Don’t get me wrong. The Apple TV is a great device; it’s going to revolutionize digital media. But, it won’t take off. Not now, anyway. It’s too soon. Consumers aren’t keen on buying another $200 box to add to their home theater that just watches movies, when they already have a device that does that perfectly well. Some argue that the HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray war will make consumers flock to online downloads, and I just don’t think that’s true. Online services are too complex and foreign to consumers. Not to mention the bandwith problems. Consumers will continue to do things the way they’ve always done them. They will still rent/buy DVDs, and they’re perfectly happy with the quality because of up scaling. The Apple TV is a good product, and I think it will catch on in time, but right now it’s too early.
When I say consumers, I mean “normal people”. Not geeks. Clearly this stuff will be popular with the geek crowd, but for a product to truly be successful, you need the support of the “normal people”.
