I had high hopes for the new Apple TV and the type of interactive experiences that it could usher in. And while 1080p video is great and all, I can’t shake the feeling that this new $99 box has so much potential completely untapped. Read more »
In typical fashion, Apple shared a multitude of numeric data points prior to, and during, the introduction of its new iPad and Apple TV. The numbers show that, unlike many peers, Apple has planned for, and is migrating to, what it calls the “post-PC world.” Read more »
DoubleTwist, a popular free media play application for Android, has improved its software to include over-the-air podcast subscriptions. The new feature is available as part of the DoubleTwist Pro in-app upgrade, a $4.99 fee that also adds AirPlay support, wireless media synchronization and album art downloads. Read more »
Apple is reportedly looking to partner with TV operators for the launch of its upcoming iTV product. Why would it? Because doing so would give it more content, enable it to offer a better user interface, and give it wider distribution. Read more »
A dedicated Apple TV set was a hot topic at the end of 2011. So far in 2012, news on that front has been relatively quiet, but a new note by longtime Apple TV set booster and Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster is reigniting the discussion. Read more »
Tank Riders is a good cross between a maze, puzzle and third-person shooter game. Thanks to well-thought-out maps, Polarbit has done an amazing job at keeping the gameplay interesting enough in single-player mode, while also making multiplayer competitive and fun. Read more »
Could Apple spend its $100 billion in cash to create a virtual cable operator to compete with Comcast and the like? Sure. But it would have a really hard time offering a competitively priced service and building a profitable business out of it. Read more »
Netflix can now be watched on more than 800 devices, and some of them are starting to gain more traction than others. Apple TV, for instance, has been really successful for the company — and tablets are starting to attract more usage than PCs. Read more »
Netflix may have had plans to expand into the rental market for video games when it tried to spin off its physical disc business last summer, but those plans are now canned. Instead, it may start delivering 3-D movies to its streaming subscribers. Read more »
Apple’s record quarter is prompting a lot of analysts and Wall Street watchers to up their estimates for the stock’s performance. A slew of investor notes released Wednesday suggest few believe Apple’s fortunes have reached their apex. Investors seem to agree, as Apple’s stock opened strong. Read more »
The Apple TV sold 1.4 million units during the holiday quarter, about half of what Apple sold in the entire year prior. While it’s far from a mass-market device, its sales numbers show that even in a relatively small market, Apple dominates the competition. Read more »
A week ago, it seemed like Google TV was back on track after announcing new partners. But if Google finally is gaining the trust and support of the consumer electronics industry, there was little evidence of it at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Read more »
Samsung is putting some effort behind its smart TV lineup, with plans to add new functionality for consumers to interact with their TV screens. Its next-gen smart TVs will include voice, gesture and facial recognition features that will enable even smarter TV applications. Read more »
Apple could add considerably to its retail reach, if a new report out Friday is accurate. According to the report, Apple will bring store-within-a-store retail outlets to Target locations sometime soon, helping it reach markets in the U.S. that Apple’s own stores don’t cover. Read more »
Apple might be looking to expand its live sports offerings through a deal with the English Premier League, a new report says. It’s an interesting proposition but not a cheap one: Sky paid £1.6 billion (around $2.5 billion) for its current broadcast rights. Read more »
2011 wasn’t really a year in which we saw a lot of big changes on the hardware front from Apple, even though iOS 5 and iCloud made big splashes in software. But I think we can expect a lot of device changes in 2012. Read more »
Call it the year of lessons learned, if not quite bubbles burst. In 2011, several trends in the connected consumer space that appeared inexorable at the start of the year seemed disorganized by the end. What does that mean for the next 12 months? From cloud-based media storage to daily deals to the fight for the digital living room, 2012 will be a year of consolidation and integration. Both entrepreneurs and investors will figure out that many once-promising standalone business models need to be grounded on more solid, integrated platforms to create real value. Companies mentioned in this report include Hulu, LivingSocial, Netflix and Zynga. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu thinks Apple needs to get into the content game to make the iTV a winner when it launches. But the bigger opportunity might be where Apple plays best — in allowing content creators to develop their own apps on its iOS platform. Read more »
As the rumor mill around the Apple smart television set kicks into overdrive, it only makes sense for analysts to chime in. Shaw Wu of Sterne Agee added his thoughts in a note to clients issued Wednesday. Wu thinks content and hardware choice are key. Read more »
