The Vizio Co-Star is a must-have for any Google TV fan looking for a new device; for $99.99 this set-top box is simply a no-brainer. The device comes with competitive specs and even OnLive compatibility for gamers (unlike sony’s new Google TV device). Many of you have been saving your bucks for this device’s August release, but we are here to tell you that you can put your name to one of them right now.

The Vizio Co-Star has just gone up for pre-order and will be shipping starting August 14. You might as well pull out your credit cards as this happens to be the best Google TV deal since the Logitech Revue’s price drop to $100.

One may think an affordable price comes with its sacrifices, but such is not the case for the Vizio Co-Star. The Co-Star seems to be as good as any other Google TV currently available. But even if the specs were to be lower, I believe we are at a point in which accessible devices are much more important than high-end, good quality ones.

This may sound like madness to many of you, but it just so happens Google TV does not stand in very strong grounds at the moment. The platform never reached the popularity we were expecting, and more than needing better hardware, we need software improvements. This is why affordable Gogole TV devices are necessary.

LG Google TVs cost over $1,600, and Sony’s new Google TV box is $200. The latter is quite affordable, as well, but a Benjamin is more likely to bring good attention to our favorite smart TV platform. It just happens to be a very sweet spot for devices that can be classified under “beta.” It is smart for companies to follow these pricing schemes in times when the competition is so vast it is easy to be overshadowed.

I know I am getting one, simply because there is no reason not to. A good Google TV with all the features that can be expected from it, and only for $100? Sign me up. What about you?

[Source: Vizio]