Sony and Intel to partner Google on Google TV project

Google has teamed up with Intel and Sony to develop a platform called Google TV, which aims bring the web into the living room through new TVs and set-top boxes.

The Android-based system should allow people to perform connected tasks like updating and browsing Facebook, Tweeting or getting their favoured news feeds through RSS.

The move makes a lot of sense, with connected televisions proliferating and both Intel and Google desperate to translate their dominance in computing into the burgeoning entertainment device market.

Sony developing new TV brand?

Sony has also seen its market share slipping in the TV industry in recent years, so is in need of new technologies to give its TV and home cinema products and brands a new edge.

Of course, web access via the television is nothing new and there are already a number of TVs on the market that will let you surf the net, although the services are somewhat limited in scope at this point in time.

Google's plan is to open up its Android-based TV platform to developers to try to create a similar ecosystem to that seen in apps for smartphones over the last few years.

"Google is expected to deliver a toolkit to outside programmers within the next couple of months, and products based on the software could appear as soon as this summer," claims a report in The New York Times this week.

Logitech remote?

Logitech has apparently been approached to make peripherals for Google TV, including a remote with a tiny keyboard.

Specific details on the Google TV project are scarce, with the various deals still under negotiation.

"Google wants to be everywhere the Internet is so they can put ads there," one source with knowledge of the project told the NYT.

Google TV software will be open source so that device and TV makers will have easy and open access to it. Interestingly, the New York Times report also hints that Sony may well be developing a new TV brand to launch the technology under.

Via New York Times