from Techburrito Executive Editor, Alan Natale

Google is all about search, we all know that. So as they try to invent new things like Google Googles (see my post), they also continue to perfect their central function- search. With Google Instant you get search results as you even type in each letter of the search word(s) – “good guesses on the fly” is what it’s doing in a nutshell. It’s like when your talking and your pal’s trying to finish your sentence (but in a helpful way, not so much annoying).

If you go to Google’s write up about Google Instant, you’ll read (and see/hear with their video) that they are just trying to do things much faster for you. I have to wonder, though, how fast do we need to go when looking something up? Generally speaking, Google is pretty quick feeding up search results already but I guess we need the results to come up even faster (shrug). Well looks like it’s time for some Google Instant search competitions, fastest to look up “carpel tunnel” wins!

by Techburrito Executive Editor, Alan Natale

The gap between TV and Internet just got way smaller thanks to the race between Google and Apple. The behemoths have just hastened the race to bring smooth and quick integration so that we need not have our television watching be a separate activity from our web surfing. Interactivity is what makes all the difference so leave it to the tech giants to bolt out in front of the slow moving cable companies and the treading-water consoles like Sony’s PS3 and Microsoft’s XBox.

I’ve had interactivity on my Samsung plasma for about two years thanks to my Sony PS3 but admittedly the experience has been wonky at best; the PS3′s internet browser, like Apple’s mobile devices, didn’t allow Flash so that was a downer. Also, for some reason, the internet was shoved through the PS3′s browser of sorts and that made things slower and a bit unwieldy. I have to say, though, that I love streaming Netflix content on my PS3 though it’s kind of silly I have to use a Netflix DVD popped into the player anytime I want to stream on the internet. How dare they make me get off my couch to stream movies!!!

Google is really going for everything these days- they tried to outwit Twitter with Google Buzz (wah- wah), if you recall they built a YouTube video hosting thing to rival the Tube but then just purchased YouTube to settle that, they set-up Skype-like free video chat/audio chat/chat/actual phone calls now in gmail, they are supposed to be launching an Apple iTunes killer by Christmas and we have here Google TV to try to clobber Steve’s Job’s brand new $99 Apple TV. Yes, all these choices gives me a headache… but it’s great to have choices and the fact that my prediction that the TV and the Internet will become one is coming true (yes, my prediction though this prediction is kind of obvious for most I admit).

Well I say more power to you Google (please give me some stock)- and I look forward to watching TV with a keyboard instead of a remote AND I cannot wait until we have Google Robots to clean my house and do yardwork so keep up the good work!

by Techburrito.com Executive Editor, Alan Natale

Hot off the heels of the Apple Special Event starring Steve Jobs…

So for people like me who want the new iPhone4 but cannot deal with AT&T BUT want Face Time and a great HD camcorder (with editing via iMovie app) well- the new iPod Touch is the answer. The new iPod Touch even has the retina display and a front facing Standard Def camera (for the Face Time). By the way, you can Face Time with another iPod Touch AND an iPhone4.

Steve Jobs also reported that the iPod Touch is the top selling portable gaming device. Hmm, didn’t know that. I game on my iPhone3GS and my iPad: Angry Birds, Spider, Nova and Bejeweled 2 are my favorites so this all makes sense to me. I think the games will look awesome with the retina display no doubt.

iTunes is also getting a facelift- iTunes 10 (available today). First of all the icon (with the CD – so 2000) is gone and now it’s just a musical note with a blue circle for an icon. Another thing with iTunes is PING; a super easy-to-use social networking facet for music. Ping is put together to help people “discover” music via networking with Pals/sharing and to help follow Artists (their posts, fan posts, concert info). Ping is not only available on iTunes online, it’s available on your iPhone and iPod Touch.

And I’d be remiss in reporting if I didn’t mention how Steve Jobs rolled out 2nd Generation Apple TV- much smaller (1/4 the size and matte black) possessing virtues and new tricks: Everything in HD, lower prices for content, HDMI, wifi, ethernet, photos/music streaming from your computer, and all rentals (no purchases, thus no  storage). In terms of content, we’re talkin’ iTunes first-run HD movies for $4.99 and things get cheaper from there down. HD TV Show rentals have been knocked down to 99¢ and – my favorite- COMMERCIAL FREE! Oh, and Netflix streaming is part and parcel of the new Apple TV which I love.

Let me know what you think.