I am waiting to pull the lever on a new Apple TV but if they flipped to iOS, I would try to grab an older one from Amazon.
Makes perfect sense¡
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackintosh
Amazing how two people can listen to the same words and reach such different conclusions.
That is exactly what I was thinking. I guess if Steve said it, it must be true. You might as well buy an AppleTV now because they can't possibly be working on a new media extender because you think Jobs said so.
[/QUOTE]I guess this is how Barrack got elected.[/QUOTE]
And there we have this troll's agenda. <ignore list>
I dont see any real analysis going on in this article...
Personally, I think almost all the responses here are missing something. All of us are earnestly putting thought into this, but it all sounds like conventional thought.
I recall something about a remark that said that Mac market share is a rounding error: conventional thought.
I remember something about Apple can't build any kind of successful phone because they never have and have no idea how to: conventional thought.
I remember a general feeling that no one can build a successful tablet: conventional thought.
Now we're all lumping various combinations of what we see, or want to see, in our living rooms into what Apple should or shouldn't do: conventional thought. We're working with what pretty much already exists. Think outside the box (gad, a pun).
A few posts here did mention things like communication. Mom and dad sitting in the living room seeing the new grandchild via HD FaceTime. Somehow, I belive that if we can think it up, Apple is already past that.
I don't know what Steve and Apple are up to. But I hold a very high expectation that it's not conventional and we'll all wonder how we ever got along without it and why no one ever did it before. I can hardly wait. This is going to be fun and exciting.
If anyone in their right mind thinks an Apple TV, integrated into a TV or not, could possibly replace that big stack of stuff in the Piper illustration, they're massively deluded.
How will an ATV replace an audio receiver for example? Will it amplify Dolby True HD and DTS Master and have a big row of 7.1 speaker terminals? Somehow, I suspect not.
Will an ATV replace an Xbox 360 or a PS3? I'm sure it will play casual games and the like, but will an ATV be hosting the latest Halo, GTA, God of War, or Gran Turismo anytime soon? Again, I suspect not. Gaming in particular requires absolutely massive investment and commitment on all fronts which Apple have never shown the slightest bit of interest in. That the iPhone has proved popular for small scale gaming happened by accident, and it's an epic leap to take that up to the level Microsoft, Sony, and even Nintendo operate on.
And then there's the issue of replacing the humble DVR/Cable set-top box. Obviously this will depend on content and pricing, which Apple are currently miles behind on. I realise things are a little better in the US, but here in the UK the iTunes store is barren, grotesquely over priced, and usually not in even 720p, let alone 1080i or 1080p. Even if Apple was committed on this front would the providers play ball? What's in it for them to lessen the appeal of their own TV channels and platforms by offering everything a la carte to Apple?
Jobs was right when he said there was no way to break into this market.
You suspect a lot of things but I don't see a lot of facts to back it up. The little graphic in the article is misleading however, as you rightly point out.
I've noticed this trend here lately (a la "roughly drafted"), to put these graphical explanations in the articles and while some of them are indeed illustrative, they are all un-sourced so we don't really know who made them or whether to trust them. Half the time it's not clear what they are really supposed to show. I wish the author would at least put a sub-title on them so we at least know what they are supposed to represent and whether the author of the article created it or the source the article is based on. This one says "source Piper Jaffray," but I've never seen graphics like that from them before. Is it a graphic *based* on Piper Jaffray stats? Is it a graphic actually drawn by them? Who knows?
You're right that an Apple TV is not going to replace the speakers but it could easily replace the amplifier. Despite the prices, there isn't any technology in an amp that wasn't perfected decades ago. Like cars, they are mostly sold on looks, "features" (as opposed to features), and ridiculous amounts of power that aren't actually needed.
I think you are wrong about gaming. The distinction between casual gaming and X-Box gaming is a social distinction, not a technological one. X-Box and PSP quality games are capable of running on an iPhone today and the technology is ramping up very quickly indeed. The biggest barrier to Apple taking over from X-Box is the social disconnect between the 20 something shooter crowd and Apple's corporate culture of Christian goodness.
