Since Apple’s announcement of movies being available on the iTunes Store on the same day as the DVD release, MacRumors reports that the AppleTV can now be used to download music directly, without requiring a computer to purchase and upload the movie.
Apple has announced that the free Apple TV software update to enable movie rentals has been delayed:
Apple also announced that the free Apple TV software update enabling movie rentals is not quite finished and will now be available in another week or two.
I’d be guessing the Apple TV developers must be very under the pump at the moment.
Apple have announced a free Apple TV software update available in 2 weeks time (why the wait, is it not finished yet?) that allows you to rent movies from your TV screen without a computer required. It has DVD quality, HD and Dolby 5.1, video and audio Podcasts, along with Photos from flickr and .Mac. It also synchs with iTunes. HD rentals are US$4.99 with 100 titles available today. Movies (including Star Trek 
can be previewed and also can display what ‘other renters also rented’.
Screensaver photos can also be automatically downloaded from .Mac galleries, and songs purchased from the iTunes Store onscreen.The Apple TV price has been lowered to US$229
Make reports that some people are attempting to run the AppleTV OS on their Mac Minis
Ars Technica’s Infinite Loop notes that the latest iTunes 7.1 update includes parental controls based on Australian ratings, possibly indicating the imminent availability of Australian TV content on the iTunes Store. This would obviously be useful for all those people purchasing an AppleTV in Australia (or also the now included Canada, New Zealand, Ireland or the UK
