Well, the Apple iPod event has come and gone. Here are my thoughts on what happened:
Shuffle: Ok, so they went back to the 2nd Gen. No big deal, the 3rd gen was a terrible design imo, WAY too easy to lose and way too finicky without base-controls. I never tried it because I was too worried of losing it ;D
Nano: Well, that was a bit from left field. I guess this basically means the Classic is canned. They have altogether gotten rid of the scroll wheel. So I guess the previous gen iPod having a Camera was just a fluke. Interesting how this Nano iPod has changed generation from generation. Otherwise, it's a neat design and I think it works in it's own way.
Touch: Well, not going to lie, if I can't get my hands on an iPhone, this WILL be my next tech purchase. Disappointed the back-facing camera doesn't have an actual picture camera and is just for video, but I guess we can't get everything. But HD, Gyro, Facetime and better battery certainly make it worth buying to me.
iTV. Meh. I don't care about TV nearly as much, because of all the stupid ads and everything, (Hulu and Netflix became my friends recently ;) )but hey! Pretty neat for those that want to use it :).
iTunes 10 also looks good. Time will tell if the new social media on it will work out.
All in all, the new iOS updates are good, but I'm pretty much just set on getting an iPhone. I really, REALLY hope it's coming to Verizon in Janurary next year as everyone has been saying. After Verizon told me the Droid models are going to cost as much as an iPhone, I pretty much am set on an iPhone. Just come to Verizon already.... :-\
Any thoughts?
King
Wow King, on vacation? :) Hitting the Tweets pretty hard today! :) ;)
Quote from: QuadShot on September 01, 2010, 05:52:31 PM
Wow King, on vacation? :) Hitting the Tweets pretty hard today! :) ;)
Yeah.....apparently I'm that bored on my vacation. I'm almost certain I broke new Tweeting records. Hope no one minds that I had 744 tweets last month. :ohwell :blink
King
I really liked the new Apple TV. Great price point for instant streaming HD.
New TV seems pretty cool - but I probably won't go for it. If they also gave me DVR capability - then it would seem more attractive.
New iTouch looks cool! Devices like this have to have telecoms scared - soon you will be able to make all your calls etc over wifi devices like this - as soon as Apple manages to put wimax or something similar into the iTouch.
Quote from: Bromptonboy on September 01, 2010, 06:07:00 PM
New TV seems pretty cool - but I probably won't go for it. If they also gave me DVR capability - then it would seem more attractive.
New iTouch looks cool! Devices like this have to have telecoms scared - soon you will be able to make all your calls etc over wifi devices like this - as soon as Apple manages to put wimax or something similar into the iTouch.
The only thing stopping me from getting the new iPod touch is the lack of Wifi in my area. So 3G makes up for it. So we'll see what happens.
King
Quote from: Kingisaaclinksr on September 01, 2010, 05:53:33 PM
Quote from: QuadShot on September 01, 2010, 05:52:31 PM
Wow King, on vacation? :) Hitting the Tweets pretty hard today! :) ;)
Yeah.....apparently I'm that bored on my vacation. I'm almost certain I broke new Tweeting records. Hope no one minds that I had 744 tweets last month. :ohwell :blink
King
I don't mind at all. Gives me something to read during my incredibly boring work day! :)
Wow, it's September already? Things are right on schedule :) Earlier this year I had decided it would be best to get a new dedicated mp3 player, and I was surprised to learn that the ipod touch devices were available in a 60 gig... had thought they were only 8 and 16 which woulnd not meet my needs. Actually was interested in one of those 160g classics but was leaning more toward the touch device due to the various travel related applications and guides that were being published. At the time I noticed that they seemed to release new versions around Sept so decided I would wait for then - and well, here we are. I shall havee to go see what they've released.
I was doing the same with the kindle which has also been updated, but will still wait to compare the new nook that I assume is coming.
Need a new phone as well, tho have zero interest in the iphone; probably will be a Nokia N8 or the Meego based Nokia N900 successor... We shall see.
Am I right in assuming these ipod touches are compatible with netflix streaming or am I mistakingly confusing it with the ipad? Even if, I suppose you have to be in the US (or perhaps now Canada) to view. That crap really p's me off - it should be based on you account/billing which would allow US/Canadian customers to access content abroad.
The iPad app of Netflix was updated to work on the iPhone/iPod touch. As per your problem of viewing abroad...sorry, I have no idea as I live in the US.
King
I just don't get Apple TV. Why would anyone pay for a device that makes you then pay more to rent movies and TV? If there was free content I could understand, or even a subscription model that gave you access to streaming content like Netflix, but a hundred bucks to hook something up to your TV that functions the same as On Demand cable? Not a valuable product imo.
It's much cheaper then on demand cable. It's just another step toward making dropping your cable provider completely. If only they didn't control the internet connection!
Quote from: billybob476 on September 02, 2010, 06:49:53 AM
It's much cheaper then on demand cable. It's just another step toward making dropping your cable provider completely. If only they didn't control the internet connection!
What are you basing this on? On Demand cable has episodes of almost all recently aired shows in HD for free. Movies are two bucks to five bucks with loads of free content as well. As far as I know Apple TV has zero free content and their movie rentals are the same as On Demand pricing. I guess if you mean it's cheaper than actually subscribing to cable then I understand what you're saying.
I don't know about you but I pay upwards of 140 dollars a month for cable, most of which I don't watch.
Well yeah, for cable, phone, and internet that's what I pay too. But I watch a ton, stream and download a ton, record a ton for later on DVR...Apple TV gives you none of that. It just seems like a poor replacement for cable TV if you think that's what they're trying to accomplish, especially with a pay as you watch pricing model.
