Apple made official on Wednesday what the Apple Store made obvious on Tuesday by announcing that Apple TV is now shipping. As expected, the device is priced at US$299, includes a 40GB drive, will output to 720p to widescreen TVs, and supports 802.11b/g/n -- the "n" version being the "draft version" of the as yet unsettled protocol.

Nothing new was mentioned in the press release, but it's worth nothing that Apple quietly emphasized that Apple TV is a conduit for iTunes music, video, and podcasting content, as opposed to being a broader bridge for any sort of digital content.

"Apple TV is like a DVD player for the Internet age -- providing an easy and fun way to play all your favorite iTunes content from your PC or Mac on your widescreen TV," Apple VP Philip Schiller said in a statement. "Apple TV allows you to wirelessly play your content from your PCs or Macs using your existing WiFi network as well as the newest and fastest version of WiFi -- 802.11n."

That quiet emphasis should reinforce the notion that Apple is positioning the product as a conduit for content that is purchased through the iTunes Store and managed through iTunes itself. While lots of non-iTunes purchased digital media can be managed through iTunes, Apple TV is not intended as a replacement for DVD players, your TiVo, your cable set-top box, or a way to surf YouTube on your TV.

Walt Mossberg published a mostly positive review of the Apple TV Wednesday in his weekly column at the Wall Street Journal. That review, the first such published, offers a comprehensive overview of using the device on a home network.