New 1080p Apple TV

Apple TV Meta-Review:

The latest set-top box out of Cupertino is set to land in customers’ households tomorrow; however, a few reviews of the new Apple TV are coming our way this evening. Publications have gotten the chance to review the new Apple TV, which features 1080p capabilities powered by a single-core A5 processor, and also features an updated UI. Here is what world is saying about Apple’s New TV

Macworld

At $99, the third-generation Apple TV continues to be as excellent a value as the previous model-and now it supports higher-quality video too. That’s a good thing. For those with the previous generation, however, the decision to upgrade comes down to whether the difference in quality between two high-definition formats is important (and noticeable) enough to you.

The Verge

This year’s Apple TV is a strange little device. Nearly everything it did before, it now does better – it streams 1080p content, is easier than ever to navigate, and remains one of the simplest devices to set up and use that we’ve seen. But when I reviewed the 2010 Apple TV, my biggest concerns were all about the content: the available content on a device like the Boxee Box or the Roku positively dwarfed the Apple TV. That’s still true, though the iTunes integration with Netflix is a solid sign that Apple’s thinking the right way.

The Loop

Having 1080p video on my 60-inch HDTV is magnificent. I’ve been watching movies and trailers all week and the experience of watching a movie in 1080p that you are streaming from Apple is incredible.

On my network, the movie starts almost instantly, so I don’t have any lag time to download. I walk in, choose a video and watch it.

The Apple TV is the epitome of convenience. With iCloud, I have access to all of my iTunes Match music and videos, so I don’t need to connect to a computer anymore. I can purchase movies, TV shows and I can watch content from Netflix. That’s perfect.

Sharp Freestyle Aquos TV

Sharp Freestyle Aquos TV

Normally when we look portable TVs, they are with tiny screens and bulky plastic – but, not so in the case of Sharp Freestyle Aquos TV line. All three televisions can display full 1080p video via a wireless base station, but the smallest – and in this case, the most interesting – can run even without a power cable. The 20-inch HDTV includes a built-in battery.

It’s a simple concept that Sharp has paired with features that make it truly useful. A carrying handle and kickstand make it easy to move and set up, and support from Sharp’s remote hardware make it easy enough to get content to the screen from close range. The base station connects to the television via its own private WiFi connection, and can handle video from standard HDMI or RGB inputs.

The larger 32-inch, 42-inch and 60-inch models retain the low weight, handles and kickstands that make the smaller Freestyle so handy, but don’t have batteries and require the standard AC connection. It isn’t an ideal solution, since the battery is only rated for two hours – but that should be enough to find a power outlet.