Sony NSZ-GS7 Google TV internet player review

Garden pleasures

Sony, of course, curates its own online walled-garden on TVs and Blu-ray players, the Sony Entertainment Network. And indeed there’s an icon for it here. However, this only connects to the company’s movies and music on demand services, Dailymotion and a couple of Z-grade streaming services. You’ll find a better selection of content on its own hardware.

Google Play store access from the set top box

Obviously, more content is inevitable, but will the system attract anywhere near the level of development that the main Android ecosystem enjoys? Google TV’s head of global distribution Suveer Kothari is optimistic. He insisted at a pre-launch confab that “a host of applications would be forthcoming, including a rash of multi-screen gaming apps.” He may well be right. But buying into Google TV right now still represents a leap of faith.

Mix and match: Google TV has some way to go before it replaces alternative content portals and broadcast sources

Verdict

Overall, Sony has produced a powerful, well-equipped internet-enabled media player here, and the applications dedicated to the Google TV OS are slicker than a Brylcreemed ferret. But the fact is Google TV’s open internet still looks pretty barren when compared to the playing fields available behind the closed doors of Panasonic’s Viera Connect portal or Samsung’s Smart Hub. ®

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