Google submitted a filing to the Federal Communications Commission for permission to test a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enable “Entertainment Device,” in four U.S. cities by Google employees. The device in question is a mystery. Google says it is in prototyping phase and will be modified prior to final compliance testing. They requested that 252 devices be allowed to be tested from January 17th through July 17 in its home town of Mountain View CA, Cambridge MA, L.A. and New York. Take a quick read of the application below -

Google is developing an entertainment device that requires testing outside the laboratory environment. The device is in the prototyping phase and will be modified prior to final compliance testing. … Users will connect their device to home WiFi networks and use Bluetooth to connect to other home electronics equipment. This line of testing will reveal real world engineering issues and reliability of networks. The device utilizes a standard WiFi/Bluetooth module, and the planned testing is not directed at evaluating the radio frequency characteristics of the module (which are known), but rather at the throughput and stability of the home WiFi networks that will support the device, as well as the basic functionality of the device. From this testing we hope to modify the design in order to maximize product robustness and user experience. Utilizing the requested number of units will allow testing of real world network performance and its impact on applications running on the device, so that any problems can be discovered and addressed promptly.

That certainly doesn’t give us much information to attempt to guess what it is. A reasonable guess would be a new Google TV set-top box. The Wi-Fi access and Bluetooth aspects fit into that sort of device. it also fits with the statement – ‘its impact on applications running on the device.’ It is all easily up in the air really. Still gets my wheels turning and wondering what Google is up to. Maybe a Ninja will hit up one of those 252 employees for a Super Bowl party and sneak out a snapshot.

Does anyone else have any ideas on what Google could be working on? Will it be a Google TV set-top box that actually rocks? If so, since when do they build them in-house themselves. Maybe it is a media only tablet with the help of Motorola. Keep your eyes peeled for other information for us and we will do the same for you. I hate to love a good mystery, I’ll be up all night now.

Via GigaOM