WD may be the next company to jump on the Google TV bandwagon: The company started to look for a software architect for “Android based IP set top boxes” late last year, and the job offer suggests that WD may be looking to replace its existing line-up of streaming boxes with Android-based products. A WD spokesperson declined to comment when contacted for this story.
The job description includes the following snippet:
“Work with internal and external teams to architect, design, develop, and deploy IP set top boxes based on the Android operating system. This would include Android TV and Google TV solutions.”
It goes on to list the following requirements:
- Architect an interactive, set top box framework on top of the Android platform
- Create an app centric architecture for 10 foot user interfaces
- Develop specifications and APIs for TV platform framework
- Integrate premium services into platform
- Design framework to support playback and management of videos, photos, music over both local and wide area networks
- Design framework to coordinate 2nd screen functionality with other WD teams
The job offer in question: WD is looking for a Google TV software architect.
Google has signed on a number of new partners supporting the Google TV platform in recent months. At CES, companies showing off Google TV products included Netgear, Haier, Hisense, TCL, LG, Sony, Vizio and Asus. And just last week, some 20 partners came together in Seoul for a closed-door meeting to plot the future of Google TV.
WD has been in the market for streaming boxes for a couple of years. It currently sells three different products to bring online video services to the TV: The WD TV Live combines streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus with support for local files. The WD TV Live Hub adds an internal 1 TB hard drive to the mix, and the newly-introduced WD TV Play offers a simpler UI and a clearer focus on online services.
The WD TV Live Hub was first introduced in late 2010, followed by the WD TV Live in late 2011. Both could be up for a refresh this year, based on the typical release cycles for these kinds of devices.
Check out our review of the WD TV Play, which came out this month, below:
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Intel is shuttering its Digital Home Group, which means the next generation of Google TV and Boxee devices will be powered by ARM-based chip sets. The folks who have been working on Intel’s CE products are absorbed by the company’s tablet group, AnandTech reported Monday night. Intel has since confirmed the move. “This was a tough decision; Intel led the creation and launch of the smart TV category and its first products,” I was told by a spokesperson.
Netgear is evaluating the use of Google TV for future digital living room products, according to a report from Slashgear. A company spokesperson told the website that “as a platform it’s not there yet.” However, that won’t stop Netgear from taking a closer look at the TV operating system, especially now that the release of a big update based on Honeycomb and access to the Android Market is imminent.
