By Sony Internet TV was just announced, and while it’s awesome, it’s mostly awesome because of what Google TV brings to the table. The four actual TVs are nice and all, and the Blu-Ray player is great, but it’s what Google TV allows you to do that makes them great. So what separates Sony Internet Television from other Google TV offerings like the Logitech Revue?
The remote.
The design of the Sony Internet TV remote was modeled after the Sony Playstation 3 controller and it isn’t surprising – this thing makes operating your TV fun and almost game like. The navigation is natural, and while a few nuances take a bit getting used to, mostly anyone who has played Playstation or XBOX will jump right into the experience and forget that learning curves exist.
Check out how familiar this looks/feels in the hand:
Just like a gaming controller, each hand clutches a side of this remote with your thumbs doing most of the work. The layout is compact enough so that you can easily reach every button yet large and spacious enough so that typos and mistakes are pretty much non-existent.
The bulk of the main area is taken up by the full QWERTY keyboard which I absolutely loved. Get familiar with that little dedicated search button in the lower left, because with the Omnibox searching everything from the TV Schedule and your DVR to the web and YouTube, you’ll find yourself using it an awful lot. That’s part of what makes the Google TV experience so great… browsing TV is redefined into a Matrix-like experience with tons of options flying by you, selecting whatever you desire.
On the top left you’ll see the D-Pad which allows you to navigate through menus and options. On the top right you’ll see Android’s familiar Home, Menu and Back buttons along with a fourth “Dual View” button that, for all intents and purposes, provides picture-in-picture with whatever you’re currently doing. Those buttons encompass a trackpad that allows you to operate a mouse for clicking and selecting links and actions that require a bit more precision. I’m hoping you can change the tracking of the mouse to speed it up a bit as it was a tad slow for my liking, but that’s a minor complaint.
The top of the remote has L1 and R1 trigger or bumperish buttons. These buttons are supposedly to aid in scrolling (the left side) and zooming (the right side) but I never found an instance where I was manipulating them properly. Even so, I can anticipate they’ll be used quite often and their placement, because of the similarity with gaming, makes them pretty impeccable.
If you were to look at pictures of the remote itself you might not realize how perfectly sized it is. We pulled out the Nexus One and took a mini-photoshoot comparing the two so you could size it up at a few different angles and we think you’ll agree – especially when you get it in your hand – that it has the makings of an awesomely fun TV experience.
Just like many other gaming remotes, this bad boy is powered by your regular old Double A batteries and actually, a picture of the back battery pack opened up also gives a good indication of the size:
Beau-tee-full.
Keep in mind that this remote, at least with the Sony TV experience and Dish TV, works with RFID. That means no matter where the remote is or which way it’s pointed, your actions are still going to properly control the TV. No more pointing your infrared laser at just the right angle or trying to bounce it off walls.
If you ask me, this is hands down the Best TV Remote in the World. The Sony Internet TV Remote is an awesome piece of hardware that simply gets it right. The size is just right, the layout is familiar and usable, the QWERTY is large and spacious, yet the total package is compact and simple. It’s organized in a way that you will likely feel like you’re riding a bike and just start Googling and navigating away, but for those who need a helping hand, this remote doesn’t seem overwhelming or complex. Getting the hang of it is simple.
I’m 98% sure I’ll end up either buying one of the medium sized Sony Internet TVs or at least the Blu-Ray player, simply because I want the remote so bad. I think it will optimize my experience with Google TV. If you’re in need of a TV anyways I would strongly consider buying the Sony Internet TVs and if you don’t yet have a Blu-Ray player, you should snag this one because it just became the best Blu-Ray player on the market. It’s tough to explain without sounding geeky, but I love this remote and along with Google TV it is – in my opinion – the World’s Best TV Remote. At least for the time being.
By the way… when and if Sony starts including Google TV with their PS3 and next gen consoles? Pshhh… game over. Those things will fly off the shelves like whoa.
Are the keys backlit?
That remote strikes me as being very clumsy to use. A cross between these two remotes would probably be better:
http://www.tjeerdoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ps3-remote.jpg
http://admintell.napco.com/ee/images/uploads/appletell/boxee-remote-prototype-640w.jpg
If the keys are not backlit, this remote is worthless.
My wife would kill me if I bought a TV with a remote that looked like that! I think the Boxee Box remote is 100x better for the average Joe. It’s simple on the front, but has the full QWERTY on the back if you need it.
I don’t really understand Google TV. If I don’t watch TV, is there anything about Google TV that will make me pay for and watch it?
RF not RFID.
+1 @ alephxero.
I honestly don’t like the design of the remote. :( It’s so big a bulky. Why can’t I have one hand operation???