I think Apple might win in the end though simply because (as has been handily proven by the immense popularity of iPhone games), the "casual" gaming market is orders of magnitude larger than the X-Box type gaming market. Game companies have long focussed on these stunted adolescents and the killer/shooter evil type games they enjoy and ignored the rest of the market. The general idea for years has been that if you are "into" gaming, you like those games and own either an X-Box or a PS-2/3. It now seems however, like there is a large sleeping market of regular folks who like playing games but don't necessarily fall into that category.
This is just not going to happen. Apple can't be bothered to make monitors for their computers anymore (only one 27" model will be available soon) so why would they start making TVs. Doesn't make any sense.
I think instead the next AppleTV will be more like AirPort Express. Plug it in near your flat screen TV with a cable linking it to a HDMI port on your TV. Then access your iTunes library via your TV with content stored locally on an Apple TimeCapsule, any iOS device or in the cloud via an internet connection.
[/QUOTE]I guess this is how Barrack got elected.[/QUOTE]
And there we have this troll's agenda. <ignore list>[/QUOTE]
Of course you will. You don't agree and instead of responding with arguments of logic, you're going to stick your head in the sand and ignore me. Like I care.
I would tell you exactly who and what you are, but if I did speak such a truth I would be banned, and you would miss me, so I will only say, "Yes, I agree with you."
It's been more than two years I have HDTV via internet and I pay CHF 30 which is US $ 28.91.
As usual, the Americans are way behind on technology so in order to catch up with others they come with Apple TV and a service that's only available in America, not even Canada... like Hulu etc. Hulu is gay anyway...
The reason? Some sort of stupid and primitive TV law that forbids you from broadcasting the most interesting TV shows internationally, then they wonder why there is so much piracy... Yeah, well guess what, with a little bit of online research people will figure out how to download an HD episode for free in a matter of minutes and put it on their HD streaming devices and watch them on their HDTVs... So if you ever wonder why there is so much piracy, it's because of some unreasonable people who are only interested in coming up with pointless laws restricting and complicating entertainment.
There is something to this. There is still a lot of restrictions in distribution, and almost no sign that it is going to change with zoning on DVDs and regional licenses unchanged this year, the year and the year before that. Nothing has changed that I can see for the better. Until the content on aTV is as ubiquitous as the open internet to get the television you want it's tough to see how one box will ever do all.
As with the iPad, iPhone and this, the absolute key is to get the content right. It's a work in progress with iPad I think. Apple have shown that they want to sell devices and aren't too worried about making big money from media at the moment but they need to spend every day beating down the door of the media companies dragging them into the present.
NO, it hasn't. Apple dealt with it very well, by keeping quiet, then making a one off statement - "it's BS, now shut up about it". That was enough for Jo Ordinary, that plus that fact that only a very small percentage of people exhibit the antenna or proximity sensor issue. The devices are still sold out, Apple share price is fine and it's still a must have item. Apple couldn't sell any more than they are doing and production barely seems to be keeping up.
You see your friend has an iPhone - how is it? Amazing? Any Problems? No.
That undoes all of the unfounded media hysteria. People are over this now. It's why the new android phone with similar issue won't be a big story.
I don't have any problem with my iPhone 4 because I like in an area with good ATT coverage. So does my friend. That doesn't mean I disbelieve everyone else who says they have an issue. That's the difference between me and other posters here. I am willing to be convinced of just about anything so long as there is a compelling argument for it.
As far as Antenna Gate is concerned, it doesn't really matter if it was real or not. It's other people's perception that matters. As far as being sold out is concerned, that is because Apple can't execute. The fact that they are still sold out today is proof of that.
When it comes to Apple, there brand image is one of expensive toys that look great and work properly. This makes Joe Ordinary think "no way I'm going to pay that much" or "I'm willing to pay but I had better have a great experience for my money."
Now the forces of darkness start spreading stories that the antenna is no good, add that on top of Joe Ordinary's perception that ATT has a crap network and you have a recipe of doubt that might make someone sitting on the fence change their mind about Apple products. Then they head down the road to the Verizon store. Android still has a good rep right now because the media has not decided to "have a go" at them as they did to Apple.
Did we learn anything? Awaiting logical arguments about how I am soooo wrong about everything.
