- Search live TV, the internet and apps with Google TV
- Access thousands of Android apps at Google Play Store
- Universal remote with touchpad & and backlit keyboard
I am very pleased with this Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV which I received two days ago, August 21, 2012, from Amazon Vine.
I have two of the Roku XDS Streaming Player 1080ps, purchased a year or so ago and which I use frequently; they are quite good (the newer, replacement, model is the Roku 2 XS 1080p Streaming Player which, I understand, is quite similar).
But this new Sony model is much more capable than the Roku because it has a built-in web browser. The browser is Google Chrome, normally a full-featured browser along the lines of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari, etc. Unfortunately here it appears to be somewhat restricted as, so far, I have found no way to add extensions, such as AdBlock. Nonetheless, the presence of this browser adds a great deal of value to this media player.
For example, one of my favorite web sites is the Internet Archive [archiveorg] which has thousands upon thousands of free public-domain movies, music, books, and so forth. (You could spend DAYS on this site and not see it all!)
Not only was it easy to "bookmark" this site, I also created an application ("app") from it so that it appears in my "All Apps" folder. (Please read further for instructions as to how to create a bookmark and/or an app.)
Netflix is built-in, common on these devices, as is Amazon Instant Video. There is no native TuneIn Radio app (my favorite Internet Radio portal), but it does have Slacker Radio as well as Pandora. However I went to the TuneIn Radio site via the browser, logged in to my account, and created a bookmark as well as an app from it, as I did for the Internet Archive.
I also created a bookmark and an app from my Watch List on the Amazon Prime Instant Video selection, so I have this in addition to the built-in Amazon Instant Video app. Creating these apps is simple once you know how to use the device. Please note that I am almost 70 years old and have had NO computer or computer-device training whatsoever; I am completely self-taught. I have had my Sony media player just two days. If, in that small amount of time, I can learn to use and manipulate (customize) it, so can you, no matter how "technologically-challenged" you may think you are.
There are many, many native apps offered on this player (too many to mention here) and there are lots more offered in the Google Play Store. Take it from me as far as media goes, there is something for everyone, whether it be music, movies, or television.
If a particular app you want is not present, or even offered in the Google Play Store, it is very easy to create your own app, as I did. In other words, you can customize this player any way you like. How do you create an app? Easy! When you're using the browser and you're on a web site you wish to save, merely click the bookmarks button on the front of the remote and you will be offered choices, one of which is to bookmark the page, and another is to place the page on your My Apps page (essentially creating an app). In my case, I have done both for the pages I wish to save (such as the Amazon Prime Video Watchlist page and the TuneIn My Favorites page). This capability is very, very welcome.
Now I have to tell you that initially the Google Chrome browser gave me no end of frustration. That is because, out of the box by default (WHY Sony?), the cursor click arrow (shaped like a fist and which appears when placed over a link on the screen) did not work (at least on my player)! Neither did the Enter key (on the back of the remote control) nor the center Okay (or Enter or Select it doesn't seem to have an official name) button on the front operate when clicked on a link. I clicked and clicked and nothing happened.
So I could go to a site by entering its URL but couldn't go any further! Clicking the links just did not work. (I do not know if this is the default setting for all samples but it was on mine.)
I went online to see if others were having the same problem (they were) and if there were a solution (as of yesterday, August 22, 2012, there was none).
So I went into the Settings and investigated EACH and EVERY option until I found the solution.
To make it easy for anyone concerned, the steps are these:
Go into Settings
Scroll down and go into Language & Input Devices
Within that, scroll down and go into Remote Settings; within that dialog box are three options: Tap to Select (turn it ON), Backtouch (turn it ON), and Backlight (it's your choice if you wish it to be on or off; I chose OFF as I found the backlight is of little use to me and it does drain the batteries).
At that point, you'll be able to click on any link you like.
I hope that helps some people.
I STRONGLY recommend that any purchaser do what I did: go into the settings and at least LOOK at every single option even if you have no intention of changing any of them. This is how you will learn your system. (You do not have to do it all in one day if you don't want to.) If you do change any of the options, it is very easy to change them back if you find the changes to be unsatisfactory. You will not "break" your system.
