There is a ton of good stuff coming out of this year’s Google I/O, so while we take a break from the madness, let’s try to get you caught up on the happenings. Last night, an update was pushed out to Google Play Books, allowing for users to upload their own files such as PDFs and EPUBs. There is also a refreshed design for your library and table of contents pages. 

Secondly, and probably much more importantly, the Google TV platform is getting a major bump to Android 4.2.2, Jelly Bean. This will allow Google TV developers to access the most recent APIs and even the newest NDK for development purposes. In the long run, this will make GTV a much smarter and greater platform for the true lovers of entertainment.

Play Link

Via: +Google TV | LG

Android 4.2.2 “Jelly Bean” Headed to Google TV, Play Books Gets an Update is a post from: Droid Life

Been waiting ever so patiently for the ASUS Qube to drop? Well, it has finally arrived on Newegg’s site, which for just $140, will get you the latest version of Google TV, a do-it-all remote, 50GB of ASUS web storage, and access to that nifty voice search feature for your living room. 

As a note, if you buy it today, you get a $10 gift card. Score. And I must say, I have always been quite intrigued with the Qube’s design. It looks pretty snazzy.

Via: Newegg

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cheers Cheesse!

ASUS Qube on Sale Through Newegg, $140 For Google TV and 50GB of Web Storage is a post from: Droid Life

One of the categories that was not discussed at length at last year’s Google I/O event was Google TV. Some took the lack of talks surrounding the platform as a sign that Google TV could be nearing its end, but according to the Google TV Developer G+ page, some news regarding the platform will most certainly be in attendance. 

What Google has panned for Google TV, no one knows right off, but could we expect big news? New boxes? Some crazy Nexus TV? Who knows.

Do we have any die hard Google TV fans here? After my experiences with the Revue from Logitech and Honeycomb, I was pretty turned off by it.

Via: GTV Source

Google TV Platform to Receive More Attention at This Year’s Google I/O is a post from: Droid Life

Today, Google has announced through their official Google TV blog that we have lots to look forward to next week at CES. According to the post, we will be seeing the future of the platform, as it will be presented through new hardware from various partners such as ASUS, Sony, LG, Vizio, and more. 

As to what new hardware we will see, there is nothing set in stone. But of course, you can expect to see coverage of everything new right here starting Sunday.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Via: Google TV Blog

Google TV Announcements Coming Next Week at CES from ASUS, LG, and Sony is a post from: Droid Life

If you’re the owner of a brand new LG television equipped with Google TV, you’re in luck! Amazon has released an official Amazon Instant Video app for 2012 LG models only, kind of leaving the rest of us out in the cold. The app brings a fantastic user interface to buy and watch movies/shows from, as well as look through your watchlist and closed captioning options.

According to Google, we can expect more Google TV devices to be supported soon, but no time frame was given. My guess? Well, let’s shoot for, “many moons” from now.

Via: Google TV Blog

Official Amazon Instant Video App Hits 2012 LG TVs Equipped With Google TV is a post from: Droid Life

Google has been trying to figure out how to invade your living room and big-screen TV for a while now, something they have proven by not letting Google TV die. The latest update to YouTube is aimed at making your switching between mobile and big-screen a little easier.

Mobile has been able to sync videos to Google TV for a while, but now as long as the two devices are on the same WiFi network, it will do it automatically. All you have to do is press the little TV symbol on the YouTube app and you can watch it in high definition. Your phone then becomes your remote and allows you to switch videos and play/pause while you watch. The update doesn’t seem to be live just yet but Google promises we will be seeing “this feature coming to more devices and screens in the future.”

Will any of you fire up your Google TVs to use this new feature when it does go live?

Via: YouTube

Google Looking to Sync Your Phone and TV With New YouTube Update is a post from: Droid Life

Starting today and over the course of the next few days, users of Google TV will see an update to their Google Play store which will allow for the purchasing and renting of movies, music, and TV shows. You will be able to access the new content straight from the homepage and Movies app, which will also show recommendations for you through apps like Netflix and Amazon.

If you’ve already received the update, tell us how you’re liking it.

Via: Google TV Blogspot

Google TV Becomes More Usable – Update Allows for Play Movies, TV Shows, and Music is a post from: Droid Life

If you are in the market for a new smart TV, you may want to check out LG’s current 2012 lineup that was introduced at this year’s CES. As you may have heard, the TV industry isn’t exactly crushing it as some would have expected, causing manufacturers to drop prices significantly. There is no better example of this industry-wide change than through the prices that Amazon is putting up, right now.

You can grab most of LG’s 2012 lineup of smart TVs for over 40% off, including their two Google TV models. While these GTV-enhanced sets aren’t quite as impressive as their flagship line (only 120Hz and not as thin of a bezel), at $1499 for the 55″ and $999 for the $47″, I’m not sure you will find a better deal. They still offer 1080p, 3D, and come with 6 pairs of 3D glasses.

With that said, if you do want their top of the line series, meaning 240Hz and an ultra-thin bezel, you can get yourself into either a 55″ or 47″ at the same prices as the Google TV models.

Google TV Links:  55″ Google TV ($1499.00) | 47″ Google TV ($999.00)

Non-Google TV Links:  55″ LM7600 ($1499.00) | 47″ LM7600 ($999.00) 

Via:  Phandroid

LG’s Newest Google TVs are Over 40% Off at Amazon, Rest of Their Lineup Too is a post from: Droid Life

Vizio’s new Co-Star box has hit their website for pre-order. The price tag is only $99 and for anyone looking into Google TV, that’s not a bad price. Google TV can turn any TV in your home into a smart TV by bringing tons of applications and the full Chrome browser right to your living room. Another sweet little addition to the box is the hybrid remote that comes with the package. It features a full keyboard on the backside, while having all of your remote needs on the front. Much more compact than what came with the Logitech Revue. 

