Apple's slimmed down set-top box sequel makes it dead simple to rent movies vgp-bps13b/q and TV shows, as well as stream content from PCs and (soon) iOS devices.

In the battle to dominate the living vgp-bps13a/q room, the new Apple TV doesn't seem to have a lot of firepower. It doesn't boast as many content partners as Roku, nor is it as ambitious as the upcoming Logitech Revue with Google TV (which has a full web browser and an HD webcam connection) or the Boxee Box (which plays every file vgp-bps13/b known to man and has social networking integration). No, Apple's $99 set-top just provides a simple way to rent movies vgp-bps13/q and TV shows, and it's much smaller and runs cooler than the first version. Plus, Apple has added Netflix to the content mix, so VGP-BPS13 you're not locked into the iTunes universe. So is the new Apple TV too simple, or is it just the right product for the masses?

Design
When you put the Apple TV in your hand--yes, the whole thing fits in your palm--you can't help but be impressed with just how compact VGP-BPS13A/B this device is. (You also realize just how easily Apple could build its technology into a big screen, should it decide to take that whole VGP-BPS9 Apple TV name literally.) This 0.6-pound device is 80 percent smaller than the original model, which means it will take up very little VGP-BPS10 room in your entertainment center. It's so compact, in fact, that we had no problem packing it on a recent trip and plugging it in to our hotel room's TV. Unlike the first Apple TV, the new version doesn't get disturbingly toasty VGP-BPS9/B either.

Part of the reason the new Apple TV is so svelte and cool is that Apple ditched VGP-BPS9/S a mechanical hard drive for flash memory. This ultra-minimalist black box sports a power connector on the back along with an HDMI port, Optical VGP-BPS9A/B Audio connection, and Ethernet (though there's 802.11n inside). And that's it. A power-efficient A4 processor runs the show, and Apple claims that the box eats less power than a night light.

We have good news and bad news about the new aluminum remote control. On the plus side, it's longer and sturdier than the Dell Vostro 1510 Battery plastic remote on the first Apple TV. Unfortunately, we found the slightly recessed action button in the middle to be too easy Dell Inspiron 1545 battery to press, which resulted in some unwanted selections.

Software and Interface
The Apple TV interface continues to be Dell Latitude E6400 Battery super sleek and intuitive. There are five main categories going Toshiba PA3399U-1BAS Battery across the screen--Movies, TV Shows, Internet, Computers, and Settings--and you just scroll across and down to make the Toshiba PA3399U-1BRS Battery desired selection. Under Movies, for example, you'll see Top Movies, Genres, Search, and In Theaters (previews). TV Toshiba PA3451U-1BRS Battery Shows is similar. The Internet category includes Netflix, YouTube, Podcasts, MobileMe, Flickr, and Radio.

Under Computers, you can stream music, movies, TV shows, photos, and more from your PC or Mac to Apple TV. This Toshiba PA3450U-1BRS Battery worked seamlessly on our home network once we turned on the Home Sharing setting, but having to Toshiba PA3465U-1BRS Battery ensure your PC is turned on and iTunes is open is a bit of a pain. That was one of the benefits of the old Apple TV; its hard drive made it easy to fire up a slideshow or start playing music without needing another device. In addition, you'll need to have your PC Toshiba PA3457U-1BRS Battery on to stream photos using the cool screen saver feature, unless you have the Apple TV connected to a Flickr account. You can Toshiba PA3475U-1BRS Battery do this under settings.

Our biggest pet peeve with the Apple TV's included software is how tedious it is to enter text Toshiba PA3478U-1BRS Battery with the on-screen keyboard, whether you're entering passwords or conducting searches. Fortunately, the Remote app for iOS devices has a keyboard that will make your life a lot easier.

Content Selection and Pricing
You can rent fairly current HD movies for $4.99, Toshiba PA3479U-1BRS Battery and older titles run $3.99. SD titles cost $2.99. How current is the selection? As of the time of our review, Just Added rentals included Get Him to the Greek, Iron Man 2, and Robin Hood. That's pretty much in line with what was available from Toshiba PA3480U-1BRS Battery our cable provider's on-demand menu, and two out of the three titles had debuted the previous week on DVD. You can watch titles as Toshiba PA3534U-1BRS Battery many times as you want, so long as it's within the 24-hour viewing window.

You have 48 hours to finish watching 99-cent TV show rentals, but right now Apple TV is short on Toshiba PA3593U-1BRS Battery content. So far Apple only has deals with ABC/Disney, Fox, and BBC. And these partners don't refer to channels Toshiba PA3591U-1BRS Battery but studios. We looked in vain for House, which airs on Fox, only to realize that it's produced by Universal Studios (owned by NBC). NBC and CBS are not on board, though you can download and then stream these shows to Apple TV, Toshiba PA3594U-1BRS Battery which we did for an episode of House. While we understand that there are business reasons behind not everyone being on board, consumers Satellite a200 battery will likely be frustrated by having to purchase different shows from ostensibly different iTunes stores.

The PC version of the iTunes store comes in handy with the ability to purchase full seasons good battery of shows you've missed. We question the value of 99-cent TV rentals, especially for those who have a DVR. (On Roku you can purchase-to-own battery certain shows for 99 cents, while others cost $2.99). At least the episodes on Apple TV are commercial-free.

If you're a Netflix subscriber, you can tap into TV shows and movies right on the Apple TV. Apple designed the interface batteries to closely resemble the rest of the experience, and it's fairly easy to navigate. Plus, unlike Roku, you don't need to complete the setup battery process on your PC by entering a pin. You just enter your account info and you're good to go. We decided to watch Dexter, but there were tons of other selections available. As with Netflix on Roku and other services, don't expect to watch good batteries current movies. The New Arrivals during our testing included Star Trek and GI Joe.

Although it's nice that Apple TV has branched out to include Netflix, Roku's boxes offer a lot battery more content and apps, such as Amazon Video on Demand, Pandora, Flickr, MLB.TV, UFC, and Facebook Photos