It's all about the content, content, content. Let me buy cable channels ala carte, and I'm in. Hate my comcast box, and it is way overprisced. There are maybe a couple things I like to get out of it (mostly live sports in HD) but I have to buy all this other crapola to get to that. If Apple can offer a viable alternative, I'm in.
Ironic the content would be coming over my cable modem tho.
Mention iMac or Snow Leopard or Apple TV to the average Joe and they have no idea what you mean. Like it our not, outside of the Apple community, most people know of Apple as "that company that makes iPods and iPhones." This is true in America and especially other countries.
Whether they deserve it or not, the iPhone 4 has given Apple a black eye and it has hurt their brand name. If anyone was thinking of delving deeper into the Apple ecosystem, they would think twice after dropping calls all over the place.
For this reason, I too mourn the loss of the former Apple Computer company. They have morphed in to a company that cares about consumer devices for idiot teenagers who have nothing to do all day but walking across the street texting while B Bopping to the latest Lady Gaga symphony.
I am not an average consumer, however, I do know many people- including "idiot teenagers who have nothing to do all day but walking across the street texting" who are infact "average consumers" and they are much more intelligant than you give them credit for. They all know what apple is, yes they make iPods and iPhones- but they also know that they make Macs and pro software such as Logic and Final Cut.
I just can't see it happening - content producers are going to play hard ball and make life as difficult as possible for Apple, which in turn will make Apple look bad as the TV will have very limited content.
I think that's already in progress. The number of new movie releases on iTunes/AppleTV has slowed to a trickle in the last few months.
BTW, 1080p is very nice but I'm not sure that it's necessary. The displays I have do a great job of upscaling from 720p. I can see the difference between the two, but it doesn't seem to make a huge difference once the show starts rolling.
I do desperately need a totally simple, invisible way of using a central server to backup and serve content among the multitude of Apple devices in my household (one PC, three Macbook Pros, three iPads, three AppleTVs, three iPhones and one iPod).
Currently there are a distressingly large number of repeat purchases each month. It shouldn't matter who ordered what on which device. I need content to automatically be available on all devices in the household without holding training classes.
And there we have this troll's agenda. <ignore list>
Of course you will. You don't agree and instead of responding with arguments of logic, you're going to stick your head in the sand and ignore me. Like I care.
Will all you clowns please stop throwing turds at each-other?
In addition to the ignore list, this place does need a post-rating system. Say a thumbs-up or thumbs-down; posts with a 75% thumbs-down get deleted.
And thumbs-down to all the politics and personal barbs above.
I am not an average consumer, however, I do know many people- including "idiot teenagers who have nothing to do all day but walking across the street texting" who are infact "average consumers" and they are much more intelligant than you give them credit for. They all know what apple is, yes they make iPods and iPhones- but they also know that they make Macs and pro software such as Logic and Final Cut.
Well, that's good. I'm very glad to hear that teenagers are smarter in your neck of the woods then they are in mine. Especially since they will be taking care of me in my rapidly approaching old age.
I guess I am completely and totally wrong about everything and my comments are, as usual, wasted on the posters here. Bye.
I'm looking forward to Sept. even more now with all this hype and news about a product i would buy if they beefed it up. Which it sounds like they will eventually. A good frist start would be to put a modified version of the iOS on the aTV. Include internet browsing, the ability to control the aTV from a iPhone/Touch or include a Wii-style remote with fold-out keyboard. Man, would the App Store sales shine after introducing that.
Now, with iTunes subscription services. Well, sounds like a missed opportunity for Apple. I have the Netflix account that's unlimited rentals @ 3 at a time for 18 bucks and i can't see how Apple can't compete with that, and we watch 3 DVD's per week on minimum. Maybe by shifting the focus to live and new streaming content will iTunes be able to compete. But then there's HULU and others, not to mention most networks broadcast their current shows streaming for free as well.
Sure my cable bill is about $85 a month (maybe higher), but Apple couldn't possible work out deals with all the programs that i watch. they only contain about 25%-30% of the show i watch anyway, and they don't even have all the seasons of those shows.
