Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Cook: mind-blowing products this year

Cook: mind-blowing products this year
Thread Tools
lpkmckenna
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Toronto
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 06:24 AM
 
"Mind-blowing" is a pretty big boast.

I can't imagine anything that could be added to current products that would be mind-blowing, but maybe that's the point: the potential changes are so unimaginable, that's what makes them mind-blowing.

While I'm sure Apple is working on a TV, I can't see anything mind-blowing from them. Frankly, I think the tv interface today (and FrontRow before it) are underwhelming.

Sure, the iPhone will get a new design. Sure, the iPad will get a Retina Display. Sure, the 15" MBA will be really nice.

The original iPhone intro was mind-blowing. I just can't believe anything matching that is coming this year. Look at Mountain Lion, after all: nice but nothing special.
     
SSharon
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Teaneck, NJ
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 10:41 AM
 
I think (or hope) that an Apple branded TV isn't in the cards. They will price themselves out of the market. I think the current form factor of the Apple TV is great and I've been thinking of getting one for months.

Would you say an iPhone with the same form factor but double the battery life would be mind blowing? There is still plenty of room to improve.
AT&T iPhone 5S and 6; 13" MBP; MDD G4.
     
The Final Dakar
Games Meister
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Eternity
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 10:49 AM
 
I can't think of anything serious, I'm just left thinking iOS embedded into every appliance in a house, creating some kind of oddly sentient Apple Home.
     
lpkmckenna  (op)
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Toronto
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 11:08 AM
 
Originally Posted by SSharon View Post
Would you say an iPhone with the same form factor but double the battery life would be mind blowing?
Well, the original iPhone demo made my jaw drop. While doubling the battery life would be impressive, I don't think I would have a physical reaction to a Keynote slide with some improved stats on it.

But yes, more battery life is a desired feature. My lust for power is unabated.
     
The Final Dakar
Games Meister
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Eternity
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 11:13 AM
 
3D iPhone display lawl
     
ort888
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Your Anus
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 11:18 AM
 
MAybe we need to be more literal. I bet they are coming out with some sort of wind machine to cool off our brains.

My sig is 1 pixel too big.
     
osiris
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Isle of Manhattan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 11:25 AM
 
the eyePhone will be introduced.
"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
     
andi*pandi
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: inside 128, north of 90
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 11:25 AM
 
To me, mind-blowing has to be something new or surprising. iPad 3, as much as I want one, isn't surprising.

Apple gps? Siri talks to you and gives you directions step by step.
     
osiris
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Isle of Manhattan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 11:33 AM
 
I'm thinking it'll be a TV with Siri that no one will be able to afford...

Unless it is so inexpensive that it becomes mind-blowing.
"Faster, faster! 'Till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - HST
     
lpkmckenna  (op)
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Toronto
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 01:18 PM
 
Apple's recent product releases have been reasonably priced. Why so sure the iTV will be too expensive?
     
subego
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 02:00 PM
 
A new Mac Pro would blow my mind.
     
OAW
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: May 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 02:07 PM
 
Sorry ... but I'm not one who is on the iTV bandwagon. I just don't see the point of it. The Apple TV business is still being actively described as a "hobby". Despite moving millions of $99 units. Why? Because the content providers won't play ball and allow Apple to introduce the type of business model that would allow it to reach iDevice level sales. So why on earth would Apple essentially take the exact same product ... embed it into a much more expensive package (i.e. a flat screen TV) that millions of people already have ... only to have to deal with the same recalcitrant content providers?

OAW
     
::maroma::
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: PDX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 02:12 PM
 
Apple likes to use pretty lofty language like that sometimes. I don't put a whole lot of stock in it. I wouldn't expect the CEO to say anything different actually. I'm sure he'd never say anything like "Meh.. we'll have some decent stuff this year, but nothing to get terribly excited about."

