Well the apple tv is $99. In addition, many people aren't "hard core" gamers to justify getting a game console. You can't play bluray on the 360 either.
I tried out video mirroring on my iPhone 4S for the first time last night. Games designed for the Retina display look better than either the Xbox360 or PS3.
I think people have missed the point that with AirPlay, Apple doesn't need to put games on the Apple TV itself...
According to Apple you don't need physical media. "but what about home movies.". You ask? How do you share them with you're family in hi def quality?
You take your iPhone or iPad over to their house and use AirPlay. Or you do what most people do - upload to FaceBook
Quote:
Simple. Use the MobileMe web gallery. But you had better hurry. You only have a few months left before they kill that too.
Yup, because nothing ever changes... With the aforementioned upload to facebook, youtube, vimeo and the plethora of other alternatives (including AirPlay) why exactly did Apple need to continue with MobileMe? Like it or not, users of gallery or web sites on Mobile.Me were a minority. And lest you think I'm happy about it going away, I'm not since I used those features too. But I also realize I'm in the minority and there is a plethora of readily available alternatives - many are free to boot.
I can't speak for the SonyPS, but the interface on the Xbox360 is visual barf and puts me in an instant bad mood.
I just don't understand how so many companies can't make a decent U.I. that is visually pleasing. Is there only one formula and only Apple can figure it out? It perplexes me. It must be very difficult.
Seriously? This thing?
From a software perspective the Apple TV contains the least amount of innovation I've ever seen Apple put into any product they have ever made.
The Apple TV UI is an evolved Front Row that itself was a clone of Media Center from 4 years earlier.
Granted Media Center hasn't changed much in 10 years either...
...but when you compare those two to the Xbox 360 dashboard (which can be controlled via remote, motion, voice or the Windows Phone companion app) it's not hard to see who is pushing the 10 foot interface forward at the moment.
From a software perspective the Apple TV contains the least amount of innovation I've ever seen Apple put into any product they have ever made.
The Apple TV UI is an evolved Front Row that itself was a clone of Media Center from 4 years earlier.
Granted Media Center hasn't changed much in 10 years either...
...but when you compare those two to the Xbox 360 dashboard (which can be controlled via remote, motion, voice or the Windows Phone companion app) it's not hard to see who is pushing the 10 foot interface forward at the moment.
HBOGo... Im so freaking jealous. Why apple... Why?!?
Until Apple themselves say to the telecoms, "Your customers get to choose whatever plan they want when they use an iPhone or you don't get to carry it," nothing WILL change. But they'll never say that. So we'll never have that.
I must have hallucinated those unlocked iPhone 4s that were for sale
Nope! Still there:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple Store Website
About the Unlocked iPhone
The unlocked iPhone includes all the features of iPhone but without a contract commitment. You can activate and use it on the supported GSM wireless network of your choice, such as AT&T in the United States.* The unlocked iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S will not work with CDMA-based carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint.
If you don’t want a multiyear service contract or if you prefer to use a local carrier when traveling abroad, the unlocked iPhone is the best choice. It arrives without a micro-SIM card, so you’ll need an active micro-SIM card from any supported GSM carrier worldwide. To start using it, simply insert the micro-SIM card into the slot on your iPhone and turn it on by pressing and holding the On/Off button for a few seconds. Then follow the onscreen instructions to set up your iPhone.
Special Financing Offer.
Buy your unlocked iPhone with financing. Apply for instant approval and pay no interest for up to 12 months if paid in full. Restrictions Apply.
HBOGo... Im so freaking jealous. Why apple... Why?!?
You and Firefly7475 should realize these deals for HBOGO and other channels/networks are new to the 360. You guys make it sound it like it's been there since day one.
Yup - because for all the "pizzaz" of the other interfaces you show, once you get past the eye candy and try to actually use them it's a confusing mis-mash of nested menu's and arbitrary gropings of unrelated functions. And yes, I own and use all three of the boxes.