Now for the future Apple Television (as not to be confused with the box). Well, that seems like a market that Apple doesn't want to mess with if you ask my opinion. The TV market is way too saturated and seems like Apple would just loose out, they may cater to the upper 10% of the market, and they may be happy with that. But to come into the game this late, just sounds like a waste of time. What could Apple possibly offer than nobody else has already figured out? Yes, integration with the computer is coming, but i've been hearing that story for about 6-7 years already and haven't seen anything really promising.
The TV and Home Entertainment hardware industry is too flexible on price than i believe Apple is willing to compete with. Look at the prices of HDTV's since 2005. I bought a 37" flat panel HDTV in 2005 for $2300. Today you can buy one almost identical, save for some updated features like internet access, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc built-in. It can cost you around 50-70% of the 2005 figures.
Now, looking at the History of how Apple prices it's devices, I just don't see the same flexibility. Apple's Hardware prices (save for the iPod and iPhone) have been relatively stable in the last 5 years. The iMac, MacBooks have all been priced at a point where they have gone down a little, but not 50%. The home entertainment hardware industry is way too cut-throat on price for Apple. Granted this is a company that primarily caters to the upper echelon markets, but with the invention of the iPod and the iPhone, that has changed slightly.
Personally, i'd rather see Apple tackle the HT STB first before diving into TV's. If they charged $2000 for a TV that replaced all our components, it would have to be pretty darn compelling. There are too many video/audio-philes out there (even in the base market) that would not buy into this. Look at Bose. They have tried over the past 20 years to simplify the Home theater down to it's basic components, not without a struggle, and even now their product still don't sell the kind of numbers that Apple would need to stay competitive in this market.
Think of all the different technologies Apple would have to invest in to make a quality product. Blu-ray (which SJ has been known to frown on physical media), Surround Sound receiver and amplification technology, TV HD tuner technology, etc. That's a lot of junk under the hood, and i'm not sure how willing Ives and Jobs are to play with all these different technologies. Plus, like computers, the monitor is the last thing that ever needs to be replaced. A STB is much more likely. I could see an STB, like what Sony and Bose are trying to market (with relative degrees of success).
Show me a STB that replaced my Cable, Blu-ray, Surrond sound revicer and Game Console (which i own none since my computer works better for gaming), and i would be curious, but not 100% convinced.
I have netflix on my 52" TV but its completely useless for me because I am in Canada and it doesnt works here. So, Apple should just add Itunes access in every new TV (from all manufacturers) to counter GoogleTV and they would have a HUGE internationnal edge because they are already running Itunes in many countries, unlike Netflix, Hulu or GoogleTV which only have rights to stream to a US IP. And an Itunes plan should cost less than 20 per month or it wont work.
Negociations to stream TV/movie within a country is a tendious an complicated process that Apple has already done.
And, has an "hobby", they could produce there own TV sets with integrated "appleTV" and I pretty sure they would sell just because its Apple. imo they need to target the "small" TV sets market if they do it because a "clean" setup for "other rooms" tv's would probably sell.
Seems like the aesthetic goal of this for Apple is to have a clean looking TV without a bunch of boxes attached to it. Yet paradoxically Apple likes to tell consumers what they want, so that's all this would include.
That's not going to fly in entertainment, and people will still connect PS3's and what not to it, defeating its main purpose, which is to remove the whole set top box issue for a cleaner layout. If they want to make an OS for a TV... well that could be cool. I'm not paying $2000 for that though.
They have morphed in to a company that cares about consumer devices for idiot teenagers who have nothing to do all day but walking across the street texting while B Bopping to the latest Lady Gaga symphony.
There's a LOT of idiot teenagers who have money. And there parents.
And besides, those 'idiots" use other apps too, like YouTube.
Seems like the aesthetic goal of this for Apple is to have a clean looking TV without a bunch of boxes attached to it. Yet paradoxically Apple likes to tell consumers what they want, so that's all this would include.
That's not going to fly in entertainment, and people will still connect PS3's and what not to it, defeating its main purpose, which is to remove the whole set top box issue for a cleaner layout. If they want to make an OS for a TV... well that could be cool. I'm not paying $2000 for that though.
yeah, and if you follow Google at all, their Android OS for TVs and STBs might be more what you're looking at.
