Logitech Revue Review
Let me tell you a little story. Way back when Google first unveiled Google TV I felt drawn to it in a way that I generally don’t feel about new technology platforms. Even sensing that it might be a bit too ahead of its time and therefor a big flop, I knew I wanted to be in on the television revolution. When I brought home the Logitech Revue and got it set up on my TV, the folks living with me obviously were not in on said revolution.
Fast forward a few months and they are all hooked on Google TV thanks to the Logitech Revue. Which says something about Google TV. For the moment it caters to a fairly specific set of TV and media users: those who do not get the lion’s share of media consumption via only one format. Google TV is for the user who downloads movies and shows on their computers, streams video from the internet, does a fair share of traditional television viewing, and wants them all in the same, easy to access place.
Maybe its limited availability, cost, and the tendency for networks to eliminate access to their streaming shows have put a slight damper on Google’s plans to reinvent your television viewing experience, but with future updates and expansion of the platform as long as Google TV can ride out its first wave there is a promising platform ready to flourish.
The Pros:
- Unified search allows you to locate shows, actors, channels, or anything else you could search on your Android phone or computer easily and in one place. TV and move search results pages point you to where you can watch, stream, or access exactly what you want to see when you want to see it.
- The dual-view picture in picture mode makes surfing the internet while staying on top of your soaps easy as pie. It’s all there on one screen.
- Logitech Revue offers a complete solution for video chat and media streaming, so access to content immediately expands beyond the scope of what is already available out of the box.
- Bookmarks and feeds let you follow your favorite channels, webpages, podcasts, and more.
The Cons:
- Lack of Android Market is felt. With it’s launch GTV might be unstoppable, but for now the limited selection of applications on the Logitech Revue hurts.
- Logtiech and Google need to work to bring on more partners. This includes both major networks permitting their online shows to stream via Google TV, as well as service providers creating the same seamless link featured when used with Dish Network. As it stands, Google TV integrates with other services like Comcast perfectly fine and still allows you to search for shows and control your set top box, but Dish allows for the searching of stored DVR shows, something that would be greatly appreciated from other providers.
The Bottom Line:
We don’t think you should fear the early adopter status of Google TV on the Logitech Revue. Even if the platform were to go bottom up (which we don’t see as happening anytime soon), you’ve still bought into a great interface for connecting all of the media that drives our lives back on the screen that started it all: the family television.
If you already have a PC connected to your TV to watch downloaded content and surf the web, use and Xbox, PS3, or other console to stream Netflix and other media, or find yourself googling the things that pop up on TV as you watch constantly, than by all means this is for your. The Logitech Revue is the perfect solution for someone with a current Hi Def setup looking for a little extra pizazz in the television department.