From Smart Phones to the Small Screen – The Geek Girl Report

It seems like nowadays in the technology world, the more your device can do, the better it is. Phones are a great example of this. Not many people have phones that just make calls anymore. Their phones also let them send text messages, check E-mail, play games and so much more. But as far as TVs go, even with all the new advances like HD and 3D, all you can do is just sit there and watch, right?

Well, not anymore.

Two of the biggest players in the smart phone business, Apple and Google (Android), are now trying to do to the TV what they've done with the phone: make it into a central media hub. Here's what they've come up with:

Google: Google TV

First up, we have  Google TV. With Google TV, you can get the Internet on your TV, and a lot more. Not only do you have access to all your favorite TV shows, but Google TV also gives you access to video sites like YouTube, online music radio sites like Pandora, and photo sites like Picasa and Flickr, all powered by the built-in Google Chrome internet browser. Google TV can also help you find the shows you're looking for (it is based off of a search engine, after all...) and will even provide personalized recommendations for you. But the most interesting thing I found is that, with Google TV, you can actually buy apps for your television, just like you would buy apps for your smart phone. The Google TV box uses your current TV and cable/satellite provider, updates for free with no monthly charges, and is available for around $200.

Apple: Apple TV

On the other hand, we have Apple TV. Like Google TV, it gives you access to TV shows and popular sites like YouTube and Flickr. But in addition to that, Apple TV lets you store all of your content in the iCloud storage system, and can transmit them wirelessly to any and all of your Apple devices. Apple TV also works in reverse, letting you stream content from your mobile Apple device onto your TV. The TV box itself is smaller and supposedly more energy-efficient than Google TV. It is also the cheaper of the two, coming in at just $99.