Apple TV (2012)

The new Apple TV is physically identical to the last version. It's a black, square puck measuring 0.9 by 3.9 by 3.9 inches (HWD) weighing 9.6 ounces.

The front has a single white light showing that it's on and the top has a matte black finish with an Apple logo on it.

The back has power cable, HDMI, microUSB, optical audio, and Ethernet ports.

The Apple TV uses the new iOS 5.1-based interface right out of the box.

You can use your iOS device as an Apple TV remote, which makes entering text when logging into accounts or searching for movies and music much easier thanks to the touch screen keyboard.

Music includes both the massive iTunes library, including your own music ripped from CDs if you want to spend $24.99 per year on iTunes Match, and a full selection of podcasts and Internet radio stations.

Like before, the new Apple TV lets you show your photos as a slide sho and screen saver.

Video services include the iTunes library, Netflix, YouTube, Vimeo, and MLB.tv. It's a good selection, but Hulu Plus would really add to the device's functionality.

If you already have an Apple TV from 2010 and you don't have a massive HDTV, you don't need the new Apple TV. If you're looking for a set-top box to stream all of your iTunes media and Netflix, the new Apple TV is a great choice.