@alephxero: It looks like the black section is.
What kinda drugs are you smoking and can I have some? This thing looks like ass.
@Josh “It’s so big a bulky. Why can’t I have one hand operation???” That’s what she said. Sorry had to be done.
That remote is awful. The Boxee remote is amazing.
It reminds me of something I’ve seen here…
http://www.theonion.com/video/sony-releases-new-stupid-piece-of-shit-that-doesnt,14309/
This is a FAIL. The remote should never require two hands and should have a back light. Particularly if it is as complicated as this one.
The Boxee remote is much cleaner and well thought out. This is typical Sony design by committee.
What sucks is that none of this is coming to Canada this year.
Also sucks that I have a great 120hz LED LCD TV already, and I have a PS3, so getting either the Sony TV or Blu-Ray player is somewhat redundant.
Oh, and the Blu-Ray player is *white*. I don’t do white electronics, refused to even buy a X360 until the Elite came out (and of course I don’t own anything from Cupertino).
Which means I’ll probably end up with the Revue, because it’s less redundant and it’s not white. :)
All of these complaints for something that was inevitable. Sony, who’s # 1 selling product is the Playstation makes a TV and uses an operating system that is derived from Android Phones(both items work best with two handed operation). And people complain about the size and form factor?! Sony has a plan here and believe me we will see Sony Games ported to whatever market they use and Sea’s will part, and all the children of god said AMEN!!. . . . wait, did I go a little overboard?…
Differing opinion.
http://www.minyanville.com/dailyfeed/sonys-google-tv-remote-worst/
No matter how the remote is designed, you will have a slew of commenters criticizing it. People are a trip!!!!
A hideous, bulky remote that I need both hands to operate is about as attractive to me as syphilis.
Personally, if you’re going to go the “bulky”, mandatory two-handed route, you might as well go for the revue-style full keyboard. At least it’s going to provide the best possible text input method. If you want to design something more compact … then go for a droid-like form factor w/ simple one handed controls instead of an LCD display and then a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.
I don’t know, I mean the concept sounds kinda neat. I’d like search-based TV watching. But at the price points for the Sony TVs and the Logitech Revue you might as well build/buy an HTPC and get full computer functionality. Of course, this IS the first iteration of the product line, so maybe some Google TVs of the 2nd or 3rd generation will be more compelling.
Do you consider a playstation or XBOX remote bulky? Not sure I understand the complaints. Also look at the pics from the side angle, not directly over top, and it does look pretty sleek.
Still sticking to my opinion because that’s just like, my opinion, man.
While I’m sure this is a fine remote, and would be easy to use for anyone remotely (no pun intended) tech savvy, the best remotes are always easy to hold & use w/ one hand. Remote in one hand, beer in the other. Additionally, I could never give this remote to my parents and expect them to figure it out – it would be deer-in-headlights syndrome. The Boxee remote is nearly ideal w/ the simple TV style remote on one side, and the qwerty kb on the flipside. I’d love to see that type of remote available for a Google TV device.
Wow, I thought that this headline was tongue-in-cheek facetious. I’m seriously surprised that anybody would like anything so complicated-looking. Well, I guess to each his own.
It looks like the Xbox 360 remote and the PS3 controller had sex.
Well I won’t say any more bad things about it..being I have not tried it yet
Surprised so many people think the remote is complicated. Anybody whose ever seen a qwerty keyboard will know 80% of the buttons before even looking at it. Perhaps most people are thinking of it as a bad TV remote…I’m thinking of it as keyboard that can control my TV. The reason it matters is because I think most people would continue to use their cable/satellite remote except when they are wanting to do internet activities.
That being said, I like the Revue’s mini controller better. The larger remote is fine too, but the only way to use it is to hunch over your knees or a coffee table…not a position I’m a fan of. I’m also very interested trying the Android control applications. The good thing is that we have lots of choices and we can let Darwin decide.
I already have a Sony 52″ NX800 LCD with built-in internet…..will this remote be compatible?
I like the Sony remote, but the big issue I have run into is that I can’t have two of them. You pair this remote with the TV, and if you pair a second remote then the first one stops working. That, combined with the fact that none of the universal remotes work with the Sony Internet TV means you can’t have two remotes for your TV.
Why Sony would even sell me a second remote without warning me that it won’t work is beyond me.
Cant stand the mouse…very difficult to operate, wish it was joystick
Cant stand the mouse…very difficult to operate, wish it was joystick
Cant stand the mouse…very difficult to operate, wish it was joystick
Cant stand the mouse…very difficult to operate, wish it was joystick
Cant stand the mouse…very difficult to operate, wish it was joystick
Cant stand the mouse…very difficult to operate, wish it was joystick