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Philips Net TV: Does what it says on the tin

Philips Net TV: guess what it does. Go on, guess. No, silly, it doesn't use your TV to catch fish! It lets you look at the Internet on the TV. Coo!

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Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
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Richard Trenholm

Philips Net TV does exactly what you'd expect from the name: it's an app that puts the Internet in your television. You connect up your Philips telly to the intarwebs and you'll be able to browse sites such as YouTube and eBay in a Philips-friendly format, with large text and simplified layout.

Other sites will be displayed in the usual way, which may involve some squinting to see the writing. The Dutch company has also inked deals to reformat MeteoGroup, Funspot, MyAlbum, Netlog and a whole bunch of other sites you've never heard of. More deals are promised, but let's face it: YouTube is the big win here.

The service will run specifically on the 8000- and 9000-series TVs, with an Ethernet cable required for the 8000 and Wi-Fi connection in the 9000. Wireless connection is also possible with the recently unveiled Cinema 21:9 system.

The service should launch in April. Meanwhile, you could also consider Samsung's widget-y Web TVs, promised at CES 2009. Or you could drop by the Philips Web site, but be warned -- you'll be assailed by a French bird mewling in foreign, with no way to turn her off.