I predict that any newly announced hardware will be nearly buttonless if not completely buttonless. I also predict that it will be light on the feature list. But in the end, it will still be the most enticing alternative.
There are numerious products that do this or similiar things, Google SlingBox or even Apples AirTunes. Pretty much just plug it in and hit play.
Airtunes doesn't do this, since the airport doesn't have video out. And while the slingbox looks cool, it doesn't do this either. It sends to other computers, while this new airport would receive the signal and feed it to your TV.
I think the closest product to this is the eyehome from elgato, but even that needs to plug into an airport, I don't think it has wireless capability built in.
This September promises to be the start of exciting new times for Apple, one of the self-proclaimed pirates of Silicon Valley. And it better be -- Jobs and Co. are betting on it big time.
If they are betting big on the new device, and getting the iMac out of the way early suggest they are, it has to be something more than just a way to stream a few Disney flicks and music around the house. Most reports suggest Disney will be the only studio for a while. Airport Express doesn't move millions of units does it? There has to be more. To get by the lack of offerings, it needs DVR abilities as a selling point. Short of that, perhaps its just a console to use iTunes via your TV for those who don't have computers. Outdated as it might seem, there are still a lot of potential iPod and music/video customers in that group. Then again, perhaps the extra something is what Think Secret hinted at last December:
Quote:
When the user wishes to play the content, robust caching technology -- for which Apple previously received a patent -- will serve it to the user's computer as fast as their Internet connection can handle.
If any of that is true, or even possible (considering the current state of streaming), maybe movie studio support doesn't matter initally. Perhaps it's more about on demand internet television. Walmart already lost control of the broadcast industry when it let TV shows show up on iTunes. When Wally zigs, Steve zags. Add in the Google dude with his ads and you've got a revolution. Of course that would have to be some breakthrough robust caching technology to really work.
Since we are speculating - Disney-like device that downloads hi-def over UHF from iTMS, that can stream to any Mac or directly connect to an HDTV (or receiver) via HDMI. It will run FrontRow for accessing other network media as well as iTMS and stored movies.
When compared to new sexy MacBook Black to Alu MBP, sorry MacBook Black beats the Big brother hands down interms of look ... sad that Alu PBs were beautiful not so long ago ... is there any new enclosure can make the MBP more attractive?
i loved my 12" PB (with VGA) especially the keyboard ... how to make it better???
I think the Macbook Pro looks nice in aluminium, but compared to the new Macbook it pales..
The shiny black / white look is awesome, and I'd whish Apple would make the Macbook Pro look a bit more Pro... Or maybe just give us a choice
Even the old iBook had a great look, and again, the aluminium Pro look makes people think you have an outdated Powerbook. Not the latest in Apple technology.
I have my mini working quite well as a home theater "appliance" connected to a 1080I HD plasma minitor. Front Row def. needs an update but otherswise why are we assuming Apple would need to work so hard at creating a "home theater appliance". Beside a decent GFX "card" upgrade (no over-scanning please), a rework of itunes (so you can burn DVD's for instance) and a rework of Front Row (make it faster and less glitchy) Apple needs to do little else (maybe and Ipod dock? that would be cool). I look at a mini of the sort as a full DVD player replacement with about a million more capabilities all via 2 cables 1 optical for 5.1 audio and the other DVI. Easy and everyone is happy. Streaming could be alright but complicated if it's the only appliance. Airtunes sucks and if the new "streaming Device" works anything like that I'm not buying; Where's the remote I can only control from the computer? Stuttering sucks (and it will stutter) and you have to go from apple to computer then to "streaming Appliance" then monitor. Why not cut the extra step and give people the ability to burn DVD's. (a rumored new feature of itunes) The only thing this strategy ignores is the PC market, but Apple could look at the situation as encouraging potential switchers to buy a Mac.
I love the mini with a few tweaks Aplle will have it tied up... just my 2 cents.