Then again, Apple does surprise us from time to time. Even those of use who follow their every move. That's one of the reasons I like to follow Apple. They keep secrets really well, and occasionally blows my mind with something I didn't really expect. I'm looking forward to this year's products. Been waiting for the iPad 3 and iPhone 5. I'm not really feeling an actual Apple Television, but if Apple feels that its a smart move, I'm willing to trust them on it. They have a strong track record of making really smart decisions, even when the general consensus is to the contrary.
     
SSharon
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Teaneck, NJ
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 03:25 PM
 
Originally Posted by lpkmckenna View Post
Apple's recent product releases have been reasonably priced. Why so sure the iTV will be too expensive?
I don't have stats to back this up, but I think that most TVs sold aren't sold at sticker price. Either the manufacturers or the retailers have sales and discounts. Since Apple sticks to the sticker price and rarely has sales the TV price will stay the same for a year at time rather than drop in price like other TVs.


Originally Posted by OAW View Post
So why on earth would Apple essentially take the exact same product ... embed it into a much more expensive package (i.e. a flat screen TV) that millions of people already have ... only to have to deal with the same recalcitrant content providers?
OAW
Bingo! People aren't happy with the TV interface and the content distribution methods (what the Apple TV aims to fix) so why fix things that aren't broken. People are happy with the TVs themselves and getting someone to drop $100 is much easier than getting them to drop $1000.
AT&T iPhone 5S and 6; 13" MBP; MDD G4.
     
besson3c
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: yes
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 03:49 PM
 
Isn't this sort of rhetoric just typical Apple speak? They deliver mind blowing products every year, don't they?
     
angelmb
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Automatic
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 04:44 PM
 
Well, see what the competition have been doing for years on a given field and in typical Apple fashion, improve it so it is absolutely too cool for words.

Five years later is time to victimize Sync by Microsoft.

A new Mac Pro would blow my mind.
HA! So true.
     
Doc HM
Professional Poster
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: UKland
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 05:30 PM
 
Originally Posted by besson3c View Post
Isn't this sort of rhetoric just typical Apple speak? They deliver mind blowing products every year, don't they?
Quite. I certainly remember where I was the biggest day of your life ever ever ever was announced a while back.

I think.
This space for Hire! Reasonable rates. Reach an audience of literally dozens!
     
besson3c
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: yes
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 05:36 PM
 
Originally Posted by Doc HM View Post
Quite. I certainly remember where I was the biggest day of your life ever ever ever was announced a while back.

I think.

I remember that day, that was the last version of iWork, right?
     
Cold Warrior
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Polwaristan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 07:50 PM
 
Could you quote the source? All I can find is this one from AppleInsider where the closest references are "mind boggling" -- reference a short succession of successful products, not the future -- and "mind blowing" about its revenue growth.
     
hyteckit
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: May 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 08:33 PM
 
Cook said "mind-controlling" products.
Bush Tax Cuts == Job Killer
June 2001: 132,047,000 employed
June 2003: 129,839,000 employed
2.21 million jobs were LOST after 2 years of Bush Tax Cuts.
     
glideslope
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: NY
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 24, 2012, 11:37 PM
 
Originally Posted by andi*pandi View Post
To me, mind-blowing has to be something new or surprising. iPad 3, as much as I want one, isn't surprising.

Apple gps? Siri talks to you and gives you directions step by step.
Nice grab.
To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.”
Sun Tzu
     
Waragainstsleep
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 25, 2012, 07:42 AM
 
If Apple had released an ordinary TV a couple of years ago without any ATV functionality, it would have been the most beautiful TV on the market by some distance and would have sold ok at a high margin. Like it had been done by B&O for example.

That particular advantage has dwindled since the newest TVs are so thin that the ugly plastic cases have been vanishing pretty fast and there isn't much left to make beautiful.

The AppleTV interface is nice though I'm sure they could make it nicer still if they deigned their own EPG and adding Siri would make it awesome if they found a way to make it work practically but content is the key to iDevice world domination. TV needs a shake-up anyway but I'm not sure even Apple is big enough to force that through.

