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iPad mini?
Larger iPhone? (assuming that happens)

iPad Mini looks nothing like the Kindle Fire or Nexus 7. Do you honestly think Apple designed the iPad Mini(1st gen) in just 1 month after the Nexus 7 came out?
 
how many of these do we need that do essentially the same thing? Is the market for them really that profitable that every tech company out there sees the value in competing in this space?

Everybody wants a piece of the action, and nobody wants to be left behind. Technological issues are not the main obstacle here. All those companies are struggling to find the 'magic formula' to win over consumers. Control of our living rooms is going to be huuuuge in the future; I suspect on par with, if not bigger, than the smartphone/tablet revolution, with which by the way, all these entertainment options are going to be tied in naturally. We're talking movies, games, tv shows, sports, cable content, pay-per-view blockbusters, internet content, etc.

So far most consumers are still holding their breath for that awesome combination of UI, content, versatility, compatibility/interoperability, ease of use, price, copyright restrictions for private use, and reasonable upgradeability to prevent premature obsolescence.

I know that's a mouthful, and will someone succeed in such consumer 'nirvana'? I hope so, and many people are looking towards Apple but I'm not sure they can hit a 'homerun' here either. (Where are Steve's legendary persuasive powers, when you need them most?) I doubt we'll get that whole list without any compromises, at least not initially.
I suspect it will be more of an evolutionary thing with more of these items on that consumer wishlist added gradually over the coming years, as some drastic new distribution models and adjustments will be needed at the content creation and distribution end of things.

At the risk of stating the obvious, change there is needed, and will be painful at first, but like in the music industry, will come eventually, and in the end has the potential to be better for everyone.
 
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iPad Mini looks nothing like the Kindle Fire or Nexus 7. Do you honestly think Apple designed the iPad Mini(1st gen) in just 1 month after the Nexus 7 came out?

Well, you have people here who think Samsung copied a non existent Apple watch and 12" iPad, so why not?
 
I don't care what it looks like. The key thing as always with these tv devices is content. It needs more if it's gonna take on the TV.

I'd hate you see your spouse.... :D

Design is important and Apple built an empire based on it.

Google can do pretty good design when it focuses on it, as it did with Android 4.1 and above.

I am excited about all of these coming out, as I am frustrated with Apple TV, yet it is currently the best there is, IMO.

The Comcast integration, if true, will make me jump to Google.

Keep in mind that these things are all part of ecosystems and can influence future mobile devices buying decisions.
 
iPad Mini looks nothing like the Kindle Fire or Nexus 7. Do you honestly think Apple designed the iPad Mini(1st gen) in just 1 month after the Nexus 7 came out?

My comment has nothing to do with looks. I believe Apple reacted to the market demand for smaller tablets that was revealed by pioneering products from other companies (e.g. Galaxy and Kindle 7" tablets that were released in 2011 iirc). That's not controversial, is it?
 
This is a mistake for Google. They should instead be supporting Amazon. Instead, they're fragmenting the Android based marketplace and pissing off their partners. Further, it doesn't sound like their device will be any better or have any real product differentiation from the Fire TV, unless they artificially create such differentiation by withholding services on Amazon's device.

That's sort of backwards. Amazon forked Android not Google, and because they forked Android they don't have access to Google Play Services (GPS). Not sure which partners you think they're pissing off. None of their partners have a set-top box or dongle on the market.

Amazon made the conscious decision to forgo GPS by forking Android. So Google can't withhold services which Amazon already doesn't have.

Based on your quote, fragmentation doesn't mean what you think it does.
 
You really think Apple works that way? Apple has stuff in the design pipeline for years. They don't do anything in reaction to what's going on out there.

Maybe you should go and read the memo that was just released from the Samsung lawsuit...
 
Apple is certain to release something someday. It is rumored they were thinking about 2016 for a new Apple TV... just to give competition a chance.
 
I hope whatever Apple is working on has a differentiator on the content side and it's not just the current ATV with a redesign and AppStore. Yes the latter is needed but I'd like to be wowed, not 'Apple's catching up with what everyone else is doing'.

Why not? That's all they've been doing for the last few years, why do you expect that to change anytime soon?
 
Google can do pretty good design when it focuses on it, as it did with Android 4.1 and above.

"Focus" might be one of the problems with Android TV. According to The Verge article, Google will still sell Chromecast, which supports apps differently from Android TV. Developers will have to make two versions of their apps if they want it on both devices. Once again, Google is forking itself (unless of course they dump Chromecast).
 
Why not? That's all they've been doing for the last few years, why do you expect that to change anytime soon?

you mean like AirPlay, AirDrop, TouchID, electronic textbooks, the revolutionary 2013 Mac Pro, first to have Thunderbolt on PCs, Magnetic connectors and so on?
 
"Focus" might be one of the problems with Android TV. According to The Verge article, Google will still sell Chromecast, which supports apps differently from Android TV. Developers will have to make two versions of their apps if they want it on both devices. Once again, Google is forking itself (unless of course they dump Chromecast).

I strongly suspect Google has 2 warring factions(Chrome OS vs Android OS) and it's getting ugly.

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That's your opinion and you're entitled to it but don't post it as a fact because it's not. Case in point. iOS7 was in response to people wanting more features and design in iOS that Android had.

The only obvious 2 cases I've seen as reactions are the notification center(copying Google) and flattened iOS7 UI(Metro, for god sake who knows why).
 
Except is is trivially easy to get around geo-blocking. Eg:
http://www.unblock-us.com/

I have Amazon, Netflix and Hulu Plus, none of which are available in Australia.

But presumably I couldn't have my roku setup to appear as if it is the US for the purpose of accessing amazon/Hulu and simultaneously have it appear in the UK for accessing UK-specific content (eg bbc iPlayer/Sky TV)?
 
how many is this?

is this swing #4?

$300 tv ball: failure before it was even released
$30 chromecast: somewhat successful, limited availability and depends on another device to actually work
there was another tv thingamabob Google was pushing that I think Logitech really took a financial bath on

Obviously, you'll want to be first in line for this product, because you know it'll be good.
 
"Focus" might be one of the problems with Android TV. According to The Verge article, Google will still sell Chromecast, which supports apps differently from Android TV. Developers will have to make two versions of their apps if they want it on both devices. Once again, Google is forking itself (unless of course they dump Chromecast).

I disagree. With the Android TV, Google has growth opportunity with the crowd focused on their ecosystem. Same with Apple and ATV and Amazon with Fire TV. Their Chromecast is for those of us who aren't locked in to any ecosystem. It's my favorite on the go accessory. I can use it with any of my devices: GS3, iPad, Nexus 7, MBA, etc. I have 3 of them and a Roku, with the Fire TV arriving Monday. If the Android TV is ~$100 I'll pick up one just to see what's what.
 
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