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iPhone, Apple TV, what's next?

post #1 of 13
1/14/07 at 10:09pm
Thread Starter 
Hey everyone, very excited about the recent announcements! Here's what I'm thinking:

-At CES, Microsoft introduced "Windows Home Server" (WHS) which backs up networked computers, etc. It's like a RAID array, but doesn't use RAID. So this is what they can offer.

-Apple, on the other hand, gives us no central storage. We must store our iTunes content on our machines - PCs/Macs. However, we do get the ability to sync a measly 40GB of our libraries to the Apple TV. Here's what I don't understand:

-Why no "over the air" purchase of iTunes content? I'm already getting a data plan with the iPhone for web browsing... why not be able to get new content on the go? In order to make this happen, they'll need to do at least 2 things software-wise:
1) Give iTunes ability to 2-way sync content b/w my Mac and my iPhone, and
2) Give me the ability to OTA sync the newly-acquired files back to my home (either to my WHS or external drive, etc.). The reason? Imagine this scenario:
-I buy movie X with iPhone.
-Kids at home want to watch movie X. They purchase it (using my account, ofcourse) and thus I end up paying twice for the same thing. When I get home with iPhone, I sync iPhone to the Mac and end up with 2 copies of the same movie. I wouldn't have a problem with this if the movie was a rental service.

So they're using the Mac/PC as the hub of everything where I think they should be using a WHS equivalent to centrally store all the content. They can still make it so I keep copies of everything on my Mac and when I purchase new content, this is where it goes first. But files are constatly "pushed" or "synched" to the home server, even when I'm not at home.

I see this being a major problem - for me at least with the entire iTunes-iPod-Apple TV ecosystem. I know I can add a drive to an Airport Extreme, but if Microsoft can pull something so complicated as Windows Server 2003 and sell it to consumers as simply, very simple, WHS, then I don't see why Apple can't do it.

Besides, they'll need a bunch of storage space for Time Machine anyway.

Thoughts, comments welcome
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post #2 of 13
1/15/07 at 4:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by alexluft View Post

Hey everyone, very excited about the recent announcements! Here's what I'm thinking:

-At CES, Microsoft introduced "Windows Home Server" (WHS) which backs up networked computers, etc. It's like a RAID array, but doesn't use RAID. So this is what they can offer.

-Apple, on the other hand, gives us no central storage. We must store our iTunes content on our machines - PCs/Macs. However, we do get the ability to sync a measly 40GB of our libraries to the Apple TV. Here's what I don't understand:

-Why no "over the air" purchase of iTunes content? I'm already getting a data plan with the iPhone for web browsing... why not be able to get new content on the go? In order to make this happen, they'll need to do at least 2 things software-wise:
1) Give iTunes ability to 2-way sync content b/w my Mac and my iPhone, and
2) Give me the ability to OTA sync the newly-acquired files back to my home (either to my WHS or external drive, etc.). The reason? Imagine this scenario:
-I buy movie X with iPhone.
-Kids at home want to watch movie X. They purchase it (using my account, ofcourse) and thus I end up paying twice for the same thing. When I get home with iPhone, I sync iPhone to the Mac and end up with 2 copies of the same movie. I wouldn't have a problem with this if the movie was a rental service.

So they're using the Mac/PC as the hub of everything where I think they should be using a WHS equivalent to centrally store all the content. They can still make it so I keep copies of everything on my Mac and when I purchase new content, this is where it goes first. But files are constatly "pushed" or "synched" to the home server, even when I'm not at home.

I see this being a major problem - for me at least with the entire iTunes-iPod-Apple TV ecosystem. I know I can add a drive to an Airport Extreme, but if Microsoft can pull something so complicated as Windows Server 2003 and sell it to consumers as simply, very simple, WHS, then I don't see why Apple can't do it.

Besides, they'll need a bunch of storage space for Time Machine anyway.

Thoughts, comments welcome

Yes! We desperately need Apple to come up with a home network storage server! I've been waiting a long time for this. Does Apple just not understand we have such a need??? They're losing iTunes sales, at least from me, because I have no more room on my iBook hard drive. Apple needs to give us their answer to the Windows Home Server ASAP! And Airport Extreme + USB hard drive just won't cut it. And .Mac is a joke. We need real hardware, redundancy, remote over-the-internet encrypted syncing, remote access to our files, etc.
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post #3 of 13
1/15/07 at 5:41am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Macvault View Post

Yes! We desperately need Apple to come up with a home network storage server! I've been waiting a long time for this. Does Apple just not understand we have such a need??? They're losing iTunes sales, at least from me, because I have no more room on my iBook hard drive. Apple needs to give us their answer to the Windows Home Server ASAP! And Airport Extreme + USB hard drive just won't cut it. And .Mac is a joke. We need real hardware, redundancy, remote over-the-internet encrypted syncing, remote access to our files, etc.

