Google TV Road Warriors

Dear Google,

Now is the time to gain as much market share for Google TV as you can.  Half a million new Android phones per day shows you which way the public is leaning.  

What is your plan to convert them to Google TV?   

If, like me, they go to Best Buy to check out the beautiful presentation you designed, they will be disappointed.  The product was not working and the Best Buy sales reps are clueless.  And there will soon be three smart TV’s competing for floor space.

Take a page out of the $10 Billion pet food industry play book.  Premium dog and cat food is not sold in supermarkets and Walmart.  Check the first couple of ingredients and look for “ground yellow corn.”  If it has GYC then it is not premium dog food, I don’t care whose name is on the bag.

The premium dog food market is cut throat and dominated by a few niche players, like Proctor and Gamble, Nestle and Mars.  They meet on the field of battle in Petsmarts, Petcos and Pet Supermarkets, all over America, every Saturday.  Apron wearing “Product Demonstrators” attempt to sway the buying decisions of more than 50 million people, one pet at a time.  The good ones, like Nutro (Mars), attempt to educate you.  The bad ones hire celebrity spokespeople to represent their brand.

You, dear Google, need Product Demonstrators, in Best Buy, etc., to educate the masses about Google TV.  You can bet your last “O,” that before Christmas, the fruit company will be putting on a dazzling display in their fruit stand.  

When I walk up to your 10 foot, double sided, Google TV display, I want to see it work.  I want to download the Remote Control App to my phone and change the channels and surf the web.  I want to go to PerkTV.net and watch my videos.  How do I look on Google TV?  Ok, let me fix my hair.  Now I want to use Google TV to connect my Google Circles with myself as the tangent.  I want to see my contact’s live video, sorted by circle, on my TV, with me in the center.  And then point the camera at the TV, so they can see themselves.  “Yeah, I’m demoing the new Google TV.   Pretty cool, huh?”  Sold.

That’s about all it will take to make Google TV stream out the door.  (Not having “virtual pinch zoom” isn’t a deal killer, until someone else comes out with it first.)

Product Demonstrators are road warriors, working four hour shifts in different stores, based on customer traffic.  They typically earn $15-$17 dollars per hour, but would probably work just for the “STAFF” T-shirt bearing the Google TV logo.

Tempus fugit,

Perk