I have my mini working quite well as a home theater "appliance" connected to a 1080I HD plasma minitor. Front Row def. needs an update but otherswise why are we assuming Apple would need to work so hard at creating a "home theater appliance". Beside a decent GFX "card" upgrade (no over-scanning please), a rework of itunes (so you can burn DVD's for instance) and a rework of Front Row (make it faster and less glitchy) Apple needs to do little else (maybe and Ipod dock? that would be cool). I look at a mini of the sort as a full DVD player replacement with about a million more capabilities all via 2 cables 1 optical for 5.1 audio and the other DVI. Easy and everyone is happy. Streaming could be alright but complicated if it's the only appliance. Airtunes sucks and if the new "streaming Device" works anything like that I'm not buying; Where's the remote I can only control from the computer? Stuttering sucks (and it will stutter) and you have to go from apple to computer then to "streaming Appliance" then monitor. Why not cut the extra step and give people the ability to burn DVD's. (a rumored new feature of itunes) The only thing this strategy ignores is the PC market, but Apple could look at the situation as encouraging potential switchers to buy a Mac.
I love the mini with a few tweaks Aplle will have it tied up... just my 2 cents.
Amen!
Essentially, what the mini needs to be a MC is better software. Personally, I'd like an altogether different program for videos (that can also rip content from HDDVDs and BDs), but they'll probably stick with the increasingly misnamed iTunes because of branding and name recognition; this can be dangerous because if it becomes a complicated multipurpose "swiss-army-knife" app that is buggy with some things, then it risks putting people off. Two seperate apps would be better and easier to manage and fix. Make them work with an updated and renamed iDVD, and we're there...almost.
Really why I want a "media center" Mac is because I want them to rework the mini to:
1) use 3.5" drives (you need the space for video content; and FW apparently gets glitchy when daisy-chaining multiple devices and drives--BR-drive to ext HDD, or even (H)DV camcorder to HDD on same bus gets wonky), and
2) have a more useful remote (I am constantly using subtitles and different audio tracks w/ DVDs).
But that's really it. We don't even really need a dedicated GFX card once Broadwater comes out.
Just a question, though I guess all of us are working off idle speculation anyway!
If Apple released a device like the one rumoured I would buy one the second I could, and I rarely do I do such a thing. How likely is it, though, that it would let you stream your own movies to your TV? If I could stream my completely legally sourced (ahem) DivX movies to a TV through this device, that would be perhaps the ultimate thing EVER. At the moment it needs a computer with an S-video cable to the TV, and all sorts of fiddling with the software until it works properly.
two years of rampart speculation? Speculation about a castle's defensive walls? I guess that's much more fun than rampant speculation but probably not what the author meant.
Everyone is talking about Disney being the only studio on board at launch, but didn't the Lions gate CEO talk about signing up to the iTunes Movie Store a couple of weeks ago?
Everyone is talking about Disney being the only studio on board at launch, but didn't the Lions gate CEO talk about signing up to the iTunes Movie Store a couple of weeks ago?
Lion's Gate is owned by Disney. Along with ABC, ESPN, and god knows how many other things.
Has anyone suggested yet just an Apple move into big screen TVs? Haven't read every post on this thread. And I also agree with the Mac mini guys up above, got the same set up and love it. And on a side note, I have an Apple Lossless music collection and it streams fine from my server. This is the future, don't know when wireless will truly be fast enough for video, but eventually it will be.
I think the Macbook Pro looks nice in aluminium, but compared to the new Macbook it pales..
The shiny black / white look is awesome, and I'd whish Apple would make the Macbook Pro look a bit more Pro... Or maybe just give us a choice
Even the old iBook had a great look, and again, the aluminium Pro look makes people think you have an outdated Powerbook. Not the latest in Apple technology.
And it really is about what other people think you have, isn't it?
I like the AL book case because it is sturdy and takes the pounding of normal mobile use. I also like the new antenna in the MBP, which seems to actually work, as opposed to the earlier PB one!