WOW!!! That's a super-duper way to summarize it.

P.S.: I also have an iBook and I also am not buying anything until they give me this solution!!!!!
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post #4 of 13
1/15/07 at 6:05am
I hope you guys are backing up while you're waiting.
There's no there there. But, I'm working on it.
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There's no there there. But, I'm working on it.
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post #5 of 13
1/15/07 at 6:13am
You realize you can attach any number of hard drives to the Airport Extreme, right?
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post #6 of 13
1/15/07 at 6:22am
iFridge
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post #7 of 13
1/15/07 at 6:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gregmightdothat View Post

You realize you can attach any number of hard drives to the Airport Extreme, right?

Yes. But still.. it's a joke as far as reliable, high performance network attached storage goes. Do you know the Airport Extreme does not have Gigabit Ethernet? When I read the specs I was like, "WTF!?" What is Apple thinking?
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post #8 of 13
1/15/07 at 7:54am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by gregmightdothat View Post

You realize you can attach any number of hard drives to the Airport Extreme, right?

If you read original post, it says that I infact do relize that.

Now do you realize that Windows Home Server is like a simplified RAID array for the average family who knows how to use Word (but does not actually use RAID, making it very very easy to use it?). If Microsoft can dumb it down so much while providing such great features, I bet Apple can do this as well.

And the external hard drive on the Airport Extreme doesn't allow me to stream stuff from it, does it?
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post #9 of 13
1/15/07 at 10:06am
I don't get it. You write:
Quote:
-At CES, Microsoft introduced "Windows Home Server" (WHS) which backs up networked computers, etc. It's like a RAID array, but doesn't use RAID. So this is what they can offer.

-Apple, on the other hand, gives us no central storage. We must store our iTunes content on our machines - PCs/Macs.

but then later in the same post acknowledge:

Quote:
I know I can add a drive to an Airport Extreme...

So what exactly do you want? Streaming media - why do you need streaming when you just access the files themselves directly?
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post #10 of 13
1/15/07 at 10:17am
Now you do realize that the AirPort Extreme works the exact same way, and is just as very very easy to use?
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post #11 of 13
1/15/07 at 11:00am
Thread Starter 
-A usb-attached external drive is no substitute for WHS. WHS is capable of streaming all over the home network as well as giving you access through a very simple interface to that WHS content through an online interface.

1) I want a way of CENTRALLY STORING my iTunes content. My laptop's hard disk is only so big. And even if I get 120GB swap, it will be a tight fit. So instead of storing my media on the Mac, I want to be able to store it on the Apple home server (AHS). If in some miraculous way I get a TB in my notebook, this problem will be somewhat solved. So, when I'm at home and I change my iTunes library by downloading to it, the AHS will automatically sync up with it and back it up. Later, when I'm on the go with iPhone and I buy from iTunes store, the phone will sync this new content up with my AHS. Although there is a challenge of figuring out how podcast feeds will work within this system.

2) A way to remotely access my iTunes library. Granted I don't often find myself without my iPod (and probably will have my iPhone with me all the time) but I want to be able to access my AHS with all the CURRENT CONTENT on it through the web- basically pipe through to it. This can be easily implemented over a .Mac-like interface or even be part of .Mac. Also, the iPhone won't hold my library, not even close. And unlike some people, I do tend to listen to 5000 songs at one time.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gregmightdothat View Post

Now you do realize that the AirPort Extreme works the exact same way, and is just as very very easy to use?

Emmm, AIrport Extreme doesn't do 1/3 as much as WHS. Do you want me to make you a table or a chart?
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Podcast is recorded LIVE M-S at 5:30p EST. Please subscribe. Follow me on Twitter
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post #12 of 13
1/15/07 at 11:50am
iDiot.

Proud AAPL stock owner.

 

GOA

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Proud AAPL stock owner.

 

GOA

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post #13 of 13
1/15/07 at 2:18pm
alexluft is correct. A usb-attached external drive is no substitute for WHS. Period! When is Apple going to realize this???
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