iPod, iPhone, iTunes, iHaveLimitations ...

I've recently been looking at the iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV box online and keep asking myself why do companies such as Apple and Microsoft keep making products that only do half the job.

Apple TV, for instance, is a really cool little device that sits next to your TV and will play downloaded music and videos (stored on your computer) directly on your TV. That's great, but it doesn't take away any of the other boxes that are sitting next to my TV. I still need (ahem...o.k. want) a DVD player, VCR, Playstation, Nintendo Wii, and a TIVO. Apple is taking advantage of their trendiness and slacking off. If they really wanted to create an innovative product they would make a set top box that does the following:

1. Plays blue-ray high definition DVDs and regular old DVDs (up-converted for High Def)
2. Streams music and movies from my computer to my TV (yeah, it already does this)
3. Streams music and movies from my TV to my computer, so I can record TV shows, or even better, stores TV shows and allows me to download them to my computer whenever I want.
4. Has caller ID on my TV if I want
5. Allows me to control my computer from my TV.
6. Has digital output
7. Cooks breakfast and makes a cup of coffee in the morning
8. Dispenses coca-cola and popcorn
9. Always connected to the internet so you can schedule shows online just like TIVO

Now, I understand what they are trying to do. They want you to buy the shows from iTunes and play them on your TV. The only problem is that I want a plan where I don't have to pay 99 cents for every single show I watch on TV. It's a little steep. If I were to pay for every show and movie Kristen, Alanna, and I watch our TV bills would be through the roof.

Consider this. Let's say Kristen and I have three shows a week that we watch a week each (6 shows a week) and Alanna watches two 30 minute kids shows a day (14 shows a week). Let's say we also watch two movies a week. Add up the 99 cent cost of shows $20 a week and the cost of two movies $4 a week and you come up with a whopping $96 you would pay Apple for TV. Well, at least the selection is horrible, so we wouldn't actually watch that much TV, which is probably the better solution.

Someday I'll come out with my invention of the century and I'll call it "etc..." I'll keep you posted on my development of "etc..."