Google announces TV search service
January 25, 2005 
Google announced plans today for a new TV/video search service that would index programming on ABC, PBS, Fox News, and other networks.
Reminds me of what a startup called ShadowTV tried to do in 2001.
Sounds like the answer to a big hurdle in the so-called “convergence” process of combining both a TV and a PC. We could call it a TVPC. Not very original name, but still, a very exciting idea.
Google tunes into video searching:
The new Google video search service makes a lot of sense — as does allowing searchable archived television programs online. Just think of how accessible video clips are today. Archived full-footage TV streams is the next step in the process.It automatically searches transcripts of the footage and brings back relevant shows. Initially, clicking on the results will only bring up still pictures and excerpts, but Google said it was working with its partners to provide full video playback.
Based on experience in the US, analysts have predicted 2005 will see the line between television and the internet become blurred as broadband connections become a mass market proposition and converged devices such as Microsoft’s Media Centre take off. As such, internet companies are battling to become the gateway through which people find archived and upcoming shows.
All of this fits into my vision of television becoming fully an Internet-based application, with an unlimited supply of URLs as “channels,” which could be operated just as easily as a television. So how long until such an appliance is available for commercial sale? My guess is within the next 10 years, since the process is already in motion.
RELATED: Google sure seems to have a grand vision of the Internet’s future. Word is they just hired the lead Firefox browser programmer, sparking speculation that they are planning on entering the browser market as well: Google Hires Lead Firefox Engineer
