Swiss Army knives have everything you need. The problem is that none of those features actually work very well. Over the past 10 years, different versions of interactive TV have promised to be the Swiss Army knives of media. The dream is a single device to watch TV/movies, find a plumber, call a friend, download music, shop for shoes and read the news. Like the Swiss Army knife, interactive TV has failed to become a part of everyday life because single-function devices always perform better than multi-function devices.

Google is hoping to change everything with Google TV. Available this fall, Google TV will combine your online experience with traditional TV viewing. The distinct feature is a simple search bar that will live on your screen. This will allow you to find whatever content you want to watch, and to also participate in other online activities (shopping, social networks, etc.). In effect, Google is taking its very successful homepage to your TV set.

A key advantage for Google’s attempt at interactive TV is the shift in media consumption behavior as a result of wireless devices. The previously accepted truth was that TV sets are for “lean back” content and computers were for “lean forward” content. However, as Shelly Palmer noted in a recent commentary, “now, anyone will watch practically any length program on practically any device.”

Suddenly, the Swiss Army knife approach makes sense. Consumers have sacrificed the performance of single-function devices for the convenience of all-in-one tools. Mobile phones aren’t good at taking great pictures, but they are good enough for most occasions. The iPhone’s convenience as a multi-tool outweighs its bad performance as an actual phone. Maybe now our mindset about media has shifted enough that we are willing to accept a single device in our living room for both lean-forward and lean-back occasions?