Each year the big players in consumer electronics gather in Las Vegas to show to the world what they will be offering in the coming year, and next year will be no different. We have recently learned of the LG 2013 TV lineup and it’s clear to see that the Korean TV maker is focusing on Google with OnLive. In the lineup there are the models GA7900 and GA6400 and we’re being told that these will come in a range of sizes that the consumer will get far more from these TVs when compared to what their rivals have to offer.

LG know that in order to give their customers a far better media experience they need to keep them compelled, and one way to achieve this is by allowing them to play games without the need for third-party devices. LG feel that the best way to achieve this is by incorporating OnLive. The app is pre-installed into the new range of TVs and while it’s not going to make your TV compete with the top games consoles on the market, it will help transform your TV into a more than adequate gaming device.

There’s no need for a hard drive to be installed because all the games are Cloud based, so all you need to do is stream your chosen game from OnLive servers. Google will also play a major part in these TVs to make using them a far simpler experience thanks to an improved voice search functionality, which makes it much easier when searching through the 100,000 or so movies and TV shows. We’re not certain what the prices will be and when these new TVs will be released, but we’ll know more in a coupe of weeks, and hopefully in that time OnLive will update their games catalog to include some of the more later releases.

Over the years Samsung has always maintained an edge over their design and overall image quality, but the LG GA7900 and GA6400 release will change all that because the design of these models is not only sleek and sexy, but also breathless as well with its borderless display. If LG’s aim was to make their televisions standout during CES 2013, then this latest news release shows that they look set to achieve this goal.

OnLive has been around for a while now and launched in the UK earlier this year, and now Google has announced that the service will come bundled on the Google TV platform. Gamers that use the platform get the chance to play full game titles via a cloud after signing up to a subscription, which then does away with downloading or buying physical media.

There are some big titles available on the platform such as Batman: Arkham City among others. According to TechRadar Google TV owners will just have to purchase the OnLive Wireless Controller that costs $49.99/£39.99 from the OnLive website.

For now the full service won’t be available but users will be able to navigate the ‘viewer’ that allows access to the OnLive social features. Vizio will be the first company to offer sets with the OnLive service built in. Gamers get the chance to try out the service by playing any of the 200 games available for thirty minutes before signing up to the service.

Cloud gaming is likely to come even more popular as more devices connect to the internet straight out of the box. Have you used the OnLive service?

It has been announced that LG is going to make its first move into the Google TV platform, which promises to provide a high-end TV experience via Google’s Android operating system. This will coincide with LG’s Cinema 3D technology and its own Smart TV offering, NetCast according to a report.

It will have over 150 applications specially designed for Google TV as well as thousands of Android apps, which will mean LG’s Google TV with offer loads of entertainment features. With the device LG are going to give you an Android based Magic Remote that will offer a QWERTY keyboard on its Wii like remote control.

Previously Google’s Eric Schmidt said that by the summer this year, most new TVs “will have Google TV embedded in it”. Google will be hoping to get a foot hold in the market before the release of any product that Apple are rumored to be working on.

The new device may well be shown off at next week’s CES event, but it is not expected to hit UK stores until 2013 with US consumers expected to receive it sometime this year. Other companies such as Sony and Samsung are also expected to offering Google TV sets soon as well.

Do want a Google TV compatible set?

According to Information Week, the software update will bring with it a host of changes, such as making the interface simpler to use, YouTube integration, and most importantly, support for their Android app. You cannot say that Google are not trying, but we cannot be certain if these updates are enough to make us want to choose Google TV over other alternatives.

The software update will be coming to both Logitech and Sony Google TV devices. The Android app that we mentioned above is called “TV & Movies”, this app makes it easier for the user who don’t know what they are searching for. This might not sound a huge deal, but this could be the start of something big, as the idea of Android apps running on these devices is very significant.

This Google TV software update needs to be well received, as this is considered its last chance. We cannot be certain what the future holds for this year-old service, but the idea of an Apple branded TV will surely be something to fear?

According to a recent article posted on Telegraph.co.uk it looks like Google TV will arrive in the UK within six months, this means that people will be able switch between the TV and internet without adjusting any cables. You can find out all about Google TV here, we have embedded a brief introduction video at the very end of this post.

Google TV will be accessible through a set-top box, it will allow you search your television for what you want to watch, browse the web, use apps and even use your Android device as a remote control and much more, you can even browse the web and watch TV at the same time – you can see a full list of features here.

UK consumers will be able to access popular services such as BBC iPlayer and ITV Player more conveniently than ever, Google hope that Google TV will change the way people watch TV and browse the internet for ever, we haven’t had hands on time with it yet – but it sure sounds great.

