What I do see, is possibilities.

An Apple TV that is a “TV” would have to be more than just a media box like the 1st and 2nd versions of the Apple TV.  I think this device would have to be a media center or iTunes Server.  We know that Apple can make beautiful displays and fantastic hardware.  My vision is that this iTunes Server would need to have a few things to make it work.  It would need to contain a very large hard drive, Seagate recently announced a 4Tb hard drive, and the ability to update the software and hard drive.   The rest of the hardware might stand the test of time or need to be upgradeable over time.  That is the problem, it doesn’t fit Apple’s model.  Not only that but FaceTime Hd camera would have to be capable of upgrades also.

I understand where people want this to go and I have seen the videos’ of Alan Kay’s visionary tablet and Apple’s knowledge navigator.  I also ‘see’ how AirPlay is making some of the sharing possible with a combination of Apple devices.  My first thoughts and impressions are that they will be making a 3rd generation Apple TV that will allow and manage the ‘Cord Free’ connecting and syncing between iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.  My vision is 2 devices, one that has a large hard drive and one that is like the 2nd generation Apple TV.  My other feeling is that they are working with TV manufacturers to get  AirPlay working on TVs.  This could work as a widget or as an always on service running and ready to receive streams.

I really see a new Apple TV being an iTunes Server … I know I have said it a few times already.  It is the only thing that make sense to me.

ironwil

I don’t think that Apple will move off OS X unless it is to another desktop OS [11?].  I don’t think that they will move to iOS for their “Trucks” either, how else would people program for Apple products [pro & consumer]?  I think that if they move to a touch based OS for “OS 11″ then we will see programming change to a modular and visual interface and the keyboard will still be needed for some functions.  The only way the keyboard could be minimized is if a Star Trek like voice command is implemented.

What I think will happen is Apple will develop it’s Siri acquisition to build a more robust voice command interface and then over time move it into the desktop computer while beefing up the touch interface.  I also think that the home desktop will turn into a media server that will be connected via Wi-Fi to the TV, stereo, and hand-held devices [iPads, iPhones, and iPod Touches].  We will use the Knowledge Navigator [hand-held device] to interface with the home server and it will do the heavy lifting and data crunching.  It will store and back-up all the data from our devices and allow for the transfer of songs, movies, and other data back and forth via Wi-Fi.  Yes, this will work with the iPod Nano and Classic too!

The future of Apple is the Federation.  No really, the future is going  to be both trucks and cars, the desktop or work horse machine and the hand-held device.  The number of desktop machines will diminish because a family will own one & then they will all have hand-held devices.  The delivery of media will continue to be in two places the TV and the hand-held.  We will see the ability to move from one device to another and the media will follow seamlessly.

Ahhh, the future, please come now!!!

iron wil

I have come to rely on the remote and mic so that I can work and answer calls and then go back to my music or netcast.  I give them 4 stars.  I could give them 5 stars, but Apple would have to ship them with the iPhone or iPod for me to do that.

iron wil

I can see replacing my 13″ MacBook with the iPad and using my iMac to do the heavy lifting.  I can see using Dropbox and Evernote even more.  I can see converting all my current OOo [OpenOffice] documents to iWork which means that it easily justifies the expense [not that I consider iWork expensive].  In fact, I think that I could buy 1 iPad for each of my family members and then set up accounts on our iMac as the kids get older.  This would allow my boys to each have one for online games and Apps and their own music selections.

While my personal transition to eBooks has been slow, this may entice me to make that move.  I am using Stanza on my iPhone & it isn’t really a compelling experience.  I also don’t have a lot of reading time and find that Audible is a better resource for me right now.  I hope that this iBook software allows for marking and notes because that would be a big failure right out of the gate if it wasn’t included.  I hope that Amazon gets on board like Audible has with Audiobooks available via iTunes; especially if they can keep the books at the low cost they already are for Kindle owners.

I think this beats the NetBook model hands down even if it isn’t quite what I thought it would end up being. Now, a few weeks ago I published my own predictions for the iPad.

I predicted that Apple would release a multi-touch device similar to the JooJoo [aka CrunchPad] that ran Apps, eBooks, with WiFi/3G, iTunes, a built in battery, Lala, and the content aspects of the Sports Illustrated Tablet demo.  I was right on some items and we could still see Lala become part of the service package MobileMe [I was not the first to suggest this].  I will admit that I am still blown away.  I love the device and look forward to heading into town in 60 Days and testing one out.  I think I will have to get a sitter & take the wife to a movie to justify the whole thing.

I know that many people will not get it until they see others using it and that I can understand.  It was the same way with the Kindle and other devices.  I didn’t get the iPod until I owned one.  Yeah, until I owned one and then I felt dumb because I had not invested in it before then.  It was a mind blowing music experience and since then, I have bought a couple dozen albums.

New Prediction, iSlate with Inkwell for writing with a finger or 3rd party stylus.  This will be more like the Axiotron ModBook.  It will be slide between the iPad and MacBook.

iron wil

I have 1 major problem and two real irritations.  First Bluetooth, I have a BlueAnt X5i that works better with my iPhone than my MacBook [13" Black Late 2007].  I have discovered that my iPhone has a bit of a problem.  If I let the headset die while connected to the phone I lose all sound.  I turned the Bluetooth off and back on then off again, but that didn’t work.  I had to power-cycle the device [No, I didn't try a soft reset which might have worked].  I had to run the battery down before I got the audio back.  It was really annoying.

