Google TV: The Missing Feature

Google TV looks great.  There’s no doubt about it.  In fact, it looks so good, I want one even though I just purchased an Apple TV.  However, despite what Google TV has to offer, it’s missing one key feature.  A feature Google TV may not be able to replicate anytime soon because of Google’s insistance of staying away from desktop applications.  I’m referring to the ability to stream content over your network.  In short, Air Play.

Google does have a feature called Fling which allows you to seamlessly share content on a phone onto your TV.  Whether this will be limited to Android devices or not remains to be seen, I would assume iPhone’s will probably be supported, but I cannot verify that.  Nonetheless, what about content on your desktop or laptop computer?  How do you get that onto the TV?  With Google TV it seems you don’t.

A feature such as this would require a desktop application of sorts – something that could be installed on your computer and serve up the content to the Google TV.  However, a desktop application does not seem likely.  According to TechCrunch, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin don’t want Google to be in the business of creating software outside of the browser.  Which would be consistent with Google’s product launches over the last several years.

In order for the ability to play previously purchased content on your TV with the Google TV solution, it would need to be stored in the cloud.  Now, whether a future service like that is provided by Google or a third-party remains to be seen.  But as far as I can tell, it would be the only way to have your previously purchased content play on your TV.  Unless of course, you buy an Apple TV, which has this ability via iTunes Home Sharing and Air Play.

The Apple TV sells for $99 and is available for purchase.  The Google TV solutions pricing and availability will be announced soon.