Hot on the heels of a report about Apple’s iTV plans on Tuesday, there are fresh stories about its potential components and supplier partners out on Wednesday morning. DigiTimes cites new supply-chain sources saying that Apple is entertaining chipmaker bids for the iTV’s processor contracts. Read more »
Apple’s iTunes Match is a great, but potentially hard-to-grasp service, and many people have questions. That’s why it’s welcome that Apple introduced an instructional page detailing exactly what iTunes Match provides and how it works over the holiday weekend. Read more »
Apple will be launching 32- and 37-inch versions of a dedicated Apple television set in the second or third quarter of 2012, according to supply chain sources speaking to DigiTimes on Tuesday. Apple will be focusing on those two sizes initially, the sources claim. Read more »
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of disappointment ran through your head because you waited until the very very last minute to buy gifts. Here are some options for gifts that while thoughtful, don’t require you to meet shipping deadlines. Read more »
Apple has finally made it very clear exactly which media content can be made available in the cloud in which countries for Automatic Downloads and Apple TV streaming, as well as listing the 17 countries where iTunes Match is available. Read more »
One thing iOS and Mac developers need to take more advantage of is the halo effect of Apple’s devices. Real Racing 2 for the Mac, is a perfect example of how to capitalize on that with value-added features. Read more »
The Apple TV can quickly be configured to turn any HDTV into a stunning holiday decoration, even without iTunes credentials. In addition to an HDTV and Apple TV, all you really need is connectivity to the internet via Ethernet or Wi-Fi and an HDMI cable Read more »
The anticipation and speculation surrounding what could be the next product on the cards for Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) — Apple TV — raises some q… Read more at paidContent »
Time may not be your biggest challenge even as holiday shopping draws to a close. Apple gadget-lovers can be hard to shop for, since they tend to satisfy their own needs when it comes to accessories. Still, there’s something for everyone among the following twelve suggestions. Read more »
Apple’s television plans were outlined in somewhat greater detail in a report by the Wall Street Journal on Sunday. All those plans might be for naught, however thanks to lackluster demand for connected TVs. But there are a few good reasons Apple could beat the odds. Read more »
On Sunday the Wall Street Journal published a report on Apple’s television plans. I had to read the story at least three times to really figure out what exactly Apple is doing when it comes to television. Here are my takeaways from the report. Read more »
Netflix is giving subscribers in Latin America new ways to access its streaming library, by expanding availability of its app on iOS products in the region. Subscribers in its newest international markets can download apps and stream video to the iPad, iPhone and even Apple TV. Read more »
The connected set-top box market doubled since 2010 to 12 million units, and a company known mainly for phones and tablets is set to own a third of it. A new report says Apple TV is on pace to hit 4 million units this year. Read more »
Back in August, we wrote about how Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) had started to offer U.S.-based users of its Apple TV device the ability to stream sho… Read more at paidContent »
Apple turned on streaming of purchased TV shows on the Apple TV for customers in the UK, Canada and Australia on Wednesday night. The change doesn’t even require a user-initiated update, and it should be available on all current Apple TVs in those countries right now. Read more »
When asked about CBS’s appetite for striking deals with new streaming providers that might not have the money to pay cash upfront to license its content, Moonves said that CBS had decided against joining an Apple TV service because it was based on an ad split. Read more »
Apple has long referred to Apple TV as a hobby, but that could soon change with the launch of a full-fledged HDTV. But if Apple hopes to succeed at getting content providers on board, it’s going to need to open up and allow third-party ad serving. Read more »
Every Halloween for the past few years, my family and I have used apps to design our jack-o-lanterns. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you do it, too, from our favorite apps to a way to include the whole family, using your Apple TV. Read more »
Science fiction writers and futurists have long imagined a world in which we control everyday devices with our voice. That future seems a little bit closer to reality with the news that Apple’s Siri voice control technology will likely power its long-rumored iTV device. Read more »
The Apple television is the latest, hottest subject of the rumor mill that surrounds the company. On Thursday, a new report revealed many more tantalizing details about why Apple might be a creating a television and what will set it apart from the competition. Read more »
Reports about the Apple television set supposedly in the works are coming fast and furious following a quote from the Steve Jobs biography. On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that the project is spearheaded by Apple VP Jeff Robbin, who is the lead software designer for iTunes. Read more »
