I love products that have the ability to change the way you live. Just as TiVo changed the way we watched television, the Apple TV has all but eliminated our DVD player. No more changing DVD’s or scratched discs, you just turn on the Apple TV, browse the menu for the movie you want to watch and press play. You and, most importantly, your kids will no longer have to wait for those annoying trailers that agonizingly prolong the start. Instant gratification.

The Apple TV is easy to set up. You connect it to your TV and/or AV Receiver and the Apple TV guides you through the rest of the setup. You manage the Apple TV through iTunes, much like you would an iPod. You also need to have some type of wireless or wired home network to sync and stream the content to your Apple TV.

The main obstacles that stand in the way of the Apple TV from gaining more than geek status is the availability of digital content (movies) and getting them on the Apple TV. The iTunes store contains a limited selection of movies and unlike importing a compact disc, there is no easy method to putting a DVD (one you own, of course) in your computer and converting it to a file that is playable on the Apple TV.

The lack of an easy conversion process is most likely due to the all mighty forces behind the major movie studios, but all is not lost. You can use software, like the brilliant HandBrake (available for Windows and Mac) to convert your movies into files that can be synched or streamed to the Apple TV. The process can be time consuming. On a fast computer it takes a little less than real time to convert a DVD, but the end result is worth the effort. Once your files are converted, the Apple TV grabs the movie and your set.

Besides movies, the Apple TV can sync or stream all your music and photos from your computer for display on your TV. You can watch the endless supply of YouTube videos and the screen saver alone can keep the kids entertained while you listen to music. Controlling it all with your TV remote makes it all even easier and more enjoyable. There are other products that do some of the same things – some better, some worse, but the Apple TV makes it very easy. Hopefully it is not too far ahead of its time. Buy today!

Apple, Inc. today introduced four new iPod Models for the Holiday Season and lowered the price of it’s popular iPhone. Get ready parents for a holiday wish list that includes an iPod; if it didn’t already have one on it. There is an updated iPod Shuffle, a new redesigned iPod Nano, a new full size iPod (now called a iPod Classic) and a new iPod Touch. Below is a breakdown of the new iPod models.

iPod Shuffle – The updated Shuffle comes in four new colors plus the base silver. The iPod Shuffle is a great way to introduce your kids to an iPod without breaking the bank. At $79 for a 1GB model, you can fit up to 240 songs, plus it has a clip to attach to your clothes so it won’t get lost. The Shuffle has a rated music playback time of 12 hours with skip-free playback. The iPod Shuffle is a perfect stocking stuffer that your kids will love.

iPod Nano – The new iPod Nano has been completely redesigned for the holidays. It now sports a wider and thinner all-metal; anodized aluminum and polished stainless steel enclosure. The iPod nano now has a larger, 320-by-240-resolution display that’s brighter than before. The iPod Nano can now playback video, something that has been available only on the full size iPod and never on a device so small. The new Nano comes in a 4GB (1,000 songs) and 8GB (2,000 songs) and starts at $149. Kids will like that they can watch movies, but with only a 2″ screen, the full size iPod might be a better choice for video.

iPod Classic – Unlike the Nano the full size iPod or “Classic” as Apple calls it received a more modest update. It now has a completely new, thinner, all-metal design and is available in a 80 and 160 GB version. The 2.5″ display is better than the Nano for viewing and storing video. And with the 160GB version holding up to 40,000 songs, it really is a portable music jukebox. The iPod classic is perfect for the teenager that wants to hold all his/her music and have the ability to watch movies as well.

iPod Touch – This is the iPod model that people have been waiting for. Apple has taken the iPhone and removed the phone part leaving us with the iPod Touch. The iPod Touch is a music and video player that can also browse the internet via a Wi-Fi connection. It can download songs from the iTunes Store directly and then sync them back up to iTunes once you dock it. It has the same great multi-touch interface and gorgeous 3.5″ widescreen display as the iPhone. This iPod is destined to become the hot gift for your teen this holiday, but at a starting price of $299 for the 8GB version and $399 for the 16GB, this is no stocking stuffer.

With all these new iPod in time for the holiday season, you have plenty of great technology gifts to spoil your kids. But don’t forget about Mom and Dad, Apple cut the price on the iPhone to just $399. Who says good things don’t come to people who wait.