Developers with an interest in Google TV might want to start clearing space in their dens for a set-top unit. Google’s announced that it intends to give away a whopping 10,000 Logitech Revue devices in order to spur interest in the Google TV ecosystem.
We should note that Google’s not just trying to get apps built; this promotion is designed more to encourage the optimization (or creation) of websites for Google TV users.
Otherwise, if you’re interested in getting your hands on a unit, here are a couple important details: a post on the Google Code Blog stated, "[W]e’ll be reaching out to thousands of web developers in the Google Code community to offer them a free device."
Plus, "[I]f you are a professional web developer who wants to help make the Google TV experience even better . . . please submit an entry to our Google TV Web Developer Promotion . . . . We’re planning to select 2,500 winners from those entries to receive a free Google TV device."
This is an interesting and generous move on Google’s part. Considering that Logitech Revue units sell for $300, the retail value of the promotion is $3 million (not counting sales tax and whatever it costs Google to get the devices to developers).
The timing of the giveaway just leaves a little to be desired, since it might have been smarter to have a bunch of happy developers and optimized sites in place before Google TV was offered to the public.
