The new AppleTV might turn into an iPad accessory

When Apple introduced the new Apple TV yesterday, I thought that regardless of how interesting the device can be by itself, it will really shine as an iPad accessory.  The new $99 price tag helps to position the Apple TV into the accessory category as it is just about 20%  of the price of the most inexpensive iPad model.

Why would the Apple TV complement the iPad so well?  The iPad is an intrinsically personal device, but sometimes you want to watch a movie with great special effects on a big screen or share it with someone else.  Having the Apple TV quietly connected to your TV will help you accomplish that mighty easy, as Steve Jobs showed yesterday.

The new Apple TV is a tiny little black box that you attach to your TV through an HDMI cable.  There is also no need for a power brick, which certainly is a welcome characteristic for a device that you will keep in your living or family room.    The little box can also be used to stream videos and photos directly from the iPhone or iPod Touch as well, which can also be interesting when you are receiving or visiting friends and have got all those pictures from your recent vacation trip in your pocket iOS device of choice.

In the past, the $229 price tag of the previous generation Apple TV made it into a device that most people would stop to think, consider and make a decision to embrace it or not.  With the $99 price tag it can considered an extension to the investment that is already been made in iOS based devices such as the iPad, the iPhone or the iPod Touch.