Vizio to launch Co-Star Stream Player, streaming media with Google TV

Will the second coming of the Google TV platform stick? A month after LG launched the Google TV–powered G2-series TVs and just days after Sony announced its own Google TV streaming-media player, Vizio announced that it will offer its own Google TV set-top box—and at $99, it's half the price of Sony's.

Called the Co-Star Stream Player, the new Vizio box will arrive next month. The media player was initially announced at CES back in January.

Like other revamped Google TV devices, it will offer full Web browsing via Google's Chrome browser, access to the Android apps market (now called Google Play), and the ability to search live TVs that are connected to cable or satellite boxes.

Like most streaming players we've seen, the Co-Star will include built-in Wi-Fi and support for 1080p video. The player will also support both Flash and HTML 5 and come with a universal remote with both a touchpad and keyboard.

We'll be looking forward to seeing how the Vizio Co-Star stacks up to the Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet Player when we get both into our new streaming media lab. Stay tuned for our upcoming report.

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—James K. Willcox