Android to run TVs?

[diogen]

WSJ, the favorite place to leak news to, reports that Google is going to release an Android version to run TVs
Google to Show TV Software in May - WSJ.com

This has been mentioned last month in NYT
Google and Partners Seek Foothold in the Living Room - NYTimes.com
It looks like it will be a netbook (Intel Atom CPU) with a 50" screen...

Ars believes it will be a set-top box, some rumors were putting the player inside the TV
Android set-top box may be coming to a living room near you

Not sure this belongs in the gadget section, but thought a TV can be treated as an over-sized tablet...

Diogen.

 

[Ramy]

I got an email about this. I guess with everything becoming more and more dependent on the internet and stuff like that, that is was inevitable to see something like this come out.

 

[JTBenson]

Will we see a Dish Receiver with Android? I hope so.

 

[diogen]

For whatever reason, tech companies had very limited success (if you even can call it like this) in the living room. CableCard being the best example.
Even in Europe, where a PC-like device can serve (i.e. it's not against the law as in NA) as a universal player including satellite and cable box...

From this writeup in Wired Google is trying a "neutral" approach...
Report: Google Will Soon Unveil Android-for-Television | Epicenter

With Sony, Intel, Logitech onboard it might work. But at the moment it looks more like a "foot in the door" attempt than anything else...

Diogen.