Is it really? Wikipedia suggests that Lion's Gate is owned by Tyler Perry.
That's what I hate about Wikipedia. Any time a person brings it into a subject they could have just put that, or edited the information to back up what their saying two minutes prior.
Not saying you did that of course I just never take wikipedia seriously.
Does anybody notice how boring these threads get when we have no real clue as to what Apple is going to do? Talk about suspense.. I've read all the speculation, but none of it really seems all that Apple like.
Comments
I predict that any newly announced hardware will be nearly buttonless if not completely buttonless. I also predict that it will be light on the feature list. But in the end, it will still be the most enticing alternative.
You just described my brain.
Buttonless and light featured.
There are numerious products that do this or similiar things, Google SlingBox or even Apples AirTunes. Pretty much just plug it in and hit play.
Airtunes doesn't do this, since the airport doesn't have video out. And while the slingbox looks cool, it doesn't do this either. It sends to other computers, while this new airport would receive the signal and feed it to your TV.
I think the closest product to this is the eyehome from elgato, but even that needs to plug into an airport, I don't think it has wireless capability built in.
This September promises to be the start of exciting new times for Apple, one of the self-proclaimed pirates of Silicon Valley. And it better be -- Jobs and Co. are betting on it big time.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
If they are betting big on the new device, and getting the iMac out of the way early suggest they are, it has to be something more than just a way to stream a few Disney flicks and music around the house. Most reports suggest Disney will be the only studio for a while. Airport Express doesn't move millions of units does it? There has to be more. To get by the lack of offerings, it needs DVR abilities as a selling point. Short of that, perhaps its just a console to use iTunes via your TV for those who don't have computers. Outdated as it might seem, there are still a lot of potential iPod and music/video customers in that group. Then again, perhaps the extra something is what Think Secret hinted at last December:
When the user wishes to play the content, robust caching technology -- for which Apple previously received a patent -- will serve it to the user's computer as fast as their Internet connection can handle.
If any of that is true, or even possible (considering the current state of streaming), maybe movie studio support doesn't matter initally. Perhaps it's more about on demand internet television. Walmart already lost control of the broadcast industry when it let TV shows show up on iTunes. When Wally zigs, Steve zags. Add in the Google dude with his ads and you've got a revolution. Of course that would have to be some breakthrough robust caching technology to really work.
Since we are speculating - Disney-like device that downloads hi-def over UHF from iTMS, that can stream to any Mac or directly connect to an HDTV (or receiver) via HDMI. It will run FrontRow for accessing other network media as well as iTMS and stored movies.
I think the closest product to this is the eyehome from elgato, but even that needs to plug into an airport, ?
Like I described with my setup earlier.
I don't think it has wireless capability built in.
Nope, just a 10/100-Base-T-Ethernet port.
When compared to new sexy MacBook Black to Alu MBP, sorry MacBook Black beats the Big brother hands down interms of look ... sad that Alu PBs were beautiful not so long ago ... is there any new enclosure can make the MBP more attractive?
i loved my 12" PB (with VGA) especially the keyboard ... how to make it better???
The shiny black / white look is awesome, and I'd whish Apple would make the Macbook Pro look a bit more Pro... Or maybe just give us a choice
Even the old iBook had a great look, and again, the aluminium Pro look makes people think you have an outdated Powerbook. Not the latest in Apple technology.
I love the mini with a few tweaks Aplle will have it tied up... just my 2 cents.
