Although we and other websites of repute have been telling everyone that the great public will soon be watching and surfing the Internet in their living room/ Many have been skeptical.

Despite the efforts of many including AOL TV and WebTV Networks for many years, there has never been a big take up of the new technology.

However, that may be all about to change with the arrival of internet enabled tv sets.

The biggest TV manufacturers including Sony, Samsung, LG, Panasonic and Vizio say that they’re poised to revolutionize television this Christmas shopping season: They’re about to launch the first major marketing push for a new generation of sets that can easily integrate Web content with traditional TV news and entertainment — without the fuss of connecting the TV to a set-top box.

“When we all open up the newspapers on January 1st, and they talk about the hot items from the holiday selling season, Internet-connected TVs are going to be at the top of the list,” says Randy Waynick, senior vice president at Sony’s Consumer Group.

The campaign could be risky. Consumers may balk if TV sets become too computerlike and complicated. Manufacturers are in a race with cable companies and gadget providers — including makers of DVRs, Blu-ray players and game machines — who offer alternative ways to blend the Internet with TV.

But the new versions of Web TVs will soon become the norm in consumer electronics stores. In 2014, consumers in North America will buy 45 million of these sets, representing 69% of all TV sales, ABI Research says. That’s up from 6 million and 14% of sales in 2009.

As they catch on, television will become “a completely new ballgame,” says Matthew McRae, general manager of advanced technology products at Vizio. Software developers will flock to the new platform, making Web TVs “the next area of innovation” following computers and cellphones, he says.

With the backing of so many big names and the fact that as with nicam stereo and widescreen. Soon every tv will come internet enabled, this has to be the time of internet tv’s coming.

Read the full article – http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2009-11-13-1Awebtv13_CV_N.htm

Related posts:

1. Yahoo widgets finally appearing on Samsung TV sets
2. Big 3 UK TV networks bring internet TV to the masses
3. Sony Showing Hit Movie on Internet TV Before DVD Release
4. Internet Connected TV Sales Rising
5. PC And Television Sets Merge into a Super TV