14 DAY TRIAL // Some may still remember the guy at the sandwich shop that was well on top of information regarding an Apple TV + mini device that would be the stop media center solution. While almost a year has passed since that rumor surfaced, and Apple is now selling 24-inch iMacs, such devices are probably not going to happen any time soon, much like a 40 or 60-inch iMac is unlikely to ever come out of Cupertino. This is not because such a device would be a bad idea, quite to the contrary, a single seamless integrated solution, like the iPod is needed to break the ice in this market; however, there are some fundamental issues.
The most significant problem for such a device would be longevity. People buying a large screen TV expect it to last for quite a long time, maybe 10 to 15 years. Compare this to the average lifetime of a computer that is 3 to 5 years at best, and you start to see the problem. A 60-inch iMac sounds great, but who will be willing to replace it ever 3 to 5 years when it becomes obsolete?
Much along the same lines, people already have a TV, and it is most likely big, and not old enough for them to feel the needs to replace it. These are the big problems that such a device would have to overcome. One solution would be for the ?computer? part to be swappable? imagine a TV with a slot where you could slide in a mini, and when that mini gets outdated, you could slide it out and put in a new one. As strange as this might sound, it makes a lot more sense than throwing away the 60-inch screen simply because you want to upgrade the computer parts.
Most likely, Apple will turn to a small, wireless device that can stream content from all the Macs in your house to your TV, and accept a remote control. That way, you can have your cake and eat it too.