When you make CPU wafers, often several dies don't function up to the standard needed for the original purpose of the chip (could be 10% of the total wafer). Some multi-core chips might have a core that does not function or the chip might not be able to reach full clock speed, or some L2 or L3 might not work. Intel would always take the best and use for their premium chips that could be overclocked. The chips that were not perfect would be clocked down and sold on the lower tier.
Apple is probably using any non-perfect A5x dies in the Apple TV to make good use of 'scrap' dies. This would be a perfect use for the Apple TV as it does not need the highest performance chips, and a great way to keep margin.
I've always wondered about this saying: shouldn't it be more aptly phrased "Can't eat your cake and have it too"?
If I have a cake, I have the option to eat it. But if I've already eaten it, I don't have it?
FINALLY someone else sees this also. It really bothers me when people get this wrong. The concept is the "impossibility of having it both ways". The purpose of having cake it to eat it, so that is not impossible. However, trying to have it both ways of eating it, yet still having it, is the impossibility.
A "lot" are asking for apps? Just take a look at any one of the related threads: it's just a few whiners.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pfisher
My AppleTV is just my Netflix box. Don't really use it for anything else. It needs to be more like Roku. More content. Where's the Amazon streaming app? Other content apps? Hello?
Just buy a Roku then, and get on with life. If you're not using @TV for all of its fabulous functionality -- given your needs and preferences -- that is not Apple's problem. Hello?
Quote:
Originally Posted by pfisher
Apple seems to be getting slower and slower with ideas and innovations and new features in their products. Sad.
Apple is Doomed.™
just a few whiners? why should a TV media device limit your choices of media sources? Look at all of the video apps on the iPad. HBO Go, Showtime Anywhere, Amazon Prime, Vudu, TedTalksTV, etc, etc. Apple periodically adds apps to the built in set, but has yet to let people choose others to add. It's like selling a TV that can only get a predetermined number of the available TV networks. They tried a similar approach with the iPhone when it was first released, but later corrected themselves and created a thriving app store.
AppleTV has the best UI for streaming devices, but their competition is doing things they should be doing. Roku lets you add apps. I added a Roku to a TV that already has an Apple TV primarily for the Ted Talks app. Roku also has global search. Search for a title, it searches across Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, etc and lists which ones have it without having to manually go to each one. You don't need a web browser for global search, you just need some hooks developers can use to make their results available to the search app. You can also buy BluRay players with apps and an app stores. Many TVs now come with apps and app stores.
Apple could do so much better than any of them, though. What they do, they do very well, but they are missing at least 3 things
HDMI 1.4 with 3D support and 3D content in the iTunes store as well as 3rd party apps
I seriously don't get some of the comments in this thread. For example, this talk of channels. Have they not used Hulu+ on the Apple TV before? It has hundreds of channels. Does Roku provide some new, amazing channels not found there? And the app store business has already been solved. It's called Airplay with mirroring. Anything that you can play on your mac or idevices can be played on the Apple TV. The device isn't perfect obviously (continuous episode play in Netflix would be awesome) but most of the issues brought up in here makes it seem like the posters haven't even used an Apple TV before.
I seriously don't get some of the comments in this thread. For example, this talk of channels. Have they not used Hulu+ on the Apple TV before? It has hundreds of channels. Does Roku provide some new, amazing channels not found there? And the app store business has already been solved. It's called Airplay with mirroring. Anything that you can play on your mac or idevices can be played on the Apple TV. The device isn't perfect obviously (continuous episode play in Netflix would be awesome) but most of the issues brought up in here makes it seem like the posters haven't even used an Apple TV before.
You can't Airplay everything, and why do I need 2 devices to view something?
I seriously don't get some of the comments in this thread. For example, this talk of channels. Have they not used Hulu+ on the Apple TV before? It has hundreds of channels. Does Roku provide some new, amazing channels not found there? And the app store business has already been solved. It's called Airplay with mirroring. Anything that you can play on your mac or idevices can be played on the Apple TV. The device isn't perfect obviously (continuous episode play in Netflix would be awesome) but most of the issues brought up in here makes it seem like the posters haven't even used an Apple TV before.
You don't know what you're talking about. Yes, it has Hulu and netflix. You can't AirPlay Showtime, Cinemax, hobo go, amazon instant video, vudu, bbc player, the list goes on, and on, and on.
And besides, if I want to listen to pandora, I shouldn't be forced to have my phone constantly streaming to my Apple TV.
Alan- I had completely forgotten that the Roku has universal search- which blows more holes in Gazobee's comment.
