It looks like Google is developing a voice activated remote control for Google TV according to many sources around the net. Google filed for a patent last year for a remote and Android application that will use the Google Cloud assisted voice recognition technology for Google TV. This patent is for a device that will allow you to use your voice to navigate around the Google TV menus. Make no mistake that while being compared to Siri that Google has been working on these technologies since late 2010 with their Voice Actions.
The patent filing states that Google TV users will be able to talk to their Android powered device or special Google TV remote. The commands will then be sent to Google voice recognition servers to be analyzed and then sent to the Google TV unit for actions. This will also allow for control of the TV remotely to start programs before we ever get home so that everything is running when we get there. There will also be music controls and application commands included so that you can completely control the unit with voice commands.
the provision of the query to the television may occur when the user is within a set distance of his home also (e.g., by determining with GPS functionality on the smartphone that he is within 1/4 mile of the home), and the television may be turned on automatically as he approaches the home, with the television tuned to a channel that is determined to be most relevant to the query
Please let us know what you think about the new feature that Google will be including without the TV unit and if it will be useful or not for you. As we get more information and a release date is set we will be sure to let you know.