Two months after Google TV devices hit the streets, the platform is seeing its first major update, bringing with it an improved Netflix app, a remote control app for Android and more.
I mentioned in my review of the Logitech Revue with Google TV that its Netflix experience had a lot of room for improvement. Google TV launched with a simple Netflix app that let you watch streaming video titles but didn&'t offer the ability to search streaming titles or add them to your queue. The new Netflix app adds those features and also offers up personalized recommendations on what to watch, as well as the ability to add titles to your Netflix DVD queue.
Google is also finally launching an Android Google TV app, which lets you control pretty much every aspect of the platform from your phone. In addition, you can use your phone to perform voice searches to find shows and movies, as well as push content (like YouTube videos or websites) from your phone to GTV. Both features were demonstrated when Google first unveiled GTV earlier this year.
Google says that an iPhone version of the app is coming soon. You can find a demonstration of the Android app below.
The update also fixes a common complaint with GTV&'s &''Dual View&'' feature, which lets you watch TV content while browsing the web. Now you&'ll be able to move the video window around the screen, so that it&'s not in the way of content, and resize the window as you see fit.
There are also new movie results pages that show you everywhere you can find a particular film &8212' including TV, Netflix, and Amazon&'s Video on Demand service. The pages include cast information, a summary of the film and related photos.
The update will start rolling out today to Google TV devices and will continue throughout the week.
Next Story: Spoken Communications gets $4M for call center voice recognition Previous Story: Why Mark Zuckerberg is like Hitler (and Stalin, too!)
Print Email Twitter Facebook Google Buzz LinkedIn Digg StumbleUpon Reddit Delicious Google More&8230'
Companies: Google, Netflix
Companies: Google, Netflix
Devindra Hardawar is VentureBeat's lead mobile writer and East Coast correspondent. He studied philosophy at Amherst College, worked in IT support for several years, and has been writing about technology since 2004. He now lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can reach him at devindra@venturebeat.com (all story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com), and on Twitter at @Devindra.
VentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters. Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.
Discuss Add this link to... Bury
Comments