Maybe if they built the ATV box into a nice TV set and then started giving the current models away with every iPhone or iPad purchase they'd quickly get up to the market penetration they need to revolutionise the TV network business model. Can't see that happening though.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
ShortcutToMoncton
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: The Rock
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 25, 2012, 08:35 AM
 
I agree that an actual TV screen from Apple doesn't make much sense to me. The market is saturated with "HDTV" screens at this point and there are several huge manufacturers - it makes absolutely no sense in my mind. Even if Apple is able to differentiate their product somehow - say by higher resolution, nice-looking case, built-in iOS functionality etc. - they'd be in tough I think.

What makes more sense is a new AppleTV box that can easily and simply hook up to all existing TVs and transform the TV experience via iOS. In the Consumer Products forum I've talked about the functionality of ATV2 once you add third-party software - but it's still designed to be a simple device supplementing your existing media, not a one-size-fits-all. But if Apple made an ATV3 that was actually designed as a one-stop shop and priced it accordingly - somewhere less than the Mini, because it wouldn't need quite the level of connectedness required by a computer - I think they'd have a home-run hit. And it would be incredibly easy to interconnect with other iProducts like the iPhone and the iPad to increase operability, just like the currect ATV2. Basically, all your "entertainment" - movies, music, internet, you name it - could be delivered directly from your couch, probably while you just sit there and tell the console what to play or what web site to visit. Crazy. It would be on everyone's Xmas list, just like the iPad/iPhone.

I'm telling you: I'm convinced it would basically eliminate disc media, especially as 720p increasingly becomes the streaming standard. Download quality now is "sufficient" for 90% of people I think, especially considering the ease-of-use tradeoff of ordering directly from your couch.
Mankind's only chance is to harness the power of stupid.
     
Eug
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Caught in a web of deceit.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 25, 2012, 11:52 AM
 
Consider my mind blown.

There are leaked pix of a new Apple product making the rounds in China right now.
     
angelmb
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Automatic
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 25, 2012, 02:29 PM
 
Even if Apple is able to differentiate their product somehow - say by higher resolution, nice-looking case, built-in iOS functionality etc. …
21:9 format please !!
     
angelmb
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Automatic
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 25, 2012, 02:35 PM
 
Five years later is time to victimize Sync by Microsoft.
Siri will be in the New Mercedes A-Class

Ta-dah !!
     
Salty
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Winnipeg, MB
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 03:43 AM
 
I've got to agree, I think there's a couple reasons why Apple isn't as mind blowing as it used to be. Firstly of all, back in the day people weren't used to a computer being the way that Apple strives to be. People were used to printers that were a pain, scanners, computer towers that required connecting a bajillion cables, etc. These days even the knock offs are way better. People have come to expect that technology companies are going to strive to make their lives easier.

With the idea of an Apple TV, being in tech support for a cable company has helped me see the ways that Apple could make this much easier. First of all, one of the biggest things that even people in their 20s struggle with, (believe it or not) is setting the TV to the right input. I know, sounds crazy right? At any time there could be over a hundred people on hold waiting to talk to me, about their TV (we take about 52000 calls a day for internet, phone and cable) and I'd say more than half of the calls about TV are somehow about being on the wrong input.

A truly Smart TV would notice that there's nothing on it's screen and could then ask the owner what they wanted to watch. There could be a camera in the top of it for it to recognize if somebody actually is there or if they've walked away from the screen. Heck it could even welcome you back and ask if you wanted to start off from the place you were at when you got up to go to the can.
More than that, while every company sells set top boxes to their customers, these things cost the cable companies HUGE dollars. For however much they may want control, I think if you told them that you'd embed an mpeg4 capable digital cable converter in the TV while they might worry about the hardware getting hacked, it would save them a ton of money. Add to that perhaps the ability to embed a modem into the TV set, you screw in one Coax cable (or one Phone cable for DSL providers) and not only do you have TV you also have wireless for your entire house. Heck there's probably an unrefined wireless spec out there that would let one TV act like a base station for a whole house.