And anant- it isn't a "few" whiners. It's tons of people- several of which are diehard apple fans like myself. I realize Rokus superiority as a streaming device, but still have apple TVs because of iTunes access alone/iCloud with music. But I want Roku's search function and channels. That's not asking too much, honestly.
You don't know what you're talking about. Yes, it has Hulu and netflix. You can't AirPlay Showtime, Cinemax, hobo go, amazon instant video, vudu, bbc player, the list goes on, and on, and on.
And besides, if I want to listen to pandora, I shouldn't be forced to have my phone constantly streaming to my Apple TV.
Alan- I had completely forgotten that the Roku has universal search- which blows more holes in Gazobee's comment.
And anant- it isn't a "few" whiners. It's tons of people- several of which are diehard apple fans like myself. I realize Rokus superiority as a streaming device, but still have apple TVs because of iTunes access alone/iCloud with music. But I want Roku's search function and channels. That's not asking too much, honestly.
Showtime, Cinemax and HBO require a subscription to their services to access their content and if you have a subscription then you don't need to airplay it because you access that through your cable box. As for Amazon Instant Video, that would be Amazon's fault (or their content providers) as they could turn on airplay easily on their end AND if you can access that on your mac with Mountain Lion then you can mirror it (same with BBC Player). So basically no valid criticism regarding content.
Showtime, Cinemax and HBO require a subscription to their services to access their content and if you have a subscription then you don't need to airplay it because you access that through your cable box. As for Amazon Instant Video, that would be Amazon's fault (or their content providers) as they could turn on airplay easily on their end AND if you can access that on your mac with Mountain Lion then you can mirror it (same with BBC Player). So basically no valid criticism regarding content.
Of course there's a valid argument not everything on HBO GO is available on HBO on demand.
Of course there's a valid argument not everything on HBO GO is available on HBO on demand.
I haven't found that in my own experience BUT if that is the case then you would access your cable account (in my case it was xfinity/comcast) and play it online and then do mirroring. I highly doubt that these other boxes are giving people HBO for free.
I haven't found that in my own experience BUT if that is the case then you would access your cable account (in my case it was xfinity/comcast) and play it online and then do mirroring. I highly doubt that these other boxes are giving people HBO for free.
No of course they don't but why need 2 devices? It's kinda going back to carrying a cell phone, a MP3 player, and a PDA.
Comments
Originally Posted by StephanJobs
Actually there's a very good reason...it's called Apple TV.....
Errrr....TV Apple....
I just use "Apple TV" and "Apple HDTV" to differentiate.
Unless your neighbor is Apple. And then it's OK to take their cake because they would be evil if they didn't share.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pfisher
Apple seems to be getting slower and slower with ideas and innovations and new features in their products. Sad.
That's easy to say when you ignore new features in their products.
So bells and whistles to distract us from the lack of content. Genius.
Here's what it means to be Apple.
If they add new features/upgrade the guts but don't change the case, people post "it looks boring."
If they change the case without adding new features, people post "cosmetic changes only."
If they redesign the case and upgrade the guts, people post "innovation died with Steve"
If they ship a new, differentiated product in an existing line, people post "it's not really new. It's just thinner/smaller/cheaper."
If they ship a disruptive new product, people post "LOL@APPLE THESE PICTUREZ PROVE APPLE NEVER INVENTZ ANYTHING"
This is the way of things.
Apple is probably using any non-perfect A5x dies in the Apple TV to make good use of 'scrap' dies. This would be a perfect use for the Apple TV as it does not need the highest performance chips, and a great way to keep margin.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram
I've always wondered about this saying: shouldn't it be more aptly phrased "Can't eat your cake and have it too"?
If I have a cake, I have the option to eat it. But if I've already eaten it, I don't have it?
FINALLY someone else sees this also. It really bothers me when people get this wrong. The concept is the "impossibility of having it both ways". The purpose of having cake it to eat it, so that is not impossible. However, trying to have it both ways of eating it, yet still having it, is the impossibility.
Thanks for pointing this out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram
A "lot" are asking for apps? Just take a look at any one of the related threads: it's just a few whiners.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pfisher
My AppleTV is just my Netflix box. Don't really use it for anything else. It needs to be more like Roku. More content. Where's the Amazon streaming app? Other content apps? Hello?
Just buy a Roku then, and get on with life. If you're not using @TV for all of its fabulous functionality -- given your needs and preferences -- that is not Apple's problem. Hello?
