"I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use," [Steve Jobs] told me. "It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud." No longer would users have to fiddle with complex remotes for DVD players and cable channels. "It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it."

• The cable companies are entrenched, with long-term deals with content providers and a presence in almost every living room in the country.
• Cable companies also provide broadband internet access for a lot of their subscribers, and they could make it tough for customers to unbundle the two services.
• Content providers will be leery of handing control over to Apple after seeing how much control Apple gained over the music industry.

• Both content providers and customers, by and large, hate cable and satellite companies. With the never-ending rate hikes, shoddy hardware products, abysmal software interfaces, and poor customer service, customers are fed-up. Meanwhile content providers are sick of being held hostage whenever contracts are up for re-negotiation, and might prefer selling content directly to the customers.
• Apple has a track record of making complex and poorly-designed products simpler and more appealing to consumers, and customers generally trust and like Apple products.
• There is already a trend towards cord-cutting and Internet-available content, and it just needs a spark and a cohesive strategy to pull it together. Apple is exactly the kind of company that can provide those things.

class dennis_ritchie {
  public:
    dennis_ritchie() { create_c_language(); create_unix(); }
   ~dennis_ritchie() { rest_in_peace(); }
};

• "Thunderbolt" connector. This is the copper version of Intel's "Light Peak" technology; it's a single 10GB connection that will eventually replace USB, FireWire, SATA, and HDMI. The connector is physically identical to Apple's Mini-DisplayPort connector (and it's backward compatible), so you can already use it to connect displays.
• High definition FaceTime camera (webcam). I'm not sure what that will do to upstream bandwidth requirements; I expect most users won't be able to take advantage of the full resolution.

• Prices unchanged at $1199/$1499
• CPU changed from 2.40/2.66 GHz dual-core Core2 Duo to a 2.3 GHz dual-core Core i5 or 2.7GHz dual-core Corei7. That's a fairly significant improvement.
• Standard RAM is unchanged at 4GB on all models.
• Standard hard drive lineup up from 250/320 GB to 320/500 GB.
• GPU is now the Intel HD Graphics 3000 instead of the NVidia GeForce 320M; this is a wash at best, perhaps even a slight downgrade
• Battery life down from 10 hours to 7 hours

• Prices unchanged at the low and high end at $1799/$2199 (no more $1999 model)
• CPU options now 2.0/2.2 GHz quad-core Core i7, instead of 2.4/2.53 GHz dual-core Core i5 or 2.66GHz dual-core Core i7
• Standard hard drive lineup up from 250/500 GB to 500/750 GB
• GPU is now Intel HD Graphics 3000 + AMD Radeon HD 6490M, instead of Intel HD + NVidia GeForce GT 330M; pretty much a wash
• Battery life down from 8-9 hours to 7 hours

• Prices up from $2299 to $2499
• CPU options now 2.2/2.3GHz quad-core Core i7, instead of 2.53/2.66 GHz dual-core Core i7
• Standard hard drive up from 500 GB to 750 GB
• GPU is now Intel HD Graphics 3000 + AMD Radeon HD 6750M, instead of Intel HD + NVidia GeForce GT 330M; this is an improvement
• Battery life down from 8-9 hours to 7 hours

• You'll be able to store your iTunes library in the cloud (using Apple's giant new data center in North Carolina)
• iTunes will be integrated with Facebook
• iTunes will allow 90-second previews

• New iOS versions announced (4.1 now, 4.2 in November)
• All-new iPod lineup (except the Classic)
• iTunes 10 with “Ping” (social networking for music)
• New $99 streaming-only, rentals-only AppleTV with cheaper TV content

• Prices unchanged at $1199/$1499
• CPU speed bumped from 2.26/2.53 GHz to 2.40/2.66 GHz; still Core2 Duo.
• Standard RAM is 4GB on all models (previous low-end model was 2GB).
• Standard hard drive lineup up from 160/250 GB to 250/320GB.
• GPU is now GeForce 320M instead of GeForce 9400M (Apple says it's up to 80% faster)
• Headphone port now supports iPhone headset
• Battery life up from 7 hours to 10 hours

• Prices lineup went from $1699/$1999/$2299 to $1799/$1999/$2199
• CPU options were 2.53/2.66 GHz Core2 Duo; now 2.4/2.53 GHz Core i5 or 2.66GHz Corei7
• Standard hard drive lineup up from 250/320/500 GB to 320/500/500 GB
• GPU is now IntelHD+GeForce GT 330M, instead of GeForce 9400M+9600M; auto-switches on the fly
• New optional high-res 1680x1050 display
• Headphone port now supports iPhone headset
• Built-in subwoofer
• Battery life up from 7 hours to 8-9 hours

• Prices dropped from $2499 to $2299
• CPU options were 2.8/3.06GHz Core 2 Duo; now 2.53/2.66 GHz Core i7
• GPU is now IntelHD+GeForce GT 330M, instead of GeForce 9400M+9600M; auto-switches on the fly
• Headphone port now supports iPhone headset
• Built-in subwoofer
• Battery life up from 7 hours to 8-9 hours

• Won't suffer from color convergence drift (color fuzzing that results from the color beams being misaligned, requiring periodic refocusing)
• Won't have odd red lines (Trinitron artifacts?) crossing the screen (this developed after a power surge; the lines makes Amy think of the stripes you see in salmon meat)
• Better viewing angles (rear projection really had a problem with this)
• HDMI inputs and digital audio output, for better integration with my home theater
• Occupies ten times less floor space