Google ups the Ante in the Web/TV wars

News that Google will launch an into-the-TV service later this year:

(Reuters) - Google Inc will launch its service to bring the Web to TV screens in the United States this autumn and worldwide next year, its chief executive said, as it extends its reach from the desktop to the living room. CEO Eric Schmidt said the service, which will allow full Internet browsing via the television, would be free, and Google would work with a variety of program makers and electronics manufacturers to bring it to consumers. "We will work with content providers, but it is very unlikely that we will get into actual content production," Schmidt told journalists after a keynote speech to the IFA consumer electronics trade fair in Berlin.

Sony said last week it had agreed to have Google TV on its television sets, and Samsung has said it was looking into using the service. The announcement comes less than a week after rival Apple unveiled its latest Apple TV product and will intensify a battle for consumers' attention and potentially for the $180 billion (117 billion pounds) global TV advertising market.

That last line says all you need to know. Well, except its a battle to lock up search on another type of screen:

Schmidt also said Google would announce partnerships later this year with makers of tablet computers that would use Google's Chrome operating system, due to be launched soon, rather than its Android phone software, which has been used for mobile devices until now.

Interesting that they think Android hasn't got the jets..... (Update - I may have misread the Reuters piece - Kevin Marks says TV has Android its some tablets that will use Chrome, but that is interesting too)