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      SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Google Inc.'s effort to wed Web surfing
with television viewing is gathering more support from major media
outlets that distribute some of the content that will help sell the
concept.


      The list of participating television programmers announced
Monday by Google includes household staples such as TBS, TNT, CNN
and HBO, which are all owned by Time Warner Inc.


      The technology, known as Google TV, also will offer features
from the NBA, the financial news channel CNBC and popular Internet
video services operated by Amazon.com Inc. and Netflix Inc.


      The Google TV options from Amazon's digital video store and
Netflix's movie subscription service mirror features already
available on an array of other devices that connect to televisions.

      The short-message service Twitter and several music sites,
including Vevo, Pandora and Napster, have also designed features
especially for Google TV.


      But the four major broadcast networks - CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox -
still haven't embraced Google TV, with the technology scheduled to
debut in Best Buy's U.S. stores later this month. Documents posted
on the Internet indicate that flat-panel sets and other devices
equipped with Google TV will go on sale Oct. 17, but the company
hasn't confirmed that date.


      In a blog post, Google said it is still in talks with a variety
of unnamed parties and predicted more content partnerships will be
cemented in the coming weeks.

      "We're really excited about the enthusiasm surrounding the
platform and can't wait for it to reach your living room," wrote
Ambarish Kenghe, a Google TV product manager.


      Gaining the backing of the major broadcast networks and other
powerful players is proving to be difficult because some executives
fear Google TV could tip the balance of power to the Internet's
most powerful company.


      Google believes its technology will make it easier to surf the
Web while watching the television on the same big screen. If Google
succeeds in that ambition, it could also help the company achieve
its goal of expanding its domination of the online ad market into
television.


      Even if the major TV networks don't cooperate with Google TV,
people using the technology should still be able to watch
programming from those outlets through cable or satellite
connections.


      But that would be less convenient than if the big networks set
up websites that would enable Google TV users to stream programming
from their favorite shows whenever they wanted to watch it. And it
would be more cumbersome to search for programming from the big
networks on Google TV without their cooperation.

      Those stumbling blocks would presumably discourage some people
from buying Google TV.


      Sony Corp. is making the first flat-panel sets equipped with
Google TV and Logitech International SA is making the devices that
will enable the technology to work on existing sets.
      

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Science

Google Inc.'s effort to wed Web surfing
with television viewing is gathering more support from major media
outlets that distribute some of the content that will help sell the
concept.

Google lines up Internet TV programming partners

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