Google TV: Finally, the Cloud Comes to Your Couch

In 1999, at the height of dot-com craziness and imagination, I wrote am article about how we might someday use tablets to control this seamless living room experience, where the Internet and movies and communications all swirled together in this intuitive, entertaining, productive Utopia. This was a common vision back when "home theater PCs" were coming into vogue and the cable/satellite providers had yet to reveal their true hatred for the PC world. 

So for over a decade, we've been trying -- and failing -- to achieve that home convergence dream. I think that all may have just changed today with Google TV. At last, we have movies, TV shows, countless media services, the entire Web (although that term is quickly becoming a cliche), and soon an avalanche of Android apps all pouring into into your living room, and it's all no harder to manage than running a Google search. Insane.

In this photo on the left, you might notice two things: 1) the dad is conducting a Google Search of the Web and his subscribed services, such as Netflix, and 2) there's no PC in the picture. Instead, there's a little box called the Logitech Revue tucked under the monitor, and it's basically a tiny intermediary between your set-top box, the Internet, and your TV. The PC has vanished back into Google's cloud data centers. In fact, you don't even need the Revue. The Google TV platform can be built straight into your next flat panel.

And what about the tablet part of that converged Utopia? Well, your Android phone or iPhone can becomPublish Poste your universal home theater controller, complete with touch and voice control. And if Google TV will work on a phone chances are it'll work on tablets, too.

My in-depth walk-through and analysis of Google TV just went live on Tom's Guide here. If you're interested in seeing the future of home entertainment and computing today, don't miss it.