Granted the problem also becomes how many points of failure do you want to have.

Beyond that though, they could also allow cable and phone operators to write their own Apps.

The question isn't really how could the TV experience be better, the question is how desperate are the various companies making their cash off you to keep that cash flowing away from Apple.

I just really hope they don't partner with Telus.
     
Captain Obvious
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Chicago
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 03:56 AM
 
Apple TV 3 with built in DVR functionality.

A device that has a good UI, is reasonably priced, and can use OTA and cable sources is a product that is not yet on the market. Anything that has tried to do those things has fallen short or required subscription services.

There has to be a reasonably large market to exploit with such a device since all those analog VCRs were rendered useless after the digital transition. It would sell and lock even more people in to the Apple store which is the point of all the iOS devices

Barack Obama: Four more years of the Carter Presidency
     
besson3c
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: yes
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 04:27 AM
 
Originally Posted by Captain Obvious View Post
Apple TV 3 with built in DVR functionality.
I don't think that will ever happen due to technical issues. MythTV has tried to do this, but the challenges there include a lack of standardization of remote control signals to set-top boxes provided by the cable/satellite providers, and the remote controls themselves. Some remotes are IR based and involve a lot of proprietary stuff, and others are RF. As I understand it RF is pretty straight forward, but IR is a pain in the ass and requires an IR blaster to simulate remote control input, which is completely inelegant. TiVo includes an IR blaster for these sorts of set top boxes, and they are a PITA because they have to be in proximity of the set-top box, and if the signals change the recording device is rendered useless. I actually don't know what TiVo does to support customers with IR devices, but I'd imagine it is a massive hassle since every provider is different and has their own quirks, and not only that, but they include their own remote controls with their own preset mappings.

Maybe one day I'll have to eat my words in saying that they'll *never* do this, but it certainly doesn't sound fun especially given that a set standard that all providers play by would simplify all of this tremendously. Maybe Apple would publish a spec or support an existing one, release their device, and this would apply a lot of pressure to cable/satellite companies to change their stuff to support the Apple devices, but then again in many areas there are cable/satellite monopolies, and many parties that probably lose out from time shifting enough to want to fight this at the expense of the consumer who would probably be confused by all of this and blame Apple that their device doesn't work with their stuff.

Besides, don't many cable/satellite providers include their own TiVo-like device today? Why would somebody shell out for an Apple device to replace something they get for free?
     
lpkmckenna  (op)
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Toronto
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 05:16 AM
 
Originally Posted by Captain Obvious View Post
Apple TV 3 with built in DVR functionality.
You can already approximate this today with your Mac, a cheap USB tv tuner from Elgato or elsewhere, and AirPlay.

Just set your computer to record your shows, and stream wirelessly from your Mac to an tv when you want to watch them. I don't do this myself, but it can't be that hard.

I understand why people want the all-in-one magically do-everything box for a low price of $199, but I can't see Apple doing it to anyone's satisfaction. The DVR functions would be more limited than you can get now with an Elgato dohicky, the storage would be more limited than what's in your computer now, and people would moan for an app store, etc.

Apple doesn't need to make an tv with a DVR, they need to make a Mac mini with tv connectors and software, which would satisfy every possible demand. It could do everything. Keep the tv as a cheap media extender.
     
Salty
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Winnipeg, MB
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 05:38 AM
 
I think even if we see a big ass TV set we're still going to see the Apple TV as a set top box as well. The iMac hasn't killed the Mac mini or has the iPad killed the iPod touch.
     
Waragainstsleep
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 06:03 AM
 
If Apple wants to revolutionise TV, they need a platform with lots of people on it, like they had with iTunes/iPod so absolutely they need to keep selling the standalone AppleTV box.

