SEVENCLICK
Mobile Technology Evangelists

We were waiting for it, after so much gossip… finally, Google TV has been announced. And it rocks. Let´s review all the confirmed information:

THE CONCEPT

Google TV is far superior to Apple´s approach (do you remember Apple TV?), which was a kind of TV add-on or supplement. Google bets for a complete renewal of the television concept, which becomes an interactive service where you can search for plays and movies, search over the web, run your favorite apps, or even videochat… all from a fundamental place on people´s lives: your coach.

THE PLAYERS

There are some big players with Google to bring up this new era. Sony is the one building up the TV itself, Logitech will build up set-top-boxes (called Companion Box) to adapt traditional HDTVs to full-featured Google TVs, and will also provide the remote controllers; and Intel will provide its Atom processors to fuel up all with the necessary power.

THE TIMELINE

There are four proposed milestones:

1. TODAY: Google wants us to start optimizing web sites NOW. A Google TV website development guide has been published, mainly an open call to designers and developers to start opening our minds as this new channel has never existed before.
2. 2010 FALL SEASON: Launch of Sony TVs and Blu-Ray player as well as Logitech´s Companion Box. Most probably Google TV will be limited to US users at this time.
3. EARLY 2011: Launch of Android Market, Google TV SDK and TV Web API.
4. SUMMER 2011: All the project will be published as open source !

Logitech´s Companion Box

THE REMOTES

In my opinion, Remote Controllers are one of the key challenges for Google TV. Technology is mature enough on other aspects of the project to take the leap, but interacting with TVs with a practical control, that´s another story and I would dare to say it could determine the massive adoption on “non-geek” homes. Nintendo Wii controllers were probably the only innovation in this field over the years, but are not at all suitable for the task Google TV proposes.

Logitech is the ally selected by Google, and their proposal, if still not unveiled, mixes a compact keyboard, a remote control and a touchpad. There will be an Android app to use Android smartphones as remote controllers, and Logitech blog also suggest a variety of controllers as shows this image, including a video camera for video-chatting.

THE BEST: ANDROID ON YOUR TV

The best of it all is that Android will not be only in your pocket, but in your living room. Google TV technology is built upon Android. We as Android developers can´t wait to embrace this new concept of applications over 40 inch screens .  There is a Chrome browser too, running on top of Android, to navigate the web and play webapps.

Google TV will come with Netflix, Youtube and Hulu pre-installed, but any Android app not needing phone capabilities should work, in fact Google demoed the actual Pandora mobile app published on Android Market.

SO…

We had high expectations on this year´s Google I/O developer conference, but all have been surpassed. Still analyzing how Android 2.2 has raised the bar for Apple (which worths a separated post) , and now Google TV is coming. And will come to stay. I really believe this is the beginning of a new era. And Sevenclick is in.

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Related links

http://www.google.com/tv/

http://www.google.es/tv/developer/

http://discover.sonystyle.com/internettv/

http://logitech.com/google/GoogleTV

http://blog.logitech.com/2010/05/20/logitechgoogletv/

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Morgan Stanley published last month a report analyzing the “state-of-the-art” of Mobile Internet. The report covers almost every aspect related to Mobile Internet: technologies, key players, carriers, content providers, etc..

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Today, Sony Ericsson is announcing its latest phone, first SE Android-powered phone. The Xperia X10 show off some really advance hardware capabilities, as well as a new UX (User eXperience) platform on top of Android which SE says will evolve over time as well as expand over other products.

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Caixa Penedès presents with SevenClick, TBS Group company specialized in mobile software development, its mobile eBanking system completely developed for ANDROID, Google’s mobile operating system.

This way, along with the iPhone solution and the electronic banking solution compatible with any mobile device of the market, Caixa Penedès customers will be able to access from mobile.caixapenedes.com a brand new access environment for ANDROID where they’ll be able to consult and operate their accounts, as well as visualize corporative, commercial and Social Activities information.

Global Position of Accounts and Credit Cards, Movements checking, external and personal transferences, mobile prepaid recharge and ATM localization through Google maps. These are some of the main features.And all of them for the first time specifically developed taking full advantage of those devices running Google’s brand new operating system.

Undoubtedly, a big step taking Caixa Penedès to the top of worldwide mobile electronic banking.

Press Note

Once you have the HTC Hero in your hands, you can say at first sight this is the first 100% HTC ANDROID project, as one of HTC members said.

In fact it’s the first device delivered by HTC not including the “with Google” logo on his back, what makes the Hero more independent from Google services than was Magic or G1.

GUI

With the introduction of HTC Sense, HTC gives Android their own look and feel, very close to the look and feel of their Windows Mobile devices, but integrating much better with the most basic applications of Android such as calendar, dialer, etc…

HTC Sense makes the device look more elegant than original Android and includes some functional improvements as well. For example, the number of desktop tabs. Pure Android devices as G1 or Magic have only three tabs for placing all your shortcuts and widgets, what becomes insufficient after the first weeks (well… at least for me), but HTC Sense provides up to 7 tabs for placing your favorite shorcuts and widgets.

And there is a lot of widgets to put on! It’s specially remarkable the great widget collection included in HTC Sense. Quantity and quality! Stocks, clocks, calendar, twitter, and more… This is one of my favorite things in HTC Hero.

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One month ago, our CTO, José Manuel Cristobal, has the opportunity of attending the presentation of HTC Hero and HTC Sense. Then, we could read his first impressions about the event and about the device itself.

Now, we have put our hands on this little precious for a couple of days, and have new things to share with you: a video review showing the main features of HTC Hero and Sense and how the mobile applications can help in our daily life. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Thanks to our friends of Confëttika, for this great videos.

First, unboxing and looking at HTC Hero design …

Getting it to work …

Reviewing …

And a real life sample …

As we announced, HTC invited SevenClick to attend the presentation which took place last wednesday in London. The secret surprise was twofold:

• HT SENSE. A brand new user interface created by HTC for ANDROID powered phones.
• HTC HERO. The third ANDROID phone by HTC.

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HTC has invited SevenClick to attend next 24th of June to an event in London. Everything is very misterious.

No information. Just a cryptic picture of a guy with a Rose (Rosie????).

By the way, SevenClick is going to be there. The mistery will be revealed in two weeks.

Stay tuned for more information.

SevenClick, TBS Group company specialized mobile solutions development, is participating as speaker in the Banking Technology Comittee of the European Savings Banks Group, taking place in Madrid on June 8 and 9.

Invited by La Caixa for such an important event, José Manuel Cristóbal, SevenClick’s CTO, will make a presentation entitled “Mobile Banking. Getting Satisfaction!”covering a number of first-level success stories.

Among them, those related to iPhone and Android electronic banking solutions, mobile Digital Signature, secure authentication mechanisms and payment authorization methods. All of them from a pure mobile perspective, assuring security and legal validity of each process.

Undoubtedly, a new opportunity to know the most important innovations in banking and mobile technology.

All of them in a exclusive environment with representatives of Technology Departments from the main European Savings Banks.

Press Note