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Why All this Hype for the "iTV"?

onetoescape said:
Apple TV (itv) update not to be announced now?

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/news/a268406/apple-rethinks-major-apple-tv-relaunch.html
Click to expand...

looks like a lot or people are going to be disappointed next week...but it makes sense.

I still wouldn't expect a new ATV until next year at the earliest. The content providers are still just not there for it.

Expect at the most, a price drop, maybe more HD space...and new itunes with some .99 rentals...that will probably be all you will get...
 
One downside of removing the HDD is that you'll then always have to have another device on to watch stuff. I find it quite handy to be able to sync the latest downloads automatically so if I fancy watching something I don't have to have my iMac on.
 
I wonder if it will keep those component jacks as those will be prohibited after 2010 on new electronic products.. would leave some space for other ports.
At least the current :apple:tv will be discontinued in 2013 latest, since it has component which will then be totally prohibited.
 
potatis said:
I wonder if it will keep those component jacks as those will be prohibited after 2010 on new electronic products.. would leave some space for other ports.
Click to expand...

I do not believe :apple:tv uses AACS, so it should not be subject to the sunset provision. But Apple will still probably drop the connections just to reduce (production) cost.
 
ascender said:
One downside of removing the HDD is that you'll then always have to have another device on to watch stuff. I find it quite handy to be able to sync the latest downloads automatically so if I fancy watching something I don't have to have my iMac on.
Click to expand...

I absolutely agree. Had WDTV Live for quite a while (but it doesn't like using Airport through Time Capsule). As soon as I heard that AppleTV maybe updated soon, I ran out and bought the current model. All my latest movies, Podcasts are saved on the HDD as well as my entire Music collection.

This rumoured 8GB storage will just make it difficult and when most ISP Plans in Oz are limited to 30GB-60GB (for most budgets), it will eat up alot of the downloads.
 
ascender said:
One downside of removing the HDD is that you'll then always have to have another device on to watch stuff. I find it quite handy to be able to sync the latest downloads automatically so if I fancy watching something I don't have to have my iMac on.
Click to expand...

Just because there might not be a built in hard drive doesn't mean it won't have an opportunity for you to add your own through USB or a NAS like the the Time Capsule. Early rumors specifically mentioned the Time Capsule as a server for the new iTV and the current Apple TV already has a USB port that can be used for storage when hacked. So maybe they plan to open it up for these other methods of storage since storage will no longer be included.
 
I don't see the reason for the excitement either personally. I have a Mini as my media centre and it works fine, it's just a bit overkill considering all it does is run Plex.

If the new Apple Tv has a subscription basis then I'll get it on Day1. I'm not paying 99c to rent a show. It's good value vs cable if you only watch 1 or 2 things and don't want any sport but otherwise it's going to get expensive pretty fast.
 
onetoescape said:
Apple TV (itv) update not to be announced now?

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/news/a268406/apple-rethinks-major-apple-tv-relaunch.html
Click to expand...

Yawn. Any article that states "Apple is understood to have accelerated its TV plans in response to Google, which is launching its Android-powered Google TV service inside Sony products in the US this autumn." is total BS.

We know Apple's development cycles are at least 18 months for most products. There's no way they accelerated anything because of Google TV.

Apple is a strategic "big picture" company. They don't change their plans based on competitors announcements and in this case a competitor that's releasing their first product (or in actuality having third-parties do it) in a market that hasn't even proven itself.

Nobody talks about this but the current Apple TV is the #1 selling Internet-enabled set-top box (Roku, Popcorn Hour, D-link, Linksys, Sling Player Catcher, WD Player, etc).

Last estimate put it around 8 million units. For comparison, Roku only sold 500,000 units as of January 2010.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aK2._zQizDac

The problem for Apple is a market of 10-25 million is nothing compared to the smartphone market, which is approaching a 250+ million units per year range.

How much investment (specifically in terms of engineering resources) is the Apple TV’s market worth?
 
mstrze said:
Netflix or Hulu apps, or any of the network apps to view streaming programming for free? Weather or news feeds?

None of this makes any sense for you on your TV?

I would agree that some apps won't work on a non-touch interface, but there is a lot of stuff that will fit beautifully.
Click to expand...

I could do with 4OD on my TV, but seeing as Channel 4 haven't made 4OD apps for any platform at all, or even provided HTML5 streams on the site, and they know that Apple TV's, along with this new "iTV", can access the iTunes Store where customers have to pay for shows, I don't see why they'd change that now.

What I'd really like added is a browser with Flash, that'd eliminate the need for streaming apps, but this is Apple we're talking about here.

As for weather and news feeds on my TV, I already have channels that can do that fine.
 
dmm219 said:
looks like a lot or people are going to be disappointed next week...but it makes sense.

I still wouldn't expect a new ATV until next year at the earliest. The content providers are still just not there for it.

Expect at the most, a price drop, maybe more HD space...and new itunes with some .99 rentals...that will probably be all you will get...
Click to expand...

Apple just need a starting point like the iPad as a supposed e-book reader. iBooks doesn't have the exhaustive listings as does the Amazon Kindle. iPhone did not have 3g on its first phone. The iTV with ios will have Hulu plus, Netflix, abc, Twit, podcasts,Vimeo and other apps. I read Fox and Disney may come on board first. So, there are a lot of shows I like on Fox. That app would be great. There are rumors of 1 dollar monthly subscription per show. That would be great, too. The MagicPad would serve as a great controller for some apps. The iPad can have apps to serve as a navigation and as a controller too.
 
onetoescape said:
The reason I am so interested in it is so I can put it in the kids bedrooms as DVDS don't last to long with my kids. The price point is very good and very tempting. If it comes in around that price point with the ability to have multiple boxes around the house I am in and will be in a big way.
Click to expand...

GREAT idea.
 
My thing is this, I like the way it works now....I buy shows off iTunes rather than buy the DVDs because I like to de-clutter. Do you think that the same functions that are there now will still be there, or do you think that the old functions will go away? I like all the new features being talked about, could be a killer product, but I need the old methods to stay too....?
 
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