I still think its odd that the original Apple TV wasn't updated to be able to do iTunes Rentals. Seems like a no-brainer.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
Captain Obvious
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Chicago
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 08:00 AM
 
Originally Posted by besson3c View Post

Besides, don't many cable/satellite providers include their own TiVo-like device today? Why would somebody shell out for an Apple device to replace something they get for free?
I am not sure why you have such a hard on for cable providers. You seem so solely focused on them that you apparently missed the other tangents of my post.
Yes cable DVRs exist (and they aren't free, I pay $80 a month to have and use mine) but that wasn't the point nor does it address what I said about a different demand segment that isn't being met. There's a market out there opened up by the death of the VCR and the growing popularity of streaming on-demand video. Any device that can bridge the two would sell like mad.

Every single tech forum has numerous threads about people trying to "cut the cord" and looking for devices that satisfy their needs and accomplish that. If Apple expanded the functionality of Apple TV to record and stream video in-house to Macs, iOS devices, as as well as the connected TV they'd be as big a player as Tivo in this area.

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna View Post
You can already approximate this today with your Mac, a cheap USB tv tuner from Elgato or elsewhere, and AirPlay.

I understand why people want the all-in-one magically do-everything box for a low price of $199, but I can't see Apple doing it to anyone's satisfaction. The DVR functions would be more limited than you can get now with an Elgato dohicky, the storage would be more limited than what's in your computer now, and people would moan for an app store, etc.
That is all true but none of it is consumer friendly. Elgato, MythTV, and so on are for techie people. Normal consumers would find them tedious and confusing.
Apple has the experience in making a slick UI, money to license patents, and an ecosystem to build something that would appeal to the masses.
Simple.tv's announcement at CES set all sorts of blogs and technology columnists buzzing and wondering if they'd be the first to make a success of such a device but with no brand recognition and the fact they want to charge for an EPG its barely going to make a ripple in the market . As you pointed out though its a concept that a lot of people want which means its going to happen eventually.

The living room TV is going to be the toughest but most lucrative battleground for digital media so I don't see why this concept isn't far more probable or prudent for Apple to pursue than making an actual televison a la Google/Logitech.

Its going to take a company with deep pockets like Apple to fight off the inevitable lawsuits to bring time shifting to the next logical step which is in-home streaming to not only TVs but also smartphones and tablets, which they also happen to already make and garner their largest profits from. No one other than Sony has the hardware and leverage over the studios to try and make it happen.

Its the mind blowing product that a lot of people want but hasn't been made yet.
( Last edited by Captain Obvious; Feb 27, 2012 at 08:06 AM. )

Barack Obama: Four more years of the Carter Presidency
     
Salty
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Winnipeg, MB
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 08:02 AM
 
Honestly I think if Apple wants to recreate the success of the original iPod they need to stop drinking their own koolaid and realize that piracy was a HUGE contributor to the original iPod's success. Not because the iPod necessarily encouraged piracy, but because it worked so well with the major format people pirated.

If Apple wants to really have a say in the TV market they need to make a TV or STB that's the average casual pirate's dream. One of the biggest aspects of that would be to allow AVI files to play on it, or at least allow the ability to install more codecs out of the box.

Is AVI as good as H.264? That's not the question. The question is, what format are the people who are already downloading TV to their TVs using? People aren't buying Rokus because they are that much cheaper, they're buying them because Apple isn't supporting one of the most common video files out there.

Now Vuze and a few other apps have made it much easier but it still involves transcoding and stuff like that.

Currently there's a huge market of people downloading video content. The only one who's found a way to do something that people like is Netflix, and I'm sure Apple could do better if they improved their install base.
     
ShortcutToMoncton
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: The Rock
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 08:52 AM
 
Originally Posted by lpkmckenna View Post
You can already approximate this today with your Mac, a cheap USB tv tuner from Elgato or elsewhere, and AirPlay.

Just set your computer to record your shows, and stream wirelessly from your Mac to an tv when you want to watch them. I don't do this myself, but it can't be that hard.

