Apple also said iTV will boast a comprehensive set of I/O connectors, from the computer-centric Ethernet, USB, and Wi-Fi to yesteryear's component video and today's more advanced HDMI and optical audio standards.

Following a personal preview of the device, Walt Disney chief executive and personal friend of Jobs, Robert Iger, disclosed that each unit will also include a "small hard drive" that will allow for some local content storage.

It'll be interesting to see how this competes with the Microsoft new DRM universe.