The initial setup, which does take a fair amount of time, is, however, very easy and straightforward and is done only once, the first time you turn on the unit. The choices, which apply to your particular situation, can be changed at any time if you find that you would wish to do so. Wi-fi connection was very easy; a wired connection would be even easier. Found on the back of the unit are two USB ports, an optical audio output (if needed), and an HDMI input and an HDMI output connection, as well as the LAN (wired Ethernet) port. These ports are all self-explanatory.
You can (and I did) password-protect the Google Chrome Browser as well as the Google Play Store. While you can password-protect these (good), the password can only be a 4-digit number (not so good). And, once the password has been entered (it must be entered separately for each of the items if you use both during one session), it stays active for your entire session (definitely not so good); so far I have been unable to find a way to log out. To "clear" those passwords, you must turn off the unit and then restart it.
You also have the ability to "hide" (not remove) some (but not all) of the pre-installed apps if you have no interest in them.
We do not have cable or satellite TV so I cannot comment on the unit's performance with them.
The excellent remote control included is unusual; I have never seen any like it. It has a "hidden" battery compartment (though it's easy to discover and access: a very clever design) and the remote has TWO functional sides, unlike any other. The first side, used the most, has many control buttons and the tap-sensitive touchpad. The reverse side has a complete QWERTY keypad, with numbers, letters, and symbols.
I do have some minor criticisms of the remote control: the front of the remote is in, for want of a better term, "portrait" orientation while the rear is in "landscape" orientation. Going from front to back (and the reverse) is, at least for me, somewhat awkward. I wish that Sony had chosen ONE orientation for the remote control. Now the following is perhaps unique to me: I like to use Symbols in my passwords (for extra protection). The symbols on a computer keypad are standardized. Not so on this Sony keypad. Symbols appear in different places than they do on a standard keyboard. I had to call to my wife, who was in another room, to tell me the symbols which appeared above certain numbers (I could not remember them) so I could enter the password from the Sony keypad.
We do not watch television shows. Thus, frankly, I have zero interest in Google TV. We watch watch streaming movies and listen to music. This is our reason for using these media devices. The actual performance of this entire Sony unit (the device itself and the remote control) is exemplary, the best I have experienced thus far. HD videos from Netflix and/or Amazon Prime look spectacular; ditto for the sound quality. And the reception of commands from the remote is amazing, the best I have ever experienced. (Another plus: in my opinion, the Netflix browser on this unit is slightly better than the one on the Roku.)
Would I recommend this one over the newer Roku to you? That depends. The Roku has, among other attributes and in addition to digital outputs, ANALOG AV outputs (which the government, in its wisdom, has banned from newly designed items) so it will work with older TV sets which have no HDMI inputs. Plus, the Roku, is much simpler in its operation (because it has fewer capabilities, though the ones included will be satisfactory for most purchasers; they are for me). This newly-designed Sony has ONLY HDMI and digital audio outputs, though, of course, all modern televisions and audio amplifiers have them too. Plus, using the HDMI cable in conjunction with a modern TV/audio system, the ONE HDMI cable carries both video and audio information. What a convenience!
By the way, it would have been nice had Sony included even a short HDMI cable. They do not so you MUST buy one. Fortunately one of the very best places to buy such cables is right here on Amazon (and make sure you consider their AmazonBasics cables; in my experience, they are very good in construction and performance and they are priced "right").
This Sony in much more of a media center in concept then is the Roku due, of course, to the presence of that genuine browser. You can watch any media from any site you wish, something not possible with a Roku. Activating Netflix and some other apps is much easier on this Sony than it is on the Roku. Plus the Sony boots up much faster than does our Roku.
But the Roku is half the price or less than the Sony. And, as I stated, its apps may be all you need. Finances, of course, play a very important part in deciding which, if any, media player you want to buy. I myself now much prefer the Sony over the Roku because of the Sony's greatly enhanced operating features. I feel that, even at its higher price, it offers much more value than does the Roku (but that's not to say that I do not like the Roku I do, very much). The above is my opinion. But your opinion, of course, may be different and yours is the only one that counts for you.