I understand why people want the all-in-one magically do-everything box for a low price of $199, but I can't see Apple doing it to anyone's satisfaction. The DVR functions would be more limited than you can get now with an Elgato dohicky, the storage would be more limited than what's in your computer now, and people would moan for an app store, etc.

Apple doesn't need to make an tv with a DVR, they need to make a Mac mini with tv connectors and software, which would satisfy every possible demand. It could do everything. Keep the tv as a cheap media extender.
I definitely think there's a meet-in-the-middle solution. There's no way a digital hub needs to have anywhere near the desktop-computer functionality of the Mac Mini, but the current ATV2 is simply too limited. If Apple upgraded the ATV3 to a $450 all-your-media-here device (because you'd need at least a 1Tb hard drive), I think it would be a no-brainer buy for almost anything interested in an Apple digital-media solution.
Mankind's only chance is to harness the power of stupid.
     
Wiskedjak
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Calgary
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 09:36 AM
 
Originally Posted by lpkmckenna View Post
"Mind-blowing" is a pretty big boast.
Isn't that just Apple-exec-speak for "we'll be releasing some product updates this year"?
     
Wiskedjak
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Calgary
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 09:41 AM
 
Originally Posted by SSharon View Post
I think (or hope) that an Apple branded TV isn't in the cards. They will price themselves out of the market. I think the current form factor of the Apple TV is great and I've been thinking of getting one for months.
If Apple releases a TV, I think it will be released along with an update to the stand-alone AppleTV in the current form factor, the whole point being to draw attention to the AppleTV platform. My guess is that the Apple TV would have some high-profile feature that the AppleTV doesn't (Kinect-like gesture interaction?).
     
imitchellg5
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 11:15 AM
 
Nothing about Apple making a TV or putting a DVR in a set top box or putting Siri somewhere else seems mind-blowing, just iterative.
     
besson3c
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: yes
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 11:28 AM
 
Originally Posted by Captain Obvious View Post
There's a market out there opened up by the death of the VCR and the growing popularity of streaming on-demand video. Any device that can bridge the two would sell like mad.
Are you talking Netflix? The AppleTV and Wii already do this, no? The problem is Netflix does not want you to record their stuff, and they probably wouldn't have their content in the first place if it was easy to record stuff.

I'm also not sure why your response involved my erections. I do have a mighty Zeus-like penis, but I'm not sure why it popped into your head after reading my post.
     
Waragainstsleep
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 01:51 PM
 
The problem with DVR is that the best thing for consumers is one that will record from anywhere and everywhere but cable companies will not get on board with that until Apple finds a way to strong-arm them somehow.

Over here, Every channel has a streaming service, BBC iPlayer has a download service (with DRM and expiration dates), Sky has their Sky+ box which is pretty good but you can't get content off it or send it anywhere else, El Gato has nifty box which can stream digital channels over your home network from a dual channel receiver to one or two devices at a time and those devices can record content I believe but this only works with free to air digi TV.

Even if someone built a box with all this built-in (including cracking the DRM/encryption from BBC and Sky) it would be a nightmare trying to make it all operate under a single, elegant, efficient UI.

I suppose with the streaming services you could do it so that buffered whatever shows you told it to for viewing later and even added in extra commercials as a way to get the networks to go for it but they'd likely have to change their platform in order to take advantage (As far as I know everyone except the BBC is using Silverlight over here and I don't see Apple living with that)
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
Captain Obvious
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Chicago
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 04:37 PM
 
Too many people are thinking like the computer geeks they are and ignoring the fact that the consumer market would be content with a pruned down version of what you are suggesting.
A 1Tb drive would be nice for most people around here but on board storage that could hold a week's worth of DVR'ed media would be enough to please a good portion of the public.
The same goes for video formats. Everyone on this board understands codecs and torrent'ed videos but your mom only is going to care that the video format she uses can be played on her iTV, iPad, iPhone and laptop. If an Apple DVR could encode in a format that would play across its hardware line then most people would accept it and never question it twice because it just works.