What I can see are possible AppleTV types: 1) One built into the new Mac Mini case with a HDD for local storage designed for your main big screen TV. 2) A cheap, simple device for streaming that one could feasibly put on all the other TVs in the house. 3) A device that "connects" to the back of any and all TVs that wish to participate by way of a universal plug and clamps.[/QUOTE]
All we really need is a good hookup to Apple's servers. The iPhone really took off when Steve invented the App Store, and I think that He could do it again with TV if he made it really easy to buy content. Subscriptions to all my favorite shows would be CHEAPER than buying those hurting BluRay disks at the end of each season.
Comments
I am waiting to pull the lever on a new Apple TV but if they flipped to iOS, I would try to grab an older one from Amazon.
Makes perfect sense¡
Amazing how two people can listen to the same words and reach such different conclusions.
That is exactly what I was thinking. I guess if Steve said it, it must be true. You might as well buy an AppleTV now because they can't possibly be working on a new media extender because you think Jobs said so.
[/QUOTE]I guess this is how Barrack got elected.[/QUOTE]
And there we have this troll's agenda. <ignore list>
I dont see any real analysis going on in this article...
Personally, I think almost all the responses here are missing something. All of us are earnestly putting thought into this, but it all sounds like conventional thought.
I recall something about a remark that said that Mac market share is a rounding error: conventional thought.
I remember something about Apple can't build any kind of successful phone because they never have and have no idea how to: conventional thought.
I remember a general feeling that no one can build a successful tablet: conventional thought.
Now we're all lumping various combinations of what we see, or want to see, in our living rooms into what Apple should or shouldn't do: conventional thought. We're working with what pretty much already exists. Think outside the box (gad, a pun).
A few posts here did mention things like communication. Mom and dad sitting in the living room seeing the new grandchild via HD FaceTime. Somehow, I belive that if we can think it up, Apple is already past that.
I don't know what Steve and Apple are up to. But I hold a very high expectation that it's not conventional and we'll all wonder how we ever got along without it and why no one ever did it before. I can hardly wait. This is going to be fun and exciting.
If anyone in their right mind thinks an Apple TV, integrated into a TV or not, could possibly replace that big stack of stuff in the Piper illustration, they're massively deluded.
How will an ATV replace an audio receiver for example? Will it amplify Dolby True HD and DTS Master and have a big row of 7.1 speaker terminals? Somehow, I suspect not.
Will an ATV replace an Xbox 360 or a PS3? I'm sure it will play casual games and the like, but will an ATV be hosting the latest Halo, GTA, God of War, or Gran Turismo anytime soon? Again, I suspect not. Gaming in particular requires absolutely massive investment and commitment on all fronts which Apple have never shown the slightest bit of interest in. That the iPhone has proved popular for small scale gaming happened by accident, and it's an epic leap to take that up to the level Microsoft, Sony, and even Nintendo operate on.
And then there's the issue of replacing the humble DVR/Cable set-top box. Obviously this will depend on content and pricing, which Apple are currently miles behind on. I realise things are a little better in the US, but here in the UK the iTunes store is barren, grotesquely over priced, and usually not in even 720p, let alone 1080i or 1080p. Even if Apple was committed on this front would the providers play ball? What's in it for them to lessen the appeal of their own TV channels and platforms by offering everything a la carte to Apple?
Jobs was right when he said there was no way to break into this market.
You suspect a lot of things but I don't see a lot of facts to back it up. The little graphic in the article is misleading however, as you rightly point out.
I've noticed this trend here lately (a la "roughly drafted"), to put these graphical explanations in the articles and while some of them are indeed illustrative, they are all un-sourced so we don't really know who made them or whether to trust them. Half the time it's not clear what they are really supposed to show. I wish the author would at least put a sub-title on them so we at least know what they are supposed to represent and whether the author of the article created it or the source the article is based on. This one says "source Piper Jaffray," but I've never seen graphics like that from them before. Is it a graphic *based* on Piper Jaffray stats? Is it a graphic actually drawn by them? Who knows?
