I was listening to a recent netcast, probably MacBreak Weekly #214 or Windows Weekly #176, and they were discussing the USB port on the back of the Apple TV.  I really started to think about that port and and the iTunes software.  I also felt that my iTunes Server could be met with Apple activating that port for external hard drives.  This could make the Apple TV an iTunes Server IF they add the ability to manage Accounts, Purchase Content, and allow iTunes to act as the intermediary.  Personal Profiles would allow one iTunes Account to manage multiple users (or device profiles) with Bonjour running Apple could enable Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Syncing.  This would solve the iTunes Server issue mentioned below.

I have noticed that a few videos and articles have surfaced over the last [thinking] 3 years and they are all pointing to the future of where Apple said it was going in the 80′s.  The Newton was their first attempt at a mobile product that would fill the space of the ‘hand-held communicator’ or Dynabook that was talked about by Alan Kay.  In my recent post, the video shared by TUAW, talks about being able to stream media on the fly.  To have total access to your books, music, movies, and documents no matter where an individual is located … they only need access to the internet.

Today we have 2 ubiquitous internet devices from Apple, the iPad and iPhone.  These two devices deliver the majority of the internet to you on the go.  We know that we can buy, rent, listen, and watch content as long as we are connected to the internet.  Yeah for 3G and GSM!!!  We now know that Apple is working on “The Orchard” a large data center in North Carolina.  Apple has now released the updated Apple TV that delivers all of your iTunes content to your TV plus NetFlix and hopefully much more as they continue to work on this platform.  I have heard some discussion for the Apple TV where we can push Hulu, MLB, or even games to our living room or bedroom TVs via AirPlay (or Apps).

With Apple rolling Apple TV and AirPlay out to their 160 million registered iTunes customers they have an instant [upon purchase] test bed.  To play with and work through all the bugs and legal issues.  They have a willing audience of “Fan Boys” that have already ordered their new Apple TV‘s.  They have users like me that will be purchasing one after they start shipping.

Now, what is missing?  One huge thing I think is missing is an iTunes server.  Yeah, I know that HP’s MediaSmart running Windows Home Server with the plug-in will act in this fashion.  What I am looking for is … think a Mac Mini Server form factor that we can add external hard drives to for increased capacity!  [The one extra cool feature would be that we could add more iTunes Servers and they would span the network.  I am thinking of a Drobo + AirPort Wireless Network Extender + SAN.]  We could stream right from that instead of from the family iMac.  It would function as the iTunes back-up for the whole family, accounts for each user.  This would then be coupled with “The Orchard” so that we have 3 copies of our media and we can then stream anything we own to anywhere! Now hold on and don’t forget that Apple purchased Lala.com and they had a really good balance of being able to push music that you already own for 10¢ each track and the ability to buy new music.

So,  if I have a DVD or digital copy of a movie, then I have to pay the 30¢ licensing fee and Apple drops a copy in my Orchard account.  Then if something happens to our Mac we have a copy of everything in the “Cloud”.  The way I see this service really being delivered is via MobileMe.  I am not sure if it would be 99$ still or if it would be free.  I think that free would ‘force’ people to move their content there because there is no barrier to entry.  I know that I would start right away.  I know that it would cost me; but if I could have the guarantee … I would be compelled to do it right away.  We have 2 Macs and 2 iPhones and it would be a no brainer for my wife and I to jump on that right away.

It is very clear to my mind what this will look like and how it will work.  Unfortunately, I don’t actually know and if I did, I wouldn’t be able to write this.

iron wil

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jason Calacanis, and Peter Rojas

Microsoft-Yahoo, Apple/AT&T and Google Voice, Pogue’s beeps, Palm Pre iTunes, and more.

Show Notes

MacBreak Weekly 152: It’s In Airplane Mode

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, and Andy Ihnatko

Google CEO leaves Apple board, FCC investigates Apple and AT&T, Apple keyboard hack, and more.

Show Notes

Security Now 208: Listener Feedback 72

Hosts: Steve Gibson with Leo Laporte

Steve answers questions on SSL encryption, 3G security, Trojans, VPNs as infection vectors, and more.

