An A/V receiver with networking capabilities is definitely slandered, but wonderful at the same time.
The manufacturers are just crappy about their streaming capabilities. Recently Denon lost Pandora completely due to a change in how Panadora does things. So, they lost that functionality because they were way behind in their receiver firmware updates.
On the plus side, because the receiver is networked, a new firmware fixed the issue.
But, that's about the only reason I would use a networked A/V receiver. For firmware updates.
There are better audio and video solutions from a long line of providers out there. Most notably Roku has a ton of top-shelf products for a very reasonable price which decimate what I've seen from what A/V receivers deliver.
I would not consider networking much of a plus overall on a receiver. Especially 'smart' functions for audio which are better handled in other devices. But, as so much product is half-baked when it reaches store shelves, the inclusion of networking certainly helps to ensure your product is up to date or can be easily updated at all times.
