Sony underwhelms with Google TV at CES

By Jeffrey Van Camp January 7, 2011

sony-googletv-ces-2011

Google may have asked TV makers to hold back Google TV, but that isn’t stopping Sony. At Sony’s CES booth, Internet TV is all over the place, and it’s all powered by Google. We first tried out these TVs at Sony’s launch event back in October, and it doesn’t appear the software has changed since then. Though the concept is good, Google TV is still underwhelming, both in set-top boxes like the Logitech Revue and embedded in TVs, as seen here.

Two big problems stuck out with Sony’s Internet TVs:

The Google TV interface is sluggish.
The keyboard remote control is confusing and strangely built.

Though I did begin to get used to the device, the remote control remains far too complicated for many users. It took me several minutes to figure out how to do simple things like move my mouse, which is done using a touchpad button on the right side of the remote. Hopefully Google will revamp its software in the months to come and Sony will simplify the remote control in next year’s model. Until then, check out this run through of some Google TV features.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Sony

Jeffrey Van Camp

Former Digital Trends Contributor

As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…

Audio / Video

Is 8K TV dying? It’s not looking good at CES 2023

Scott Ramirez, vice president of product marketing and development for TCL home theater, at CES 2023.

CES is not only a great event for checking out all the latest tech — it's also a barometer. You can tell when a new development is picking up steam as each year more and more players jump on the bandwagon. Conversely, you sometimes can see when a given technology is falling out of favor, as fewer and fewer products and services mention it in their marketing.

At CES 2023, a sudden drop in the number of new 8K products has me wondering about the future of this format.
Only two TV players
Scott Ramirez, vice president of product marketing and development for TCL home theater, at CES 2023. The company was mum on any new 8K sets at this year's conference. Phil Nickinson/Digital Trends

Audio / Video

Leica launches the Hisense-powered $8,300 Cine 1, its first 4K Laser TV, at CES 2023

Leica Cine 1 Laser TV (angle view, dust cover open).

Legendary German photography company Leica Camera has debuted its first Laser TV at CES 2023. The Leica Cine 1 is a 4K, triple-laser ultra short throw (UST) projector made in partnership with Hisense. It will be available in both 100-inch and 120-inch versions with prices starting at $8,295 when it hits the U.S. market in the third quarter of 2023. Leica plans to sell the Cine 1 in Europe in the spring.

Though the laser guts of the Cine 1 will be built by Hisense, Leica says it's adding its own distinct touches to the Laser TV to ensure it delivers on people's expectations of the Leica brand. This includes a Leica-engineered Summicron lens that has been matched to the projector's image size, as well as Leica's own image processing (Leica Image Optimization, or LIO) to optimize picture quality with special algorithms.

Audio / Video

TCL QM8 mini-LED TV at CES 2023: a 98-inch giant with a built-in subwoofer

2023 TCL QM8 4K mini-led QLED TV.

TCL has arrived at CES 2023 with a revamped TV lineup that has more than a few surprises. In addition to announcing its plan to sell its first QD-OLED TV in 2023, TCL is bringing its mini-LED backlight technology to its largest QLED model, putting the brand in direct competition with Samsung, the only other company that makes a 98-inch mini-LED QLED TV.

TCL has also decided to rename its models, abandoning its 1-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 8-, and 6-Series for a simplified approach that divides the company's TVs into two main buckets, the high-end, QLED-powered Q Series, and the more affordable, non-QLED S Series. TCL's 2023 soundbars will also follow this new naming convention with Q and S Series models.