You're right that an Apple TV is not going to replace the speakers but it could easily replace the amplifier. Despite the prices, there isn't any technology in an amp that wasn't perfected decades ago. Like cars, they are mostly sold on looks, "features" (as opposed to features), and ridiculous amounts of power that aren't actually needed.
I think you are wrong about gaming. The distinction between casual gaming and X-Box gaming is a social distinction, not a technological one. X-Box and PSP quality games are capable of running on an iPhone today and the technology is ramping up very quickly indeed. The biggest barrier to Apple taking over from X-Box is the social disconnect between the 20 something shooter crowd and Apple's corporate culture of Christian goodness.
I think Apple might win in the end though simply because (as has been handily proven by the immense popularity of iPhone games), the "casual" gaming market is orders of magnitude larger than the X-Box type gaming market. Game companies have long focussed on these stunted adolescents and the killer/shooter evil type games they enjoy and ignored the rest of the market. The general idea for years has been that if you are "into" gaming, you like those games and own either an X-Box or a PS-2/3. It now seems however, like there is a large sleeping market of regular folks who like playing games but don't necessarily fall into that category.
I think instead the next AppleTV will be more like AirPort Express. Plug it in near your flat screen TV with a cable linking it to a HDMI port on your TV. Then access your iTunes library via your TV with content stored locally on an Apple TimeCapsule, any iOS device or in the cloud via an internet connection.
And there we have this troll's agenda. <ignore list>[/QUOTE]
Of course you will. You don't agree and instead of responding with arguments of logic, you're going to stick your head in the sand and ignore me. Like I care.
I would tell you exactly who and what you are, but if I did speak such a truth I would be banned, and you would miss me, so I will only say, "Yes, I agree with you."
It's been more than two years I have HDTV via internet and I pay CHF 30 which is US $ 28.91.
As usual, the Americans are way behind on technology so in order to catch up with others they come with Apple TV and a service that's only available in America, not even Canada... like Hulu etc. Hulu is gay anyway...
The reason? Some sort of stupid and primitive TV law that forbids you from broadcasting the most interesting TV shows internationally, then they wonder why there is so much piracy... Yeah, well guess what, with a little bit of online research people will figure out how to download an HD episode for free in a matter of minutes and put it on their HD streaming devices and watch them on their HDTVs... So if you ever wonder why there is so much piracy, it's because of some unreasonable people who are only interested in coming up with pointless laws restricting and complicating entertainment.
There is something to this. There is still a lot of restrictions in distribution, and almost no sign that it is going to change with zoning on DVDs and regional licenses unchanged this year, the year and the year before that. Nothing has changed that I can see for the better. Until the content on aTV is as ubiquitous as the open internet to get the television you want it's tough to see how one box will ever do all.
As with the iPad, iPhone and this, the absolute key is to get the content right. It's a work in progress with iPad I think. Apple have shown that they want to sell devices and aren't too worried about making big money from media at the moment but they need to spend every day beating down the door of the media companies dragging them into the present.
NO, it hasn't. Apple dealt with it very well, by keeping quiet, then making a one off statement - "it's BS, now shut up about it". That was enough for Jo Ordinary, that plus that fact that only a very small percentage of people exhibit the antenna or proximity sensor issue. The devices are still sold out, Apple share price is fine and it's still a must have item. Apple couldn't sell any more than they are doing and production barely seems to be keeping up.
You see your friend has an iPhone - how is it? Amazing? Any Problems? No.
That undoes all of the unfounded media hysteria. People are over this now. It's why the new android phone with similar issue won't be a big story.
I don't have any problem with my iPhone 4 because I like in an area with good ATT coverage. So does my friend. That doesn't mean I disbelieve everyone else who says they have an issue. That's the difference between me and other posters here. I am willing to be convinced of just about anything so long as there is a compelling argument for it.
As far as Antenna Gate is concerned, it doesn't really matter if it was real or not. It's other people's perception that matters. As far as being sold out is concerned, that is because Apple can't execute. The fact that they are still sold out today is proof of that.
When it comes to Apple, there brand image is one of expensive toys that look great and work properly. This makes Joe Ordinary think "no way I'm going to pay that much" or "I'm willing to pay but I had better have a great experience for my money."
