Android TV: Google Getting into the Microconsole Business

[Frogacuda]

So OUYA is dead in the water and MadCatz's thing flopped like we knew it would, but it seems like Google is finally getting on board the Microconsole thing themselves, with the next version of Android providing optimizations to the graphics, and an interface built for TV. They're promising console-quality graphics on Android with currently available hardware. And they might not be lying:



The redone interface looks nice, and works with a controller, remote, or you can use your phone. It seems to be better done than previous efforts, and now that there's official support from Android, we might see apps better optimized for that purpose.



Google hasn't yet announced a flagship device for this, but there's real potential here. They're looking to build it into TVs, as well as sell stand-alone devices. If they can get these into enough homes, we might actually see a market for real games here.

[Chux]

Can they just stop trying to push an Android STB/Console? Ouya flopped, Mojo(I think?) flopped, FireTV didn't set the world on Fire (lolololololololololololio).

That's three strikes, bro.

[Frogacuda]

Can they just stop trying to push an Android STB/Console? Ouya flopped, Mojo(I think?) flopped, FireTV didn't set the world on Fire (lolololololololololololio).

That's three strikes, bro.

Yeah, but those all deserved to fail, because they were fragmented, shoehorned into an OS with no proper support for the form factor, and they weren't good devices. This push will unify a range of devices that will offer a good Smart TV experience first and foremost, and there is a market there. This thing blows away Roku, and Apple TV and all of those. Gaming is secondary, but it looks like there's the potential to do that very well, too, and if they can get these in enough homes, that could be interesting.

Obviously, there's still plenty of reason to be skeptical, but this is a much better effort than the previous ones, and if we see good devices and good prices it could be a much more compelling product for the Roku crowd that might even cross into a little bit of real gaming.

Google's full keynote is here. Areas of interest include the new graphics optimizations at 1:06, and the new TV stuff at 1:45

[Chux]

Yeah, but those all deserved to fail, because they were fragmented, shoehorned into an OS with no proper support for the form factor, and they weren't good devices. This push will unify a range of devices that will offer a good Smart TV experience first and foremost, and there is a market there. This thing blows away Roku, and Apple TV and all of those. Gaming is secondary, but it looks like there's the potential to do that very well, too, and if they can get these in enough homes, that could be interesting.

Obviously, there's still plenty of reason to be skeptical, but this is a much better effort than the previous ones, and if we see good devices and good prices it could be a much more compelling product for the Roku crowd that might even cross into a little bit of real gaming.

Google's full keynote is here. Areas of interest include the new graphics optimizations at 1:06, and the new TV stuff at 1:45

Amazon is a really big company too. How well is the FireTV doing? I just don't think it's the time for it, no matter what company. Apple hasn't jumped in too far either, FWIW.

[Joust Williams]

JoustW getting out of the microconsole business

[Frogacuda]

Amazon is a really big company too. How well is the FireTV doing?

Amazon is a big company, but the FireTV is only one device, and a flawed one at that. This is going to be built in to all of Sharp and Sony's high end TVs next year, and be available in a wide range of devices, ranging from $50 streaming sticks to $200 gaming-ready consoles, all with a unified user experience that looks better than what's currently available.

I'm not saying I'm running out to get one, my current consoles deal with my media needs pretty well, but I think there's a good chance this is going to end up unifying a lot of the smart tv market in the same way Android did for phones.

[Chux]

I'd love to see it do well, as more competition certainly helps the market. I can just see people who aren't us/GAF/savvy seeing a $200 box that can't even play Mario, only glorified tablet/mobile games and looking the other way.

[Diff-chan]

Frog is only defending this because he is an Android fanboy. Don't believe his lies.

[Chux]

Frog is only defending this because he is an Android fanboy. Don't believe his lies.

I know this, and it's why I'm trying to keep it civil instead of saying LOL FUCKING ANDROID TRASH, GO FUCK SOME COTC.

It is android trash though, since we're being real
Android for me has only been good for getting late iOS ports on fragmented devices and emulation.

[Frogacuda]

I'd love to see it do well, as more competition certainly helps the market. I can just see people who aren't us/GAF/savvy seeing a $200 box that can't even play Mario, only glorified tablet/mobile games and looking the other way.

But that's the thing, it doesn't really have to. It's going to come in a wide range of form factors and price points, which gives it a place to grow from. I imagine if it does develop into something with real console games on it, that's going to start as a fairly small subset of people adopting the platform, but its success or failure as a whole isn't going to depend on that, unlike the OUYA.

Frog is only defending this because he is an Android fanboy. Don't believe his lies.

Like I said, I'm not running out to get it, and I was never on board with the earlier Android consoles either, but I do think this is going to do a lot better than those as a whole (it almost has to).