While Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) is struggling to gain major television network support for its imminent Internet and cable television hybrid Google TV, they are at least launching the service with two products that should appeal to tech savvy early adopters. While Sony (NYSE: SNE) is incorporating Google TV software directly into their line of Sony Internet Television HDTVs, Logitech (NASDAQ: LOGI) is handling the set top box market. Pre-orders were made available yesterday for Logitech’s first Google TV product, the Logitech Revue. The set op box costs $299 and its features shed new light on how Google plans to take over living rooms (and cable providers) with their new software.
Answering how Google plans on making television-based Internet navigation comfortable for families in their living room, Logitech’s set top box comes with a thin, lightweight QWERTY keyboard with a built in touchpad and a four-direction arrow pad not dissimilar to the kind found on most cable box controllers. There is a miniature remote with a clamshell form factor with the same features as the keyboard. Logitech will also be releasing an app compatible with both Apple Inc.‘s (NASDAQ: APPL) iPhone and smartphones running on Google’s own Android operating system called Logitech Harmony Remote that will let Revue users utilize their smartphones as remote controls.
The Revue delivers many of the features planned when Google initially announced Google TV. Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) subscribers can access streaming movies and television using the same app currently available in the Google Android store, and streaming rentals can be purchased from Amazon.com using the Google Chromium web browser in Google TV. The most significant feature, the Google TV Search SDK lets Revue users search TV listings with the cable provider, live television, and any television programming on the Internet. Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH) subscribers using Revue will have access to unique features like a DVR search function. While not guaranteed, Google hopes to bring those features to other providers in the future.
Non-television content-wise, owners will be able to stream content stored on personal PC and DLNA servers as well as mobile devices like smartphones and tablet computers with most video, picture, and music codecs supported by the set top box. Users can purchase a separate, proprietary camera for $150 and use it in conjunction with the Logitech Vid HD application for video chat in the living room, but this sadly doesn’t utilize the recently revamped Google Voice VoIP service.
With television networks ABC (NYSE: DIS), CBS (NYSE: CBS), and NBC (NYSE: GE) still leery of Google TV because of the exploitable nature of Google TV Search’s ability to access pirate sources on the Internet, exclusive television support for Google TV is still somewhat lacking. The Revue should help push Google’s agenda though, thanks to its comparable price point to other set top boxes like TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO). Revue is also good news for Logitech shareholders. Logitech beat expectations when it announced its fiscal 2011 first quarter earnings in August, with revenue up 47% year-on-year at $479 million. Earnings per share came in at 11 cents, crushing expectations of 3 cents per share. Google TV may not be a driving factor in Google’s business yet, but the Revue is another reason Logitech is a good buy right now.
As of this writing, Anthony Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
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