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New ATV 3.0 Menu Looks Ugly

TheSpaz

TheSpaz

macrumors 604
Original poster
I won't be upgrading if the menus look like this:

Apple-TV-3.0-580x326.jpg


I think I'll stay on 2.x.

Anyone else think the new menus are ugly looking? They don't look like they were designed by Apple. It looks like some amateur Apple enthusiast took the original Apple TV UI, opened it in Photoshop and tried making it look "cool".

I think the 2.x UI is more pleasing to the eye.

Oh, another thing... why did they keep the square corners on the selection boxes if there's no container for them to sit in? The original menus had the nice neat box to fit in... now with 3.0, you have these weird centered menus with a tacky rectangle that selects them.
 
TheSpaz said:
I won't be upgrading if the menus look like this:

Apple-TV-3.0-580x326.jpg


I think I'll stay on 2.x.

Anyone else think the new menus are ugly looking? They don't look like they were designed by Apple. It looks like some amateur Apple enthusiast took the original Apple TV UI, opened it in Photoshop and tried making it look "cool".

I think the 2.x UI is more pleasing to the eye.

Oh, another thing... why did they keep the square corners on the selection boxes if there's no container for them to sit in? The original menus had the nice neat box to fit in... now with 3.0, you have these weird centered menus with a tacky rectangle that selects them.
Click to expand...

I like it... it uses the aspect ratio of the television to its advantage, IMO. I just wish they would have also updated the second-level menus.
 
I prefer 3.0 as well. And agree would rather the second level menus were the same. Like all things its personal preference. Also like that My Movies is at the top of the sub menu instead of the bottom.
 
TheSpaz said:
Umm... the Apple TV always used the TV's aspect ratio.
Click to expand...

I think what he means is that the new menus utilize the aspect ratio better (horizontal instead of verticle).

I think you are pretty much alone on this one, the new menus are far better than 2.x in my opinion (and just about everyone else I know)
 
I should have said:

I like the horizontal design, but the rest seems tacky. The white/gray at the top and the rectangle selection boxes don't seem very modern... what ever happened to rounded corners? Everything else Apple does is rounded... just look at ANY other other Apple UI design.
 
Spaz, you're free not to update you know? Eventually you'll be forced to though knowing Apple.

I think it looks fine to be honest. My issue would be functionality, I seem to care about that more than a couple of misaligned pixels or color gradients.
 
dynaflash said:
I prefer 3.0 as well. And agree would rather the second level menus were the same. Like all things its personal preference. Also like that My Movies is at the top of the sub menu instead of the bottom.
Click to expand...

Agreed on all points... the sub-menus seem dated now.
 
jessica. said:
Spaz, you're free not to update you know? Eventually you'll be forced to though knowing Apple.

I think it looks fine to be honest. My issue would be functionality, I seem to care about that more than a couple of misaligned pixels or color gradients.
Click to expand...

I know I'm free to not update... that's why I haven't.

Apple doesn't force me to do anything I don't want to do. I'm still running 2.2.1 on my iPhone.

To tell you the truth... new Apple software hasn't been very good lately in terms of design (with the exception of Snow Leopard... I love it).

I realize that you have different preferences than me, but I couldn't really care less about radio on my TV or that "My Movies" is at the top.

3.0 was hardly an upgrade and since it's mostly just a design upgrade, I think I'll pass.
 
TheSpaz said:
I know I'm free to not update... that's why I haven't.

Apple doesn't force me to do anything I don't want to do. I'm still running 2.2.1 on my iPhone.

To tell you the truth... new Apple software hasn't been very good lately in terms of design (with the exception of Snow Leopard... I love it).

I realize that you have different preferences than me, but I couldn't really care less about radio on my TV or that "My Movies" is at the top.

3.0 was hardly an upgrade and since it's mostly just a design upgrade, I think I'll pass.
Click to expand...

All right then. /Thread for you right?
 
Okay then.

I guess Apple is just getting worse with their software designs and better with their hardware designs.

I just don't get it.

I've always enjoyed how Apple made everything look good... from their software, to their hardware, to their packaging. Apple is very design-oriented and that's what I've always loved about them.

If Apple didn't care about design, I wouldn't be into Apple at all.
 
TheSpaz said:
Okay then.

I guess Apple is just getting worse with their software designs and better with their hardware designs.

I just don't get it.

I've always enjoyed how Apple made everything look good... from their software, to their hardware, to their packaging. Apple is very design-oriented and that's what I've always loved about them.

If Apple didn't care about design, I wouldn't be into Apple at all.
Click to expand...

It's all personal opinion though.

