Jason Calacanis told CNET’s Nate Lanxon that “he knew first-hand that Apple was working on a networked television.” From Nate’s blog:
These LCD HDTVs will be fully networked, with the ability to stream all your iTunes content from your Mac or PC. In fact, Calacanis told me they’ll function like a standard TV with an Apple TV box, only without the need for the box.
In many ways, this isn’t surprising news, as Apple already produces a stunning 30-inch display for the Mac. So picture that — only thinner — in a bedroom, streaming iTunes movie rentals over 802.11n, controlled with the Remote app on an iPod touch or iPhone.
To which I have nothing to add, except that televisions with web/content browsers in them are obviously the future.
Ah. Inkheart.
Imagine a digital audio player that doesn’t come with the ability to play MP3s. Ridiculous.
Now imagine a media center that doesn’t play DivX/Xvid (without hacking and voiding your warranty).
FAIL.
If real, will it genuinely playback 1080p video? If so, it’ll need a more powerful processor than the current appleTV hardware.
Also, will the ATSC / Clear QAM tuner be accessible from within the appleTV build of OSX? (ala EyeTV)
fully networked <> the ability to stream all your *iTunes* content from your Mac or PC
Oh, come on Rob. Don’t tell me the upcoming promise of OLED or SED technologies doesn’t moisten your panties. There will always be a bigger display, a faster refresh rate, better color accuracy, a higher contrast ratio, a thinner screen, or whatever bugs you about your current display. There’s still plenty of reasons to upgrade.
Software hacking can’t ever really void your warranty, because unless you brick it, you can always restore it to factory condition.
Adding the Perian quicktime components to the appleTV is no big deal; though, it’d be nice if that extra step wasn’t required.
this strikes me as kinda stupid. If you want to upgrade either component, you’re stuck replacing the whole multi-thousand dollar rig. No thank you.
If you need to “upgrade” a television after making the step to HD, you did it wrong.
Sounds a little dubious: why would Apple bother to make HDTV displays for the living room, as opposed to just providing an appropriate interface on the AppleTV and letting consumers buy whatever tat they feel they want? I’ll agree though that the AppleTV needs a faster CPU, and if a decent Bluray drive was thrown in, it’d be great.
Of course, Apple isn’t going to go there: AppleTV and MacBook Air show that the company thinks those silly little plastic disks are as much out of date as the floppy was (and firewire will shortly be, if not already.)
I’m so old, I can remember when you got a tv, plugged it into the wall, screwed in the wires to the antenna, and bingo. Why has watching tv become so complicated? Is the average (or even above average) Joe or Josephine able to install and use a networked HD TV without paid help?
This is a paraphrase of something George Carlin said a few years ago:
“The whole history of television seems backwards, it should go something like this… we used to get TV through a wire, and have to PAY for it… now it comes through the air, AND ITS FREE!”
Now, you kids get off my lawn.
Does anyone know what movie it’s been Photoshopped to play?
It seems that the intellectual capacity of the public has stood still or is slipping backwards. We cannot abide this.
I’m not arguing for more frivolous complexity (plenty of that already due to poor design), and I appreciate the benefits of specialization and the division of labor, but people also seem to be exhibiting a whole lot more learned helplessness.
I won’t go the whole Heinlein route, but I don’t think it’s too much to ask that people know how to do basic repairs on their car and/or bicycle, that they can understand and perform basic electrical repairs and plumbing, to be able to do soldering, to be able to build and repair computers, to be able to configure a router and lay a local network, and to configure a networked HDTV.
I’d also like to include basic chemistry and basic / amateur radio to the list, as well as how to sew by hand and with a machine, and to be able to cook a few meals.
(I could also include gardening and playing a musical instrument.)
It’s getting to be that people are afraid to change a fluorescent lightbulb for fear of electrocuting themselves and/or mercury poisoning. I find that depressing.
Life demands critical thought and problem solving to survive!
“Does anyone know what movie it’s been Photoshopped to play?”
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
I’ll let you keep guessing. Hint: it’s as apple.com/trailers RIGHT NOW.