This Sony uses Android, a GNU/Linux operating system created by Google, in its version 3.2. Whether Sony will ever upgrade the Android version on this player is something I do not know (but I hope they will). Now I have been a "Linux" man (and my wife has been a "Linux" woman!) for quite some time (we have six currently-in-use computers, four using Xubuntu, one using Ubuntu, and the last being used for experimentation with GNU/Linux distributions: I have recently tried Fedora, Linux Mint, and am currently trying PCLinuxOS). but I have to say that, owning two Android devices (this one and the Dell Streak 7 Wi-Fi Tablet), I do not like Android. It is the weakest and "clunkiest" Linux distribution I have ever seen. (If I owned only Android devices, that would be enough to "turn me off" to Linux! Fortunately, that is not the case). Part of the reason for the "clunkiness" is that manufacturers can "customize" (i.e. hamstring!) their installations (a truly "open" Android might be all right) and Sony has attempted to do this here.
That being said, this Sony is essentially a budget-priced full-fledged media center and, as such, functions easily and well. And you can bypass Sony's restrictions by creating your own apps. Note that no matter how "clunky" I regard Android, at least it is VERY stable and does not crash (at least not very often)! Though this player is twice the price of the top Roku, I feel that it represents very good value for money.
A small, but very welcome, bonus is the fact that this player has no "wall-wart" plug or even a "brick" between two halves of a power cable. It has its power supply built-in, just like in the "old days" so there is only one (detachable) cable and it has a small two-prong "regular" plug on its end. (When I first opened the box and saw just this one power cable, I thought I was missing something!) This is superb engineering.
One of these days (when finances permit!) I am going to buy a full-fledged media center computer (the ZaReason MediaBox 5330 is the one I would like) for our home theater. Until that day arrives, however, the Roku units and, most especially, this Sony unit will suffice. (In addition, on trips, I plan to take this Sony box with us for use in hotel rooms.)
Needless to say, the construction quality, as is usual with Sony products, at least in my experience, is first-rate. A one-year warranty protects your purchase. Frankly, except possibly for connecting the unit, it is not necessary to read the instruction manuals (they're useless anyway; that's my impression after reading them). Going through the Setup options (ALL of them), as I suggested above, is the only way (in my opinion) to learn this device and the user will find the time spent to be quite rewarding.
I like this Sony NSZ-GS7. And I recommend it to anyone interested in such a device. I think that any purchaser will be pleased IF he or she takes the time to learn how to use it to maximum advantage. (Regarding the so-called "freezing" problem mentioned by some reviewers, please see Comment #6 which I wrote concerning this anomaly and the workaround I employ.)
Thank you for reading this. I hope that it has been informative to you.
Buy Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV Now
Update: December 6, 2012: I used to give this product 5 stars, but I no longer feel it deserves that. The product crashes too often, and while some apps like Netflix work really well when fast forwarding, rewinding, skipping, other apps are extremely frustrating. For instance, you push fast forward for a moment, and you watch it skip forward and it stutters and sometimes leaves you a few seconds later in the video, but sometimes leaves you 10 seconds earlier! And if you hold the button down for a full second, it might skip 2 minutes ahead. It is very hard to reposition the video. I still really like the remote, but this box does not excel at its primary function: video. I am now looking to see if I can find a better solution for me-anyway, I am looking at Raspberry Pi with XBMC, WD TV, and some Blu Ray players, or maybe an Apple TV but since I want to watch MPEG2 TV shows recorded over the air , I would need to transcoding them to H.264 and I hate burning CPU cycles for that, although it would be nice to be able to play them more easily on phones, iPads, tablets, etc.
Here is my old review:
The Roku has a nice user experience and it also deserves 5 stars (although I disagree with Roku forcing you to give them your credit card to keep on file) -and if you are looking for the cheapest device that can just play Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon VOD, Crackle, and similar very well, then your best option is a Roku or maybe a BD player. But if you want more, you'll have to start dealing with tradeoffs. For the Google TV, the tradeoffs are 1) that you can't get some content, such as that from Hulu Plus or NBC (although you can through Playon)-and 2) the Amazon VOD experience is poor (although the movies play back nicely). (The Google TV has one of the best Netflix experiences, and Crackle's website experience is okay).
