New Years Resolution #1

Just a few short days ago, I set my resolutions for 2011.  Number one on that list was:

Stop buying Apple products. Two iPods and an iPad should be enough for anyone. 

Many of you know that once I commit to a rigid set of resolutions, nothing will dissuade me from accomplishing those goals.  I am, if nothing else, an individual with amazing self-control.  I am constantly challenging myself to countless self improvement goals, such as eating more barbecue, and accepting more back rubs.  It's what I am all about.

So it is troubling that I question New Years Resolution #1 so early in the year.  There must be a great reason for me to sacrifice my self-improvement, or maybe put it on hold. 

There is. Have you seen Apple TV?  It is another of those bright shiny products the evil Steve Jobs tempts the world to buy.  On the surface, it's just another Netflix box.  I already have a Netflix box, 2 Blue Ray players capable of receiving Netflix streaming video, and an iPad that does the same.  Oh, yeah, and 3 computers that could do the same if I needed and you never know when you might need 7 different devices to connect to Netflix.  Oh yeah, you can stream Netfilx to an iPod so the total is now 9.

No, it's not the Netflix feature that has me interested in Apple TV.  It is also not the new TV channels available via Apple TV.  I already have many new channels available over the Blue Ray players and Netflix box.  I think I have spent a total of 30 seconds (time saved the first day of iPad ownership) watching those channels.  Since they are basically free, the content is pretty bad.  To get anything of value, a person must subscribe.  Count me out.

So what does Apple TV do that would cause me such great sacrifice?  Airplay.  How cool is that?  Airplay allows the Apple TV owner to play video, music or pictures from an iPod, iPad or network connected PC to the HDTV and home theatre system equipped with Apple TV.  I could listen to my iTunes library over my Bose system.  I could watch my home videos over my HDTV.  I could conceivably play Angry Birds on the iPad as it streams to the HDTV.  Now that is some enormous value.  You can also use iPad and iPods as remote controls to the Apple TV.  I would never need to search for the right remote control again.

But I must remain steadfast with my resolutions.  I cannot buy Apple TV this year.  This goes as a lesson in thinking through resolutions before making them.  If only I had checked the Apple web site before I made the resolution, I could be streaming to the Bose right now.  My bad.  I will just wait a year to watch those adorable grandchildren videos that are uselessly stored on my PC hard drive. 

But then waiting an entire year seems awfully harsh.  Maybe -T would like to buy Apple TV.  Honey?