"I forget the guy's name but I know somebody must have said...Sell it and they will come boys, sell it and they will come."
Bruce Springsteen
So I keep reading lots of news about how important and revolutionary Google TV will be. They'll achieve yet another revenue foothold with consumers and sell a whole bunch of boxes that will integrate the web with television. Now, I don't discount the importance of wedding the Internet to TV...it is an important threshold for consumers to cross. However, we already have Internet television and have had it for some time. We don't need Google to bring this service to us...we already have the capability to get it ourselves.
Ingredients:
One Laptop Computer with wireless access
One HD Television
Now, you will have to determine how to connect your laptop to your TV. If your laptop accepts HDMI connections, you're in luck. Use an HDMI Cord to connect the devices.
If your laptop doesn't accept HDMI, you'll need separate cords for both the video and audio. For video, you can use the same sort of cord that you use to connect your monitor to your desktop (except, I would order an extra long monitor cord so not to have to crowd your laptop next to your TV).
For audio, you'll need to use a "male to male" audio cord...like the video cord, I would order an extra long one.
Attach the video and audio cords onto the respective slots on both the laptop and television. Turn your television on and switch the output to "PC".
Turn on your laptop and make sure it's online.
Fire up the Internet and watch some video.
The cords you need to purchase should run you about $10 and all but the most technically illiterate should be able to perform these steps.
All the HDTV's at my house already have the necessary peripherals attached thusly:
Now if you don't own a laptop (and never plan to get one), perhaps Google TV is worthwhile. Otherwise, there isn't any reason to wait to pay Google for a solution you already have.