Apple today exposed a major overhaul of the Apple TV, long the company’s neglected “hobby” product. The new set-top is roughly a quarter the size of the original, and all black. It includes HDMI, USB, Ethernet and optical audio connections, as well as 802.11n Wi-Fi. In terms of interface it continues to use a button-based remote, and the firmware resembles earlier versions. Inside, however, there is no longer any option of permanent storage.

The device is now entirely based around streaming, mostly in the form of HD rentals. Movies can be rented from Apple for $ 5, while TV shows can More >