New Google Service to Allow Searching Satellite TV Programming

The search engine giant Google is carrying out trials of a television set-top box which makes it possible for users to search satellite TV programming and video websites such as YouTube.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Google is privately testing its software-powered set-top box in collaboration with The Dish Network, a satellite TV provider. The report says that the trials are carried out by a limited number of the company's employees and their families.

The paper also mentions that Google's new service allows personalizing a list of shows. The searches are performed via a keyboard instead of a remote control. Google looks forward to link the new service with its Google TV Ads program. Thus the marketing types will be able to serve TV advertising using their Google AdWords accounts. In such a way Google will be able to target ads based on both viewing habits and searches.

At the same time the Wall Street Journal says that Google's new service could be suspended at any time. Because Google decided to team up with The Dish Network, it is likely that the company will get its software installed on the boxes of the TV provider rather than produce and sell its own boxes. It is worth mentioning that third-parties have already started developing set-top boxes that run on Google's Android.