Originally Posted by besson3c View Post
Are you talking Netflix? The AppleTV and Wii already do this, no? The problem is Netflix does not want you to record their stuff, and they probably wouldn't have their content in the first place if it was easy to record stuff.

I'm also not sure why your response involved my erections. I do have a mighty Zeus-like penis, but I'm not sure why it popped into your head after reading my post.

No, and how you managed to take 2 plus 2 to get 3 is mind boggling.
No one is going to want to make a device that does something as redundant as record on-demand video. What I discussed was an Apple TV that would take broadcast shows and convert them to iOS friendly media. It would add functionality to what the Apple TV has now not bastardize the purposes.
( Last edited by Captain Obvious; Feb 27, 2012 at 04:44 PM. )

Barack Obama: Four more years of the Carter Presidency
     
besson3c
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: yes
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 04:46 PM
 
I was trying to get a handle on what you want. Would saying "a better TiVo" be accurate?
     
Uncle Skeleton
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Rockville, MD
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 05:12 PM
 
Originally Posted by Captain Obvious View Post
That is all true but none of it is consumer friendly. Elgato, MythTV, and so on are for techie people. Normal consumers would find them tedious and confusing.
Apple has the experience in making a slick UI, money to license patents, and an ecosystem to build something that would appeal to the masses.
Windows Media Center beat them to it. It has a simple, self-explanatory UI that anyone can easily jump into, it incorporates streaming sources, provides free EPG, and even supports encrypted cable (the only product with official support for it) including pay channels.
     
Salty
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Winnipeg, MB
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 05:25 PM
 
Originally Posted by Captain Obvious View Post
Too many people are thinking like the computer geeks they are and ignoring the fact that the consumer market would be content with a pruned down version of what you are suggesting.
A 1Tb drive would be nice for most people around here but on board storage that could hold a week's worth of DVR'ed media would be enough to please a good portion of the public.
The same goes for video formats. Everyone on this board understands codecs and torrent'ed videos but your mom only is going to care that the video format she uses can be played on her iTV, iPad, iPhone and laptop. If an Apple DVR could encode in a format that would play across its hardware line then most people would accept it and never question it twice because it just works.


No, and how you managed to take 2 plus 2 to get 3 is mind boggling.
No one is going to want to make a device that does something as redundant as record on-demand video. What I discussed was an Apple TV that would take broadcast shows and convert them to iOS friendly media. It would add functionality to what the Apple TV has now not bastardize the purposes.
Wrong. Firstly if Apple did a file type like that, it wouldn't convert to a file for iOS, it would store copy protected AVC (H.264) and allow for WiFi or perhaps internet streaming to other devices that share your iCloud login. (If so they REALLY need to get a way to merge accounts and share purchases within a family.)

Also people's moms DO care about AVI. Mine in particular. I've set up with a good torrent site and she downloads tons of TV shows that she's missed or that aren't available in Canada. (Btw this is legal in Canada) She then watches them on my old MacBook that I gave her. With Vuze I've got it set to automatically check the download folder for new torrents every few minutes, and then she just knows to check for the file in the movies folder or in Vuze. (Which my dad always pronounces Fuze for some reason)

The thing is right now Apple's been locking down the Apple TV to itself or Netflix. What they should be doing is putting out awesome hardware and making the best option they can for TV shows. And if it so happens that piracy is still the best option for people, then maybe that'll smarten up the content providers enough to really allow them to do something like iTMS.
     
ShortcutToMoncton
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: The Rock
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 05:47 PM
 
Originally Posted by Salty View Post
Also people's moms DO care about AVI. Mine in particular. I've set up with a good torrent site and she downloads tons of TV shows that she's missed or that aren't available in Canada. (Btw this is legal in Canada)
A popular, but incorrect, viewpoint. This is probably illegal copyright infringement in Canada. You might want to let her know, in a "heads up, Mom" sort of way.
Mankind's only chance is to harness the power of stupid.
     
