Apple TV

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What's missing
The narrow iTunes-only compatibility problem--and the iffy video quality found on many current iTunes Store offerings--is the biggest stumbling block to recommending the Apple TV. But there are some other problems as well. For instance, while the audio quality for the movies and TV shows was fine, it was limited to stereo. Again, this is a problem with the source files--we're reasonably sure the Apple TV would have no problem passing surround sound, for example --but it's yet another shortcoming when compared to watching a program on TV or on a DVD. And the Apple TV's hard drive is a mere 40GB--of which only 33 are usable. That's far less then the 80GB you'll find on an iPod that costs a mere S$110 (US$79.20) more. Furthermore, the Apple TV has a superslick interface and the ability to pull content straight off the Net, including trailers for the most popular movies and TV shows. But if you want to actually buy them, you still need to run back to your computer--which could be in another room or on another floor of the house. We can understand why you wouldn't want to browse the entire store using a six-button remote, but the inability to click-to-buy from a streamlined list seems a bit counterintuitive.