But the Google TV can do lots of things the Roku can't, such as 1) play videos and flash from some websites such as Syfy or adult websites, 2) use it as an Apple Airplay device (using the Airtight app), 3) play mpeg-2 videos such as from a HDHomeRun, MythTv, ripped DVDs (for those who don't want to take the time and cpus to convert to h.264) 4) Browse the internet -so for $200 and a tv you probably already have, then you can write emails, check your social media websites, write a paper, whatever. For a lot of people that want to have a media device on their tv and not also pay for a computer, this is a good compromise.
The Goolge TV might get XBMC, but although XBMC has announced android support, it appears it will rely on native support not currently available in Google TV. On the plus side, Plex works nicely on the sony unit. By default Plex will have the server transcode mpeg2 to h.264, but there is a setting to use "Direct play" in which the server will send the mpeg-2 direclty. This means that your Roku will play MPEG2s so long as you have a powerful enough computer to do the transcoding on the fly-and because of that pushing the forward and backward buttons will pause before the video is adjusted. But with a Sony Google TV with direct play turned on, skipping forward and back takes only a small pause. (I am using an older core 2 duo as the server, so if you have a newer 4 or 8 way, or have hardware to help accelerate the transcode, then perhaps the pause won't be as noticeable). I have found that I don't like the way Plex organizes TV shows, so I am using the app GTVBox Video Player to play TV shows. It's a nice app, but most of the apps I have found don't fast forward, rewind, or skip well. Netflix is the only app I use regularly that does this decently.
By the way, the Logitech Revue and Vizio Co-Star can't play MPEG2, only Sony units currently do.
I think the Google TV missed a huge opportunity by not providing an option for joysticks and helping developers port android games to the Google TV. Hopefully they make an announcement on those lines soon. Also, I think it seems wrong that some content providers are for locking out google tv users out from their website (e.g. hulu and nbc) but allowing other computers and similar devices to access them. But this doesn't matter much to me, though, because nearly all of that locked out content is broadcast OTA and I get it free through the HDHomeRun and store with DVR with MythTV-and with 10x the video quality-which is a huge reason why I like the google tv which can play MPEG2! I also would love to see Amazon VOD get better, but I am not that interested in paying the expensive rental fees for just 24 hours of access-and the free selection with Amazon Prime is very limited, so Amazon VOD is not an important factor for me. (By the way, for the technical savvy, you should check out the Raspberry Pi which I believe you can buy optional MPEG2 support for)
Ultimately, each Google TV and Roku have their individual strengths and weaknesses-and if you want the extra features that google tv provides, then you will need to deal with some tradeoffs. And if you don't need those extra features or can't deal with those tradeoffs, then you'll have to deal with a different set of tradeoffs if you buy the Roku or similar device instead.
Overall, I think this is one of the best remotes I've ever had-but it does have some flaws, such as being a bit wide and missing tapered back edges to be comfortable for one hand operation-and the buttons for one handed "blind" operation are in a terrible spot, well the volume buttons are in a good spot on the side, but instead of putting skip fwd, skip back, and toggle pause buttons, they put just channel up and down buttons. It seems like these channel up and down buttons could be overridden to act like skip fwd and skip back, but there would still no easy way to toggle pause. By the way, the button for pause is at the bottom of the remote, and for most people likely will require them to use 2 hands. I'd like to be angrier at Sony for not thinking of this, but the touchpad and keyboard are really well done.
Update Sep 9, 2012 -After having used this for over a month, it has crashed 4 times, and to fix I have had to unplug it and plug it back in. I think all the times were caused by the Netflix app. Maybe I should downgrade this to 4 stars, but so far I still value the unit for its pros.
Update Sep 11, 2012 -Note, I think on device capability the Roku XS deserves 5 stars, but I gave it 1 star rating in my review of it since the company forces you to enter in credit card information for them to keep on file before you can actually use it. It will not let you access the free apps until you have given them a credit card. I strongly disagree with that business model, hence the 1 star review.
