Smart TVs have been making the news more than usual in the recent weeks, partly thanks to the hullaballoo that always surrounds CES. Truth be told, however, the concept of smart TVs has been around for a while, with the major brands leading the way. Additionally, while I have to admit that I am not really sold on the concept of smart TVs, it does seem to be the next step in the evolution of the black box, which has gone such a long way from what Philo Taylor Farnsworth and his contemporaries envisioned. Also called connected TV or hybrid TV (although these names have not really caught on), the smart TV is basically a TV set that has extended capabilities such as integrated Internet connectivity. This means that users can install add-ons and software to maximize their use of the smart TV. These cover both software and hardware. [Read more…]