LG Adopts Google TV for Smart TV Models

LG finally jumped into the Google TV bandwagon at CES 2012, bringing the familiarity of Google's Android OS to the convenience and tiled interface of its 3D and Smart TVs. Together, the combination offers consumers a new and attractive home entertainment option, not to mention a ton of streaming media and online content options. Possibly the nicest aspect of LG's implementation of Google TV is the mixing of its Android-based user interface with the Magic Remote Qwerty. LG's Google TV user interface and main screen have been designed for convenient browsing and content selection and the latest iteration allows for multitasking, so search, social networking and TV functions can be run simultaneously. The user interface can be directly accessed using the Magic Remote Qwerty which, as the name implies, combines the user-friendly benefits of LG’s Magic Remote with a QWERTY keyboard.

This isn't to say that LG will be relying entirely on Google TV for its content and features. Rather, alongside Google TV, LG will continue to advance its own Smart TV platform based on NetCast using open web technology such as Webkit browser and Linux. LG Smart TV with NetCast will be available globally in 85 plus countries at launch (this year).

"LG has constantly strived to provide consumers with wider choices in home entertainment that bring the highest level of sophistication and convenience. Through Google TV, LG has merged Google’s established Android operating system with LG’s proven 3D and Smart TV technologies, offering consumers a new and enthralling TV experience."

- Havis Kwon, President and CEO of the LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company

LG Smart TV with Google TV will be available in two series at launch in the US in 2012.  This was the first public demonstration of LG's Google TV and it's a great start. Hopefully the Google TV platform and LG's own systems will work interchangeably, so that functions like QWERTY text input and remote functions will work consistently across all apps. This has been a continual thorn in the side for Samsung and other manufacturers.

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