Discussion on:

Apple announces next-gen Apple TV

No doubt it is fine if one has a fast connexion but I find that during prime time, the only way to watch videos is to use Real Downloader to bring the file to the desktop to watch it after it loads there. How an Apple TV will work for me is only to stream the file from a computer afterwards but at least it is now a full HD but its other feature set..meh..for me since I cannot consider they can work with an iffy internet bandwidth. I am not the only one with this issue to be sure. It is thus easier to get a Western Digital gadget that allows both streaming, and a hard drive built in or attached depending on the model to do this. If only Apple did a similar thing I would enthusiastically adopt it but streaming...alas...not for my rural downstream rate.

not in urban and suburban settings. I have a Roku XDS and it streams just fine during prime time and all other times. I hardly ever get a buffering message and my content always plays at whatever resolution it is highest rated for.

Though the Roku has fits with Hulu sometimes... ATV3 might be a good replacement for this if I can figure out a way to get Hulu to play on it....

At least many of you in the US have access to REAL internet connections. I am stuck in the suburbs of Canberra (Australia) where the best I can get is 1.5Mbps ADSL1 - and I am one of the LUCKY ones in our neighbourhood! Many neighbours cannot even get that, and have to rely on dial-up (AARRGGHH!) or satellite (OUCH!) to get internet at all....

Roll on the NBN in Australia; it cannot come quickly enough!

(on topic) Held off on ATV2; looks like ATV3 will be worth the wait.