Google TV Gets Ready for Prime Time

Google (GOOG) TV, the much-anticipated new entertainment offering from the Web search titan, is getting closer to becoming a reality. On Monday, Google announced an list of content partners including HBO, CNBC, and the National Basketball Association.

Google TV represents the company's initial foray into home entertainment, and it comes at a time when other big tech companies like Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN) and Netflix (NFLX) have introduced -- or are racing to introduce -- rival offerings. In essence, Google wants to make the Internet fully accessible on your TV -- and in the process make searching for videos as easy as it's made searching for Web pages.

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"Google TV is a new way to think about TV," Ambarish Kenghe, developer product manager for Google TV, wrote in a blog post. "it's a platform that combines your current TV programming and the open web into a single, seamless entertainment experience."

Google also said it has struck partnerships with a variety of Web-based content companies, including microblogging phenomenon Twitter and streaming-music site Pandora. Google TV will be built into new Sony (SNE) flat-screen units, as well as a new set-top box manufactured by Logitech (LOGI).

Interestingly, the big TV networks NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox, are not among the partners announced Monday. Google also didn't mention a price for its new offering.