• NewTeeVee, Wednesday, January 16, 2008 10:45 AM

As expected, Apple is moving headlong into the world of movie rentals, having signed distribution agreements with all of the big movie studios to rent their films through Apple's popular iTunes media store. Older titles will cost $2.99; new releases (available 30 days after the DVD release date) will be $3.99. The movies will be offered in HD and can be viewed 30 seconds after purchase for those with fast broadband connections.

Somewhat overlooked amid the pre-Macworld hype is the important role Apple TV, which also received a new look, will play in the new service. For just $229, a much more affordable price than the new $1800 Macbook Air, consumers get access to a pretty comprehensive on-demand movie rental service-not to mention their own video and music libraries.

However, TechCrunch (link: http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/01/15/will-apple-tv-take-2-take-online-movie-rentals-mainstream/ ) points out that Apple TV is still missing two key features that would make it "a killer product": a DVD player and TV Tuner. Meanwhile, tech researcher Richard Doherty of Envisioneering says that consumers don't want another set-top box. He tells The New York Times (link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/16/technology/16rent.html?ref=technology) that Apple is already working on an iTV set of its own, which will probably be announced this summer.

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