Update Dec 6, 2012 -For a while there, my unit was crashing every 4 hours of play or so. It is a bit better now and my google tv crashes maybe every 20 hours of play. Sometimes when it crashes, it just reboots on its own. Other times it leaves the screen black andI have to go unplug the unit and plug it back in. By the way, I think if you hit the PIP button, it can make it look like it crashes, but a long press of the PIP button or maybe of the 3 lines "menu" button will let you resume.
{edits: Jul 28, 2012 -changed text regarding xbmc based on the kind comment from Trollslayer and added text about Plex's settings and server transcoding lag for devices that don't support MPEG2, added info on the remote}
Read Best Reviews of Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV Here
Instead of spending much time assessing the Google TV operating system, which I've used via the Logitech Revue for over a year, I'm going to detail why this Sony effort is SO MUCH better than the Logitech effort. Hopefully, it will help sway consumers who are on the fence about buying the Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV (SGTV) or like me, decided to give it a shot and UPGRADE (yes, upgrade) from the Logitech Revue.
First, the physical details: the Sony GTV unit itself feels about 50% smaller. What's nicely done is that the power cable doesn't have a power adapter so it's one less thing to deal with in the AV cabinet. As for the unit, it has all of the standard ports, including digital optical, ethernet, wifi, IR blaster, a couple USB ports, AND most notably the HDMI in and out. You're thinking: so what, the Revue has HDMI in and out, to which I can only answer YES and NO (more on this later....). Also, it's reported that the processor is a 1.2 GHz dual core. I can report that it is noticeably faster than the Revue. Homescreen images scroll much more smoothly and apps load quicker and respond with less lag. All in all, these hardware improvements certainly warrant an upgrade from the Revue.
Second, the remote is fantastic. From the clicking mousepad to the small integrated keyboard, it's a win. While I liked the Logitech remote keyboard for typing and emailing, it was just a bit too unwieldy for streaming viewing and listening. The SGTV remote is probably bluetooth based and works brilliantly even when not pointing at the unit. The one issue I will mention for some is that the SGTV doesn't seem to pair properly with Harmony all in one remotes because it lacks infrared support.
Third, media. It's worth mentioning that I don't have cable or satellite. As such, I feel like I'm really missing out on a number of the great features of Google TV in terms of how it integrates network and cable programming. But, in terms of how it hooks up with Netflix, Amazon VOD, HBO GO, Pandora, Slacker, Sony Entertainment, and all of the android TV apps, it's a great offering.
Fourth, AND MOST importantly, let's revisit the HDMI connection. It supports full HDMI-CEC control that facilitates turning it on and off with the TV when the input in selected. But what really sets it apart from the Revue is the SGTV's automatic ability to stream audio through the HDMI cable for analog and digital surround. Netflix can now easily stream Dolby Digital and/or PCM without needing to switch options in Settings to output audio via the digital optical cable. The latter was really a pain in the you know what on the Revue and more often than not, I just left it at stereo output and let my AVR churn it into surround. Now, the SGTV automatically outputs digital OR PCM depending on the source (Netflix, your TV, etc). Bonus and IMHO, well worth the upgrade. Plus, it frees up a digital port on my AVR.
Last, cost. Yes, it's more than the Revue (which you can't buy anymore), simple as that. And, it's more than Boxee and Roku and Apple TV. But, to critics out there, I will just respond by saying that it DOES more. Not only is it a streaming portal, but it's also a browser and a device for movies, photos and music. Some have suggested that the PS3 gives you even more because of gaming, but candidly, I'm just not a gamer so why spend even more for that? Perhaps it's worth waiting a little long to see if prices come down in several months, but given the form factor, remote control and WORKING digital/analog audio feature via HDMI, I was happy as a clam to get this unit.
While some might score this a 3 stars because of complaints about the current curious state of Google TV, Sony's effort is very streamlined, elegant and functional. It really is a great offering. As such, I'm happy to give it a solid 5 stars. It's just one more reason I don't need cable TV.
Want Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV Discount?
I am a very experienced gadget geek with a personal addiction to streaming units and the ability to play network hosted media.
