If it becomes a reality, the new Apple set-top box sounds like an interesting service; but--assuming the reports are accurate--the device will be more evolutionary than a revolutionary change. Anyone who owns a can already access recorded television across mobile devices and PCs. Getting access to  the latest episodes of current TV shows is only a few clicks away on Amazon, Hulu, or iTunes--excluding content from networks such as . And anything you can't find through regular channels you can get for free, albeit illegitimately, through a simple Google search, .

So what would be the attraction of a new Apple set-top box? If I had to guess, it would be price. The cheapest Slingbox runs about $130 to $180, while a TiVo DVR will set you back at least $150, and even your cable provider's DVR probably costs you about $120 per year. If Apple can beat those prices, it just might have a hit on its hands.

The company already offers a $99 Apple TV set-top box that lets you purchase television shows and movies on iTunes, stream content through your Netflix or Hulu Plus subscription, and access content from devices on your home network. If Apple packed its purported new DVR-style features into Apple TV and could keep the price around $100, the device would likely be a hit.

What's not clear, however, is whether a monthly subscription would be required to use the supposed new features. Apple is talking to cable providers and content producers about the new device, the Journal says, and they won't like the idea of people storing TV shows in the cloud and making them accessible anywhere for free.

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