Google Plans TV Search Service
By Partho, Gaea News NetworkTuesday, March 9, 2010
Attempts to combine Internet content with conventional TV has been the disposition for several large as well as small companies. Google joined the league with its new search technology for set-top box designed by DISH network. As reported in Wall Street journal, the Google search service to be run on TV set-top boxes, will allow the users to find shows on the satellite-TV service and video from Web sites such as Google’s YouTube. Google will be connect the service with nascent TV ad-brokering business. This will allow the search giant to target ads to individual households based on search and viewing data.
Google is yet to unfurl certain details, whether the boxes have been designed to surf the web. Will Google search finding the existing and upcoming TV show and pay-per-view content? What Operating System will the box be using - Android or Chrome OS. However, its clear from Google’s test people will be able to search queries using a keyboard rather than a remote control.
Google’s move could encourage the set-top-box manufacturers to support open standards. It is most likely that the cable and satellite companies would closely guard their set-top box software, unless Google agrees to offer a bulk of any advertising revenues back to the service provider.
According to WSJ,
While many are scrambling to find ways to take advantage of programming delivered using the Internet, hardware companies and operators have tended to custom-tailor such offerings rather than offer access to all Web sites. They may actively resist the notion of opening their services to Google.
The new move seems to be influenced by Microsoft’s Mediaroom platform and the inclusion of Xbox into new form factors such as IPTV. Google might also face the hegemony of services providers who are deeply concerned about the strategies of Googleplex.
Google can pull the crowd only if it can overwhelm the current set top box software with exceptional features. Pointing out one of its attributes Google, suggested that reception to the fact that many set-top boxes or TVs aren’t capable of delivering the two-way feedback it uses to tailor its algorithms. The problem has been addressed as it eased somewhat lately, as a large number of new TVs now come with Internet connections.
According to Richard Doherty, director of technology consulting firm Envisioneering Group, Google could reap the advantages of running set-top boxes in Android or other software Google developed, such as Chrome, as they could be updated instantly, while operators take much longer to refresh their offerings. Most of all, Google will always carry an edge, since no service provider could offer so many free features to the viewers.
