Sony and Microsoft's highly connected game consoles are becoming a major portal for consumers to view online content in their living rooms — 12 percent of US households use a video game console to to watch online video, more than those hooking up computers directly to their TVs. This data, from a third-party study by Strategy Analytics, reinforces Sony and Microsoft's plan to offer an ecosystem of content beyond gaming, and also helps to reinforce the dominance of Netflix in the streaming game. A report released this past June showed that video game consoles (even the less-connected Wii) make up over 50 percent of Netflix streaming traffic. 

Strategy Analytics' study also shows that 65 percent of the the Xbox's key 25-and-under demographic primarily access online movies and TV through their consoles; good news for Microsoft, which is in the process of launching a major new TV service for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live users. Microsoft will likely be gunning for that key segment when this service goes live later this fall.