Show Notes

Windows Weekly 117: OMG!

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

Microsoft and Yahoo get cozy, Microsoft relents to EU/Opera pressure, Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 and more.

Show Notes

iron wil

Hosts: Leo Laporte, John C. Dvorak, Pete Cashmore, and Jason Hiner.

Apple charges a premium, Palm and Apple argue, Microsoft and Yahoo rumors, MySpace is fading, and more.

Show Notes

MacBreak Weekly 151: Unresponsive When Sweaty

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, and Andy Ihnatko

Apple tablet, Verizon, hackintoshing, Googe Voice app, iPhone OS, Project Cocktail, and more.

Show Notes

Security Now 207: Listener Feedback 71

Hosts: Steve Gibson with Leo Laporte

Steve answers questions on AES-256, iPhone security, TrueCrypt, Firefox privacy, and more.

Show Notes

Windows Weekly 117: OMG!

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

Microsoft and Yahoo get cozy, Microsoft relents to EU/Opera pressure, Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 and more.

Show Notes

iron wil

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Kevin Rose, and Dwight Silverman

Chrome OS, Firefox 3.5 flaw, Amazon + NetFlix, Google Design, Twitter hacked, and more.

Show Notes

MacBreak Weekly 150: Prove It

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Alex Lindsay, and Scott Bourne

Quarterly earnings, tablet rumors, AT&T, Big Kindle is watching, Microsoft retail stores, and more.

Show Notes

Security Now 206: Security News Updates

Hosts: Steve Gibson with Leo Laporte

Security updates in Windows Office, IAS, Virtual PC, Virtual Server, msvid control, and more.

Show Notes

Windows Weekly 116: Bring On The Bugs

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

Windows 7 RTM, Windows 7 E, Home Server Power Pack 3, Chrome OS, and more.

Show Notes

iron wil

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

Macworld and iTunes tax, Ballmer at CES, Windows 7 and Windows Live, and more.

Guest: Mary-Jo Foley

Macworld 2009

• Well, at least they focused on the Mac for a change.
• iTunes goes DRM-free.
• But what about the iTunes tax? All or nothing to convert existing songs.
• Also, Microsoft raises Apple Tax issues.

CES

• Ballmer keynote
• Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 public beta
• Windows Live Essentials is finalized
• Windows Mobile? No discussion of version 7, Zune Mobile
• No discussion of Vista numbers (Why: SEC; earnings announce soon)
• No discussion of Windows 7 schedule, SKUs (Why: Still working on it)
• Schedule: WinLive Wave 3 first, then IE 8, then Windows 7
• Confirmed: Only one Beta release for Windows 7
• No discussion of Windows Home Server? Weird. I’ve had one of the new HPs for awhile … excellent
• There are new home server partners — new versions of the OS are coming this year too
• Xbox 360: 28 million sold so far

Software of the week: Windows 7 Beta available starting Friday

Tip of the week: Use Windows 7 Play To … to send content around the house.

Audible pick of the week: American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, Unabridged, By Jon Meacham, Narrated by Richard McGondale.

Check out Paul’s blog at the SuperSite for Windows for more information.

get yours here.

iron wil

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

I see dead Zunes, Windows 7 Beta, HP MediaSmart Servers, Windows Live Essentials, and more.

The day (some of) the Zunes died

• Zune 30 had a date-related software glitch
• Devices shut down for one day (Dec 31, 2008), are back up now
• Related: Xbox 360 flaw that causes discs to get deep scratches.

Windows 7 Beta arrives … for some

• Tech beta testers should get it soon … public sometime in January
• Not much has changed post-M3 but its feature complete

Next-gen HP MediaSmart Servers announced early

• Paul really likes them
• Windows Home Server
• Mac compatibility (Time Machine)

Holiday season – sales supposedly horrible

• But were really down just 2 percent year over year
• Amazon had ‘best ever’ season (again) but its unclear what that means
• Laptops are now (barely) outselling desktops – MS tells me that “businesses are still buying desktops, but individuals are overwhelmingly choosing portable computers

Tip of the week: Windows 7 users: Make the new taskbar work properly

Software of the week:

• Windows Live Essentials
• Near-final version is now available
• Only Movie Maker is still in beta

Audible pick of the week: The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, Abridged, By Barack Obama, Narrated by Barack Obama.

