To no one's surprise, Steve Jobs announced today at Apple's "Showtime" media event that they are getting into the soon-to-be crowded online movie service business, demonstrating a new device for watching videos on television.

Dubbed iTV, the device will allow consumers to watch movies purchased online -- as well as other digital content stored on a computer -- on a connected television set. It will sell for $299 but won't be available until early next year.

Unlike Amazon, which debuted their online movie service last week with seven movie studios already signed up, Apple only has the rights to Walt Disney films.

"Mr. Apple" said more than 75 films will be available from Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax. New releases will be priced at $12.99, when pre-ordered and during the first week of sale, or $14.99 afterward. Library titles will be sold for $9.99 each.

Perhaps more importantly, Apple announced the "fifth-generation iPod." Now available in two capacities - a standard 30GB model for $249 and a super 80GB version for $349 -- they are the same size as the prior versions but with superior battery life (3.5 hours of video on 30GB, 6.5 hours on 80GB) and brighter screens with brightness controls. (Apple apparently heard their customers' complaints about the batteries.) Jobs also showed off a new Nano with a 24-hour battery life that will come in 5 (count 'em) colors and will retail between $149 and $249.

The company also took the opportunity to boast about their new mini Shuffle, the world’s smallest digital music player, which is nearly half the size of the original, weighs half an ounce and features a new aluminum design with built-in clip. The new shuffle offers 1GB of music storage, features up to 12 hours of battery life, and includes earbud headphones and an iPod shuffle dock. The new iPod shuffle is expected to be available worldwide in October for $79.

Jobs also announced games for iPods, available for just $4.99 in the iTunes Store, but they only work on 5th generation iPods.(See, now you have to buy one.)

While Jobs was making his address, the iTunes store was down and refreshed as totally new, reflecting the new movie service on the left-hand side of the design.

I'd just like to know where my iMixes have gone.