Quote:
Originally Posted by pfisher
Apple seems to be getting slower and slower with ideas and innovations and new features in their products. Sad.
Apple is Doomed.™
just a few whiners? why should a TV media device limit your choices of media sources? Look at all of the video apps on the iPad. HBO Go, Showtime Anywhere, Amazon Prime, Vudu, TedTalksTV, etc, etc. Apple periodically adds apps to the built in set, but has yet to let people choose others to add. It's like selling a TV that can only get a predetermined number of the available TV networks. They tried a similar approach with the iPhone when it was first released, but later corrected themselves and created a thriving app store.
AppleTV has the best UI for streaming devices, but their competition is doing things they should be doing. Roku lets you add apps. I added a Roku to a TV that already has an Apple TV primarily for the Ted Talks app. Roku also has global search. Search for a title, it searches across Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, etc and lists which ones have it without having to manually go to each one. You don't need a web browser for global search, you just need some hooks developers can use to make their results available to the search app. You can also buy BluRay players with apps and an app stores. Many TVs now come with apps and app stores.
Apple could do so much better than any of them, though. What they do, they do very well, but they are missing at least 3 things
HDMI 1.4 with 3D support and 3D content in the iTunes store as well as 3rd party apps
App Store
Global search
I seriously don't get some of the comments in this thread. For example, this talk of channels. Have they not used Hulu+ on the Apple TV before? It has hundreds of channels. Does Roku provide some new, amazing channels not found there? And the app store business has already been solved. It's called Airplay with mirroring. Anything that you can play on your mac or idevices can be played on the Apple TV. The device isn't perfect obviously (continuous episode play in Netflix would be awesome) but most of the issues brought up in here makes it seem like the posters haven't even used an Apple TV before.
You can't Airplay everything, and why do I need 2 devices to view something?
You don't know what you're talking about. Yes, it has Hulu and netflix. You can't AirPlay Showtime, Cinemax, hobo go, amazon instant video, vudu, bbc player, the list goes on, and on, and on.
And besides, if I want to listen to pandora, I shouldn't be forced to have my phone constantly streaming to my Apple TV.
Alan- I had completely forgotten that the Roku has universal search- which blows more holes in Gazobee's comment.
And anant- it isn't a "few" whiners. It's tons of people- several of which are diehard apple fans like myself. I realize Rokus superiority as a streaming device, but still have apple TVs because of iTunes access alone/iCloud with music. But I want Roku's search function and channels. That's not asking too much, honestly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alandail
They tried a similar approach with the iPhone when it was first released, but later corrected themselves and created a thriving app store.
LOL. That one comment indicates your level of cluelessness.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dasanman69
You can't Airplay everything....
Says who? Have you ever tried it?
Andysol just posted a laundry list of what can't be Airplayed, and again why do I need 2 devices to watch something?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andysol
You don't know what you're talking about. Yes, it has Hulu and netflix. You can't AirPlay Showtime, Cinemax, hobo go, amazon instant video, vudu, bbc player, the list goes on, and on, and on.
And besides, if I want to listen to pandora, I shouldn't be forced to have my phone constantly streaming to my Apple TV.
Alan- I had completely forgotten that the Roku has universal search- which blows more holes in Gazobee's comment.
And anant- it isn't a "few" whiners. It's tons of people- several of which are diehard apple fans like myself. I realize Rokus superiority as a streaming device, but still have apple TVs because of iTunes access alone/iCloud with music. But I want Roku's search function and channels. That's not asking too much, honestly.
Showtime, Cinemax and HBO require a subscription to their services to access their content and if you have a subscription then you don't need to airplay it because you access that through your cable box. As for Amazon Instant Video, that would be Amazon's fault (or their content providers) as they could turn on airplay easily on their end AND if you can access that on your mac with Mountain Lion then you can mirror it (same with BBC Player). So basically no valid criticism regarding content.
Of course there's a valid argument not everything on HBO GO is available on HBO on demand.
Quote:
Of course there's a valid argument not everything on HBO GO is available on HBO on demand.
I haven't found that in my own experience BUT if that is the case then you would access your cable account (in my case it was xfinity/comcast) and play it online and then do mirroring. I highly doubt that these other boxes are giving people HBO for free.
No of course they don't but why need 2 devices? It's kinda going back to carrying a cell phone, a MP3 player, and a PDA.
Originally Posted by dasanman69
Andysol just posted a laundry list of what can't be Airplayed, and again why do I need 2 devices to watch something?
That's by choice, not by impossibility. Apple could easily remove the ability to block AirPlay from the SDK, forcing them into it.