Check out Paul’s blog at the SuperSite for Windows for more information.

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

Mojave Experiment, Forrester schizophrenia, x64, Windows Live Calendar, Live vs. Cuil, and more.

• Mojave Experiment videos released
• Microsoft Lashes Out at “Schizophrenic” Forrester Analysts
• Windows Live Calendar updated; Outlook Connector beta released. Calendar subscriptions in WLC. Sync with Windows Live Calendar using OL Connector 12 beta.
• x64 comes of age
• Windows Home Server HP post-PP1 updates performance concerns

Search engine news:

• Live Search home page redesigned.
• Cuil: Former Google engineers start new search engine.
• Attack of the tiny PCs continues: Dell Studio Hybrid Desktops and Dell Studio laptops

Vista tip of the week: Sync content from PC to PC with Live Mesh

Software of the week: Yahoo Zimbra Desktop

Audible book of the week: The Martian Chronicles (Unabridged) By Ray Bradbury, Narratored By Ray Bradbury. For a free audiobook, visit Audible.com/windows.

Check out Paul’s blog at http://www.internet-nexus.com and the SuperSite for Windows http://winsupersite.com for more information.

get yours here.

iron wil

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

Microsoft re-orgs – ding dong the witch is dead, Windows Home Server Power Pack 1 is out, and Microsoft bites the Apple….

Audible book of the week: Anti-Americanism by Jean-Francois Revel. For a free audiobook, visit Audible.com/windows.

Vista tip of the week: Take advantage of disk defragmentation in Vista with SP1
Software of the week: Mozilla Weave

Check out Paul’s blog at http://www.internet-nexus.com and the SuperSite for Windows http://winsupersite.com for more information.

get your here.

iron wil

I have been looking for a ‘cloud’ back-up solution that was reasonable and viable as a solution. Yes, I know that Apple has the .Mac [now MobileMe] Service for 99$ a year; however, I wanted something a cheaper and easier to use.

You can pick-up Jungle Disk for 20$ and that includes all future updates and upgrades. Once you download and install the software package you need to enter you information. Next, head over to Amazon and the AWS site and sign in with your account information and then register for the S3 services. Once you are registered you will need to collect 2 Access Keys from Amazon. The first is your Access Key and the second is Your Secret Access Key.

With both of these, you can then connect to Amazon’s S3 service. I found it easier to add one directory at a time and let the upload take it’s time. It took 3 nights for me to upload 4 folders, Documents, Sites, Library, and Downloads. I have about 3.3GB of data from my MacBook that I have put on the cloud. It isn’t much, but it is my essential stuff.

Jungle Disk does a smart back-up.  You can schedule back-ups to run daily on down to every 5 minutes. I have mine set for 6 hours. If you have application like Mail or Firefox open it will error out on files that appear to be in use by the application. The application stays open and sits in the Dock. It would make sense for a Dashboard widget or a Menu Bar status icon to allow users quick access to the application monitor. Something like Caffeine or Time Machine.

It is worth the cost, which is on Jungle Disk’s main page here.

iron wil

Note: This will work for OS X, Windows, Windows Home Server, and Linux.

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

iPhone, Home Server, Yahoo vs. Icahn, Firefox 3, Olympic video with Silverlight, and more.

Topics:

• WWDC 2008 announcements: iPhone and MobileMe
• Analysts say Vista negativity will hurt Microsoft
• Windows Home Server PP1 Beta is out
• The EU hates Microsoft
• TechEd IT: No major new announcements
• Intel antitrust investigation in the U.S. (FTC)
• Yahoo vs. Icahn: the never-ending drama
• Firefox 3 Coming June 17
• Opera 9.5 is now available
• NBC Olympics video page is up, uses Silverlight

Vista tip of the week: Change the behavior of the Start menu power button
Software of the week: Orb

Audible.com pick of the week: iRobot by Isaac Asimov

Check out Paul’s blog at http://www.internet-nexus.com and the SuperSite for Windows http://winsupersite.com for more information.

get yours here.

iron wil