Via Cynopsis yesterday:

In an anticipated move, Apple has developed a new gadget allowing consumers to stream full-length movies, photos, podcasts and TV shows to their home entertainment system. Code-named iTV, the player will cost $299 and be available in first quarter next year. Apple’s new movie service will sell new releases from the Disney, Pixar, Touchstone and Miramax studios for $12.99 if pre-ordered or purchased during the first week of release. Typically, new releases cost $14.99 and other libraried full-length films cost $9.99.

My personal idea of blissful online distribution of movies is being able to download and/or stream from the web to my TV - OnDemand and Tivo are great steps toward this. But imagine being able to go to your favorite indie distributor website, get some far flung documentary or narrative, and be able to watch it on your TV (or cell phone, iPod, DVD player, etc)? iTunes is fine for the majors and I’m sure their device will make it tough for you to access content that isn’t on iTunes.

That is one obstable to my vision of heaven. Others include DRM - cutting circulation to the quick by strangling it with digital code so it evaporates or can’t be passed along; bandwidth controls by providers - if Comcast delivers your cable, they won’t take too kindly to you buying movies from iTunes or an indie distributor and cloggin up Comcast bandwidth to watch them, unless they are getting a cut of the action (and I highly doubt that the $100+ you pay each money will cover it).

But, it’s glad tidings nonetheless - a new piece of technology that will expand program delivery to my preferred screen. Yeah!