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25/06/2012
Google Enters 'Smart TV' Market
Google will make its first move into the UK “smart TV” market with the launch in July of its first product – made by Sony – to let Britons surf the internet, play games and watch videos on TV.
The move comes amid predictions that Apple is preparing to enter the market, to compete not only with Google, but with Samsung, Sony and LG.
All have been aiming to catch a nascent market that analysts say will become very important because it is one of the few bastions of entertainment not yet revolutionised by the internet.
Google has a partnership with Sony to launch the internet TV set-top boxes, priced £200-£300, in UK stores from 16 July.
The gadgets are based on Google's Android software for smartphones and will let viewers switch between popular online applications such as Twitter and the BBC's iPlayer while watching live TV.
Google's TV offering has struggled in the US, where it launched in October 2010. Logitech, a partner, lost millions after launching a Google TV set-top box in the US at Christmas 2010. During one quarter, customers returned more boxes than were bought and the company later pulled out.
Google has since spent heavily on the product, as the living room shapes up to be the latest battleground for internet companies. Nearly a million net-connected TVs were sold in the UK in 2010, the latest year for which figures are available, out of a total of 10m TV sales. But it is not clear how many were then actually connected to the net.
(H)
The move comes amid predictions that Apple is preparing to enter the market, to compete not only with Google, but with Samsung, Sony and LG.
All have been aiming to catch a nascent market that analysts say will become very important because it is one of the few bastions of entertainment not yet revolutionised by the internet.
Google has a partnership with Sony to launch the internet TV set-top boxes, priced £200-£300, in UK stores from 16 July.
The gadgets are based on Google's Android software for smartphones and will let viewers switch between popular online applications such as Twitter and the BBC's iPlayer while watching live TV.
Google's TV offering has struggled in the US, where it launched in October 2010. Logitech, a partner, lost millions after launching a Google TV set-top box in the US at Christmas 2010. During one quarter, customers returned more boxes than were bought and the company later pulled out.
Google has since spent heavily on the product, as the living room shapes up to be the latest battleground for internet companies. Nearly a million net-connected TVs were sold in the UK in 2010, the latest year for which figures are available, out of a total of 10m TV sales. But it is not clear how many were then actually connected to the net.
(H)
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30 November 2010
EU Launch Google Probe
An investigation has been launched into Google after competing search engines reported that the company had abused its dominant position. The European Commission has said it would look into whether the world's largest search engine manipulated ranking in its results of competing services.
EU Launch Google Probe
An investigation has been launched into Google after competing search engines reported that the company had abused its dominant position. The European Commission has said it would look into whether the world's largest search engine manipulated ranking in its results of competing services.
12 April 2007
'60km sniper' for British troops
Britain's ground forces in Afghanistan are to receive a state-of-the-art precision land attack rocket, the Ministry of Defence has announced. The Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) has twice the range of existing artillery systems.
'60km sniper' for British troops
Britain's ground forces in Afghanistan are to receive a state-of-the-art precision land attack rocket, the Ministry of Defence has announced. The Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) has twice the range of existing artillery systems.
26 November 2009
ITV Studios Tunes Into Singapore
One of the world's leading international TV distributors in home-entertainment, have announced plans to launch a new Asian channel. Due for broadcast on the 1st December on the StarHub pay TV platform, Granada TV will be Asia's newest general entertainment channel. ITV Studios Global Entertainment have described the move as a landmark deal.
ITV Studios Tunes Into Singapore
One of the world's leading international TV distributors in home-entertainment, have announced plans to launch a new Asian channel. Due for broadcast on the 1st December on the StarHub pay TV platform, Granada TV will be Asia's newest general entertainment channel. ITV Studios Global Entertainment have described the move as a landmark deal.
15 April 2009
Spinster's Talented Performance Storms Internet
An outwardly 'dowdy' Scottish spinster has become an overnight Internet sensation, thanks to the latest TV talent show. A clip of Susan Boyle's performance as she literally dumbfounded the judges and won over the audience of TV show Britain's Got Talent with her extraordinary singing voice has been viewed almost 2.5 million times on YouTube.
Spinster's Talented Performance Storms Internet
An outwardly 'dowdy' Scottish spinster has become an overnight Internet sensation, thanks to the latest TV talent show. A clip of Susan Boyle's performance as she literally dumbfounded the judges and won over the audience of TV show Britain's Got Talent with her extraordinary singing voice has been viewed almost 2.5 million times on YouTube.
31 January 2007
BBC Trust backs plans for downloads
The BBC Trust has published provisional conclusions broadly backing the BBC Executive's planned on-demand services and opened a period of consultation.
BBC Trust backs plans for downloads
The BBC Trust has published provisional conclusions broadly backing the BBC Executive's planned on-demand services and opened a period of consultation.
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