The key question is whether this new Apple TV will do something significantly better than what we already have. Aside from being a plug-in iTunes, I remain unconvinced that this product has a clear direction. I guess I'll have to wait until the launch to understand...
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Apple's iTV Set for September Launch With iAd-Supported Channels, iPad as Remote?
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I cant wait to see what they do with the Apple TV I have always liked it and hope these rumors are true.
Jobs is reading this so here I go 
- It should be a 99 dollar or less device;
- iOS apps on the interface, displayable next to each other (widget like)
- All series and movies available and streamed via the new Cloud server farm of Apple.
- WIFI Wireless connectivity
- iPhone and iPod remote control ability
- At least 720p or better
- Stream media from other (SMB, NFS etc) network devices
- Support for the main formats and containers (mpeg2/4, divx, xvid, h264/x264, avi, mkv)
- Subtitle support (srt etc)
Would be nice if at least some of the above makes it in the final product
- It should be a 99 dollar or less device;
- iOS apps on the interface, displayable next to each other (widget like)
- All series and movies available and streamed via the new Cloud server farm of Apple.
- WIFI Wireless connectivity
- iPhone and iPod remote control ability
- At least 720p or better
- Stream media from other (SMB, NFS etc) network devices
- Support for the main formats and containers (mpeg2/4, divx, xvid, h264/x264, avi, mkv)
- Subtitle support (srt etc)
Would be nice if at least some of the above makes it in the final product
physical remote would still be best
I'm excited about this, but curious as to how the remote control system is going to work.
Sure, you could use your iphone/ipad/ipod touch to control the menus, but that only really works by either: 1.) using your idevice as a track pad, or 2.) having an app on your idevice that shows a GUI of remote buttons, which you have to look at when you use since there is no textural variation across the iphone screen.
Either of those work fine as long as there is a cursor on the screen (like the mouse pointer), or if there are highlighted menus and all you need to do is swipe a given direction to change menu selections. But what about situations where you need to "tap" on a particular area of the screen?
An example:
Say you want to play Fieldrunners on your new iTV. how do you tap on one of your towers to upgrade it? If you look at your trackpad/idevice, you won't see the fieldrunners, which are on your TV screen, so how do you know where on your idevice to tap?
The only way I see that type of application working is if you have some sort of visible cursor, like a mouse pointer, permanently visible on the screen. Other speculations?
I'm excited about this, but curious as to how the remote control system is going to work.
Sure, you could use your iphone/ipad/ipod touch to control the menus, but that only really works by either: 1.) using your idevice as a track pad, or 2.) having an app on your idevice that shows a GUI of remote buttons, which you have to look at when you use since there is no textural variation across the iphone screen.
Either of those work fine as long as there is a cursor on the screen (like the mouse pointer), or if there are highlighted menus and all you need to do is swipe a given direction to change menu selections. But what about situations where you need to "tap" on a particular area of the screen?
An example:
Say you want to play Fieldrunners on your new iTV. how do you tap on one of your towers to upgrade it? If you look at your trackpad/idevice, you won't see the fieldrunners, which are on your TV screen, so how do you know where on your idevice to tap?
The only way I see that type of application working is if you have some sort of visible cursor, like a mouse pointer, permanently visible on the screen. Other speculations?
"Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology. Where each worker may bloom secure from the pests of contradictory and confusing truths. Our Unification of Thoughts is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people, with one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves to death and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prevail!”
The heroine, now close to the screen, hurls the hammer towards it, right at the moment Big Brother announces, "we shall prevail!" In a flurry of light and smoke, the screen is destroyed, shocking the people watching the speaker. The commercial concludes with text which reads: "In Mid September, Apple Computer will re-introduce AppleTV. And you'll see why 2010 will be like 1984.
The heroine, now close to the screen, hurls the hammer towards it, right at the moment Big Brother announces, "we shall prevail!" In a flurry of light and smoke, the screen is destroyed, shocking the people watching the speaker. The commercial concludes with text which reads: "In Mid September, Apple Computer will re-introduce AppleTV. And you'll see why 2010 will be like 1984.
isp changes
As a result of this type of technology, we will likely start seeing ISPs charging us for bandwidth (when they start loosing cable TV customers), guess we will see. But at least we should have a better TV watching experience.
As a result of this type of technology, we will likely start seeing ISPs charging us for bandwidth (when they start loosing cable TV customers), guess we will see. But at least we should have a better TV watching experience.
Again, if Apple wants people to switch, it has to have a DVR and be able to broadcast live sports - in HD.
Otherwise, it's still a "toy" that won't get the masses to cancel their cable TV subscriptions.
BTW - a remote will not be included to keep costs down. There will be an App for the iphone, touch, iPad, etc instead. If you don't have one, a "nano-like" remote can be purchased, for I'll say $49.
Otherwise, it's still a "toy" that won't get the masses to cancel their cable TV subscriptions.
BTW - a remote will not be included to keep costs down. There will be an App for the iphone, touch, iPad, etc instead. If you don't have one, a "nano-like" remote can be purchased, for I'll say $49.
