A photo of the controller for Android TV has appeared online, showing off one of the ways you can input commands into Google's new media streaming service.
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Google handed out the controller to attendees at its I/O conference last week, and Android Police founder Artem Russakovskii snapped a picture of his model. You can see it in the image above (and the full box below) complete with a shiny finish to complement its otherwise rather generic design.
It looks pretty similar to the Amazon controller, which isn't exactly an attractive piece of hardware. A bit more curve (and at least the shiny material) keeps this from looking as ugly, but I don't think either will be winning design awards. Still, meant as a simple input for browsing through Android TV, it looks like it will be able to get the job done.
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The controller will supposedly ship with the Android TV box, and contains the obvious two thumbsticks, four face buttons, what looks to be a home and two navigation buttons, shoulder triggers, and a row of LEDs.
As for Android TV itself, the service is set to launch this fall alongside the new Android L operating system. You can operate the media streaming service from your phone, tablet, or smartwatch, as well as the controller.
It's a very simple interface that provides the same service as Roku or Amazon, but opens up the Google Play ecosystem for media consumption. If you have those, it's not likely necessary, and can also provide some Android gaming options with a tablet or controller. In addition, the entire 2015 HD and 4K smart TV lineups from Sony, Sharp, TP vision, and Philips will be integrated with Android TV.