Yes, Smart TV is a running the theme at this year’s CES event.  But most are not just any Smart TVs, they’re Android-powered Smart TVs.  Google TV is being resurrected by the top brands Samsung, LG and Sony while a newcomer in Smart TVs, Lenovo, also joins in on the fun.

Google TV is a smart TV platform that was co-developed by Google, Intel, Sony and Logitech. It integrates Google’s Android operating system and the Linux version of Google Chrome browser to create an interactive television overlay on top of existing internet television and WebTV sites to add a 10-foot user interface.

This week at CES LG unveiled the 55” OLED Smart TV powered by Google TV.  It is the combination of Google’s Android OS and LG’s Smart TV technologies featuring an ARM-chipset.  Aside from that, it comes with the Magic Remote Qwerty designed by LG and their CINEMA 3D technology that uses battery-free 3D glasses.

“LG has constantly strived to provide consumers with wider choices in home entertainment that bring the highest level of sophistication and convenience,” said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company.  “Through Google TV, LG has merged Google’s established Android operating system with LG’s proven 3D and Smart TV technologies, offering consumers a new and enthralling TV experience.”

Lenovo also launched the Lenovo Smart TV K91 is a 55-inch 3-D (240Hz refresh rate) LED model that runs on Android 4.0 a.k.a Ice Cream Sandwich that features a Qualcomm Snapdragon dual core processor, 1 gig of RAM, a hard drive with 8 gigs of storage, plus a removable 2GB SD card.  It will be available by April 2012, initially in the Chinese market.

As for Sony and Samsung, it isn’t clear yet if they have Google TVs in their booths but Sony seems to have a second generation remote control that features a QWERTY keypad, probably for Smart TV use while Samsung launched the Samsung AdHub, an advertising platform for the Samsung Smart TV platform which will enable brands to deliver 3D, video and interactive advertisements into the living room via Samsung’s market-leading Smart TVs.

“Samsung is delivering the future of Smart TV now. With Samsung AdHub, we are enabling a richer content ecosystem that will benefit advertisers, application developers and consumers. Samsung’s global reach and expertise in Smart TV is creating a unique and innovative way for marketers to reach audiences with exciting and interesting content. We are helping brands break creative boundaries,” said Daniel Park, Vice President of Samsung’s Media Solution Center.

Is Google Paying for TV Presence?

The dominance of Google TV in this year’s CES is not entirely surprising but still, with Google’s track record of paying bloggers to advertise the Chrome browser, it’s like Google is begging you to ask the question: are they paying Smart TV vendors to use Google TV?

According to Neowin.net, “Google is actually paying vendors to include Android. While vendors could have chosen to include Android on their own, with Google chipping in a few extra dollars for them to do so, it means that we’re very likely see tons of Android television sets to be introduced in the next few days (and weeks).”

If Google is really paying Smart TV vendors and these vendors did accept payment, there could only be one reason for this: they all want to stay ahead of the competition.  And by competition, I mean Apple.  Apple is said to be releasing a  32 and 37-inch TV, not at the CES, in the hopes of entering the Smart TV market which Google seems to be leading.