I've been hearing about Google TV, Boxee, Roku, etc., since last year's South By Southwest. Basically, they're connectivity boxes. They connect you to the internet and enable access to the services you'd most want to access on your TV and through your home audio system: Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, etc.
These boxes are pretty much the final nail in the collective coffin for video stores, though they're amazingly awesome and represent the future of media consumption. I can spend $7.99 per month on Netflix and be able to access more movies and TV shows than I'll ever be able to stream. I'd often spend the same price for one title at the video store, late fees included. While there are different boxes and different strokes for different folks, I was able to get my hands on a WD TV Live Hub, and so far it fits my needs ideally.
Friends of mine have been accessing Netflix, Hulu, etc., through their X-Box 360s and PS3s, but I'm not much of a gamer these days. Regardless, it's nice to be able to access certain types of content through your HD set. For me, movies, TV, and music...including my own content. One of the great features of the WD TV Live Hub is that it's also a 1 TB hard-drive, which should come as no surprise considering that it's made by Western Digital. It's a great way for me to view and show my own film files to friends before they're even fully edited and color corrected.
The WD TV Live Hub also comes loaded with Facebook, the Weather Channel, and more. I'll be using it mainly to access Netflix and to store files, however. It's a really solid product that I'd recommend to anyone in the market for a "connectivity box", especially filmmakers who can use the storage space. Check it out, and here's a great review that includes more specs and details.