My first box was a homemade windows MCE box on an XP platform. I was constantly updating codecs and trying to force app like interface with web shortcuts easily run from a remote as I don't want a keyboard and mouse in the living room. This was awful.
I went to XBMC on in Windows and Ubuntu, same issues.
So, Boxee Box was bought. It did local decoding, had some apps, it was functional. I have since tried RoKu with Plex Media Server running on the network, but streaming with no local decode isn't great AND the remote is... lacking. I tried raspberry pi with and xbmc build, same issues as before.
So, I stayed with Boxee Box even though my wife has trouble switching video inputs and sometimes gets a bit confused with it.
A few days ago, I ordered this model Sony Google TV. I expected to return it. I expected it to be less than Boxee Box.
The following is a linear description on the first night.
I unbox it. There is no HDMI cable which is disappointing as it has an HDMI input and output meaning is can exist on the same HDMI input as your Directv / Dish / Cable / whathaveyou. I am forced to run to the store because I didn't have one on hand. Strike one. (most devices strike out pretty quick)
I place the GoogleTV in my basement in front of my IR repeater for the upstairs living room. I put the DirecTV output to the GoogleTV input and the GoogleTV output to the HDMI cable that runs to the upstairs TV. I put it into the network and then give it power and watch its light turn on. I then grab the remote and head upstairs.
I turn the TV on and GoogleTV is waiting for me. It's asking if I watch cable or satellite. I tell it what I watch, choose my service provider, and it detects the model DVR I have. It then asks what TV I have and what stereo and what controls sound and etc. I wasn't expecting this, but it was easy enough I didn't have to go downstairs again to grab model numbers. I then log in with my gmail account.
It wants an update so I tell it to update itself. While it updates I log into Google play and select apps I'd like on my device. My google account is already associated with the device so this is a breeze.
The device reboots and immediately pulls down the apps I selected in short order. Less than half a minute for about a dozen apps. Nice.
I go to the natively installed Plex app and run through setup real quick to ensure it is set to decode at the box and not transcode I hate solutions that transcode (Roku burn in hell). Plex immediately sees my server and bam, there's all my content. I play a home movie in full 1080, decode is immediate and smooth as all get out. Boxee has trouble with this file at times, and this device is muscling it without a wimper. I decide to really take it for a spin so I hit the picture in picture button on the sony remote and it shows the TV input in the corner of the screen without issue. I switch to tv and use the sony remote to control the sound and gui on the DirecTV side of things. It puts in some of the GoogleTV overlays here and there but its so smooth you'd swear it's all one solution. I hit the home button and play a youtube video on the GoogleTV then hit the DVR and flip straight into a DVR video which I pause to flip back tp GoogleTV to watch the rest of the youtube clip before flipping back to DVR to finish my sitcom.
This thing is sweet.
Hours later my wife comes home. Here's the test...
She notices boxee is gone and is instantly unsure of what I've done. I hand her the remote and show her a few things. In about 15 minutes she's breezing through the menus and asking me why we didn't just get this in the first place.
I throw the return box away and toss Boxee in the basement where it belongs. When I get around to it, he'll end up on ebay or something I'm sure. For now, I've found my new solution. GoogleTV here's to a long future together.
I've been using the Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV for over a month now and have really come to love some of the features and apps it provides. However, it is not perfect. I wavered between giving it three or four stars, ultimately deciding on four because the things it does well, it does really well. Let's start with what it does well and the really cool features it has.
What I've found most useful is the ability to, at any time, just hit the search button on the remote, search for any movie, TV show, or other media and use the preloaded TV & Movies app, and it will tell me on one screen which supported streaming service offers it and if it is for sale, for rent, included free with membership, or if it on my cable system in the next week or so and links to that channel or streaming service. Or, you can use the same search function to instead look something up on youtube, wikipedia, or just google itself using the chrome browser. One flaw of this is that since Google TV doesn't support Hulu Plus, it won't tell you through this app if it is streaming there.
