Bringing the Web to the TV – Déjà Vu All Over Again?
Colin Dixon, Senior Partner, Advisory
March 22, 2010
Two recent announcements sent me spinning back in time to my early days with the WebTV team:
- Google, Intel, and Sony collaborating to bring the Web into the living room through a new generation of televisions and set-top boxes.
- Hillcrest Labs releasing a new browser optimized for viewing Internet video on PC-connected televisions.
Both of these efforts have one thing in common: they seek to bring open Internet access to the television (hence, my “déjà vu” moment). But is there any reason to believe that things will be different this time?
First, TDG applauds Hillcrest and Google/Intel/Sony for taking a truly open approach to bringing the Internet to the TV. It’s about time! Most companies in this space (e.g., Roku, Boxee, and the host of CE manufacturers) have instead chosen a curated approach, providing only a select set of Internet content for TV viewing. Given the speed with which technology changes and services come and go in the Internet world the only way to keep up is with an open browser solution.
GoogleTV – It’s All About the Ads
Although few details are available about GoogleTV, we know that the endgame is about generating advertising revenue. Just as it positioned Nexus One as an open platform for the mobile marketplace, GoogleTV is expected to provide an open platform for the Internet-enabled TV. Open platforms favor Google’s ad models and, when seen in this light, the company’s hardware and software plays are simply means to this end.
That being said, Google still needs to figure out how to make open TV-based web browsing work Perhaps it should look closely at Hillcrest’s new solution for guidance.
Hillcrest Loops in Kylo…
On Monday, Hillcrest introduced a browser optimized for the TV, branded Kylo. Although Kylo can be used with a standard keyboard and mouse or even a simple remote control, Hillcrest recommends use of its $99 remote control, the Loop. The Loop pointer is a wireless device that allows you to move your hand around in the air to move the cursor on the screen. Even if slumped in a chair from the other side of the room, the Loop is very easy and intuitive to use. It only takes a minute or so to get the hang of it but after that its easy sailing.
Kylo features large buttons and fonts, as well as several tools to improve the TV/web experience for someone seated on living room sofa. The home page offers an extensive set of large icons for many of the most popular media sites such as Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, ABC.com, and CBS.com. A simple click of an icon and you go straight to the website. If you need to enter a URL, the address bar is at the bottom. A big on-screen keyboard is easily navigated with the Loop, although navigating with a regular remote is as cumbersome as ever.
Once the user reaches a specific website, a familiar problem surfaces: the page does not fit on the screen and the fonts are too small to read from across the room. If using the Loop, zooming is very easy. Simply click the center wheel and spin it up and down to zoom in and out. If using a regular remote or mouse, there is also a tool located on the screen’s lower right for doing this.
…And Hulu Ain’t Dancing
Though Kylo launched on Monday morning with the ability to view any Internet content, within hours the fine folks at Hulu had shut off access; a petty and hypocritical move since Hulu has its own client for “browsing with remote.” For a Kylo/Loop user, however, the net impact is relatively minor. Users can open the Hulu client separately or go to Hulu from a standard browser. Frankly, I have often found the video quality from Hulu poor in comparison with the content providers’ own website. Perhaps the simplest solution is to go directly to the likes of ABC.com and Fox.com from within Kylo and skip Hulu altogether.
Final Thoughts
So what can Google learn from a small company like Hillcrest? First, using a regular remote control or mouse to browse the web from the television is a frustrating and unpleasant experience. Second, a well-conceived TV-friendly browser such as Kylo can elevate this experience and make it more palatable for ordinary consumers. In fact, the Kylo/Loop duet is the best approach to armchair browsing I have seen. It is certainly an improvement over the keyboard approach used by WebTV all those years ago.
That said, I still do not think browsing the Internet on the TV will become a mainstream behavior. Panning and zooming web sites and entering URLs is just not a great TV experience. We will have to wait for the adoption of standards for TV browsing before this reality is changed and the shortcomings are solved. This is one area in which a company like Google can really help move things forward.
ShareThis