Now the forces of darkness start spreading stories that the antenna is no good, add that on top of Joe Ordinary's perception that ATT has a crap network and you have a recipe of doubt that might make someone sitting on the fence change their mind about Apple products. Then they head down the road to the Verizon store. Android still has a good rep right now because the media has not decided to "have a go" at them as they did to Apple.
Did we learn anything? Awaiting logical arguments about how I am soooo wrong about everything.
Ironic the content would be coming over my cable modem tho.
Mention iMac or Snow Leopard or Apple TV to the average Joe and they have no idea what you mean. Like it our not, outside of the Apple community, most people know of Apple as "that company that makes iPods and iPhones." This is true in America and especially other countries.
Whether they deserve it or not, the iPhone 4 has given Apple a black eye and it has hurt their brand name. If anyone was thinking of delving deeper into the Apple ecosystem, they would think twice after dropping calls all over the place.
For this reason, I too mourn the loss of the former Apple Computer company. They have morphed in to a company that cares about consumer devices for idiot teenagers who have nothing to do all day but walking across the street texting while B Bopping to the latest Lady Gaga symphony.
I am not an average consumer, however, I do know many people- including "idiot teenagers who have nothing to do all day but walking across the street texting" who are infact "average consumers" and they are much more intelligant than you give them credit for. They all know what apple is, yes they make iPods and iPhones- but they also know that they make Macs and pro software such as Logic and Final Cut.
I just can't see it happening - content producers are going to play hard ball and make life as difficult as possible for Apple, which in turn will make Apple look bad as the TV will have very limited content.
I think that's already in progress. The number of new movie releases on iTunes/AppleTV has slowed to a trickle in the last few months.
BTW, 1080p is very nice but I'm not sure that it's necessary. The displays I have do a great job of upscaling from 720p. I can see the difference between the two, but it doesn't seem to make a huge difference once the show starts rolling.
I do desperately need a totally simple, invisible way of using a central server to backup and serve content among the multitude of Apple devices in my household (one PC, three Macbook Pros, three iPads, three AppleTVs, three iPhones and one iPod).
Currently there are a distressingly large number of repeat purchases each month. It shouldn't matter who ordered what on which device. I need content to automatically be available on all devices in the household without holding training classes.
I guess this is how Barrack got elected.
And there we have this troll's agenda. <ignore list>
Of course you will. You don't agree and instead of responding with arguments of logic, you're going to stick your head in the sand and ignore me. Like I care.
Will all you clowns please stop throwing turds at each-other?
In addition to the ignore list, this place does need a post-rating system. Say a thumbs-up or thumbs-down; posts with a 75% thumbs-down get deleted.
And thumbs-down to all the politics and personal barbs above.
I am not an average consumer, however, I do know many people- including "idiot teenagers who have nothing to do all day but walking across the street texting" who are infact "average consumers" and they are much more intelligant than you give them credit for. They all know what apple is, yes they make iPods and iPhones- but they also know that they make Macs and pro software such as Logic and Final Cut.
Well, that's good. I'm very glad to hear that teenagers are smarter in your neck of the woods then they are in mine. Especially since they will be taking care of me in my rapidly approaching old age.
I guess I am completely and totally wrong about everything and my comments are, as usual, wasted on the posters here. Bye.
Now, with iTunes subscription services. Well, sounds like a missed opportunity for Apple. I have the Netflix account that's unlimited rentals @ 3 at a time for 18 bucks and i can't see how Apple can't compete with that, and we watch 3 DVD's per week on minimum. Maybe by shifting the focus to live and new streaming content will iTunes be able to compete. But then there's HULU and others, not to mention most networks broadcast their current shows streaming for free as well.
Sure my cable bill is about $85 a month (maybe higher), but Apple couldn't possible work out deals with all the programs that i watch. they only contain about 25%-30% of the show i watch anyway, and they don't even have all the seasons of those shows.
Now for the future Apple Television (as not to be confused with the box). Well, that seems like a market that Apple doesn't want to mess with if you ask my opinion. The TV market is way too saturated and seems like Apple would just loose out, they may cater to the upper 10% of the market, and they may be happy with that. But to come into the game this late, just sounds like a waste of time. What could Apple possibly offer than nobody else has already figured out? Yes, integration with the computer is coming, but i've been hearing that story for about 6-7 years already and haven't seen anything really promising.
