Google TV porn channel launches

The Los Angeles adult entertainment company launched its Vivid for Google TV channel on Monday as "the first TV app designed to make sexually explicit content available through the new Google TV set-top device."

It will be the first time that adult channels will be available on Google TV, although users can surf for anything on the Web through its built-in browser.

Apple, one of Google's biggest rivals, has had a long-standing policy of not allowing adult content on Apple TV, iTunes or the App Store for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. But Apple has made an exception for Playboy.

Steven Hirsch, Vivid's co-founder and co-chairman, said in a statement that the new Google TV channel is "a central part of our 'making Vivid available everywhere' concept, which gives fans unified access to our content through their personal computers, mobile devices, tablets, television sets and DVD players."

Hirsch also said that Vivid is looking to bring similar content to other Internet TV platforms, although he didn't name others.

Google TV has had a tough time catching on with consumers since its launch more than a year ago, and the online search giant is looking to reboot its efforts with a new platform based on its hugely successful Android operating system for phones and tablets.

A Google spokesman said users will be able to block access to the channel through parental controls on the set-top box.

(c)2011 the Los Angeles Times
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