Monday, March 08, 2010

Google's Testing A TV Search Service, Might Take Over Yet Another Device [Google]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/P1ZxAVDQ3nI/googles-testing-a-tv-search-service-might-take-over-yet-another-device

Google meddles in just about everything on your phone and computer—think Google Voice, searches, Chrome, and all that jazz. Now the search engine company might hop over to your TV with a programming search service it's been testing.

According to the WSJ, Google's been testing their "television programming search service" for about a year. The project is a partnership with Dish Networks and the testing of it "could be discontinued at any time." This doesn't sound too optimistic, but a discontinuation of testing could mean many things. In the meantime, information about the project itself is also pretty scarce:

Viewers can search by typing on a keyboard, instead of using a remote control. Google hopes to link the service up with its nascent TV ad-brokering business, allowing it to target ads to individual households based on viewing and TV search data.

Google and Dish Network spokespeople did not comment on the matter so it's hard to tell what is going on and whether Google is going to pursue this particular search service further. I hope they do though, 'cause I want an "I'm feeling lucky" button for TV programming. [WSJ]