The TV and Home Entertainment hardware industry is too flexible on price than i believe Apple is willing to compete with. Look at the prices of HDTV's since 2005. I bought a 37" flat panel HDTV in 2005 for $2300. Today you can buy one almost identical, save for some updated features like internet access, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc built-in. It can cost you around 50-70% of the 2005 figures.
Now, looking at the History of how Apple prices it's devices, I just don't see the same flexibility. Apple's Hardware prices (save for the iPod and iPhone) have been relatively stable in the last 5 years. The iMac, MacBooks have all been priced at a point where they have gone down a little, but not 50%. The home entertainment hardware industry is way too cut-throat on price for Apple. Granted this is a company that primarily caters to the upper echelon markets, but with the invention of the iPod and the iPhone, that has changed slightly.
Personally, i'd rather see Apple tackle the HT STB first before diving into TV's. If they charged $2000 for a TV that replaced all our components, it would have to be pretty darn compelling. There are too many video/audio-philes out there (even in the base market) that would not buy into this. Look at Bose. They have tried over the past 20 years to simplify the Home theater down to it's basic components, not without a struggle, and even now their product still don't sell the kind of numbers that Apple would need to stay competitive in this market.
Think of all the different technologies Apple would have to invest in to make a quality product. Blu-ray (which SJ has been known to frown on physical media), Surround Sound receiver and amplification technology, TV HD tuner technology, etc. That's a lot of junk under the hood, and i'm not sure how willing Ives and Jobs are to play with all these different technologies. Plus, like computers, the monitor is the last thing that ever needs to be replaced. A STB is much more likely. I could see an STB, like what Sony and Bose are trying to market (with relative degrees of success).
Show me a STB that replaced my Cable, Blu-ray, Surrond sound revicer and Game Console (which i own none since my computer works better for gaming), and i would be curious, but not 100% convinced.
Negociations to stream TV/movie within a country is a tendious an complicated process that Apple has already done.
And, has an "hobby", they could produce there own TV sets with integrated "appleTV" and I pretty sure they would sell just because its Apple. imo they need to target the "small" TV sets market if they do it because a "clean" setup for "other rooms" tv's would probably sell.
That's not going to fly in entertainment, and people will still connect PS3's and what not to it, defeating its main purpose, which is to remove the whole set top box issue for a cleaner layout. If they want to make an OS for a TV... well that could be cool. I'm not paying $2000 for that though.
They have morphed in to a company that cares about consumer devices for idiot teenagers who have nothing to do all day but walking across the street texting while B Bopping to the latest Lady Gaga symphony.
There's a LOT of idiot teenagers who have money. And there parents.
And besides, those 'idiots" use other apps too, like YouTube.
Seems like the aesthetic goal of this for Apple is to have a clean looking TV without a bunch of boxes attached to it. Yet paradoxically Apple likes to tell consumers what they want, so that's all this would include.
That's not going to fly in entertainment, and people will still connect PS3's and what not to it, defeating its main purpose, which is to remove the whole set top box issue for a cleaner layout. If they want to make an OS for a TV... well that could be cool. I'm not paying $2000 for that though.
yeah, and if you follow Google at all, their Android OS for TVs and STBs might be more what you're looking at.
http://www.google.com/tv/
What I can see are possible AppleTV types: 1) One built into the new Mac Mini case with a HDD for local storage designed for your main big screen TV. 2) A cheap, simple device for streaming that one could feasibly put on all the other TVs in the house. 3) A device that "connects" to the back of any and all TVs that wish to participate by way of a universal plug and clamps.[/QUOTE]
All we really need is a good hookup to Apple's servers. The iPhone really took off when Steve invented the App Store, and I think that He could do it again with TV if he made it really easy to buy content. Subscriptions to all my favorite shows would be CHEAPER than buying those hurting BluRay disks at the end of each season.
I will take your post as a personal victory for the logical point of view.
The way you hate anything Apple is not logical.