The Xbox is the worst. I haven't fired it up to update to the latest dashboard so I may have to eat my words, but I'm not too worried based on MS's past and consistent incompetence
You and Firefly7475 should realize these deals for HBOGO and other channels/networks are new to the 360. You guys make it sound it like it's been there since day one.
Of course that stuff is new, but we can't ignore the new stuff in the context I was making my comment. That would be like someone complaining the iOS UI sucks because it doesn't have copy & paste.
Of course that stuff is new, but we can't ignore the new stuff in the context I was making my comment. That would be like someone complaining the iOS UI sucks because it doesn't have copy & paste.
Well, if HBO GO missing was a simple technical problem like copy and paste, they might be comparable. Since it's not a technical but business problem, it's not entirely in Apple's control to make what some people see as obvious happen.
1. the PS3 isn't noisy, neither of mines make much noise at all.
2. PS3 isn't an energy whore, the first gen was, but so is the first gen Apple TV
3. I have the first gen AppleTV, it isn't that tiny
4. You mean just like the PS3? All my videos play fine on my AppleTV, PS3 and iPods
5. What's that, my Apple TV doesn't have anything called Airplay on it, Apple dumped it and no longer adds features, unlike Sony that is still providing firmware updates for my 2007 european release PS3
I know what you mean about the power usage, I have unplugged my first gen AppleTV because it uses so much power, and except for pulling the power there is no way of physically turning it off.
1. PS3 makes a noise. Apple TV2 is silent. Sorry, the PS3 uses a fucktonne of energy. The A4 in the Apple TV2 uses little. PS3 slim uses between 75 and 95 watts, ATV uses 16-19 watts. ATV2 uses 6 watts max.
3. Apple TV2 is tiny
4. They play with only stereo audio on ps3
5. The article is reference to the Apple TV2 seeing as they no longer make the first. It's only $99 for a new more efficient environmentally friendly ATV2
For a video playback device a console is overkill, on size, noise and power consumption. Its for this reason I got Apple TV2's for the kids rooms, rather than using their consoles. Now we have 3 ATV2 in total.
I don't know why anyone would buy AppleTV when Xbox 360 and PS3 do so much more. And let's face it, the way to get content on to AppleTV is also less than ideal - where is the USB slot or the Blu Ray drive?
There must be a lot of "professional" game players out there. My question is why would anyone older than an eighth grader want a Xbox or PS3?. Isn't there some line that says to become an adult, you have to put away childish toys?
I tried out video mirroring on my iPhone 4S for the first time last night. Games designed for the Retina display look better than either the Xbox360 or PS3.
Of course that stuff is new, but we can't ignore the new stuff in the context I was making my comment. That would be like someone complaining the iOS UI sucks because it doesn't have copy & paste.
I think you might have a valid argument to make but saying that iOS doesn't have copy/paste isn't one.
It's looking like deals with content owners, distributors and networks are the next step, as well as distributors creating original programming. We should see more at CES and hopefully see what Apple brings to the table a month or so after that. But that's all beside the point, right now we can we can compare some of these services. Take Netflix as a great example. You make a pejorative "Seriously? Thing thing?" comment followed by "least amount of innovation" statement yet it's the best interface for accessing Netflix from an HEC media extender. For my money I want something done right, not something that can do everyone poorly.
Well, if HBO GO missing was a simple technical problem like copy and paste, they might be comparable. Since it's not a technical but business problem, it's not entirely in Apple's control to make what some people see as obvious happen.
HBOGO is an iOS app.... It's 'seems' largely an Apple issue to put existing 'content' apps on the ATV. Although there is airplay mirroring.
While I use it a lot for airplay and youtube / vimeo on a big screen, it's gained far more use since I jailbroke it (seas0npass) and installed xbmc on it...
Now it does all the fun things apple supplied with it but it will also stream all my divx ripped dvds off my NAS over UPNP too... I used to have to use my PS3 for streaming but the apple tv is far easier, uses less power and doesn't have a dirty great fan in it making a racket while it's on.