Salty
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Winnipeg, MB
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 05:49 PM
 
Also, about needing a TB. HDD space is expensive now comparatively but by the time Apple launches it should be back down. Customer's do care about space. Many are liable to think a standard 500 gig PVR is better than an Apple 500 gig even if it's encoding with a better codec.
     
Waragainstsleep
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 08:21 PM
 
Originally Posted by Salty View Post
maybe that'll smarten up the content providers enough to really allow them to do something like iTMS.
The problem is they don't want to emulate the iTMS. I don't really get why the record lables are still so ungrateful because without it they'd be dead in the water, but the TV networks and movie studios are scared stiff of their content going the same way under Apple's control.

It looks to me like Apple will need to start its own studio or network in order to get video content how they need it. Might not be a bad way to spend the cash though. The current model sucks balls, there could be good money to be made in buying up cancelled shows with potential for cult status, but even then the original networks don't like to release IP on the characters, merchandise, DVD rights etc as I understand it. Sadly this sort of move just doesn;t strike me as Apple's style.
Apple would need to go straight to the production companies, improve the hit:shit ratio and make sure to better promote and manage shows that should succeed. Current model is all or nothing, seems to me some shows could survive/turn profit on lower budgets but they don't get that opportunity very often.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
lpkmckenna  (op)
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Toronto
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 10:47 PM
 
Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton View Post
A popular, but incorrect, viewpoint. This is probably illegal copyright infringement in Canada. You might want to let her know, in a "heads up, Mom" sort of way.
But there is no specific legal mechanism to deal with online infringement. In Canada, they would have to take every person sued to small claims court. The situation where thousands of American homeowners and students receive threatening settlement letters in the mail can't happen here.

So it's not legal, but it's not effectively enforceable either.
     
Wiskedjak
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Calgary
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2012, 10:50 PM
 
Originally Posted by lpkmckenna View Post
So it's not legal, but it's not effectively enforceable either.
... yet
     
Salty
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Winnipeg, MB
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 28, 2012, 12:24 AM
 
From what I understood a few years ago the supreme court ruled that MP3 file sharing was legal for personal use. IE you could sue somebody if they were selling your stuff, but if they were just downloading a copy you didn't have to worry about it. Which makes a lot of sense given that studies show that most people who buy the most content also tend to pirate stuff.

Also I get that the iTMS model doesn't work well for TV based on the way that their economics. That's fine. Fact is TV works for a lot of people as it is now. I don't think that as a rule people hate commercials all that much, though 20 minutes worth of them in a 40 minute program is excessive. Imagine targeted ads like Google's ads, but for on your TV? Allow Apple to monitor your browsing history through iCloud and then give you a mix of ads just for you and ads that companies pay extra to make sure everyone sees? Charge more for fewer ads. Quite frankly if ads showed up less people would probably be much less irritated with them. Half the time when I'm watching TV I've PVRed I forget to hit the skip button because some of the commercials are actually interesting. Though if I've seen it twice this episode already I probably don't want to see another commercial for skin care products targeted at women. I imagine with Apple's current iTMS content they could actually offer on demand viewing with some ads and offer episodes as either cheaper or part of a 10 dollar a month subscription and use the ad money to subsidize the TV shows.

I realize some people don't like targeted ads. I'm sure I'd get a ton for gay hook up sites like I do on Facebook. (Seriously, I can't believe that Manhunt was even able to advertise on Facebook!)

As it stands right now Apple's probably best served by partnering with Cable companies as opposed to running a purely IPTV setup. Given that when you're watching live TV the last thing you want to see is BUFFERING!

The thing that people are missing is that the iTMS doesn't make Apple tons of money, not compared to their hardware biz. Apple could sell a hell of a lot of decent panels with not terribly expensive silicon inside and make a hefty profit.
     
 
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:40 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,