Apple's Head Start

Updated from 7:31 a.m. EST

If digital media is to become as much a part of the American living room as the couch and the TV, it may take Apple Computer (AAPL Quote) to get us there.

For years now, technovisionaries have dreamt of a world in which consumers can order a pizza, watch any TV show or movie ever made, or teleconference with family and friends, all over their television sets from the comfort of their couch.

But few Americans have anything like the digital living room envisioned by the digerati and, what's more, it's not clear they even want it.

That's because today's entertainment systems "just work," according to Robert Acker, vice president of digital music services at RealNetworks (RNWK Quote), at a business conference last month.

"Part of our challenge as an industry is to create something that's just as easy to use as what we want them to replace -- in a way that doesn't require any [time] investment on their part," Acker said.

Although Acker would likely dispute the notion, that may be where Apple comes in. From the PC to the digital music player, the company has been a key player over the last 30 years in making digital technology user-friendly -- and mainstream.

Of all the companies that could lead Americans into the digital living room, "Apple's in the best position," says Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies, an industry research firm. "Whether it takes advantage of it is a totally separate question."

Rumors of prospective products aside, Apple current digital living room offerings are limited and lack some kind of all-in-one box that would allow consumers to play their digital music, photos and movies over their home entertainment systems. A company representative wasn't immediately available for comment, but the company typically doesn't discuss future product plans.

However, indications are that Apple is heading that way -- and could be a success if it does: