Mark Cuban points to the 37" HP MediaSmart display that seemingly does the same stuff. And HP even has an entertainment services tab that you can access over the Web from the TV. And they bought SnapFish to enhance the photos part.
Even though I doubt this Windows-based system will work as well as Apple's system, the real marketing story to me is why isn't anyone talking about what HP is doing? Well, other than talking about spying illegally on its directors... 
Well, HP doesn't have a seamless content model
as the iTunes store; HP doesn't have a seamless
handheld media container & player as the ipod;
and HP doesn't have an quality multimedia friendly
operating system like OS X, with Fron't Row, iMovie,
iPhoto -- did I mention the iTunes jukebox? --
that runs on the best laptops ever made, the best
all-in-one iMacs consumer PC's, and that delliver
on the works-for-sure promise that only Apple is
able to keep, while HP lives on the fetid darkside
world of viruses, spyware, trojans, adware, worms,
and the microsoft register. You really want to talk
about HP's products in comparison to Apple's?
Good roundup but there was no mention of recording ability in the iTV announcement - therefore this unit really has no impact on Tivo. iTV as announced so far is purely a streaming interface with no recording ability - unfortunately as this is the feature which would make it worth buying IMO.
Geeze what a dope. ITV should be renamed IdontdoTV.
No tuner, no dvr.
How exactly will tha replace my TIVO??
Who writes this crap?
I'll echo the good roundup of comments, BTW. Good thinking all.
Re the no recording capability, several folks have noted that the device does have a USB port for an ElGato EyeTV. And we don't actually know if the device has a hard drive or not. So this could actually be a DVR after all -- or offer a DVR accessory kit. The trick with DVRs is always having the appropriate adapters for cable, satellite, and over the air; making it an option where you pay for only what you need actually would make a ton of sense.
Just my two cents (pardon the pun).
Carl
Bert: I would never compare HP's products (using Windows) with Apple's when it comes to design, ease-of-use, or fit/finish. My point was that MS, HP, and all the other PC mfrs (except Apple) are like fish out of water when it comes to marketing consumer electronics.
Damien: Why does the iTV not record? For the same reason that the iPod does not do radio, satelite radio, or radio recording. Apple is pushing a completely different model, and it will patiently work to get its model to work. Apple's products tend not to be cluttered with mixed messages due to support multiple conflicting models.
Apple is not just out to change DVD retailing. Apple is hypothesizing that the advertising industry will change (a la Google from broadcast to targeted ads) and thus, the TV industry will need to change. There's a reason Schmidt is on Apple's board, and its not Google Search in Safari, or Google products for the Mac.
Carrying the scenario through further, as TV ad inventory is shifted largely to the Internet, broadcast TV will change, cable TV fees will increase, and people will look for an alternative. Apple is already tapping into the "so many channels but they've programmed nothing that I want to watch" feeling people have. So Apple will evolve the Internet-content delivery mechanism beyond just purchases until it will be that user-programmed alternative, where the user will choose the high-quality very popular content and long tail content when it is presented in a simple way (genres and search) that counters the tyranny of too much. I think Disney buys into a good chunk of Jobs' vision, and that's why he sold the "high-quality" Pixar to them. (Jobs said Iger "gets it".) By the way, Carl talks about all these things here in this blog and I've learned a lot from him. Carl, is this a reasonable way to connect the many dots?
Anyway, bottom line, if you need to record from TV, do get that DVR or TiVo. I really believe Apple won't be putting that into the iTV.
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