By Dennis D. McDonald

Yesterday Apple announced the new iPad. I like the new iPad and really think I would enjoy it as a way to manage and manipulate my nature photographs. I want one!

But I’m really more interested right now in Apple TV and its ability to simply and easily stream stuff from Apple devices to my living room’s “entertainment center.”

I know there are already many ways to tie together different devices in the living room (e.g., DLNA). But Apple seems to be putting a lot of effort into evolving its product line along with iCloud to facilitate sharing and access in ways that other vendors, who don’t have the same control, can only envy.

I’ll probably buy the Apple TV device soon, put it in the living room, then move my Roku upstairs to the bedroom. (I’ve been very happy with the Roku and the access it provides via Netflix, Amazon, Pandora, and other services to much good streaming audio and video content.) 

I realize you can oppose such “control” by Apple on political grounds and the potential influence such control gives Apple regarding your media consumption behavior and your privacy. I do think about that.

You can also point out superior individual features on individual Android devices. People do that all the time; it seems to be a favorite practice of folks who hang out on my favorite social network, Google+, where Apple-vs-Android flame wars seem never-ending.

But if Apple continues to evolve its product line while maintaining quality as well as ease of setup and use, it will continue to grow — as long as it remains affordable. I base this opinion to great extent on the experience I have had since getting an iPhone 4s last January. Frankly, I’ve been somewhat amazed at how useful and easy to use the device is. It just works, as the saying goes.

If Apple can maintain that perspective as its continues to upgrade its product line, they’re sure to get more of my money in the future!

Copyright (c) 2012 by Dennis D. McDonald