Google TV... the future?

Well, it's almost upon us... well actually it's been around a while, with Apple TV, Boxee, and even Microsoft Media Center etc. we've been able to get web content on that glowing eye magnet in the living room for quite some time.

But the rumors are that Google TV is going to make it mainstream.

Part of me thinks that they won't, because they seem to terminally fail at mainstream because of their lack of finesse in everything they do, Android included. It may be more feature laden and 'open' (ooooooh!), but it doesn't feel as nice as the iPhone, I'm sorry, but it's true. It's the stuff of geeks.

Search is search, they got that right, and shaped how we search moving forward. But that's not consumer-land... TV is.

So, slickness aside what will it actually mean?

I think one of two things:

1) It will open up a number of new things to do in your front room, quickly search for stuff, add apps to enhance your viewing, browse the web and more and it will be a TV revolution even greater than the BBC iPlayer OR...

2) It will throw normal viewing habits into disarray as you go from (albeit increasingly unstructured and poorly produced) professionally created content with some real gems there for you when you need them, to total un-organised chaos. Gone are the days when people were home at 7.00pm to watch Corrie, that comfort or life order has already ebbed away, and this could finish it off for good.

Will we all become 'randomers' because of it?

Will quality broadcasting be killed by rubbish web based content, just like journalism has been harmed by amateur blogs?

I don't know. But I'd rather have the TV programmes I have now and a Boxee Box or an Apple TV or my PS3 for the other stuff I think. The examples seem to suggest Google have actually employed a designer for the UI for once on Google TV! But I have a feeling that slickness is just smoke and mirrors, Google aren't slick. And they aren't Apple. But boy do they want to be!

Apple should make an iToilet for a laugh, Google would be on it in an instance (no pun intended)!

Preston Guild 2012 win for ID!

We've just heard we've been awarded the contract for the next phase of the Preston Guild 2012 website. Our proposals included some amazing social media integration, mobile sites and a excellent utilisation of the Guild 2012 brand developed by The Chase to make the most of the flexible and beautifully executed work they've done.

It was a competitive pitch which was thrown a googly by our Creative Director John having to speed home to his expecting wife who'd gone into labor! So it turned out to be a one man pitch, but it was great fun and we demonstrated our thorough understanding of the brief and bought new ideas and strategy to the table, as well as some beautiful calculated creative.

It's a tight schedule but we're committed to delivering the project and will all get behind it 100%.

More details will follow, and a proper release instead of this elated joyous 'just found out' type one!