You don't have to jailbreak it to be able to play 'divx' movies. The VLC streaming app can play all movies on your computer on your iOS device and via airplay on your TV.
Works great except in my case for HD movies (frame drop problems).
Another way to do the same is to re-encode your movies to m4v via Handbrake. This tool is fast and has more than excellent quality and works for mkv divx etc.
HD 720p (Apple TV cannot handle 1080p) is (depending on the source ofcourse) of the best quality I have seen on my HD tv.
Import the m4v files into iTunes (right click, open with ...) and you can view them directly on apple tv via home sharing.
I think you might have a valid argument to make but saying that iOS doesn't have copy/paste isn't one.
The only point I'm trying to make is that it's like complaining about iOS not having copy & paste "now", as in after it has been fixed.
A person can't really argue that the Xbox 360 and PS3 UI's are crap compared to the Apple TV when they haven't even used the latest UI on those systems.
You do have a point about a lot of change on the horizon. For example most of the TV stuff didn't come with the Xbox dashboard update, it's only due Q1 next year.
I also don't think the Apple TV UI is crap, it's actually ok.
However it's hard to argue that Apple are the only ones that "get it" and that everything else is crap (like IQ78 was).
Apple didn't really innovate at all when it comes to the Apple TV UI. They just took their cue from existing "10 foot interfaces" on the market and gave it some Apple polish.
I suppose the positive side to that is (for the moment) Apple haven't really shown us how they think a TV UI should work. That's something to look forward to perhaps.
There must be a lot of "professional" game players out there. My question is why would anyone older than an eighth grader want a Xbox or PS3?. Isn't there some line that says to become an adult, you have to put away childish toys?
Let's see, as a 31-year-old (at the time) female, I bought my PS3 because it was one of the cheapest and best Blu-Ray players on the market. (yes, I'm a dinosaur for still buying discs because I want silly things like 1080p video and lossless audio. Or maybe that means I have an 8th grade mentality.) Price-wise and feature-wise, it is STILL one of the best Blu-Ray players on the market. Besides Airplay (and no surprise that a non-Apple product doesn't have a proprietary Apple feature), it has every feature the AppleTV does and more so. And it keeps getting better with every upgrade. And it already has the concept of "apps" though Sony hasn't exploited that as much as they perhaps should. I haven't played a game on the thing in years, but it gets used constantly for movies and music.
And then funny how you call the Xbox and PS3 childish, when others are clamoring for games on the AppleTV or saying about how Airplay of games to the AppleTV is a killer feature. I guess there must be a lot of childish Apple fans on this site. You should probably tell them to grow the hell up while you're at it.
When I gave my opinion and hand-on experience with apple-tv about missing browser; one comment was if it was so important to surf nate on big tv than it would have taken off and other comment was to use ipad or iphone air play feature to beam contents to apple-tv to display on big screen.
ok.ok.. if browsing net was not needed feature than google would not have put so much efforts to try to add that on google-tv. Because some point, big players like apple, google wants to integrate internet search/browsing/streaming/apps with traditional TV stream contents. So, providing safari on apple tv is not much of a work(jailbreaking community is trying to provide such feature) but added good feature for apple-tv. Apple has to provide specifications for remote keyboard like logitech to make. With 3rd party cheap keyboard/remote can do job interfacing with the apple-tv. Moreover, I do not need to ask my son for his ipad to air play on apple-tv for large tv browsing or my daughter's iphone to browse internet while watching time warner TV shows sitting on sofa. Not everyone can lay around ipad to air play internet browsing to display on large tv.
Other member suggested hdmi input to apple-tv to feed in from Tivo like other tv/internet boxes have which is also an excellent idea/feature.
I am sure, once apple has iTV in 2012-13; it will have everything that apple-tv has plus app store, hdmi input and web browsing and more........ rest my case.
