Sony had just announced that the company would be providing Google TV for Australian customers starting this Thursday. The release of Google TV in the Australian market would mean a direct competition between Google TV and Apple TV thus eventually leading to this question: Is Google TV better than Apple TV?

Before answering this question, it would be best to take a look at the technical specifications and features of both Google TV and Apple TV. Here is a summary for both Apple TV and Google TV:

Apple TV

Apple TV has already been launched in Australia and it has a selling price of AU$109. It has dimensions of 23mm (height), 98mm (width), 98mm (depth), and weighs around 0.27kg. It utilizes an Apple single-core A5 chip and the packaging for Apple TV includes Apple TV, Apple remote, power cord, and documentation. Apple TV also supports different ports and interfaces like HDMI2, optical audio, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, Built-in IR receiver, and micro-USD for service and support. Through Apple TV, customers can watch 1080p HD movies, play YouTube or Vimeo videos, watch games live or on demand, access music and photos from iCloud, and stream from iOS devices via AirPlay.

Apple TV is considered a formidable device depite some drawbacks. It has a wide online movie rental system which is very convenient to utilize through Apple TV. The quality of the picture and the features included in Apple TV are also one the best features of Apple TV. As for the drawbacks, the lack of hard drive could be an issue especially if the user is particular with storage size. There is an alternative though, through cloud storage but users that are not familiar with this could encounter some difficulty. Despite this drawback, the reasonable price for Apple TV makes it a good investment for customers.

Google TV

As mentioned, Sony will be soon offering Google TV to Australian consumers. Full details about this would soon be available on Thursday but certain information are already provided by Sony. Google TV was described as a gadget that will "deliver an enhanced entertainment experience" due to a number of exciting features. Through Google TV, users could access apps that are specifically created for Google TV like YouTube, Twitter, streaming news, karaoke, games from Google Play, etc. Included in Google TV is a dual-sided remote control which has a touch pad and QWERTY keyboard that makes it easier to do "search".

Carl Rose, the Managing Director for Sony Australia and New Zealand remarked on Google TV stating that ""There's smart, and then there's smartest - and that's what we think Google TV offers consumers who want the ultimate connected, big screen experience at home". Paul Colley, the Group Manager for Network Services and Technology in Australia also added that ""It's going to change the way we watch TV but it will also change the way we use the internet. If you're watching the marathon or the 1500m freestyle during the Olympics, for example, you might want to look up more about the athlete competing and you can browse a web page while you watch the TV on the same screen."

Google TV set-up boxes would be available through purchasing the Bravia HX850 (from AU$2,999) and HX750 (AU$1099). A stand-alone Google TV would be available "in future".

The Verdict

According to consumers, Apple TV has performed well despite certain drawbacks. The reasonable selling price is also something that attracts consumers in purchasing Apple TV. Since Google TV has just been launched in the Australian market, it is best to see how Google TV would perform against Apple TV. There is also the problem of purchasing it "alone" since it is only available through purchase of Sony TV models.