If it really ends up being a lot cheaper then that's a big difference.
Think about the iPod Nano. It's a great $150 iPod. It would be a pretty crappy $300 iPod, though.
IF the AppleTV actually drops from $229 to $99, that'd be huge. It would go from something I say "well, I like it" about to something that I say "you should buy one!"
I think it's unlikely we'll see a September launch, and any device will probably be more than $99. However, I do think we'll see an announcement soon, especially with Google TV around the corner. More thoughts on our blog:
http://blog.pebbleit.com/post/997791388/apple-tv-evolution
http://blog.pebbleit.com/post/997791388/apple-tv-evolution
The current iPhone apple-remote looks and works a LOT like the iPhone's iPod app. It works great. I'm not sure what problems you're imagining here.
Pretty much every other video game console known to man has not had a cursor on screen. (The Wii offers it, but it's not a big part of most games.)
How do they do it?
Simple. Game designers are smart enough to design games that work with the controls they're given. If developers are stupid enough to make an AppleTV game that doesn't work with the AppleTV controls (whatever they are) well, that's their problem.
I also like the idea of multiple remotes. Have your evening viewing queued up for the household... A bit like iTunes DJ
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Because this kind of self-centric answer assumes that everyone has the same situation- lot of iDevices in each household so that you can take yours with you and others can use theirs if yours is out with you, etc. That's not a typical household, yet this is a product that could appeal to households that lack any iDevice.
While I expect it to come with some kind of regular (non-touch) remote to cover that base, all these dreams of existing apps running on it probably won't be compatible with anything short of an iDevice remote.
There's where the problem in imagining the combination starts showing itself. Another is that all apps dependent on touch require you to look where you are touching (on the iDevice screen). So, while one can imagine the visuals appearing on both the little screen in your hand (so you can touch the right spots) and the big screen in the living room, any apps- especially games- that involve a lot of touches to play well will pretty much force the user to keep his/her eyes on the little screen in his/her hands vs. the watching the big screen. If you are alone, why bother with the big screen? And, of course, I don't imagine Apple delivering a new iTV AND a touch screen remote control for $99; the latter would have to be "*sold separately" if the iTV comes out at only $99.
Thus, my guess would be a classic remote for the principal controller- one with raised buttons so that you can keep your eyes on the big screen while feeling your way to whatever remote control option you want to launch. However, that is unlikely to solve the latter issue with touch screen apps- especially apps that require a lot of touches (like games).
I do agree that since we already have remote apps for iDevices, there is likely to be a "bonus" with this such that the remote apps will control a new iTV much like they control the old one. I just don't see it- as implied by this article- that an iPad or similar will be THE remote for the new iTV.
Or is this going to be like airline tickets (soon). You can buy your ticket to fly anywhere for only $1*
*Other fees apply (but you won't find out about them until you are checking in at the airport ready to board the plane).
Does Google have a launch date for their TV product? I have a feeling that Apple will do better than Google in this area.
Why? Nobody's going to make you put iOS on the Macs you already have, which would work perfectly well for years to come.
Why would I call it a 'bonus' if I thought everyone had it? Of course I know that's not normal.
That's an interesting assumption you've made. It seem like any apps developers make should be compatible with the default remote since...
Right, that.
See, you've invented a problem yourself and then assumed that it's the way Apple would do it. You're saying that they will include a cut-down, useless remote and then you're saying that it's a problem because it's useless and cut-down.
What makes you think that's what they'll do? That was your idea, not Apple's. You're kind of chasing your own tail here.
They wouldn't actually bundle an iPad in with the iTV, I'm taking it more that they will release an 'iTV Remote' app for people that own an iPad, that can be used to look at content on the device (kind of like using it as an external, wireless screen - browse through stuff on the iPad while watching something on TV, and if you find something you'd rather watch, tap on it on the iPad and the show on the TV will suddenly change). Of course they'll include just a standard remote for people that don't have iPads.
All those people assuming it means Apple is going to bundle iPads with this... please stop and use the thing inside your head
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
No one knows, but my best guess is that it won't happen. The underlying tech is OLD, not ARM, and barely able to do all it does now. I'd guess that it will continue to work as it does now, maybe even get an update from time to time, but if we want iOS benefits, we'll have to buy new hardware in the iTV.
IMO, that's OK as long as the new one is every bit as good as the existing one in terms of all it does, while bringing (hopefully) a 1080p platform, third party app options, etc.
Well, that's quite premature for you to say that. iOS on the Mac will definitely have to be better than the Mac OS. I don't think Apple would shoot themselves in the foot. Who says iOS has to be the same as what you get on the iPad?
I hope you factor in Aperture and FCP replacement costs too then.
Such a stupid, knee jerk response. At least look at Linux then though
The biggest step was the introduction of video recorders IMHO.
You could watch content when you wanted to. You were not limited to the schedule dictated by program directors anymore.
Christian
I just might buy one of these for my dorm and bundle I with an airport express. Anyone know if those are getting refreshed soon?