A presentation done at the Columbus, OH Google Developer's Group Meetup on April 18, 2013. Covers at a high level the design guidelines recommended and a few anti patterns to avoid. Goes into briefly why not all tablet apps will provide a good experience on a TV.

1. Serenity for Android

2. What is Serenity
● Plex Media Server Client for Google TV
Devices and Android based tablets/phablets.
● Open Source project available on github
https://github.com/NineWorlds/serenity-app
● Available in the Google Play store.

3. Misconception
An app designed for Landscape mode on a Tablet
will work just fine on a Google TV device.

4. Failure Points
● The app may run, but will probably provide a
frustrating user experience.
● These apps are designed for Touch and
typically do not take into account other ways to
interact with the app.
● Using a Mouse is frustrating on the TV. If the
user has to use the mouse pointer, it is a design
failure.
● Need to design with the TV environment or
Accessibility in mind.

5. Google TV Design Guidelines
● Design for D-PAD not for Touch interface
● Avoid the use of the Mouse or Touchpad.
● Emphasize obvious items that can be selected
or interacted with.
● Back Button should exit or take back to
previous screen.
● Give visual indicators when more information
is provided off screen (i.e. scrolling required)

6. Zones
Design with Zones in mind.

7. Anti Pattern
D-Pad Navigation can't skip zones. The long scrolling list in the
center has to be navigated through to get to the bottom zone.

9. Text and Icons
● Provide large readable fonts.
● Screen space is at a premium. Even at
1920x1080p.
– User is sitting about 10ft away so need to make
text and fonts legible from that distance.
– Set up your Google TV development device from
that distance.
– Dog Food your design. Use it daily.

10. Create Quick Navigation Keys
● Provide ways to Navigate quickly through long
lists.
● Provide ways to get back to the top of a list
quickly.
● To get to the bottom quickly.
● Break Long Lists into seperate screens.
● Provide Filtering/Search to narrow scope of
items.

11. Visually Appealing
● Design with Visual Appeal
– Apps are going to be in people's living rooms.
– TVs are ment to be visual displays
– You want the wow factor to help bring people
back.
– However it needs to be simple and functional.
● Limit the number of clicks that a person has to
get to anything on the screen.