How to Sign Up for GoogleTV Beta

Overview

The video explains how to sign up for a “Google TV” (Google Labs) beta using a hidden invitation mechanism—an “Easter egg” controlled on Google’s side.

It compares this process to earlier Gmail rollouts, when users couldn’t simply access Gmail without an invite, positioning the beta sign-up as an early opportunity.

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How the sign-up / invite method works (tutorial steps)

1. Must be a Gmail subscriber.
2. Log into Gmail, then go to Settings → General.
3. Scroll to the bottom to find a link related to Google’s other products (the subtitles suggest it appears under a section like “love Gmail”).
4. Copy the link (the video instructs: right-click → copy shortcut).
5. Send the link to yourself via email by pasting it into both the subject and body.
   • Important: don’t add extra characters/spaces around the pasted link, or it won’t work.
6. Archive the email and log out of Gmail.
7. Log back in and look for a “Google TV activator” prompt/section (shown as appearing with a mail/envelope indicator).
   • If it doesn’t show immediately, repeat the log in/out cycle—the speaker reports it took 11 tries.
8. Click the activator, refresh, and you should see an invite to Google TV.
9. Accept the End User License Agreement, then activate your account by logging in with your Gmail credentials.
10. Start watching TV (example mentioned: Prison Break), with streaming and ads embedded.

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Feature / analysis claims mentioned

• Google TV beta is described as an OnDemand TV service supported by three of four major networks.
• Users can access current shows and network library shows, streamed and ad-supported.
• Ads are described as keyword-targeted via Google’s bots, based on content in “cash and email history” (likely referring to email history), with an example driven by tech-related terms.

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Main speaker / source

• Mark Ericson (identified at the start and end as the presenter), from Infinite Solutions.