Currently U.S. consumers have a range of Google TV set-top devices available to to them, to give you some idea of pricing the Logitech Revue costs just $99.99 and consists of a the set-top box and a wireless keyboard with a built-in touch pad. You can find out all about the Logitech Revue here.

When we find out more about the service in the UK we will keep you posted, the six month time frame suggests that it will arrive before March 2012. We are guessing that this is popular news as Google TV is now trending on Twitter.

He was speaking at the OTTCon, and was asked if Google TV owners will be able to have access to other Android apps soon. Although he wouldn’t give an exact date he did say it will happen soon, and said “We’re talking about a very short term”, reports an article by Mark Hachman over at PCMag.

He doesn’t actually work for Google, but Logitech have been one of the main partners for the Google TV platform, and released the Logitech Revue back in October. At the launch some of the personalization features from other Google services were not available, but Google have a history of adding features after a product has been launched.

Google have already got its store for Android apps, as well as its Chrome Web store, but so far Google TV has not had a similar feature. Arora said there will be more than just “weather apps” available, apps which tie in with what people are watching were spoken about.

Could we be seeing the likes of Angry Birds and Google Earth becoming available to be downloaded straight to our TVs? The possibilities could be endless if the entire Android Market became available for Google TV.

Which apps would you like to see for Google TV?

Marshal M. Rosenthal over at E-Gear.com has recently managed to have a play with the device. Setting up the Revue was pretty straight forward, no worse than connecting a DVD player to a TV. Once set up and turned on you are met with the start up screen for the Revue. Installation screens are simple enough but take time, these help you connect up to the video source device. Once all this is done the keyboard/controller can be used to turn on the video source and TV.

The keyboard was found to be well laid out, but the lack of backlighting could prove to be a problem in the dark when watching a film. After having a play around with all the options it was found that the Revue did have room for improvement, but was a great way to have your PC on the TV.

Another review by Tim Gideon from PCMag found that the keyboard can be difficult to use in some situations, and compared to Apple TV it was not as seamless, but has far more potential. The guys over at Engadget have also had a look at the Logitech Revue, and said it’s not perfect and would like the price to come down. For Dish Network customers though the Revue would be a good purchase considering the $179 price.

They did go on to say that if Google TV ever got integrated into DVRs or set-top boxes, the Revue would be thrown out in a heartbeat. You can find the official Logitech Revue website here, and use the links to read the full reviews.

Have you got a Logitech Revue?

According to a Reuters article that was published on Yahoo News, this is seen as a direct threat to Google TV and Apple TV, as well as Netflix. Microsoft knows that they have been left behind; but can feel proud of the fact that they have a far better understanding in providing media content.

According to the proposal, this would be classed as a “virtual cable operator” and those who subscribe to the service would have to pay a monthly fee, although we are not certain how much it would be. However, there is another idea, and that is by using the Xbox 360 instead of a standard cable box; this would then allow for more interactive content.

It is not known how long such a service would take before released, but you can be certain that it would be a popular one. Personally I am not certain if Xbox 360 TV would ever prove as popular as current services, but there have been reports that Google TV has not been as well received as we had first thought. However, if Google TV was made part of the Sony PS3 interface, then things could turn around for the service.

Would Xbox 360 TV be something you would subscribe too?

The four models are as follows NSX-24GT1, NSX-32GT1, NSX-40GT1, and NSX-46GT1. It is hard to say how popular these new TVs will be, but with Google and Sony working side-by-side, it is hard not to see why this will not become a huge success.

Prices for the TVs are between $600 to $1,400, and go from 24 inches to 46 inches. For those of you on a cheaper budget, then you could consider the stand-alone device, the NSZ-GT1, for a complete guide to this device visit OSM.

If you do not wish to purchase any of those devices above, then why not consider the Logitech Revue set-top box. This will allow you to gain access to Google TV for just $300, that’s $100 cheaper than Sony’s NSZ-GT1 – although that is also a Blu-ray player. For a full review of the Sony Internet TV with Google TV visit Engadget.

I do not plan to purchase any of the above; as I still hold out hope that Sony will bring Google TV to the PS3.

BGR has picked up on this deal, and they are calling the Roku XD Player a great alternative to Google TV. For a quick summary, the Roku XD Player will allow you to watch 1080p content from the likes of Netflix, Amazon On-Demand, Hulu Plus and Pandora.

It will also allow you to stream your entire iTunes music collection on your TV and watch live MLB and UFC content straight from the Roku box. If you are interested in the Roku XD Player, it will be available with a 20% discount for the next few days, meaning that it will be priced at just $64.

You can find out more information, including reviews for the Roku XD over at the official website here.

Do you own a Roku box? If so, would you recommend it for other shoppers or not?