Second, I was using my headset to listen to music in the office and turned off the Bluetooth [on the phone] before turning off the headset.  I lost all audio again, I was frustrated; but then reconnected them and I was able to listen to the audio through the X5i.  I then turned it off and then turned off the Bluetooth [on the phone].  My audio returned.

Sheesh, can’t they just release the audio channel when Bluetooth is turned off???

Okay, this relates to both iTunes and the iPhone.  Why does the software not remember my Account Password?!?!?  I don’t understand what is wrong or not working in iTunes or the iPhone App [Store]?  Why does the software not save the password even when the check box is selected in iTunes and why does the iPhone App [Store] or iTunes App.  This seems pretty simple to me, it is MY phone and MY account, if content is downloaded it is going to be . . . where . . . on my iPhone!!!  I tried several tricks from The MacCast and still iTunes doesn’t save my password for downloading new Apps or Digital content.

I realize that Apple & Mr. Jobs have their way of doing things; however, this doesn’t meet the simplicity rule that Apple likes to apply to almost everything else they do.  I really like the simplicity model that is used in many things; yet, this seems like something that would make sense.  Make it a feature and allow users to turn it off and on, so I can decide if I want to save the password or not.

Oh, yeah and don’t forget to make a check box area for Audiobooks so that I can decide what Audiobooks I put on my iPhone or iPod!!!  Seriously, I have a dozen Audiobooks on my phone & I know that I can delete them from iTunes; but I would rather just control them like other media on my devices.

No, I still love my iPhone and am happy with it . . . let’s keep it simple Apple!!!

This rant is now over.

iron wil

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jason Calacanis, Ryan Block, and Loren Feldman

TechCrunch50, Dr. Horrible’s Emmy, gadget theft, iPod Nano, Facebook, Skype, and more.

Show Notes

MacBreak Weekly 158: They Don’t Have That in the US

Hosts: Leo Laporte,Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Wil Harris

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Security Now 214: Listener Feedback 75

Hosts: Steve Gibson with Leo Laporte

Steve addresses feedback on GSM security, cookies, router admin passwords, proxy servers, and more.

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Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

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Google book settlement, Brightcove rumor, Android Click/Hero, Mint, Skype, and more.

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iron wil

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jason Calacanis, Ryan Block, and Loren Feldman

TechCrunch50, Dr. Horrible’s Emmy, gadget theft, iPod Nano, Facebook, Skype, and more.

Show Notes

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Hosts: Leo Laporte, John Siracusa, Alex Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Dane Golden

Live Apple coverage: Steve Jobs returns, iTunes 9, iPhone/iPod OS 3.1, Nano video, and more.

Special Contributors: Ryan Block and Brad Stone

Show Notes

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Hosts: Steve Gibson with Leo Laporte

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Show Notes

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Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte

Paul’s book on Kindle, Media Center, Best Buy, Ford SYNC, new iPods, and more.

Show Notes

This Week In Google 7: This Week In Goats

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Adam Pash

Search bar expands, Answers.com, Google book settlement, real-time search, Twitter’s TOS, and more.

Show Notes

iron wil

Okay, it is over and the new iPod Nano has been announced and it is live on the Apple Store.  It looks pretty cool.  Aluminum body and in color!!!  That is pretty amazing.  Okay, now I wonder if I could get the [now] old Nano at a good discount?

I am really looking forward to the new iTunes [9] and the ability to share across a home network.  That will allow my wife and I to separate our music and save her about 20 to 30 gigs on her hard drive.  That also makes me happy, because I have a lot more audio on my MacBook than she wants on her iMac.

I know what I will be doing this next week, update iTunes, change the iTunes accounts, install Snow Leopard, and make sure it works before she gets home.

iron wil

1. ‘Available networks’ tool on taskbar — already present in OS X, works great! It was called Internet Connect, but now is just part of the Network pane in System Preferences.
2. Fewer annoying pop-ups — true we get a bouncing dock icon if you want it; but pop-ups aren’t standard.
3. HomeGroup — oh yeah, I think we call that Bonjour.
4. Device Stage — sounds like more work, OS X launches the program and gets ready to work.
5. BitLocker support for removable storage — Now, for businesses, this has promise.  Home users get nothing from what I understand.  There is FileVault; however if you want whole drive encryption, you can get tools like TrueCrypt.
6. Speedier boot-up — yeah, that is working . . . my MacBook was still faster booting OS X than it was booting Windows 7.
7. Libraries — copycat?  Yeah, *Nix systems have been using this model for some time now.
8. User Account Control is less in-your-face — about time!!!
9. Multi-touch — okay, this is only available on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and ModBooks; we are still waiting for Apple to release a NetBook or Tablet PC that will blow our socks off.
10. It’s not Windows Vista — yeah, we never thought we would see something more busted up than Windows ME; but that has come & now they are ‘getting it right’.

Commentary added.

iron wil

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Hosts: Steve Gibson with Leo Laporte

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Show Notes