If it's based on iPhone OS then it should play ball games from mlb.com just fine, as their iPhone app seems to do well. That should keep dad happy.
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The $100 cloud-based AppleTV
- Thread starter BlizzardBomb
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1. $99 is outstanding, THIS will sell like hotcakes.
2. Apple clearly will open it up via the App Store. Think: Hulu, Netflix, ABC, Pandora, even Amazon. Music like Last.fm, Pandora and more. Smaller streamers like the Twit.tv network and Rev3.
3. Think gaming. This is Apple's gaming console, it will be a Xbox Arcade like experience which will work with the new Apple gaming network to debut later this year on the phones also.
4. It will still stream any of your ripped movies in iTunes on your computer or Time Capsule, so the lack of onboard or directly connected storage isn't a concern for me.
If it has the above 4, and I think it will, count me in for 3 of them day 1.
2. Apple clearly will open it up via the App Store. Think: Hulu, Netflix, ABC, Pandora, even Amazon. Music like Last.fm, Pandora and more. Smaller streamers like the Twit.tv network and Rev3.
3. Think gaming. This is Apple's gaming console, it will be a Xbox Arcade like experience which will work with the new Apple gaming network to debut later this year on the phones also.
4. It will still stream any of your ripped movies in iTunes on your computer or Time Capsule, so the lack of onboard or directly connected storage isn't a concern for me.
If it has the above 4, and I think it will, count me in for 3 of them day 1.
I haven't replaced my burned out AppleTV yet - waiting for an update... 
AppleTV App Store?
Bluetooth for gaming controllers, or maybe a USB port? USB can also be used for external storage or Bluray or DVD drives?
ooooh, I feel all "tingly"...
AppleTV App Store?
Bluetooth for gaming controllers, or maybe a USB port? USB can also be used for external storage or Bluray or DVD drives?
ooooh, I feel all "tingly"...
You can probably forget Hulu and ABC since those providers would most likely block any direct output to a TV (that's what they do now, so why would it change?). Netflix and Pandora could happen but I wouldn't put money on it. As for Amazon, probably not since that service competes directly against iTunes.
As for TWIT and Rev3, most of that is already available on the current Apple TV via instant-on and downloadable podcasts. I watch several different shows on TWIT and Rev3 each week on my Apple TV. You can also select from a wide range of internet radio on the current Apple TV, so that kind of substitutes for Pandora and Last.fm.
I haven't used it myself as I'm in the UK and we don't get Hulu but reading the Boxee forums it seems that Hulu works fine on a TV for Boxee users so why wouldn't it for Apple.
This is a widely known issue with the Hulu service. You need to read up on the history of Hulu and their practice of blocking the service when used on anything other than a PC. Also, Google has already admitted that services like Hulu might be blocked on Google TV.
Of course, this could change if Hulu begins to charge for access, which they are already suggesting may happen quite soon. In that case, Hulu might be the same as any pay-TV service and I'd expect that its popularity would plummet rather quickly. Sure, people like "free" (or with limited commercial interruptions) but you shouldn't expect that Hulu will remain "free" or that it will be available on every internet-connected device.
I see this reiterated a lot in discussions about this topic. ARS had a write up basically saying the same thing. I just don't get it though. Granted, it's a matter of opinion, but I don't see either of these services as compelling reasons to get a media device. In fact, if they were present on the current
TV I doubt I would even use them. Since the advent of the DVR, anything ad based gets the snub from me. Watching ABC.com or Hulu offerings just annoys me. I guess the PQ is OK, but still not great in comparison. I guess I would say that my DVR is a far better way to consume TV content...and get away from those annoying (but granted, necessary) ads. I'm willing to bet that it's going to get worse when Hulu transitions to a pay model.
As for Netflix, I've been using it on my Xbox for a while, but I find the selection anemic. Until we see a preponderance of new releases showing up in the instant queue I can't see using that service too much either. We did watch the last season of Heroes on it (the PQ was really good, BTW) though.
At the end of the day, these are all pretty cool services in and of themselves. But, I don't see the success of a new
TV dependent upon them. To watch TV shows, the DVR offers a far more ubiquitous, economical and useful way to watch. For everything else, the iTunes store would suffice...especially if the resolutions got a bump up to 1080p.
As long as there is an "ATV Flash" type app that lets me play DVD's I've burned like ATV would do today, I'm good with the new developments. I have to stay close to what 3rd parties are planning on doing before I pull the trigger.
I was going to buy an ATV to start playing my burned DVD's to hook up to my new Plasma, but waited until there were new announcements. Looks like I'll wait a while longer...
If I'm locked down to re-purchasing my DVD's through iTunes I just may consider purchasing a similar device (Google, whatever comes out next) to perform that function.
I was going to buy an ATV to start playing my burned DVD's to hook up to my new Plasma, but waited until there were new announcements. Looks like I'll wait a while longer...
If I'm locked down to re-purchasing my DVD's through iTunes I just may consider purchasing a similar device (Google, whatever comes out next) to perform that function.
I love the idea of cloud based storage!! At $99 w/an iPhone OS and a smaller footprint I would buy one for every TV in my house...I already have my iTunes and iPhoto libraries on my TC. It would be awesome to be able to stream anything to any TV in the house (including my garage!!)
Here's to a long awaited ATV hardware update!!!!!!!!!
Here's to a long awaited ATV hardware update!!!!!!!!!
I'm not sure about everything being streamed from the cloud. I'm thinking of delays. Have you bounced around a bunch of HD trailers lately? What about if you want to spot check a few episodes of a show looking for a certain one (that the description doesn't tell you)?
As an alternative (instead of replacement) for streaming from a computer, that's fine. I'd still like to have on-board storage, though, so some items can be synced and then you don't have to have iTunes running. Many times I've needed to restart my machine for one reason or another and have had to hold off until whatever someone else is watching is done.
As an alternative (instead of replacement) for streaming from a computer, that's fine. I'd still like to have on-board storage, though, so some items can be synced and then you don't have to have iTunes running. Many times I've needed to restart my machine for one reason or another and have had to hold off until whatever someone else is watching is done.
I guess my point when I said "Hulu" wasn't to imply it will or will not appear, but rather I suspect Apple has decided to allow it too should Hulu itself want.
Up until now Apple TV is a very closed experience, it is all Apple all the time with the exception of YouTube. To get any other content from the 'net you have to jailbreak it for Boxee etc. That is why people say things like the $99 Roku are better as they continue to add services. Well it seems Apple has seen the light, thanks to the success of the iPhone/iPad App store and the general failure of Apple TV and is going to fix this.
Summary: Apple is going to open up the next Apple TV to *any* (other than porn) media content a provider could provide via an App Store app (subject to whatever charge the media provider wants to put with that app.) So yeah, Hulu could decide to sit out, or op in, with or without a fee. Surely Netflix will be in, they want to be in everything and already practically are. Rev3, Twit, and other smaller players are going to be in for sure. Maybe even Boxee will create an App, and then finally Apple will be fine with it.
The new Apple TV will be different from Google TV in that it won't try to blend different sources of media via search and control your primary TV signal but rather it will be all about the Apps, each bringing you content to a tiny $99 device you can leave attached to your entertainment center or throw in a bag for the road.
Up until now Apple TV is a very closed experience, it is all Apple all the time with the exception of YouTube. To get any other content from the 'net you have to jailbreak it for Boxee etc. That is why people say things like the $99 Roku are better as they continue to add services. Well it seems Apple has seen the light, thanks to the success of the iPhone/iPad App store and the general failure of Apple TV and is going to fix this.
Summary: Apple is going to open up the next Apple TV to *any* (other than porn) media content a provider could provide via an App Store app (subject to whatever charge the media provider wants to put with that app.) So yeah, Hulu could decide to sit out, or op in, with or without a fee. Surely Netflix will be in, they want to be in everything and already practically are. Rev3, Twit, and other smaller players are going to be in for sure. Maybe even Boxee will create an App, and then finally Apple will be fine with it.
The new Apple TV will be different from Google TV in that it won't try to blend different sources of media via search and control your primary TV signal but rather it will be all about the Apps, each bringing you content to a tiny $99 device you can leave attached to your entertainment center or throw in a bag for the road.
All Apple and YouTube? You either don't have an Apple TV or don't use it much. I guess you've never tried any of the thousands of free video and audio podcasts or any of the dozens of free internet radio stations that are currently offered on the Apple TV.
I actually watch several hours of podcasts each week and frankly some of the content that is available through podcasts is better than what you'll find on the network TV stations. If you want to see something from the major networks you can watch news and views related podcasts from NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, CNN, etc. all on demand and usually only delayed by a few hours from the original broadcast time (but with fewer commercial interruptions). Then you have nature and science focused podcasts from the likes of National Geographic, Discovery Channel, PBS, NASA, ESO, TED, etc.
I'm not certain why people continue to complain about the "limited" content on iTunes. The Apple TV probably has access to just as many movies and TV shows as any other payed service and the prices are pretty much the same as with everyone else. Apple has a lot more streaming content than does Netflix, and you're not likely to find much different from Amazon video or from anywhere else. Hulu and similar services are targeted at playback on computer screens and mobile devices and these services are usually blocked whenever someone attempts to use them on a media extender connected to a TV (so that eliminates them from devices similar to the Apple TV).
How would the cloud work?
I have 2 TBs of media on a drobo. Do I upload all that and then stream to my ATV, iPad, iPhone, iMac etc?
What about updating my stuff?
I have 2 TBs of media on a drobo. Do I upload all that and then stream to my ATV, iPad, iPhone, iMac etc?
What about updating my stuff?
Wouldn't a HDMI->component/composite/whatever dongle be a good solution for this? Most TV's have HDMI now, for those people without one, is $50 too much to ask? It would only effect a small number of people.
Maury
I expect to see iTunes transcode the media libraries to Apple TV. I would love a background app, but iTunes will be the app to organize it all. And then if you don't need transcoding you can serve it up from a NAS/Time Capsule. And then of course everything you bought on iTunes can be streamed on-demand.
Basically you could have one hooked up to each TV in the house and pull all your music, photos, videos from your computer, in addition to stream stuff from the Web and the iPhone OS app platform. This will be sweet.
The problem with Roku and Boxee is it's difficult for content creators to add their content, and then it's difficult for users to manage it. iTunes basically has this figured out. Everyone enjoys the sport of beating Apple on being "closed" but it's very simple to get content into iTunes' Podcast system and anyone can do it.
Basically you could have one hooked up to each TV in the house and pull all your music, photos, videos from your computer, in addition to stream stuff from the Web and the iPhone OS app platform. This will be sweet.
The problem with Roku and Boxee is it's difficult for content creators to add their content, and then it's difficult for users to manage it. iTunes basically has this figured out. Everyone enjoys the sport of beating Apple on being "closed" but it's very simple to get content into iTunes' Podcast system and anyone can do it.
To be honest if you expect iTunes to convert your video files (including your dvd's that you own) I think you can expect to be disappointed. That is not likely to happen.
Pffft, new here?
iTunes is going to play its own formats and its own formats only. If you think they're going to do transcode, convert, whatever, prepare to be disappointed.
Apple has no incentive to make it do anything else. Why would they want you to get media in some other format when it, by definition, comes from some other "vendor"? They don't, that's why.
Maury
Do we know if the new software for the new device will work on the old
If...
1) this really exists
2) it's based on the A4
3) it runs the iPhone-like OS
...then the answer is an emphatic "no".
Maury
My apologies ... "convert" and "transcode" are generally considered the same thing in video transcoding afaik. My bad.