All this talk about next-gen consoles has us looking at the other side of the spectrum of home entertainment. This generation's next-generation of digital media players, the "iTV," has been clouded with many rumors recently. Lo and behold, Steve Jobs pulls yet another, well, Steve-Jobs-job on us.

Surprise, surprise. As announced in the MacWorld Expo, the Apple TV is now available for pre-ordering. Shipping starts this February, so you better make sure your living room is prepared for the invasion of the iTunes-to-TV player. Here's the long and short of what you can expect for the US$ 299 price tag:

• Mac + PC support
  
• Wi-Fi 802.11 wireless connectivity
  
• 40GB hard drive for up to 50 hours video
• Apple Remote included

This device allows you to play any media content - music, podcasts, movies, TV shows, etc. - stored in your computer onto your widescreen TV. Every time you update your iTunes with new content, Apple TV automatically updates itself. An easy-to-navigate menu is incorporated into the device to allow easy browsing and streaming of media files with the Apple Remote.

From the man, Steve Jobs, himself:

Apple TV is like a DVD player for the 21st century -- you connect it to your entertainment system just like a DVD player, but it plays digital content you get from the Internet rather than DVDs you get from a physical store. Apple TV plays the same iTunes content that users enjoy on their computers and iPods, so now they can even watch part of a movie in their living room, and watch the rest later on their iPod.

You can place your orders and learn more about the Apple TV in the official Apple website found behind the "Read" link below.