Another way it excels is the way it integrates your cable/satellite into the Google TV system. It isn't like a Roku where you have to change your inputs from cable to Roku. You hook your TV into this Sony device and then connect the box to your TV all via HDMI cables. So, if your search for something or are in another app, and it tells you that some TV show is on channel 297, you just click on it and Google TV switches from your search page or whatever app you are on, to your TV and directly to that channel.
The remote: while not perfect and at first glance complex, it has become indispensable as a search tool with the qwerty keyboard. I'm sick of entering user names, passwords, and searching for things using an on-screen keyboard and the directional arrows on my remote. This solves that problem with the qwerty keyboard. However, the buttons on that side are someone difficult to push down and can lead to pressing the buttons on the opposite side.
However, if you don't like that remote option, you have the option of downloading one of many remote apps on your Android Phone or iPhone. Here is another cool feature. Once I installed the remote app on my Android Phone, I then had the option, when browsing the web or youtube on my phone, to then share that page or video with the Google TV remote. This essentially pushes the content on your phone to your google TV, much the same way AirPlay allows you to push content on your iPad, iPhone, or Mac to your Apple TV. While there is a Google TV remote app available for iPhone (I tried the iPhone app on my iPad 3), I found no way of pushing the content on my iPad to the Google TV, using the Share button. I could only do that with my Android phone.
Also very neat are some of the apps that integrate your TV service with the web. For instance, Thuuz is an app I use for following my favorite sports and sports teams. You set your favorites and Thuuz will tell you up to date scores and tell you if it is on your cable/satellite system with a link directly to that channel on your cable box. Just click it and it takes you right to that channel. If the game is on ESPN3 and your cable provider participates, it will link directly to that. Oh, and if the game isn't on TV, but you still want to follow it, you can click on a link to ESPN's GameCast site and you can follow the game that way.
It can also function and integrate with the media server Plex. I'm new to Plex, so I can't tell if it does this well, or not, but it does seem to be available. So if you have a lot of movies or other media stored on a computer on your network, you should be able to wirelessly stream that content to your Google TV.
It comes with a voucher for 3 free movies from YouTube. The selection is not great, but we got Moneyball for free and have to decide what to get with our other two vouchers (we're hoping the selection will change). I never really thought of YouTube as a place to buy or rent movies, but apparently, you can. Oh, and the picture quality of the movies is great and the YouTube app is really easy to use. I hate browsing YouTube on my computer, but I really like it through this app.
Now, some of the downsides:
Some of the TV or streaming "apps" it has are not really apps, but rather, just direct links to their websites on the integrated Chrome browser. While some of these are okay (Amazon's works well), others work sporadically (HBO GO) and when they do work, sometimes the screen sizes for some reason do not automatically fit the screen. I've been reviewing some forums and other people are having trouble with the HBO GO app. At this point, it is questionable whether there is "official" support of this app. Other web pages that have video sometimes can be tough to get to work on the device, or you'll see scroll bars and other things like that on your screen when you really just want the video.
It can also be a bit finicky with the audio where it doesn't always connect with the TV's audio through the HDMI cable, sometimes requiring a complete restart of the system. Usually, though, it is an issue at startup, and you will know right away if you need to do a restart of the system. In other words, at least it doesn't spontaneously have the sound go out right in the middle of watching something.
No support for Hulu Plus.
Home screen not very customizable and only displays a small number of shortcuts to apps.
Who this is not for:
If you are looking to ditch your cable/satellite provider and get all of your media through streaming services, this probably is not for you. The real benefit of this device is the way it integrates the internet with your existing TV service (and it does this really well). You would be better off with a Roku, which does have support for Hulu Plus as well as all the other services.
Overall, despite its limitations, I've come to love having this device and I'm so glad we got it. I'm hoping that Google starts to provide more support and updates and can fix some of those limitations. I just got an update on the device today.
Body looks like it's made of aluminum but is really flimsy plastic. Memory card wouldn't go in all the way. Pushed it in as far as it would go but camera kept saying "no card". After some wiggling I finally got it to go in all the way. Then the camera wouldn't turn on at all. Also, once in, I couldn't get the card out. Had to grab with a pair of needle nose pliers and pull hard. Took it back to the store.
