Google TV and OnLive Gaming

Believe it or not, I don’t own an HD television. It’s surprising, considering how much of a techie and gadget freak I am. I love having the latest of the latest and am constantly examining technology trends to carefully plan my next purchase or upgrade or toy. But for some reason, I’ve convinced myself to be content with my nine year old 24″ Toshiba LCD television. The baby still works like it’s brand new but it’s a pain in the ass when it comes to gaming. Everything is designed for HD quality. I can’t read the small printed dialogue, the widescreen aspect ratio that has become the standard doesn’t fit on my screen, heck I can’t even use the compass at the top of the screen when playing Skyrim. It’s really starting to become a pain in the ass.

Despite my addiction to technology, movies, video games, etc. I’ve somehow managed to keep my antiquated boob tube. I’m always telling myself to wait a little longer; televisions will become cheaper, bigger and better with each generation. While that’s definitely been the case for the last five years, how much longer do I need to wait? Well my friends, today is the day when I have decided I no longer need to wait. Why, you ask?

On paper, I’ve planned out how to future proof my humble abode. A design where all devices are able to communicate with one another. Being able to browse to and control my PC, laptop, television, phone, tablet, stereo and even my light bulbs is how this bad boy plans to run things. But at the center of these plans is the most important piece, the corner stone, the television. I’ve had my eye on Google TV (and yes I’m something of a Google enthusiast, I’ll admit) for some time now but it never proved itself worthy. It never had the backing necessary for it’s scope to be realized and until a few weeks ago, I thought that Google TV was on the verge of a sad and ugly death. It would go up to Google heaven and play beer pong with Google Wave, Buzz and Orkut.

Fortunately 2012 starts off in a merciful manner as we are seeing a resurgence in Google TV popularity. With the help of CES this week, we have learned that Google TV is planning a massive comeback. While Sony was one of the first pioneers of the Google TV experience, Vizio, LG and Samsung has jumped on board for Google TV 2.0. If you’re not familiar with Google TV check out the short video below, it offers an easy explanation on the idea of Google TV.

But that video is over a year old now. Check out the video below to see Google TV 2.0 in action!

Maybe you’re still not sold yet. Well here’s the kicker and this is what made me decide, once and for all, that I will be getting a Google TV…are you ready for it?

If you watched the above video you may have seen OnLive briefly listed in the Android Market. That is because, as of this very moment, every single Google TV has OnLive streaming capability. If you’re not familiar with OnLive, think of Netflix streaming but with current gen video games. All you do is download the OnLive App to the TV and instantly start playing Assassin’s Creed Revelations or Batman: Arkham City (Read our review HERE). I could explain it further, but that’s really it in a nutshell.

Of course, OnLive has its disadvantages (Bandwidth and a constant Internet connection) but it’s great for high end casual gaming and being able to try out the latest AAA titles without having to shell out big bucks. And this is only one of many great reasons to get a Google TV.

The OnLive App also works on tablets and phones and are now allowing you to use their cloud power to stream Windows Apps like Word and Powerpoint without ever having to install the software. It’s great to see both Google and OnLive looking to innovate technology and make it simple to use for everyone. And while the world is starting to tease us with OLED television sets and 4k resolution, I am happy to say I’ve made up my mind.

Checkout www.OnLive.com