Manage updates with the Download AppApple TV (2012)
If Dad already has an iPhone or iPad, the Apple TV is a no-brainer gift choice. You can buy/rent movies and TV shows from the iTunes store, plus there are a few other streaming services like Netflix and MLB.TV. The Apple TV's real secret weapon is AirPlay, letting you stream music, videos and photos from almost any app on an iPhone or iPad.
The good: The Apple TV lets you stream all of the movies and TV shows available in the iTunes Store to your HDTV on a rental or purchase basis, with purchases stored in the cloud. Netflix, Hulu Plus, MLB.TV, and a handful of other online media services are available, plus music, videos, and photos can be streamed from iOS devices using AirPlay. AirPlay Mirroring lets you stream any Web video to the Apple TV, including free Hulu, if you have a newer Mac running Mountain Lion. And Apple TV's user interface is one of the best there is.
The bad: The competing Roku 3 offers many more content sources (including Amazon Instant), cross-platform search, and a remote with a headphone jack. The Apple TV is also a much less useful box if you don't own other Apple devices.
The bottom line: The Apple TV is an indispensable living room companion for invested in iTunes content and Apple hardware, but for everyone else it's a step behind the Roku 3.
May 8, 2012 1:38 PM PDT
Photo by: Sarah Tew/CNET
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