Just hours after the major announcement at the Google I/O conference that the Android TV will be coming to the market this fall, there are now several apps available at the Google Play Store specifically for the reboot of the Google TV. But since the only units available right now are the developer kits that are on display at the conference, all you can do is explore and anticipate how the TV would fit into your digital lifestyle.
The Android TV Remote Control allows your Android phone to serve as your remote control for your future TV, because who needs another gadget that can be lost in your bedroom right? From what we can explore right now, you can use the remote either in d-pad or touchpad mode. There are just a few buttons on it, so it looks simple enough with its touchpad or keyboard. You can also use your phone’s mic to do a voice search for content on your TV.
Meanwhile, the Google Cast Receiver can let your future Android TV act like a Chromecast, meaning it can stream your video content from any Android hardware that has a video output. Sounds cool, except you can’t see yet how it can actually work since it is only meant to run on the Android TV itself, so if you’re not at the I/O conference, you’d have to wait a little longer.
While the failure of Google TV might make people gun-shy about getting too excited about the Android TV, early buzz seems to indicate this is a completely different thing. It’s more like your Android device in TV form, but with distinctly different features. It has what they call a “lean back” interface because watching or browsing something on TV definitely calls for you to do just that. Regarding how users will interact with the TV, we’ve already mentioned the remote control and voice controls. And since the TV will also serve as a gaming device, game controllers will also soon come into play.
VIA: Android Police
I wonder if Chromecast will have androidTV functionality