Logitech Denies Google TV Rumor While Apple Confirms Apple TV Sales

[Michael Essany]

Last week, reports surfaced that sales of the much-hyped Google TV have largely fallen flat to date. Accompanying that news was a report from DigiTimes that Logitech had ceased shipments of its Revue Google TV boxes for the time being, awaiting Google's software update. The report stated that Logitech's supplier, Gigabyte Technology, has suffered "financial setbacks" due to the halted distribution.

On Tuesday, however, Barron's published an email - and a carefully worded one at that - from Nancy Morrison, a Logitech executive who flatly denied on Monday that Google had asked Logitech to halt production of the Revue. "Logitech has not been asked by Google to suspend production of its Google TV products," the message stated. "As those familiar with the product know, it is not necessary for Logitech to make changes to the Logitech Revue with Google TV companion box to accommodate future enhancements to Google TV." Dancing around the undeniable fact that sales of Google TV have been less than stellar, Morrison added that "Logitech is currently meeting the inventory needs of its retail customers, continuing to ship products on schedule to meet their holiday and post-holiday demand."

But while Logitech does damage control to protect an already diminished brand, Apple was busy confirming on Monday that estimates from the previous week that Apple TV sales would top one-million by Christmas had, in fact, proven accurate. John Paczkowski of All Things Digital revealed that the Cupertino-based tech giant confirmed to him that the $99 Apple TV had, indeed, exceeded the one-million unit threshold within the first three months of the product's release.

Barron's
All Things Digital

[zinjen]

no surprise here, the price tag is the key.. assuming the product is flawless.

[steve-z17]

I'm thinking about getting GTV, I really like the Logitech Revue and the fact that it comes with a wireless keyboard to surf the web and to use with apps. Apple should consider throwing in a wireless keyboard and mouse with ATV, I think that would make it more appealing.

[juggz143]

I actually have a Logitech revue and can confirm its a far superior product than atv but I realized back when it was announce that price was gonna be a hindurance. Logitech should have matched apple on pricepoint and they wouldve blew apple outta the water in this space.

[CaptainChaos]

A wifi televison makes both products obsolete. I can't see the appeal of GTV or ATV.

[MikePA]

Apple should consider throwing in a wireless keyboard and mouse with ATV, I think that would make it more appealing.

They did. They're called an iPhone or an iPad.

I actually have a Logitech revue and can confirm its a far superior product than atv but I realized back when it was announce that price was gonna be a hindurance. Logitech should have matched apple on pricepoint and they wouldve blew apple outta the water in this space.

I had the Revue on pre-order for over a week, then canceled. It's simply not worth 200% more than an ATV or a Roku (which I also have).

[Poseidon79]

A wifi televison makes both products obsolete. I can't see the appeal of GTV or ATV.

Wifi and internet TV's are extremely new to the market. For the 99% of people that don't own these it's much more cost effective to spend $99 on an AppleTV than buy a whole new television just for netflix and media streaming.

[The Maestro]

They did. They're called an iPhone or an iPad.

Most retarded thing I've heard all day

[Zokunei]

I haven't seen a single advertisement for the Google TV. Maybe that's the problem?

[vhicke]

I watch Canadian and US tv and I have not seen even one ad for it. Google needs to spend a few bucks. Word of mouth just does not work.

[luvmytj]

I've seen the GTV "Kevin Bacon" ad here in NY quite often.
Even so, I just bought my second (pre-ordered the first) Apple TV 2 for the bedroom. I have them jail broken, and they do what I need. Another big plus is that everything connects easily with no complicated setups. It's a $99 winner in my book.

[MikePA]

Most retarded thing I've heard all day

Heard? I typed it. Hearing voices, are you? Explains your post. And yes, you can use an iPad and an iPhone, probably an iPod Touch, too, as a keyboard for an ATV. Those voices you are hearing should tell you to stay more current with technology.

[hurd300403]

i haven't seen any google tv ads either...oh wait, that's because i own apple tv and tossed my cable box in the trash.

and i agree with mikepa....why the eff would i ever buy a wireless keyboard or mouse when i have an iphone, ipad, or itouch that can already interface with it.

[rocky5]

They did. They're called an iPhone or an iPad.

Ok, the most retarded thing I have read, period.

If you get an iPod or iPhone thrown in with the £99 ATV then I want one now.

[iphone?3gs]

I havent heard much about the GTV. For the price range its not worth it....

[fklentz]

I looked at apple tv and gtv. I got a dlink boxee box. The boxee plays anything, no drm problems. I gotta admit when I first got it it was REALLY buggy and crashed alot, but with the last firmware upgrade that is gone and everything is good.

[steve-z17]

Ok, the most retarded thing I have read, period.

If you get an iPod or iPhone thrown in with the £99 ATV then I want one now.

Agreed! It was a retarded comment, and if Apple did throw in a iPhone with ATV everyone would be buying it! I went and bought GTV today and I have to say I really like it!

[krosis]

A wifi televison makes both products obsolete. I can't see the appeal of GTV or ATV.

Obsolete? I'm not sure I'd go that far. They're making good progress, but nailing down the perfect UX is still something nobodies quite done yet.

I have a WiFi connected TV (Samsung 2010 "C" model) and it is indeed very impressive. I can stream Netflix or Pandora right from the TV. Or stream my media collection from my PC over DLNA, or from a USB drive plugged right into the TV.

But I don't do this much. Why? Because I have a htpc with Win Media Center and a matching remote hooked up as well. Its years ahead of what's built into the TV function, feature, and usability wise.

I can certainly see the day where a more complete computer is built into the TV, and the Sony GTV built-in models are a great step in that direction. But saying that just adding net access and using whatever crap software is built into the TV makes these boxes obsolete is missing what makes these boxes great: their software.

Just look at cell phones and Nokia. Great hardware and design. But who cares because the company puts hardware ahead of software. From a UX perspective, they lag far behind android and iOS.

What I think is great about this STB competition right now is that we actually have a few underdog competitors on the field, and nobody seems to have worked out the killer UX yet. Apple's model is nice for some people, but they need more content providers on their side. Google's model looks really great, but they need to stop getting cock-blocked by the networks.

[CaptainChaos]

There is nothing either of the providers can give me that I can't already do with my setup. So yes, both systems would be a redundancy to what I already have in my mind making them both obsolete. Do I want another piece of hardware to do what I already do? Not really. If it could provide something more to my experience then sure, why not.

[Team Infecti0n]

Most retarded thing I've heard all day

With all due respect, Mike is right. They can serve as a wireless keyboard/mouse. It's just the idea that baffles though... Having to buy a device other than the real thing... But he is right, it does work. I think his message was to those who already have these devices. By the way: Apple be humble. We're going to make millions and... Just stop. People ended up losing a lot when they do stuff like that. Titanic went down when they said not even god could sink the ship, or the beatles which they highly advertise said they were more popular than god. I'm not trying to be religious here, that isn't the point. Look at where those people/things ended up. Be humble Apple