IronWil Blog » iTunes

Apple TV?!?

Iron Wil — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:52:48 +0000

I was listening to MacBreak Weekly 263 this week as the gang talked about the Apple TV Rumors that have been floating around. If you haven’t heard, the most current is that Apple is developing an TV. Yes, like Samsung, Philips, Sony, Vizio, and others. While this is not impossible, I am having a hard time seeing the vision.

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

Apple told the Future in the Past!

Iron Wil — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:54:26 +0000

UPDATE!!!

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

The Apple TV Rev

Iron Wil — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:29:16 +0000

I am currently listening to MacBreak Weekly 210: Apple’s Fall Announcement and considering the pronostication for the Apple TV from the September 1st Apple Event.

I love this device. I really like the 802.11n and I really like the Price Point! I can afford the 99$ and that makes this an easy buy. Having access to NetFlix and my iTunes Library in the same place really makes me love this. I see 3 things that will happen to the device over the next year or two:

The Orchard will hold and deliver personal content to any iPhone, iTouch, iPad, and Apple TV.
Apple will develop a home iTunes server that will allow for several accounts and multiple account access. Think HP’s Windows Home Server with the iTunes plug-in.
Apple will allow for App development which will bring in more content and some games. This may require a new Apple TV to handle multiple iPhones, iTouchs, and iPads … to act as game controllers.

Once, Apple puts these pieces into place, it defines the paradigm and concept of what that device in the living room is that handles TV Shows, Movies, Music, and Gaming!

I need to pre-order mine.

iron wil

P.S.

Others Thoughts

Wired’s Epicenter, How Apple Just Disrupted the Cable Guys.
Ars Technica, No longer a hobby? $99 Apple TV drops storage, integrates Netflix.
Fortune Tech, Apple TV swings hard but misses.

I have to disagree with Fortune, I think that they are wanting a solution to a problem that everyone is searching for. Wired & Ars, I think are on the same train of thought as I am and Apple. It isn’t the answer yet … another step or iteration on the path to getting it right. I look forward to seeing what comes next. I hope they see and realize that this can’t be a stand alone box; it has to have a robust back-end of content.

The iPad

Iron Wil — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:41:10 +0000

For starters, I have to say that I am amazed!

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

Wii & Netflix get it together!!!

Iron Wil — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:52:39 +0000

When we first got our Wii, I knew very little about it because my eyes were set on a PS3. the wife wanted the console because she felt it would be more fun and engaging.

Well, a year later, I like it okay. But it doesn’t play DVD’s, blaaahh, and it doesn’t do anything else except games. Atleast with the PS3 we could play Blu-ray and stream iTunes. So, this morning I saw that Netflix & Wii have come to an agreement & so I rejoice in being [soon] able to watch Netflix streaming video on my TV. No, we had considered a Roku box, but I didn’t want to put one more box on the TV stand.

So, sign into your Netflix account in another browser tab & then hit this link and you will be able to auto-register for the disk to make it possible. I hope that this is an upgrade & I won’t have to keep track of another disk. It’s free, so Get it now!!!

iron wil

New TWiT NetCasts – 2009.12.07

Iron Wil — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:28:25 +0000

TWiT 223: Burst & Decollate

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jerry Pournelle, Dwight Silverman, and Paul Thurrott

The truth about Windows 7 market share, why B Dalton’s was good for literacy, and the fate of Ezekiel the Z80…

IronWil Blog » iTunes

Apple TV?!?

Apple told the Future in the Past!

The Apple TV Rev

The iPad

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