I think it looks better, you don't. At the end of the day it still works the same (with a few new additions). I watch the content, not the menus.
 
I would've liked the new menu better if it was more just skin deep. I find it inconsistent experience overall. Also, I understand where the original poster is coming from. The color scheme is more reminiscent of Hulu, IMO, which isn't ugly per say, but I just prefer darker look of 2.x better.
 
'I'm not gonna upgrade to be different'

Spaz. Give it up man please.

V2 software way ugly compared to both v1 and v3.

Bye.
 
The font change makes it look weird. I'm more interested in usability of the new menuing system. I wasn't a fan of the "old" menu and end up resorting to my phone to control it most of the time.
 
I agree with the thread starter. The new menu looks terrible in my opinion, and I am not upgrading for that reason. The large blank space at the bottom of the screen is my biggest problem with the new look. Also, the new menu emphasizes iTunes-available material much more than the old menu. While I understand why Apple did this, it is not helpful to those of us that rarely rent or buy any movies/TV shows from iTunes, using AppleTV instead almost entirely to view our ripped DVDs or listen to our ripped music.
 
jersey10 said:
I agree with the thread starter. The new menu looks terrible in my opinion, and I am not upgrading for that reason.
Click to expand...
If aesthetics keep you from upgrading, well that's obviously you're right. but imo a really strange reason for not upgrading. Having said that I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

jersey10 said:
The large blank space at the bottom of the screen is my biggest problem with the new look.
Click to expand...
maybe room for something coming in 3.1 ??? Just a guess.

jersey10 said:
Also, the new menu emphasizes iTunes-available material much more than the old menu. While I understand why Apple did this, it is not helpful to those of us that rarely rent or buy any movies/TV shows from iTunes, using AppleTV instead almost entirely to view our ripped DVDs or listen to our ripped music.
Click to expand...
er, for the first time since the atv came out, isn't "My Movies" now top on the "Movies" submenu ? <confused>.
 
jersey10 said:
Also, the new menu emphasizes iTunes-available material much more than the old menu. While I understand why Apple did this, it is not helpful to those of us that rarely rent or buy any movies/TV shows from iTunes, using AppleTV instead almost entirely to view our ripped DVDs or listen to our ripped music.
Click to expand...

I actually think it's better for people add their own media vice buying it from itunes. My Movies now at the top vice being the last choice in the menu. Internet radio is cool (if you are into that). I also like that it adds the newest movies in my library to top row of movies represented by their cover art. A lot easier to play the DVD i just ripped for my daugher.
 
I agree that it is better to have "My Movies" at the top rather than where it is located in the old menu (since there are now less clicks required to get to your ripped movies). But my understanding of the new menu, from the screen shots I have seen, is that the top half of the screen is taken up by posters from iTunes stuff - rented movies, top movies, etc. That is the stuff that doesn't matter to me since the main thing I use AppleTv for is my own ripped content. And I still don't like how so much of the main menu screen is essentially blank until you scroll over to reveal the sub-menu choices.

I can't say whether this new setup makes the AppleTV easier overall to find things for most people - all I'm saying is that the look of it doesn't appeal to me. Since the look of the menus is important to me, and the new features in 3.0 are things I am unlikely to use, I will probably stick with the old version. The look of the new menus is surprising to me since I usually really like Apple's choices regarding matters such as these.
 
jersey10 said:
I agree that it is better to have "My Movies" at the top rather than where it is located in the old menu (since there are now less clicks required to get to your ripped movies). But my understanding of the new menu, from the screen shots I have seen, is that the top half of the screen is taken up by posters from iTunes stuff - rented movies, top movies, etc. That is the stuff that doesn't matter to me since the main thing I use AppleTv for is my own ripped content. And I still don't like how so much of the main menu screen is essentially blank until you scroll over to reveal the sub-menu choices.

I can't say whether this new setup makes the AppleTV easier overall to find things for most people - all I'm saying is that the look of it doesn't appeal to me. Since the look of the menus is important to me, and the new features in 3.0 are things I am unlikely to use, I will probably stick with the old version. The look of the new menus is surprising to me since I usually really like Apple's choices regarding matters such as these.
Click to expand...

The top also includes artwork for newer unwatched content in your library and provides quick access. Since I have a lot of season passes downloading every week, it is quicker to simply press up than look through my entire TV show library.
 
NightStorm said:
The top also includes artwork for newer unwatched content in your library and provides quick access. Since I have a lot of season passes downloading every week, it is quicker to simply press up than look through my entire TV show library.
Click to expand...

I didn't realize that from the screen shots I have seen. That does make it more useful. I still don't like the overall look, but that may make it worthwhile. Thanks for the info.
 
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