14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has rolled out its $99 / €80 set-top box to nine more countries after debuting its iTunes Store in even more territories across Asia this week. In Hong Kong, for instance, the device sells for HK $788.
Checks with the company’s international online stores, retail stores, and authorized Apple resellers have revealed that, beginning this week, Apple TV is available in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Macau, and Sri Lanka.
The third-generation Apple TV is not much different than its predecessor. In fact, the only notable difference is the hardware’s ability to output video at 1080p (full-HD).
Programming includes iTunes movies and TV shows, Netflix, Vimeo, photos and more, all in HD. Customers can buy and play their favorite movies and TV shows from the iTunes Store and watch them instantly, thanks to iTunes in the Cloud.
Another notable difference between the second-generation Apple TV and the newer black box is that it ships with a simpler, refined user interface that aims to facilitate access to your purchased movies, TV shows and music with iTunes Match right from iCloud.
AirPlay technology serves users who wish to stream or mirror photos, video, or even a video game from their iPad or iPhone 4S to Apple TV.
“People are going to love streaming movies and TV shows in 1080p with the new Apple TV, and photos look beautiful displayed at the maximum resolution of your TV,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, on March 7, 2011, when the third-gen Apple TV was unveiled.
“Apple TV is easier than ever to use with its new icon-based interface and the ability to access your purchased movies, TV shows and music right from iCloud,” added Schiller.
Apple TV requires iTunes 10.5 or later, an 802.11g/n Wi-Fi network or Ethernet network, a broadband Internet connection and an HD TV capable of 1080p or 720p video, and an HDMI cable (sold separately).