Google will launch its Google TV service in the United States this autumn and worldwide next year, the company said at IFA 2010 in Berlin. Google also announced an addition to its Translation app that allows two people who do not speak the same language to have a conversation by sharing an Android handset.

Google TV

Google TV was announced by Google at its Google I/O developer conference in San Francisco last May. The open platform brings Web content on television. Google TV, will work with Intel chips in products by Sony and Logitech International SA. The platform is based on the Android platform and runs the Google Chrome web browser. Users can access all of their usual TV channels as well as a world of Internet and cloud-based information and applications, including Adobe Flash based content - all from the comfort of their own living room and with the same simplicity as browsing the web.

At IFA 2010, CEO Eric Schmidt said the service would be free, and Google would work with a variety of programme makers and electronics manufacturers to bring it to consumers.

Sony and Samsung have already agreed to have Google TV on its television sets.

A transition from watching TV to browsing the internet on a Sony Bravia screen was demonstrated at IFA 2010, and Google TV also allows YouTube content to be bumped up into HD format.

Google's announcement comes less than a week after rival Apple unveiled its latest http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=28292Apple TV product.

Schmidt also said Google would announce partnerships later this year with makers of tablet computers that would use Google's Chrome operating system, due to be launched soon, rather than its Android phone software, which has been used for mobile devices until now.

The Mountain View, California-based company plans to make Chrome an alternative to Microsoft Windows. The company is also hunting for new revenue opportunities as growth in its core Internet business slows and as new technologies such as smartphones and social networking services transform the way consumers access the Web.

Google has not confirmed plans to create its own social network but it seems to have plans to expand in music.

Google also demonstrated its new Translation app that allows two people who do not speak the same language to have a conversation by sharing an Android handset.

A conversation between two people was demonstrated on stage with one speaking in English and the other German. The Google app translated parts of the conversation in turn so that the pair could communicate.

Google said that it would possibly offer real time translations of mobile phone conversations in the future.

Google also showcased improvements to its voice search app.

Open ID for users with Yahoo mail

Google also underlined its support for the OpenID standard, which is supported by several email providers, including Yahoo!. OpenID provides global access to specific web sites and online services using a single web ID. Users don't have to create a new account for each web site they visit.

Until recently, Google required people to follow some steps required for creating a new account if they wanted to sign up for a Google Account using their existing email address, such as a @yahoo.com, @hotmail.com, or other address.

To make this process simpler, Gogole is now using the OpenID which is supported by several email providers, including Yahoo!. Instead of the process above, Yahoo! users who sign up with Google see the page below with a button that sends them to Yahoo! for verification.



Once users click that button, Yahoo! shows them a page to get their consent to share their email address with Google. Once that's done, users will be able to access any Google service, such as Google Groups, Docs, Reader, AdWords, etc.