The new Apple TV for $99

Steve Jobs just pulled out the world famous "one more thing" for nothing other than... a new Apple TV. It's now a streaming-focused device (as we predicted months ago) in a small matte black enclosure we're calling "the hockey puck." It has HDMI, Ethernet, optical audio, and USB plugs around back, and of course 802.11n for the cable-averse. Inside there ain't much -- there's no local storage, which makes this thing an entirely different beast than old Apple TVs. Those new streaming HD TV rentals from ABC and Fox will be a mere 99 cents, while first run HD movies will be a less thrilling $4.99. Other services include Netflix, YouTube, Flickr, and Mobile Me, along with Rotten Tomatoes integration in the movie catalog. You can also stream from your computer, if you miss those old hard drive-sourced days of yore, but iOS 4.2's AirPlay also enables streaming from an iPad straight to an Apple TV. The best news? Apple will start shipping this sucker four weeks from now for $99. Developing... --Thanks Engadget--

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