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Welcome to Alphabet City, I am your guide Iyaz Akhtar, and you are the most amazing audience in the world.
This is going to be a bit of a different episode, so have a seat, grab some popcorn, you've read the headline, so you know where this is going.
I was invited to an Android TV Smart Home Press Briefing the other day.
I was really excited.
I mean, when were the last thing you heard anything amazingly new About Android TV, maybe we would see the rumoured new shield TV box.
Maybe Google is working on its own new piece of Android TV hardware since the death of the Nexus player.
And this was a smart home event.
Now that is also interesting when you think about Google's Smart Home stuff.
You think about its line of speakers and smart displays.
How would Android TV play into this?
Let's show you what we saw.
Take a look at this television running Android TV.
Wow.
Look at this [INAUDIBLE] projectors from Shaomi.
It's called the [INAUDIBLE] laser projector, and it's capable of displaying a 150 inch image.
It runs Android TV.
This television could be used to run a Roomba vacuum Was there anything new?
Yes, surprise, surprise.
Take a look at the Phillips twenty four-inch kitchen TV with Android TV.
You could use it to control a microwave.
This immediately brought the comparisons to Amazon's Smart Oven.
Prepare to be underwhelmed.
Assistant could be used to set the microwave cook time, additionally you could add more time to microwave if you want.
Would you like to receive a status update on what you're cooking, not with this set up at this event.
Lets go back to the Philips Kitchen TV.
What is special about it?
Well it's smaller than other android TVs so it physically fits in a kitchen easier.
The base is fabric covered.
Why?
It does match the Google aesthetic but as a kitchen device I found this to be an odd choice.
Why have a fabric base instead of an easily cleanable surface.
I don't know.
At this point I had to ask some questions to the Google reps.
What exactly was this event for?
It was bringing for more awareness around Android TV.
This mildly annoyed me to say the least.
I shared my disappointment with the Google theme by the way.
There was nothing new to show up other than a pre-production model of a kitchen television.
We talked about pricing.
I explained that while the products they had on this Play were generally fun There's a huge problem.
It's hard for people to even get an Android TV device at a low price.
Are you really going to buy a kitchen television or a projector or a new TV just for Android TV?
That's very unlikely.
I also mentioned how if you want a streaming box you can get a Roku for around 30 bucks But that wouldn't have Google Assistant, which is on Android TV.
Assistant handles all the Smart Home functions we saw- the vacuum, the microwave, those two things.
But Google sells a Google Assistant device for 50 bucks.
That's the Google Home Mini.
Also, it's easy to find the mini at a lower price.
So all the smartphone functions Beyond displaying things like the weather on screen, can be done using the mini.
If you want visual feedback, you can get Google Smart Display.
If Google wants people to use Android TV it needs devices that are easy to buy.
Of course I asked if they would ever bake Android TV into Chromecast, and of course.
They could not answer that.
The Google rep said, Android TV will be in set top boxes for AT&T TV.
That's nice, I guess.
I use Android TV all the time on my Shield.
It's a great experience but it is pricey.
I actively chose the Shield because of it's Plex Media server abilities, gaming and speed.
If Google wants people to know how great Android TV is, there needs to be an inexpensive way for people to get it.
Now let's talk about your comments from the last episode where we talked about YouTube, killing off Google Play Music.
ejohn87 says, I don't know why Google constantly messes up its own services and products with all the money.
They have.
I also agree they should have just rebranded Google Play Music.
ejohn, I'm just hoping this is growing pains.
I know they got money, but maybe they're trying to figure it out.
Derrick says YouTube Music doesn't even have a widget for my home screen.
Derrick, I noticed that too.
What the heck Google?
Elvis says YouTube Music doesn't even have the full Radiohead library Google Play Music does.
It's so absurd.
Sometimes I feel like covering Google is like watching a horror movie.
You just want to yell at the screen, no, no, no, don't do that, and then they do it.
You shake your head, you Keep watching.
Thanks to everyone for writing in.
If you've enjoyed your stay in alphabet city please like and subscribe.
I'm [UNKNOWN] and I'll see you online.
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