Apple TV is a small, electronic black box that connects to your HD TV set to stream unlimited amounts of movies, music, documentaries and TV shows from iTunes software to your television. It is a very small item, almost the size of an iPhone box, that can easily be hooked up to your unit.
While Apple TV does not have a monthly service fee like cable or satellite TV, you must pay for every movie or TV show you stream. You can enjoy full seasons of your favorite shows, and you can even purchase season passes that alert you when a new episode is available for download. There is also a monthly fee for Netflix, and, of course, you need Internet access to make any purchase.
If you are spending about $100 per month on cable to get the channels you want in HD, you might be paying for a lot of channels that you do not want to watch. You are also forced to search through the mess of channels and re-runs to find the content that you actually want. What Apple TV is offering is a chance to choose exactly what you want to watch. Each program costs less than one dollar.
This means that you can practically build your own customized TV station, and own a collection of your favorite TV shows, available to watch at your leisure. If you want to control your budget, you can buy an iTunes card for $100. If you purchase a card every 3 or 4 months, you're saving money compared to what you would be paying for cable. Not only can you buy or rent specifically what you want to watch, but you are off the hook programming a DVR to record any show - and you get it commercial free as well.
With the innovations on the Internet market, cable operators worry about losing business as customers are starting to watch more and more TV content online. Many people find it much cheaper to buy season passes of the shows they want from Apple TV rather than pay for cable or satellite.
It all depends on how much TV they want to watch, and how much they can save if they did the switch. The process may be slow, and it may take the population some getting used to, but give it time, and you might really see it happen.
Do you have Apple TV? What are your thoughts? Please enter your comments below.
Written by Guest Blogger, Scott Jenkins. Visit his site at http://affordablehomeremodelingideas.com
I fell in love with Apple TV about two years ago. With Netflix and MLBTv, I have all I need.
We still have cable, but we are cutting way back to just basic and customizing our viewing to what we want to see instead of just zombie icing I front of the tube for hours on end.
I already do what Apple TV does, without having to buy an Apple TV. :)
I am not yet have Apple TV, but it is really cost effective compare to Cable TV or Satellite TV
I have never heard of Apple TV until I read this post.Although I ma not TV user all the times but I still believe that any advance technology can improve our life is a good idea. But sometimes, when there are just too much competition in the business setting would always affect the user as well. Frankly speaking, I don't think spending a whole day to watch TV or listen to music is a healthy way of living. There are more constructive way to build up our society and improve our communication among each others if we are willing to spend more time to interact with others.
Bo, there is no recommendation to watch tv all day. It's the ability of Apple TV to customize your viewing pleasures. I personally like the WSJ (Wall Street Journal choice of categories.
Cable is dead. The generation of 5-40 yr olds and those of us who are older who choose to follow and adapt to their interest such as Pinterest, Four Square, etc are the marketing winners.
Apple TV in being innovated to your mobile device iPad, iPhone. You can't take your 42" - 60" tv with you but you sure can take your wireless iPad to a hotel, Starbucks, Peets, McDonalds or a Public Library to remain up to date.
Imagine Universities and schools remaining open when transportation due to extreme weather conditions create closure. Students can log into the classroom via facetime, GoTo Meeting without missing a beat.
Please see Edutopia's iPad strategies in the classroom: http://www.edutopia.org/ - This is how I believe Apple tv will be one of the leaders in a freindlier, cleaner world. Have a Great Day, Bo!
Hey Joel, long time no see or hear.
To answer your question, no, AppleTV won't replace a cable box anytime soon for a few reasons.
1) The content available still can't compare to what is being offered by Comcast (major player in my area).
2) Bandwidth caps will also curtail heavy tv userse from switching to an Appletv for all their idiot box viewing.
I purchased my parents an AppleTV a few years ago and they loved the Netflix aspect as well having Youtube access.
I thought about one for myself until I found out that the movie collection that I have (all rips of dvd's that I have) have issues playing on the AppleTV.
I went with the WDTV which has a horrible user interaction and user experience but it will play any file that I throw at it plus it has Netflix.
I feel that eventually IPTV will take over the traditional cable box but odds are it will have ties to a cable company.