Comments
Well the apple tv is $99. In addition, many people aren't "hard core" gamers to justify getting a game console. You can't play bluray on the 360 either.
I tried out video mirroring on my iPhone 4S for the first time last night. Games designed for the Retina display look better than either the Xbox360 or PS3.
I think people have missed the point that with AirPlay, Apple doesn't need to put games on the Apple TV itself...
According to Apple you don't need physical media. "but what about home movies.". You ask? How do you share them with you're family in hi def quality?
You take your iPhone or iPad over to their house and use AirPlay. Or you do what most people do - upload to FaceBook
Simple. Use the MobileMe web gallery. But you had better hurry. You only have a few months left before they kill that too.
1) User Interface
2) Xbox requires "Live" subscription
2) $99
and finally
3) User Interface
I can't speak for the SonyPS, but the interface on the Xbox360 is visual barf and puts me in an instant bad mood.
I just don't understand how so many companies can't make a decent U.I. that is visually pleasing. Is there only one formula and only Apple can figure it out? It perplexes me. It must be very difficult.
Seriously? This thing?
From a software perspective the Apple TV contains the least amount of innovation I've ever seen Apple put into any product they have ever made.
The Apple TV UI is an evolved Front Row that itself was a clone of Media Center from 4 years earlier.
Granted Media Center hasn't changed much in 10 years either...
...but when you compare those two to the Xbox 360 dashboard (which can be controlled via remote, motion, voice or the Windows Phone companion app) it's not hard to see who is pushing the 10 foot interface forward at the moment.
My point is what is wrong with Apple and their fans like me who can not make apple to add browser to apple-tv.
Because for well over a decade it's been proven over and over again that almost no one wants to browse the web on your TV.
Especially in the era of the iPad. Browsing is faster, easier and far more intimate on my iPad in front of my TV than with a browser on my TV.
Seriously? This thing?
From a software perspective the Apple TV contains the least amount of innovation I've ever seen Apple put into any product they have ever made.
The Apple TV UI is an evolved Front Row that itself was a clone of Media Center from 4 years earlier.
Granted Media Center hasn't changed much in 10 years either...
...but when you compare those two to the Xbox 360 dashboard (which can be controlled via remote, motion, voice or the Windows Phone companion app) it's not hard to see who is pushing the 10 foot interface forward at the moment.
HBOGo... Im so freaking jealous. Why apple... Why?!?
Until Apple themselves say to the telecoms, "Your customers get to choose whatever plan they want when they use an iPhone or you don't get to carry it," nothing WILL change. But they'll never say that. So we'll never have that.
I must have hallucinated those unlocked iPhone 4s that were for sale
Nope! Still there:
About the Unlocked iPhone
The unlocked iPhone includes all the features of iPhone but without a contract commitment. You can activate and use it on the supported GSM wireless network of your choice, such as AT&T in the United States.* The unlocked iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S will not work with CDMA-based carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint.
If you don’t want a multiyear service contract or if you prefer to use a local carrier when traveling abroad, the unlocked iPhone is the best choice. It arrives without a micro-SIM card, so you’ll need an active micro-SIM card from any supported GSM carrier worldwide. To start using it, simply insert the micro-SIM card into the slot on your iPhone and turn it on by pressing and holding the On/Off button for a few seconds. Then follow the onscreen instructions to set up your iPhone.
Special Financing Offer.
Buy your unlocked iPhone with financing. Apply for instant approval and pay no interest for up to 12 months if paid in full. Restrictions Apply.
HBOGo... Im so freaking jealous. Why apple... Why?!?
You and Firefly7475 should realize these deals for HBOGO and other channels/networks are new to the 360. You guys make it sound it like it's been there since day one.
Seriously? This thing?
Yup - because for all the "pizzaz" of the other interfaces you show, once you get past the eye candy and try to actually use them it's a confusing mis-mash of nested menu's and arbitrary gropings of unrelated functions. And yes, I own and use all three of the boxes.
