Teardown reveals Apple TV, iPad likeness

The iPad may not look like an Apple TV unit, but inside there are some striking similarities.

Commentary attached to a teardown of the second-generation Apple TV by iFixit reads a little like a dismantling of an iPad. Similarities are most conspicuously seen in the Apple A4 chip coupled with 256MB of processor RAM--just like in the iPad. And the same Broadcom Wi-Fi chip.

And the flash memory? "Why...it's the same part we found during the iPad teardown!" according to iFixit. Namely, a Samsung 8GB flash chip.

And the 0.6-pound streaming-centric set-top box also uses iOS 4.x, which will be coming to the iPad soon.

It's also pretty green. "A high-efficiency power supply, low 6-watt power consumption, and efficient standby mode lead us to believe this may be the most eco-friendly set-top box of all time," iFixit said.