With a lot of people eager to get a look at the new set-top box that will empower consumers to stream video from their computers to their televisions, Apple Computer (AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs announced that the company will start taking orders for the device today for $299. It will be called Apple TV and will be available in February.
The purpose of the device will be to solve one of the major problems that has held back video on demand: watching downloads on your TV screen in an easy way.
"It's really, really easy to use," Jobs told the crowd at San Francisco's Moscone Center. It's got the processing horsepower to do the kinds of things we like to do."
I
t will start off with a 40-gigabyte hard drive that will hold 50 hours of video. It will include a microprocessor from Intel and will be able to be used with up to five computers that stream videos, photos and music from a wireless connection.
One article said:
"The product could be as revolutionary to digital movies as Apple's iPod music player was to digital music. Both devices liberate media from the computer, allowing people to enjoy digital files without being chained to a desktop or laptop."
I agree with this. A device that allow a user to view downloaded video in an easy way is probably the last piece of the puzzle that has held back online video from taking off even more. It could even be more revolutionary as a larger demographic will probably embrace this as it goes far beyond the music industry.
Jobs also said that he has a deal with Paramount now, adding to their inventory that is anchored by the deal they have had with Disney (DIS) for months.
Other Sources:
Apple Officially Launches iPhone, Apple TV
Movies, TV Shows, Music & Photos on Your Big Screen TV
Jobs Unveils iPhone, Apple TV At Macworld
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