The Logitech Revue is one real retail product which has been firmed up for Google TV, and is scheduled to be shipped this fall. Logitech’s Revue Google TV box has cleared the FCC, with a new filing from the company’s OEM partner Gigabyte. This is actually a set-top box that is said to possess the capability of bringing the experience of Google TV to your existing home entertainment center. The naming of the device has been done so just to justify the multi-purpose nature of it. Also, for all the Android lovers, the device is even powered by Android.
The Logitech Revue should be able to integrate the Google TV’s web along with the normal TV and also incorporate the controlling ability of other home theatre devices. The Logitech Revue also will provide the option of piping music from the local Wi-Fi network through, and to the TV’s sound system. Logitech is also building quite a number of companion Android and iPhone apps which shall serve the function of advanced remotes.
The Logitech Revue device is accompanied by an Intel Atom Z515 1.2 GHz processor. Also provided with a 4 GB memory, which is actually made up of eight micron chips, and also support for HDMI connectivity, the Revue is quite different from the other set-top devices. The difference lies in the fact that most of the set-top boxes (STB) are actually silent in operation, but the Logitech Revue STB has a large extractor fan for the cooling of the processor Atom’s heat-sink.
The mainboard which is found inside the Logitech Revue, which is actually marked by the Gigabyte GA-SBKAN2, actually shares the same name as that of another Gigabyte IP-STB board. The Revue has two USB 2.0 ports. The Revue has quite a sleek design that is rather appealing to a lot of people and incorporated good features.
The Revue might actually look just like a little box, but it possesses the capability to turn the TV into Google TV by simply plugging the device into the TV and then connecting the TV on to the internet connection. The set-top box actually features the design of a black lacquered shell. Logitech Revue “combines all the content on the Web, cable and satellite, but also applications and video telephony, elements that will become increasingly popular between 2010 and 2030, until we to reinvent new interface” said Ashish Arora, obviously very excited.
Junien Labrousse, Logitech Executive Vice President, Products, commented on the use and power of Android on the Revue, and said in the official company blog, “Google has the same vision for Android. And we’re thrilled to be involved so early in the TV opportunity. By working as closely as we have been, we’re not working around a fully baked system after the fact. We’re helping build in the functionality and ideas that will create opportunities for richer interaction, greater control and new experiences – like HD video calling – that are implemented well from the first step. It’s not an architecture, it’s an ecosystem that has the power to reinvent the living room – for the better.”
Will the Logitech Revue stream my videos (AVI, MKV…) files or is this simply for licensed content streamed over the net? I do see it will stream my audio files but there is no mention of video.