB, WIFI, and an SD card slot.  It will be available for shipping in November of 2010.

Stream from iTunes to your home audio system

BridgeCo is working to make AirPlay enabled devices by this holiday season.  AirPlay allows users to stream music throughout compatible audio equipment in a wired or wireless network.  Equipment like audio receivers, speakers, and others will have this built-in functionality.  Users will be able to select from iTunes and AirPlay compatible devices where they wish to stream the music to.  Audio equipment manufacturers like JBL, Denon, Marantz, B&W, and iHome have already signed up.  For example, you will be able to stream the same song to an iHome device in the bedroom, a Denon receiver in the family room, and a JBL speaker system in the terrace.  Denon might be one of the first to make the technology available on their AVR-4311CI home theater receiver.  Furthermore, audio control is possible using the iPhone and iPod touch Remote application available on the Apple app store.