The Xbox is the worst. I haven't fired it up to update to the latest dashboard so I may have to eat my words, but I'm not too worried based on MS's past and consistent incompetence
You and Firefly7475 should realize these deals for HBOGO and other channels/networks are new to the 360. You guys make it sound it like it's been there since day one.
Of course that stuff is new, but we can't ignore the new stuff in the context I was making my comment. That would be like someone complaining the iOS UI sucks because it doesn't have copy & paste.
Of course that stuff is new, but we can't ignore the new stuff in the context I was making my comment. That would be like someone complaining the iOS UI sucks because it doesn't have copy & paste.
Well, if HBO GO missing was a simple technical problem like copy and paste, they might be comparable. Since it's not a technical but business problem, it's not entirely in Apple's control to make what some people see as obvious happen.
It would be nice if Hulu were on the AppleTV. I'd pay for Hulu Plus and ditch cable once and for all.
1. the PS3 isn't noisy, neither of mines make much noise at all.
2. PS3 isn't an energy whore, the first gen was, but so is the first gen Apple TV
3. I have the first gen AppleTV, it isn't that tiny
4. You mean just like the PS3? All my videos play fine on my AppleTV, PS3 and iPods
5. What's that, my Apple TV doesn't have anything called Airplay on it, Apple dumped it and no longer adds features, unlike Sony that is still providing firmware updates for my 2007 european release PS3
I know what you mean about the power usage, I have unplugged my first gen AppleTV because it uses so much power, and except for pulling the power there is no way of physically turning it off.
1. PS3 makes a noise. Apple TV2 is silent. Sorry, the PS3 uses a fucktonne of energy. The A4 in the Apple TV2 uses little. PS3 slim uses between 75 and 95 watts, ATV uses 16-19 watts. ATV2 uses 6 watts max.
3. Apple TV2 is tiny
4. They play with only stereo audio on ps3
5. The article is reference to the Apple TV2 seeing as they no longer make the first. It's only $99 for a new more efficient environmentally friendly ATV2
For a video playback device a console is overkill, on size, noise and power consumption. Its for this reason I got Apple TV2's for the kids rooms, rather than using their consoles. Now we have 3 ATV2 in total.
I don't know why anyone would buy AppleTV when Xbox 360 and PS3 do so much more. And let's face it, the way to get content on to AppleTV is also less than ideal - where is the USB slot or the Blu Ray drive?
There must be a lot of "professional" game players out there. My question is why would anyone older than an eighth grader want a Xbox or PS3?. Isn't there some line that says to become an adult, you have to put away childish toys?
I tried out video mirroring on my iPhone 4S for the first time last night. Games designed for the Retina display look better than either the Xbox360 or PS3.
And another... really?!?!?!?!
.
.
.
vs
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.
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Of course that stuff is new, but we can't ignore the new stuff in the context I was making my comment. That would be like someone complaining the iOS UI sucks because it doesn't have copy & paste.
I think you might have a valid argument to make but saying that iOS doesn't have copy/paste isn't one.
It's looking like deals with content owners, distributors and networks are the next step, as well as distributors creating original programming. We should see more at CES and hopefully see what Apple brings to the table a month or so after that. But that's all beside the point, right now we can we can compare some of these services. Take Netflix as a great example. You make a pejorative "Seriously? Thing thing?" comment followed by "least amount of innovation" statement yet it's the best interface for accessing Netflix from an HEC media extender. For my money I want something done right, not something that can do everyone poorly.
Well, if HBO GO missing was a simple technical problem like copy and paste, they might be comparable. Since it's not a technical but business problem, it's not entirely in Apple's control to make what some people see as obvious happen.
HBOGO is an iOS app.... It's 'seems' largely an Apple issue to put existing 'content' apps on the ATV. Although there is airplay mirroring.
...
While I use it a lot for airplay and youtube / vimeo on a big screen, it's gained far more use since I jailbroke it (seas0npass) and installed xbmc on it...
