Google TV is a product that combines traditional TV, the web, and apps.
This new experience open a lot of prospects for Ux designers. The context is different, the gesture too.
This means that there’s a lot of apps that we can design for this device. New usability guidelines have to be defined. The same Google indicates Design considerations for TV (10 ft UI).
First of all, there are a lot of variable to study and evaluate, for this new applications, that are related to the new context of use.
User environment
- user is relaxing
- light of the room is variable
- distance from the screen is big
Constraints
- resolution are different
- color gamut are different (expecially orange and red), while white background can cause halos
We can describe the implications for designing contents and interactions:
IA implications
- not deep hierarchy
- less text possible, more visual information
- less fonts are best practice. On the screen sans serif fonts are more readable
UX implications
- there’s no scroll, but only a navigation by arrows (preferred the horizontal mode)
- it’s necessary a strong focus model, to pay attention to the selected object
- at the same, feedback have to be evident
- it’s necessary to enable the “back button”
Finally, it is completely opened new scenarios to develop new applications for this experience, considering that use of TV is:
- always connected to the Internet
- potentially connected to house device
New relations can be created with domotic dispositive, related to Internet connections.
After the usability of this device, a UX designer has to think about the new experience that can be made now.