Intel, Sony, Google, and Logitech are about to embark on a space where many technology companies have already failed miserably—your TV set.
For most people, the digital experience is dominated by three screens. Until recently, the PC was at the center of this world. However, over the past three to four years, the smartphone has become integral in the ways we interact with our digital content. Meanwhile, the other primary screenthe televisionhas played a minimal role in the delivery of Internet-driven digital content. More and more, however, the PC is becoming the new holy grail for such content. Services like YouTube, Hulu, and Twirl TV are becoming important ways to deliver television content on demand. TV is swiftly becoming a battleground for the PC, consumer, cable, and telecom industries.
Media adapters have been around for some time “slinging" PC-based content to the TV. Specialized boxes like Roku and the Apple TV deliver content from Internet connections to TV sets through HDMI or video ports. The experience on these devices have been less that stellar, however. The real push now is to integrate digital services directly into the television. At the moment, there are two school of thought on how exactly this will occur.
The first involves bringing Internet connections directly to the set through Wi-Fi or by adding a hard wired network connection. The idea is growing in popularity. Many big TV makers are creating Internet connected TVs, based on the assumption that they can just integrate Web-based content into the TV experience. There are problems with this approach. There are big issues with interface, content standards, and formats. Also, given the fact that the lifespan of a TV is five to seven years (or more), the set may soon be eclipsed by the pace of Internet technology and standards. Personally, I would never buy a “smart" TV, since I couldn't be assured that it is future-proof.
The second approach makes more sense for most consumers. I imagine that it will be adopted by many of us over the next few years. The concept is embodied by the “smart" set top box, Blu-Ray Player, and game console. All you really need to make a TV “smart" is an OS, UI, and various standards. However, a user does not want the PC experience on their TV. They want a simple way to access Internet content to watch TV shows, movies, and perhaps specialized apps.
Attempts to deliver this manner of simplicity and seamless integration of Internet content into the TV experience has thus far fallen short. There have been some good advances in this space, and while some dedicated boxes may play the role of mediator between Internet content and the TV, it's more likely that this level of intelligence and Internet content connectivity arrive via smart set top boxes, Blu-Ray entertainment systems, and game consoles in the future.
For most people, the digital experience is dominated by three screens. Until recently, the PC was at the center of this world. However, over the past three to four years, the smartphone has become integral in the ways we interact with our digital content. Meanwhile, the other primary screenthe televisionhas played a minimal role in the delivery of Internet-driven digital content. More and more, however, the PC is becoming the new holy grail for such content. Services like YouTube, Hulu, and Twirl TV are becoming important ways to deliver television content on demand. TV is swiftly becoming a battleground for the PC, consumer, cable, and telecom industries.
Media adapters have been around for some time “slinging" PC-based content to the TV. Specialized boxes like Roku and the Apple TV deliver content from Internet connections to TV sets through HDMI or video ports. The experience on these devices have been less that stellar, however. The real push now is to integrate digital services directly into the television. At the moment, there are two school of thought on how exactly this will occur.
The first involves bringing Internet connections directly to the set through Wi-Fi or by adding a hard wired network connection. The idea is growing in popularity. Many big TV makers are creating Internet connected TVs, based on the assumption that they can just integrate Web-based content into the TV experience. There are problems with this approach. There are big issues with interface, content standards, and formats. Also, given the fact that the lifespan of a TV is five to seven years (or more), the set may soon be eclipsed by the pace of Internet technology and standards. Personally, I would never buy a “smart" TV, since I couldn't be assured that it is future-proof.
The second approach makes more sense for most consumers. I imagine that it will be adopted by many of us over the next few years. The concept is embodied by the “smart" set top box, Blu-Ray Player, and game console. All you really need to make a TV “smart" is an OS, UI, and various standards. However, a user does not want the PC experience on their TV. They want a simple way to access Internet content to watch TV shows, movies, and perhaps specialized apps.
Attempts to deliver this manner of simplicity and seamless integration of Internet content into the TV experience has thus far fallen short. There have been some good advances in this space, and while some dedicated boxes may play the role of mediator between Internet content and the TV, it's more likely that this level of intelligence and Internet content connectivity arrive via smart set top boxes, Blu-Ray entertainment systems, and game consoles in the future.
