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Apple TV Said to Have Motion Sensitive Remote Control Targeted at Casual Gamers
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I feel like I'm taking crazy pills sometimes, the way people talk about the Apple Watch. I really like mine and I haven't worn a watch of any type for years.
You both have it the wrong way around. Apple's style is to seize control over the whole ecosystem. The apple remote, they'll say, will be the new universal remote, and it won't need buttons because you can tell it what to do. Even better, with Home Kit, it will be much more universal than your Harmony remote ever could've dreamed.
Apple needs to do more than add this remote control and games. It needs to totally rethink and revamp Apple TV. I own many media streaming devices, and the Apple TV is by far the worst. They have added channels, but still not enough. Menu is garbage. Sorry, but a bunch of icons sitting in a desktop is not my idea of a good interface. And note to Apple...if you have an arrow pointing to the right the assumption is to move the arrow on the remote to the right and not to click the middle button. Also, how can most have such a user friendly interface for the Netflix app, but not Apple TV. It looks pretty, but I want function. At one time I used the Apple TV for Airplay, but it has gotten to the point that I must reboot the Apple TV (Gen 3) each time before I use it in order to work. I also own a cheap $200 laptop I got the kids for school, and it has Miracast where I can connect to my Roku or LG TV, and it actually works better then Airplay.
Sorry to get on a rant, but Apple makes so many great products, and I am so surprised at how bad my Apple TV experience has been. I probably would like it if I didn't have anything to compare it to, but when my TV web apps are better than an external device then Apple is doing something wrong.
Rant Over.
Sorry to get on a rant, but Apple makes so many great products, and I am so surprised at how bad my Apple TV experience has been. I probably would like it if I didn't have anything to compare it to, but when my TV web apps are better than an external device then Apple is doing something wrong.
Rant Over.
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I think the biggest thing for me is I would like to be able to download the VuDu app on the new appletv. I hate that it has come to this but it's the cheapest way for me to get my movies anywhere. Every movie I purchase has an UV HD copy but not all of them have an HD iTunes. So most of my digital codes have all been going to UV because I hate having to use 2 different devices to play my digital copies.
So far both of Siri and Homekit are still mostly stillborn. Unless the remote Siri works better than the phone version telling it to change the channel to the news might just as well start the coffee maker.
Quality voice recognition has been 5 years away for the last 25 years...
HomeKit has little hardware that supports it. I think its future may be good, but its going to be a slow process. In the meantime my watch and phone can already control virtually everything about the house now without either. And if I want to, I can also use Siri...but I don't.
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Apple music is so buggy on ios 9, save to music/offline mode doesn't work out great.
Better hold your breath then.
The current price point of the Apple TV is 99$, The MFi controllers are 60-80$
A PS4 is 450$, and PS4 controlers are 75$
A PS TV is 50$ which is basically a Vita in a Apple TV sized box. Controller sold separately.
Like a reasonable expectation is something better than a PS2, but not quite a PS3 otherwise it's going to be priced more than a PS3.
Something to do with the people of Poland I guess, I wonder what their connection to the Apple TV is?
"Hey Siri, play a DVD."
"Switching on the BBC, you're welcome."
"No, I said play a DVD."
"Sorry, I don't have a Living Dee here."
"Play. A. D. V. D."
"Here is the list of Debbie Lee's in your town."
"Just press play. That's all I need."
"You need to tell me what to play."
"Play the ***** DVD!!!"
"Now, watch your language."
Pretty much my Siri experience.
Play "fear of the Dark"
Siri: Connecting to facetime with Dieter Moll
exit app and try again
"Fear of the dark"
Siri: The next restaurant is 3 miles from your location.
Useless for me ever since it exists.
I hope the ATV3 stays in the lineup as an auxiliary device to the ATV4. I don't need 3 home kit hubs or 3 devices with extended storage, etc. hoping I can buy just one ATV4 and then it can act as a hub for my other ATV3s and that the same user experience can be replicated in all ATVs.
I am 100% cool with a new Apple remote if it truly replaces a Harmony or other specific-purpose remote. But I am skeptical for several reasons...
1) Remotes without buttons offer horrendous user experiences. Try grabbing the remote quickly while in bed in the dark to lower the volume or turn off the TV.
2) Voice control could be useful, but also very bothersome to others. I hope it is not the primary means of control. I would hate to have to wake my wife while she's asleep to say "Siri, change the channel to _____".
3) True universal remotes have to have the ability to control everything, like a Harmony remote, so that you only have 1 remote. I'd be stunned if the Apple database of remote codes were that built out, especially from the start. My bet would be that you'll achieve "universal" functionality for "Apple supported devices".
I am not at all against change, and will almost certainly be an early adopter of whatever new TV/home automation device Apple releases. But I sure hope that they don't muck up the simplicity of a remote.
Never going to happen. Nintendo games sell consoles. Putting Nintendo games on a third party system would kill their business.
'Casual' gamers, eh? I guess I won't be needing one. 
Now, if Apple produced a high quality gaming keyboard or mouse, I might be interested. But Chiclet keys and slow mice without real buttons do not qualify.
Now, if Apple produced a high quality gaming keyboard or mouse, I might be interested. But Chiclet keys and slow mice without real buttons do not qualify.I'm skeptical it will be anywhere near as useful as a Harmony. In fact, this is just another remote that will find its way into a drawer. Take that away, and what do you really have with this apple tv? A better processor, sure. But if there's no 4k, then what's the point? Most of my wants are software based. It's the UI that is horrendous. Search sucks. If the current apple tv can handle any new software UI or app store, then I'm not rushing to upgrade.
I'd be delighted if the remote turns out to be harmony like but there's no way they'll give us all of this at 99 dollars. I'd be happy to pay up to 300 for something better than a harmony. The apple tv itself would just be a bonus. But again, I don't see it happening.
iOS 9 is a beta OS, as are the apps that ship with it. Bugs are expected.