It's easy to look at Google TV and dismiss it as another in a long line of attempts to build a bridge between the Web and the television screen. That path is littered with high profile failures such as Windows Media Center and Apple TV that have never gained mass market appeal or made a significant impact on the way content creators bring content to the TV screen.
But, Google TV has an ace-in-the-hole that could change the game: Apps
Because Google TV is built on the Android OS, Google is integrating the Android Market (http://www.android.com/market/) into the product. In fact, the company says that all of the existing Android apps that don't have functionality specifically tied to the phone will work on Google TV.
Smartphone apps on a TV screen are not all that interesting. But, the concept of bringing apps to the TV could be extremely disruptive.
Apps could essentially become an alternative to TV channels. Imagine startups, production companies, and popular TV shows creating their own apps and bringing them directly to the audience, cutting out much of the traditional television establishment--studios and cable companies--in the process.
Let's take the example of a TV show. Instead of selling it to a network, a production company could create an app that delivers a new show every Thursday, but also has a library of all the past shows available on-demand. Plus, the app has interviews with the actors, outtakes, bloopers, and other special features. Beyond the video clips, the app could also offer IMDB-like info about the show and each of the actors in a format readable on the big screen, and it could integrate community features like a chat room, polls, and contests.
Now, THAT is the kind of scenario that could make Google TV a big winner.
For more on Google TV, here's a video that explains the basics: