Scrolling through lists on the Apple TV with the iOS touch interface in the Remote app is backwards from Lion: swipe down and lists scroll up, swipe up and lists scroll down.
I know I will get pilloried for even mentioning it, but that has to be the *least* attractive UI I've ever seen from Apple.
I agree. IMO every version of Apple TV that has come out has slowly made the UI worse. This latest one now put's it at a similar level to every other device like this, there was a point when the UI was the reason you would buy it, but that has now certainly gone.
On a seperate point, does this just work with 1 iCloud. iPhones make sense only connecting to one iCloud as they only have 1 user, iPad's are more debatable as I would think a lot of families can only use 1, but this surley needs to connect to multiple given that it will be plugged into your main TV. I haven't seen anything say for certain but im guessing that the photo stream and iTunes match is only going to work for 1 Apple ID, which is only any good if you live alone!
Thank goodness I'm not the only one that thinks this new UI is total "Sh*t" (in the immortal words of SJ).
Why not just make the buttons square? Apple's whole vision is to create a seamless UI from one device to the next. Look how iOS influenced OSx! Now you have "apps" on your Mac. It's obvious they wanted it to look like iOS, but what's the deal with the rectangles. I actually think the UI is even more awkward than before. If they going to make the UI look like the other iOS devices, they should match 1:1. Not this clunky rectangular "app"-looking icons. Even the way they presented it at the keynote was kind of awkward.
My only thought on all this is maybe since the Apple TV is still in "hobby" mode, they deliberately made it different so you know it's not like the other iOS devices. like it's in iOS limbo.
Issue #2: Really? The same crappy remote control? At least give us a click-wheel. Would make life a little bit easier, instead of this first Gen iPod Shuffle remote.
Issue #3: It's been said on this forum, but i want to 2nd the motion to drop the "computers" button. It makes no sense to make "music", "movies", "Podcasts" "TV shows" buttons when you can access all that from the iTunes store with one single button. They need to start coordinating with the iOS divisions more. Why not have just an iTunes button? Computers button makes no because it's misleading. you can only see one computer at a time. you have to log off and log back in with a different iTunes account. they needed to change this from day one.
They really should have done a quiet release on the website only. They didn't even mention the whole MacBook mirroring with Mountain Lion. To me, that's the #1 best new feature, and they said nothing about it.
The rest of my beefs revolve around what all the other negative reviews state.
I'd like to know if this update allows Apple TV2 users to experience 1080p as well???
Anyone know?
I think the buttons are rectangle because Apple wanted to keep the rows at 5 columns to limit the side scrolling with the remote (think of how bad it was entering in text before Apple changed the on-screen keyboard), and with a 16:9 screen, square icons would leave a lot of blank space. Maybe if they went with 6 columns they could have used square icons.
As for the computers button, how would you access home shared iTunes libraries on different computers without that button?
Sadly, my Apple TV2 still only displays 720p after the update.
Does anyone agree with me that the new interface feels a bit more "jelly bean-y" than it should be? I like the bigger thumbnails at the top and the new (and easier to differentiate) icons at the bottom, but the "home menu" does seem a little overkill and childish. Some of the iOS standard apps on the iPhone and iPad are starting to look a little dated, but these ATV icons actually feel/seem older already.
Aside from the 1080p support though, the new Apple TV is only a minor update from the looks of it. Absolutely loving the new 1080p support of course, but apart from that it feels a bit like the update from iPhone 3G to iPhone 3GS (speedier, but that's it).
As for the computers button, how would you access home shared iTunes libraries on different computers without that button?
There's buttons that say Movies, TV Shows and Music. Wouldn't you just merge all content into the correct categories from any iTunes that it can access? I guess you might have to put a password in somewhere but wouldn't you just do that in a settings section somewhere.
I also think the new UI is terrible on account of being too big. And +1 for getting rid of the computer button. I want the movie, music, tv show, etc buttons to have everything.
And +1 for getting rid of the computer button. I want the movie, music, tv show, etc buttons to have everything.
Quote:
Originally Posted by timgriff84
There's buttons that say Movies, TV Shows and Music. Wouldn't you just merge all content into the correct categories from any iTunes that it can access?
YES. Dear sweet heavens, yes. It's like frigging segregation. People with their media on their computers aren't good enough to have their stuff listed where it belongs, no, we have to be pushed under "Computers".
The Movies, TV shows, and Music buttons are completely worthless to me right now. I'm not basing my life around constantly buying new crap and I don't want to have to sift through hundreds of thousands of pieces of media I couldn't care less about just to find and "stream" the stuff I own.
Thank goodness I'm not the only one that thinks this new UI is total "Sh*t" (in the immortal words of SJ).
Why not just make the buttons square? Apple's whole vision is to create a seamless UI from one device to the next. Look how iOS influenced OSx! Now you have "apps" on your Mac. It's obvious they wanted it to look like iOS, but what's the deal with the rectangles. I actually think the UI is even more awkward than before. If they going to make the UI look like the other iOS devices, they should match 1:1. Not this clunky rectangular "app"-looking icons. Even the way they presented it at the keynote was kind of awkward.
My only thought on all this is maybe since the Apple TV is still in "hobby" mode, they deliberately made it different so you know it's not like the other iOS devices. like it's in iOS limbo.
Issue #2: Really? The same crappy remote control? At least give us a click-wheel. Would make life a little bit easier, instead of this first Gen iPod Shuffle remote.
Issue #3: It's been said on this forum, but i want to 2nd the motion to drop the "computers" button. It makes no sense to make "music", "movies", "Podcasts" "TV shows" buttons when you can access all that from the iTunes store with one single button. They need to start coordinating with the iOS divisions more. Why not have just an iTunes button? Computers button makes no because it's misleading. you can only see one computer at a time. you have to log off and log back in with a different iTunes account. they needed to change this from day one.
They really should have done a quiet release on the website only. They didn't even mention the whole MacBook mirroring with Mountain Lion. To me, that's the #1 best new feature, and they said nothing about it.
The rest of my beefs revolve around what all the other negative reviews state.
I'd like to know if this update allows Apple TV2 users to experience 1080p as well???
Anyone know?
We shouldn't hold our breaths for a single interface common to both the ATV and iPhones/iPads/iPods. The interaction hardware and screen sizes dictate that the optimal interface will be different between the two categories of devices. You might just have to live with the horror of rectangular buttons.
The computer button exists because some people have multiple computers for use with their ATV and don't rely on streaming directly from the iTunes store.
I'll reserve judgement until having actually used the new UI next Friday. My bet is that the majority of people will prefer the new UI.
I had ATV2, really liked it, I liked the UI better in the previous version. But alas it didn't have Hulu so I stuck in on Craigslist and got a Roku. The Roku UI is okay, the remote is corny, but the channel selection is amazing. They have the ATV beat seven ways to Sunday in the 3rd party options department. (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Crackle, Pandora, and the list goes on an on...)
I do miss having my TV as another Airport option for music but in the end I really I only use my TV for Hulu and Netflix.
Yikes. That new UI is bad. That is so un-Apple-like. I'm definitely NOT going to update my aTV2 any time soon until they fix this monstrosity.
The only problem I had with the Apple TV UI as it was is that there are too many main column options. Merge some of them together so that Netflix, iTunes sales/rentals, and movies from my library are all under the same category (and similar for music, TV, etc), and it would have been great.
Quote:
Originally Posted by antkm1
you can only see one computer at a time. you have to log off and log back in with a different iTunes account. they needed to change this from day one.
Yet another reason not to upgrade! I almost always have 2 Macs logged in and usable on my aTV2. If Had to log-in/log-out each time, that would tick me off.
They use bright colours to distinguish between the icons, the selection state moves over the icons so you can see where your selection is and the icon shape make the best use of space on a widescreen display. They shouldn't put loads of icons in a single row as it makes it slower to reach each icon.
It might have been better to use the folder view from iOS instead of the shelf at the top with a grid. Siri would have been nice too. So say you click on Movies, it would show all movies in a folder style grid, you'd press the mic button on the remote and say 'comedies', it would then narrow the grid down to just comedies.
Issue #3: It's been said on this forum, but i want to 2nd the motion to drop the "computers" button. It makes no sense to make "music", "movies", "Podcasts" "TV shows" buttons when you can access all that from the iTunes store with one single button. They need to start coordinating with the iOS divisions more. Why not have just an iTunes button? Computers button makes no because it's misleading. you can only see one computer at a time. you have to log off and log back in with a different iTunes account. they needed to change this from day one.
Multiple computers will show up if authorized to the same iTunes store account. I have four different computers showing up.
I can see how it would be annoying if your computers are hooked up to different iTunes store accounts.
Comments
I'd like to know if this update allows Apple TV2 users to experience 1080p as well???
I haven't updated yet, but I'm going to not go out on a limb and guess not.
1. It's the selling point of the new model.
2. The current Apple TV has always been capable of it, but restricted by Apple for no reason ("high bitrate stuff skips". ooohohohooooo…)
That's not to say you can't PLAY the stuff back (from iTunes or otherwise), it'll just downconvert to 720p as it always has.
I know I will get pilloried for even mentioning it, but that has to be the *least* attractive UI I've ever seen from Apple.
I agree. IMO every version of Apple TV that has come out has slowly made the UI worse. This latest one now put's it at a similar level to every other device like this, there was a point when the UI was the reason you would buy it, but that has now certainly gone.
On a seperate point, does this just work with 1 iCloud. iPhones make sense only connecting to one iCloud as they only have 1 user, iPad's are more debatable as I would think a lot of families can only use 1, but this surley needs to connect to multiple given that it will be plugged into your main TV. I haven't seen anything say for certain but im guessing that the photo stream and iTunes match is only going to work for 1 Apple ID, which is only any good if you live alone!
Wow,
Thank goodness I'm not the only one that thinks this new UI is total "Sh*t" (in the immortal words of SJ).
Why not just make the buttons square? Apple's whole vision is to create a seamless UI from one device to the next. Look how iOS influenced OSx! Now you have "apps" on your Mac. It's obvious they wanted it to look like iOS, but what's the deal with the rectangles. I actually think the UI is even more awkward than before. If they going to make the UI look like the other iOS devices, they should match 1:1. Not this clunky rectangular "app"-looking icons. Even the way they presented it at the keynote was kind of awkward.
My only thought on all this is maybe since the Apple TV is still in "hobby" mode, they deliberately made it different so you know it's not like the other iOS devices. like it's in iOS limbo.
Issue #2: Really? The same crappy remote control? At least give us a click-wheel. Would make life a little bit easier, instead of this first Gen iPod Shuffle remote.
Issue #3: It's been said on this forum, but i want to 2nd the motion to drop the "computers" button. It makes no sense to make "music", "movies", "Podcasts" "TV shows" buttons when you can access all that from the iTunes store with one single button. They need to start coordinating with the iOS divisions more. Why not have just an iTunes button? Computers button makes no because it's misleading. you can only see one computer at a time. you have to log off and log back in with a different iTunes account. they needed to change this from day one.
They really should have done a quiet release on the website only. They didn't even mention the whole MacBook mirroring with Mountain Lion. To me, that's the #1 best new feature, and they said nothing about it.
The rest of my beefs revolve around what all the other negative reviews state.
I'd like to know if this update allows Apple TV2 users to experience 1080p as well???
Anyone know?
I think the buttons are rectangle because Apple wanted to keep the rows at 5 columns to limit the side scrolling with the remote (think of how bad it was entering in text before Apple changed the on-screen keyboard), and with a 16:9 screen, square icons would leave a lot of blank space. Maybe if they went with 6 columns they could have used square icons.
As for the computers button, how would you access home shared iTunes libraries on different computers without that button?
Sadly, my Apple TV2 still only displays 720p after the update.
Aside from the 1080p support though, the new Apple TV is only a minor update from the looks of it. Absolutely loving the new 1080p support of course, but apart from that it feels a bit like the update from iPhone 3G to iPhone 3GS (speedier, but that's it).
The iPad though with it's hires screen? jum!
They are now listed by the order that they were added to iTunes, and this is *NOT* when the sort by Date tab is selected.
I thought it might have been caused by iTunes crashing, but apparently others have the same issue. https://discussions.apple.com/message/17785822#17785822
As for the computers button, how would you access home shared iTunes libraries on different computers without that button?
There's buttons that say Movies, TV Shows and Music. Wouldn't you just merge all content into the correct categories from any iTunes that it can access? I guess you might have to put a password in somewhere but wouldn't you just do that in a settings section somewhere.
And +1 for getting rid of the computer button. I want the movie, music, tv show, etc buttons to have everything.
There's buttons that say Movies, TV Shows and Music. Wouldn't you just merge all content into the correct categories from any iTunes that it can access?
YES. Dear sweet heavens, yes. It's like frigging segregation. People with their media on their computers aren't good enough to have their stuff listed where it belongs, no, we have to be pushed under "Computers".
The Movies, TV shows, and Music buttons are completely worthless to me right now. I'm not basing my life around constantly buying new crap and I don't want to have to sift through hundreds of thousands of pieces of media I couldn't care less about just to find and "stream" the stuff I own.
Why is there still a MobileMe gallery?
Because it still exists.
Wow,
Thank goodness I'm not the only one that thinks this new UI is total "Sh*t" (in the immortal words of SJ).
Why not just make the buttons square? Apple's whole vision is to create a seamless UI from one device to the next. Look how iOS influenced OSx! Now you have "apps" on your Mac. It's obvious they wanted it to look like iOS, but what's the deal with the rectangles. I actually think the UI is even more awkward than before. If they going to make the UI look like the other iOS devices, they should match 1:1. Not this clunky rectangular "app"-looking icons. Even the way they presented it at the keynote was kind of awkward.
My only thought on all this is maybe since the Apple TV is still in "hobby" mode, they deliberately made it different so you know it's not like the other iOS devices. like it's in iOS limbo.
Issue #2: Really? The same crappy remote control? At least give us a click-wheel. Would make life a little bit easier, instead of this first Gen iPod Shuffle remote.
Issue #3: It's been said on this forum, but i want to 2nd the motion to drop the "computers" button. It makes no sense to make "music", "movies", "Podcasts" "TV shows" buttons when you can access all that from the iTunes store with one single button. They need to start coordinating with the iOS divisions more. Why not have just an iTunes button? Computers button makes no because it's misleading. you can only see one computer at a time. you have to log off and log back in with a different iTunes account. they needed to change this from day one.
They really should have done a quiet release on the website only. They didn't even mention the whole MacBook mirroring with Mountain Lion. To me, that's the #1 best new feature, and they said nothing about it.
The rest of my beefs revolve around what all the other negative reviews state.
I'd like to know if this update allows Apple TV2 users to experience 1080p as well???
Anyone know?
We shouldn't hold our breaths for a single interface common to both the ATV and iPhones/iPads/iPods. The interaction hardware and screen sizes dictate that the optimal interface will be different between the two categories of devices. You might just have to live with the horror of rectangular buttons.
The computer button exists because some people have multiple computers for use with their ATV and don't rely on streaming directly from the iTunes store.
I'll reserve judgement until having actually used the new UI next Friday. My bet is that the majority of people will prefer the new UI.
I had ATV2, really liked it, I liked the UI better in the previous version. But alas it didn't have Hulu so I stuck in on Craigslist and got a Roku. The Roku UI is okay, the remote is corny, but the channel selection is amazing. They have the ATV beat seven ways to Sunday in the 3rd party options department. (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Crackle, Pandora, and the list goes on an on...)
I do miss having my TV as another Airport option for music but in the end I really I only use my TV for Hulu and Netflix.
Please bring Hulu Apple....please!
The only problem I had with the Apple TV UI as it was is that there are too many main column options. Merge some of them together so that Netflix, iTunes sales/rentals, and movies from my library are all under the same category (and similar for music, TV, etc), and it would have been great.
you can only see one computer at a time. you have to log off and log back in with a different iTunes account. they needed to change this from day one.
Yet another reason not to upgrade! I almost always have 2 Macs logged in and usable on my aTV2. If Had to log-in/log-out each time, that would tick me off.
Also, has there been a change to how multiple macs are handled? My understanding is that there isn't a change.
Yikes. That new UI is bad. That is so un-Apple-like. I'm definitely NOT going to update my aTV2 any time soon until they fix this monstrosity.
I'd say the old UI was less Apple-like. The new one looks like the icon view in both iOS and Mac OS:
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-medi...-35160082.html
They use bright colours to distinguish between the icons, the selection state moves over the icons so you can see where your selection is and the icon shape make the best use of space on a widescreen display. They shouldn't put loads of icons in a single row as it makes it slower to reach each icon.
It might have been better to use the folder view from iOS instead of the shelf at the top with a grid. Siri would have been nice too. So say you click on Movies, it would show all movies in a folder style grid, you'd press the mic button on the remote and say 'comedies', it would then narrow the grid down to just comedies.
Issue #3: It's been said on this forum, but i want to 2nd the motion to drop the "computers" button. It makes no sense to make "music", "movies", "Podcasts" "TV shows" buttons when you can access all that from the iTunes store with one single button. They need to start coordinating with the iOS divisions more. Why not have just an iTunes button? Computers button makes no because it's misleading. you can only see one computer at a time. you have to log off and log back in with a different iTunes account. they needed to change this from day one.
Multiple computers will show up if authorized to the same iTunes store account. I have four different computers showing up.
I can see how it would be annoying if your computers are hooked up to different iTunes store accounts.