Pre-Order

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cheers Ken!

Vizio’s Co-Star Google TV Box Up for Pre-Order, $99 Well Spent is a post from: Droid Life

If you are headed to Google I/O, you will be excited to learn that there is a new update to the official application that took place in Google Play last night. The update, targeted at people who will attend the event this year, includes new push notifications to receive “announcements and the conference schedule from the Google I/O team,” along with the ability to view the whole conference’s agenda. If you plan to watch the conference from home, the application can now be installed to your Google TV and supports full live streams of the conference through it.

Other than a few bug fixes throughout the application, the last update in the changelog is a little bit of a cute mystery:

[The update] Improves spacetime decompression algorithms; 29 total hours per day are now available to Google I/O attendees within Moscone West.

It could be Google being their normal slightly-geeky selves or they could be hinting towards something we’ll be hearing about at I/O. Well, we don’t have to wait much longer. Go grab the update from Google Play now.

Play Link

Google I/O App Receives Huge Update – Push Notifications, Google TV Support and Full Agenda Now Ready to Go is a post from: Droid Life

Google is trying to reboot their Google TV venture this year and LG is the first to get into the game with them. Back at CES in January, they showed of two sleek LED models that they said we would be seeing sometime soon. Rumors have been swirling around about the price and availability of these new sets, but LG has just announced the first two models.

The first piece of the puzzle comes from LG executive Ro Seogho, saying that they will be available in the US on May 21. But how much will they cost you say? There are two sizes, 47″ and 55″ that will run you $1699 and $2299 respectively. Whoa.

Willing to give Google TV another try at that price point?

Via: Engadget

LG’s Google TVs Hitting Stores at The End of May, Google TV Gears Up for Round 2 is a post from: Droid Life

Google is reportedly working on a big new feature for Google TV. According to a report and leaked images from Patently Apple, the search giant is looking to command the living room. The software, when released, will allow users to speak queries into a specially designed application that will then relay commands to your TV. As seen in the picture above, you can simply ask when your favorite shows are on and receive a full layout of expected airing times of the questioned programs. 

Another key feature for Google’s new software, is the ability to control your TV even when you are not home. Here is an explanation of the feature taken straight from the filing:

The provision of the query to the television may occur when the user is within a set distance of his home also (e.g., by determining with GPS functionality on the smartphone that he is within 1/4 mile of the home), and the television may be turned on automatically as he approaches the home, with the television tuned to a channel that is determined to be most relevant to the query…

So the question for some may be, “When can I have it?” Well, don’t start throwing your money at the monitor yet, because so far, there are no reports on when we could see this implemented into Google TV. But, is this something we could see as useful? Would you use it? There are plenty of iPhone users who completely turn Siri off, so would we do the same with this or is this different? Sound off down below.

Via: BGR, Patently Apple

Google Submits Patent Application For Siri-Like Interface On Google TV is a post from: Droid Life

If there was one thing that we took away from CES this week, it was that many companies are joining Google TV now that the software has matured a bit more. It seems that the folks at Google are already working on the next iteration of it with the news today that they could be offering LG a first-look at the next generation software.

This situation would be similar to Google partnering with Samsung and HTC on the Nexus devices. LG would be the first company to see the software and be able to make their own changes to it if they pleased. This doesn’t mean we will be seeing a marketing campaign for a Nexus TV, but it would be pretty sweet, right? Will it be based on Ice Cream Sandwich possibly? We have a feeling that some of these questions will be answered at this year’s Google I/O.

Via: Bloomberg

Google Partnering With LG For Next Generation Of Google TVs? is a post from: Droid Life

If anybody here is an avid Google TV user, you will be pleased to hear that a Google TV preview has just been implemented into the Android SDK, and developers will soon be able to start building apps for your TV. Not only can they build apps, but some of applications will already be usable on your televisions.

The Android Market will also be available on your TV, and you will have the ability to download and use all compatible applications right on your television set. Winning? Back at Google I/O, they mentioned that soon we would be seeing Android implemented into lots of household appliances, and it looks like the time is coming upon us. No, this isn’t science fiction, it’s the GoogleFridge! 

Having the Android Market on our TV’s is great, but do we need the Market on our dishwashers? All jokes aside, do we have a bunch of Google TV users here? The Logitech Revue hit $99 dollars recently, and we know a few people picked them up. Go check it out.

Via: Google TV Blog

Preview Of Google TV Now Available On Android SDK is a post from: Droid Life

When the Logitech Revue and Google TV were just getting their start, a commercial featuring Kevin Bacon as a fan obsessed with Kevin Bacon almost out-shined them both.  And today, Logitech and KB returned, only this time with an extended cut of that commercial that also includes a way for people to help support his charity, SixDegrees.org.

Here’s how it works: The star of the commercial and biggest Kevin Bacon memorabilia collector of them all, Ivan Cobenk, is putting some of his most-loved items up for sale. Those who watch the video can click on items such as Ivan’s special needlepoint project or his Kevin Bacon oil painting and they will be taken directly to eBay to make a bid. All profits go directly to Kevin Bacon’s charitable organization, SixDegrees.org, which supports and partners with a number of charitable causes.

So get to watching this hilarious spot, and if you have some extra cash, feel free to click on the variety of random Kevin Bacon swag featured throughout.  

Click here to view the embedded video.

Kevin Bacon Returns for an Extended Logitech ReVue Spot, His Charity Also Gets Involved is a post from: Droid Life