I have my mini working quite well as a home theater "appliance" connected to a 1080I HD plasma minitor. Front Row def. needs an update but otherswise why are we assuming Apple would need to work so hard at creating a "home theater appliance". Beside a decent GFX "card" upgrade (no over-scanning please), a rework of itunes (so you can burn DVD's for instance) and a rework of Front Row (make it faster and less glitchy) Apple needs to do little else (maybe and Ipod dock? that would be cool). I look at a mini of the sort as a full DVD player replacement with about a million more capabilities all via 2 cables 1 optical for 5.1 audio and the other DVI. Easy and everyone is happy. Streaming could be alright but complicated if it's the only appliance. Airtunes sucks and if the new "streaming Device" works anything like that I'm not buying; Where's the remote I can only control from the computer? Stuttering sucks (and it will stutter) and you have to go from apple to computer then to "streaming Appliance" then monitor. Why not cut the extra step and give people the ability to burn DVD's. (a rumored new feature of itunes) The only thing this strategy ignores is the PC market, but Apple could look at the situation as encouraging potential switchers to buy a Mac.
I love the mini with a few tweaks Aplle will have it tied up... just my 2 cents.
Amen!
Essentially, what the mini needs to be a MC is better software. Personally, I'd like an altogether different program for videos (that can also rip content from HDDVDs and BDs), but they'll probably stick with the increasingly misnamed iTunes because of branding and name recognition; this can be dangerous because if it becomes a complicated multipurpose "swiss-army-knife" app that is buggy with some things, then it risks putting people off. Two seperate apps would be better and easier to manage and fix. Make them work with an updated and renamed iDVD, and we're there...almost.
Really why I want a "media center" Mac is because I want them to rework the mini to:
1) use 3.5" drives (you need the space for video content; and FW apparently gets glitchy when daisy-chaining multiple devices and drives--BR-drive to ext HDD, or even (H)DV camcorder to HDD on same bus gets wonky), and
2) have a more useful remote (I am constantly using subtitles and different audio tracks w/ DVDs).
But that's really it. We don't even really need a dedicated GFX card once Broadwater comes out.
If Apple released a device like the one rumoured I would buy one the second I could, and I rarely do I do such a thing. How likely is it, though, that it would let you stream your own movies to your TV? If I could stream my completely legally sourced (ahem) DivX movies to a TV through this device, that would be perhaps the ultimate thing EVER. At the moment it needs a computer with an S-video cable to the TV, and all sorts of fiddling with the software until it works properly.
two years of rampart speculation? Speculation about a castle's defensive walls? I guess that's much more fun than rampant speculation but probably not what the author meant.
A Wall of Stone!
Everyone is talking about Disney being the only studio on board at launch, but didn't the Lions gate CEO talk about signing up to the iTunes Movie Store a couple of weeks ago?
Lion's Gate is owned by Disney. Along with ABC, ESPN, and god knows how many other things.
Has anyone suggested yet just an Apple move into big screen TVs? Haven't read every post on this thread. And I also agree with the Mac mini guys up above, got the same set up and love it. And on a side note, I have an Apple Lossless music collection and it streams fine from my server. This is the future, don't know when wireless will truly be fast enough for video, but eventually it will be.
I think the Macbook Pro looks nice in aluminium, but compared to the new Macbook it pales..
The shiny black / white look is awesome, and I'd whish Apple would make the Macbook Pro look a bit more Pro... Or maybe just give us a choice
Even the old iBook had a great look, and again, the aluminium Pro look makes people think you have an outdated Powerbook. Not the latest in Apple technology.
And it really is about what other people think you have, isn't it?
I like the AL book case because it is sturdy and takes the pounding of normal mobile use. I also like the new antenna in the MBP, which seems to actually work, as opposed to the earlier PB one!
Lion's Gate is owned by Disney. Along with ABC, ESPN, and god knows how many other things.
Is it really? Wikipedia suggests that Lion's Gate is owned by Tyler Perry.
Is it really? Wikipedia suggests that Lion's Gate is owned by Tyler Perry.
That's what I hate about Wikipedia. Any time a person brings it into a subject they could have just put that, or edited the information to back up what their saying two minutes prior.
Not saying you did that of course I just never take wikipedia seriously.
Does anybody notice how boring these threads get when we have no real clue as to what Apple is going to do? Talk about suspense.. I've read all the speculation, but none of it really seems all that Apple like.