The Apple TV is like that old friend from college--pretty cool, but always crashing in your living room. Its inconsistent stability, frustratingly anemic content offering, and lack of rich input methods have kept it from becoming what Apple enthusiasts long swore it would be: the iPhone of TV set-top boxes. Though its interface and hardware continue to evolve, the little black box faces real competition from faster-moving players that are offering more, like the Roku 3 and the new Fire TV from Amazon.
