I can't believe Apple hasn't done this already, frankly, but it seems to me that the next logical Digital Lifestyle Device is a set-top box with PVR/jukebox capability. Nice as the iPod is, and even now with the little cradle, it's still not a home entertainment center solution. Apple needs an entertainment-center form factor device with a massive hard drive (80/100/120GB), connected to the LAN (cable or Airport), that can stream MP3s/AACs from or to your Mac. It should run some "embedded" version of iTunes, complete with visuals.
And as long as you're doing that, why not add PVR capability? Build in an embedded "QuickTime PVR" that does MPEG4 encoding of a coaxial, component or S-Video input source. It does programming lookups for an on-screen guide. It has a built in TV tuner, of course. And maybe it even lets you export shows (complete with commmercials, to satisfy the content providers) to iDVD or iMovie or whatever, so you can archive shows or space shift them.
Now, it gets better. Given the new iTunes model, who would pay $1 a show for past episodes of TV shows (we're talking Simpons to Sullivan, Ed to Mr Ed, ER to Marcus Welby, PowerPuff to Bugs & Daffy,
everything)?? I certainly would, if they were commercial-free. I'd LOVE to be able to burn a DVD of my favorite Simpsons, Star Trek, Muppet Show, whatever. The content people would have to love this. All of a sudden, all their old shows are available - they don't have to win some syndication deal. They could sell entire seasons at a discount (similar to selling entire albums on iTunes). I would LOVE this. They could also do movies. This would be true video/TV on demand, all streamed over the internet in MPEG4 format.
Of course, you could also do iPhoto slide shows, either from a full-blown iMovie production, or simply by browsing your library.
Throw in an FM/AM radio, too, which integrates with iTunes internet radio. That would be cheap. Make sure the radio is
digital-ready, too, so you can get the cool info. (Of course, this adds cost.)
And then one extra feature. Voicemail. Why not? Give the thing a phone jack, which people could use to download TV guide info if they don't have a 'net connection, and let this device give you caller ID and answer the phone for you. Then I could browse my messages with a remote control, save the ones I wanted, delete others, see who called and when, and hell, maybe even call them back using a speakerphone. And to make this feature just way too cool, have it email you or instant message you when you get voicemails at home, then let you hear them from anywhere. Maybe this is a new .Mac function.
Okay, now to the hardware part.
As I said, big hard drive. Multiple configurations and price points based on size, features. Upgradeable, too (add second drive)!
It would have a built-in CD-RW drive on the basic model, with a Superdrive on the deluxe model. You could dump anything from the hard drive to CD/DVD with one click. It would make every show a chapter, give them all nice title screens, make the DVD menu for you, you name it.
It would have a nice flourescent display for song and TV show information, in case you don't have (or don't want) the TV turned on. (No LCD - you can't read that across a room.)
I'd love for this thing to accept satellite TV signals, but this would require a deal with Dish and DirectTV. Apple could do it, though. It's possible.
This thing would probably need a RAID controller. If I was going to use this as a file server with all this stuff on it, I'd want it well protected. Network backup to DVD would also be essential.
I don't think this should be a full Mac (ie, not OS X). This should be primarily hardware. Or maybe there's some "embedded OS X". Or, I suppose, if it did run OS X, then this opens the door for a wireless tablet thingie.
Throw in a well-designed Apple Universal Remote and you're done!
If I can come up with this, so can Apple. Any bets on whether such a thing is in the works?
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