Google TV is getting more Gemini tricks, including video generation

Google TV is getting another infusion of Gemini features, and this time it’s not just about answering questions or controlling your smart home. The update brings two tools I actually want to use: Nano Banana for photo editing and Veo for video generation.

I’ve been playing with Nano Banana on my own setup, and it’s basically a lightweight image editor that runs locally on the TV. You can crop, adjust colors, add filters, and even remove objects from photos. It’s not Photoshop, but for quick edits on the big screen, it works fine. The latency is low enough that you don’t feel like you’re waiting around.

Veo is the more interesting one. It’s Google’s video generation model, and now it’s available on Google TV. You can type a prompt like “a cat playing piano in a sunset” and get a short video clip. The quality is decent for a TV-based tool—not quite Hollywood-grade, but good enough for sharing or personal projects. I tried a few prompts and got mixed results: the cat looked fine, but the piano keys were blurry. Still, it’s impressive for a device that’s primarily for streaming.

What surprises me is that Google is pushing these creative tools onto a platform that’s usually just for watching content. It feels like they’re betting that people want to create as much as they consume, even from their living room couch. I’m not sure how many users will actually edit photos or generate videos on their TV, but the option is there.

The update also includes some Gemini-powered search improvements. You can now ask questions like “show me action movies from the 90s with car chases” and get relevant results without scrolling through menus. That’s a nice quality-of-life improvement.

Of course, there are downsides. These features require a compatible Google TV device and a stable internet connection. The video generation can take 30 seconds or more, which feels slow. And I’m curious about privacy—local processing for Nano Banana is good, but Veo sends prompts to the cloud.

Overall, this is a solid update that adds real functionality. It’s not revolutionary, but it shows Google is serious about making Gemini useful beyond just chatbots. If you have a recent Google TV device, give it a try. Just don’t expect to replace your laptop for serious editing.