They can if it's not primarily a game system. Instead of having huge launch games, we could see all kinds of smaller XBLA/Wiiware type games (like the Iphone). Or even games already coming out for Mac. As a digital distribution unit it could have time to flourish in ways normal consoles can't.

Exactly. A business model VERY similar to the iPhone/iPod touch's. So far it's been incredibly successful for third party developers, so we know it can work.

Portables are not the same thing as consoles. I think we all agree that if they do something, it would be a sort of multimedia hub that can play games.

Probably not but it obviously depends.

I just don't see the opportunity for Apple in the game area. It was able to win in the music and phone business because those industries did a really horrible job of creating consumer friendly products.

They game business already has consumer friendly products that sell like crazy, so I just don't see where Apple can come in and steal the business when the competition is so much stronger.

That doesn't mean that they can't make money at it, but I just don't see them creating a product that will steal market share away from the MS, Nintendo and Sony.

I wouldn't, there is always something wrong in the deal when you buy a product from apple.

you cant really answer until you had seen it.

Except TV isn't free. Even if you're still using rabbit ears, there are costs in terms of arbitrary scheduling and enduring some really terrible advertising.

Where I live, a basic digital TV package costs about $60/month. That works out to $720 a year, and let's just assume that I can get all the shows I want without paying more for more channels. The set top box costs an extra $100, and doesn't have PVR functionality. Total cost is $820 for the first year.

Now consider that I can count the number of TV shows I want to watch on one hand for any given season. I don't much care for TV. Estimate twenty episodes of five shows and we get a nice, even 100 episodes of content that I want to watch in a year. At $2 a pop, I can get the TV shows I want for $200. Throw in the cost of an Apple TV and I've paid $430, saving almost $400 which can go to movie downloads, games or whatever else. I've also saved the cost of obeying the schedules of the networks and enduring tedious advertisements.

I'm not seriously looking at getting an Apple TV right now, (I watch most of the TV I want to watch on DVD, which works pretty well right now, although there are some advantages to downloaded videos over DVDs), but if Apple really can offer all the shows that I want at $2 an episode, plus some startup costs, I'm not crazy for considering the service.

No.

Apple are more popular then ever currently but then the games business is a harsh unforgiving one. M$ lost billions on their first attempt and only because they are M$ are they still in this. Apple are not as wealthy as M$ and could risk a lot developing a console to rival the well established console makers we have. If they lose billions, don't expect them to bounce back with a console that breaks down like M$ did.

Why would I decide whether or not to get it simply because it's made by Apple?

The games are the important part, not the company.