Now it does all the fun things apple supplied with it but it will also stream all my divx ripped dvds off my NAS over UPNP too... I used to have to use my PS3 for streaming but the apple tv is far easier, uses less power and doesn't have a dirty great fan in it making a racket while it's on.
You don't have to jailbreak it to be able to play 'divx' movies. The VLC streaming app can play all movies on your computer on your iOS device and via airplay on your TV.
Works great except in my case for HD movies (frame drop problems).
Another way to do the same is to re-encode your movies to m4v via Handbrake. This tool is fast and has more than excellent quality and works for mkv divx etc.
HD 720p (Apple TV cannot handle 1080p) is (depending on the source ofcourse) of the best quality I have seen on my HD tv.
Import the m4v files into iTunes (right click, open with ...) and you can view them directly on apple tv via home sharing.
J.
I think you might have a valid argument to make but saying that iOS doesn't have copy/paste isn't one.
The only point I'm trying to make is that it's like complaining about iOS not having copy & paste "now", as in after it has been fixed.
A person can't really argue that the Xbox 360 and PS3 UI's are crap compared to the Apple TV when they haven't even used the latest UI on those systems.
You do have a point about a lot of change on the horizon. For example most of the TV stuff didn't come with the Xbox dashboard update, it's only due Q1 next year.
I also don't think the Apple TV UI is crap, it's actually ok.
However it's hard to argue that Apple are the only ones that "get it" and that everything else is crap (like IQ78 was).
Apple didn't really innovate at all when it comes to the Apple TV UI. They just took their cue from existing "10 foot interfaces" on the market and gave it some Apple polish.
I suppose the positive side to that is (for the moment) Apple haven't really shown us how they think a TV UI should work. That's something to look forward to perhaps.
There must be a lot of "professional" game players out there. My question is why would anyone older than an eighth grader want a Xbox or PS3?. Isn't there some line that says to become an adult, you have to put away childish toys?
Let's see, as a 31-year-old (at the time) female, I bought my PS3 because it was one of the cheapest and best Blu-Ray players on the market. (yes, I'm a dinosaur for still buying discs because I want silly things like 1080p video and lossless audio. Or maybe that means I have an 8th grade mentality.) Price-wise and feature-wise, it is STILL one of the best Blu-Ray players on the market. Besides Airplay (and no surprise that a non-Apple product doesn't have a proprietary Apple feature), it has every feature the AppleTV does and more so. And it keeps getting better with every upgrade. And it already has the concept of "apps" though Sony hasn't exploited that as much as they perhaps should. I haven't played a game on the thing in years, but it gets used constantly for movies and music.
And then funny how you call the Xbox and PS3 childish, when others are clamoring for games on the AppleTV or saying about how Airplay of games to the AppleTV is a killer feature. I guess there must be a lot of childish Apple fans on this site. You should probably tell them to grow the hell up while you're at it.
ok.ok.. if browsing net was not needed feature than google would not have put so much efforts to try to add that on google-tv. Because some point, big players like apple, google wants to integrate internet search/browsing/streaming/apps with traditional TV stream contents. So, providing safari on apple tv is not much of a work(jailbreaking community is trying to provide such feature) but added good feature for apple-tv. Apple has to provide specifications for remote keyboard like logitech to make. With 3rd party cheap keyboard/remote can do job interfacing with the apple-tv. Moreover, I do not need to ask my son for his ipad to air play on apple-tv for large tv browsing or my daughter's iphone to browse internet while watching time warner TV shows sitting on sofa. Not everyone can lay around ipad to air play internet browsing to display on large tv.
Other member suggested hdmi input to apple-tv to feed in from Tivo like other tv/internet boxes have which is also an excellent idea/feature.
I am sure, once apple has iTV in 2012-13; it will have everything that apple-tv has plus app store, hdmi input and web browsing and more........ rest my case.