Is Google TV the Technology We've Been Dreaming of?

The future of TV is here and we have the technology at our disposal. Your laptop has a screen. Your television has a screen. Why isn't content interchangeable?

Politics

The answer is politics my friend. Politics between the big networks and the content collectors. Netflix, Hulu, Boxee, Roku, Apple, and Google are in one corner. CBS, Time Warner, NBC Universal, Viacom, Disney and News Corporation are in the other corner. There is a lot of money in broadcasting and it appears that everyone is stepping lightly as to not disrupt those in power and shake up the pecking order.

Why can't we play nice?

The mission of Google TV is very simple. Google wants to aggregate free content that is online and make it easy to view on your television. It sounds simple enough. YouTube is already a natural partner, but others are less apt to hand over control. I can watch FOX programs on Hulu (obvious because Fox owns Hulu) and I can watch my favorite CBS shows on CBS.com and my favorite NBC shows on NBC.com. In a perfect world it would be great to watch everything all at one place. This is Google's dream. Myself and millions of others are also happy to share this dream.

TV is not dead

It's trendy to think that old technology is out and new technology is in, however reality is a lot less attractive than truth. TV viewing numbers are actually up. Yes more of us are watching TV online, however that doesn't mean we're giving traditional viewing up.

More is better

Google TV is amazing because viewers literally have the web at their fingertips and by fingertips I mean remote control. With Google TV one can browse the entire web just like it a laptop. Google TV also comes with apps just like a phone would have and soon developers will be able to create apps specifically for Google TV. Update your Facebook status from your television. Beyond cool.

The Future isn't today

Right now Google TV isn't for everyone. It's a bit pricey at a cost of $299 for a Logitech Revue system. It's also important to keep in mind that the user experience is still being tweaked and the functionality isn't where it needs to be yet. The big networks still don't want you to watch their shows via Google TV. If you have a Netflix subscription it's easy to watch what you're already paying for, but forget about watching the latest episode of Two and a Half Men. You'll need a cable subscription to appreciate Google TV at its fullest.

The problem with Google TV isn't the technology (which still needs some improving), but the limits of what you can do with it. Again it all comes down to politics. The technology is here, but the experience hasn't followed suit. We're taking steps in the right direction, but the battle of open platform and networking sharing is far from over.