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Anyone who bought a top-spec Bravia last year ought to be gutted. Those sets were saddled with Sony's first attempt at an internet video platform, and the feature-less Applicast was a flop.
From the ashes of Applicast, Sony has somehow produced a silky, stylish and content-packed version that is near to being the industry's only 'must-have' web video platform.
We liked:
The interface is excellent, everything loads in a reasonably short time, and picture quality – even some HD content – streams stably even when using a 2MB broadband connection. The FIFA World Cup, YouTube and NPR widgets are quite superb in both presentation and content.
We disliked:
The lack of social media and on-demand services such as iPlayer is a worry, though the former, at least, should be present on the platform before too long. A lot of the 'other' widgets are so US-centric as to be meaningless to most Brits, while the Eurosport service is incoherent and light on engaging content. And Demand Five over BBC iPlayer?
Verdict:
If you're not into football or willing to pay for films, there's little of interest on Sony's Bravia Internet Video platform for now. If you're into both, it's a must-have. With a largely brilliant base, we expect it to very soon develop into a genuinely engaging service relevant to almost anyone – it's just a few widgets away from greatness.
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