It reminds me of all the movie content they have on Xbox live and PSN. If they offered that stuff buffet style with a subscription model I would be all over it, and I'll bet others would too.
Quote from: billybob476 on September 02, 2010, 07:02:12 AM
I don't know about you but I pay upwards of 140 dollars a month for cable, most of which I don't watch.
Is that just for the TV part Joe?? I'm guessing not. I think it comes down to how much TV/movies you consume and what works best for you. Personally, I watch a fair amount so I don't mind paying for a more general fee to access a good chunk. But if you only watch a show or two and a couple movies I can see Apple TV filling that little spot. Of course, I think the combo of Netflix and Hulu is a better value by far. Anyway, we will see how it all goes.
Welcome to Canada. My bill from Rogers Cable for internet, TV and home phone is about 220 dollars a month. It's too expensive, before the end of the year I'm switching providers.
EDIT: So I guess any method to get the cost down is interesting to me. Remember we don't have netflix (yet), nor hulu or anything like that.
Quote from: billybob476 on September 02, 2010, 07:28:55 AM
Welcome to Canada. My bill from Rogers Cable for internet, TV and home phone is about 220 dollars a month. It's too expensive, before the end of the year I'm switching providers.
EDIT: So I guess any method to get the cost down is interesting to me. Remember we don't have netflix (yet), nor hulu or anything like that.
HOLY SMOKES! That's a lot of cubits!
- I thought I heard that Netflix would be up yonder soon?
My cable bill is quite high, but I have all my services through the same company as well, Phone, Internet and Cable. It is probably in the range of what Joe pays, but I have a few expensive things on it like I have to pay 15 dollars a month for a Chinese Language station for my Wife. Also I have a movie channel as well, it is an expense, but I figure probably cheaper then renting or seeing some of the movies in the theatre. Takes about a year for them to reach that channel, and it has most of the big movies. I might reevaluate it in the fall and see if I really need it or not.
I think I saw just about everything on TV that I wanted. The only things I did not get was Clone Wars in HD and Men of a Certain age, as it was on a channel I don't have. Those I just downloaded off Bit Torrent and streamed through my XBox. Hopefully someday we get something like Hulu or Netflix, as I like the Idea of seeing some older shows I have missed. I would rather just pay a subscription fee per month, then per show.
I have not really followed the Apple TV all that closely, so will have to look more into it, but right now, doesn't sound like it does what I am looking for. I guess I will have to see how much they charge for movies, as possibly could be cheaper then what I do right now, but still I am just more into paying a fee for the month, then per movie. But the other hand, right now I am at the mercy of the channel I get my movies on to what they are showing and when.
Same here, I pay for the TMN package with gives me a few movie channels plus HBO Canada, that's about 14.00/month. I'm very close to dumping that. I'm also renting an HD PVR and standard HD terminal for my two TVs.
Nextflix (streaming only) has been slated for the fall here. No new developments on that front at this point.
Quote from: billybob476 on September 02, 2010, 08:48:57 AM
Same here, I pay for the TMN package with gives me a few movie channels plus HBO Canada, that's about 14.00/month. I'm very close to dumping that. I'm also renting an HD PVR and standard HD terminal for my two TVs.
Nextflix (streaming only) has been slated for the fall here. No new developments on that front at this point.
I get HBO Canada as well, but I have not watched much on it besides the Pacific Miniseries earlier in the year. I pay about the same for our Movie Channels as well. A few years back they intoduced a new Movie Channel, which bugged me a bit, as I have Movie Central, and up until then, it was the only movie channel, so it got pretty much all the movies. Now there are two, Movie Central has most of the movies, but there are a few of the other channel, which I dont get, such as Marley and Me that I noticed last month on the other channel. So will look to see if there are better alternatives for movies. Some months I watch a lot of movies, and other months not as many. I guess for me, if I pay per movie, if I dont like it, then I will feel I wasted my money, since a lot of movies I watch on the Movie Channel are not ones I would normally watch in a theatre.
Quote from: Rico on September 02, 2010, 07:23:35 AM
Is that just for the TV part Joe?? I'm guessing not. I think it comes down to how much TV/movies you consume and what works best for you. Personally, I watch a fair amount so I don't mind paying for a more general fee to access a good chunk. But if you only watch a show or two and a couple movies I can see Apple TV filling that little spot.
Exactly, which is the camp I fall in in. I'm not a huge media consumer at all and would love to have an easy, streaming pay option for contnet when I want it. I also have sufficient DVR capabilities on my DISH Network system and Jamie and I don't record and store a lot of stuff at all. Now, if I could stream to my iPad and somehow mount it on by bike.... :)
One thing that does stop me from seriously considering dropping cable is the "causal" tv watching. I mean just flipping on the tv in the background and watching something you're not incredibly interested in. I guess it's more a question of modifying that behaviour and replacing it with something else.
Also my monthly bandwidth cap is 60 gigs. I think I'd eat through that pretty quick if I consumed all my media over the web.
I've never been a channel flipper person. If I need something on in the background, I'll put on some music or a podcast. I only really turn on the TV just before a specific show is on or to watch a movie. I would certainly guess too that as more large file video content is moved over the net, bandwidth caps will need to increase. Or more likely, you can get more but it will cost you. They will still get us all in the end. ;)
I would love a streaming option for the iPad similar to Slingbox. For THAT I'd pay $99 bucks.
Quote from: Jobydrone4of20 on September 02, 2010, 12:40:29 PM
I would love a streaming option for the iPad similar to Slingbox. For THAT I'd pay $99 bucks.
They're working on it!
http://gizmodo.com/5505288/slingplayer-hd-coming-to-ipad (http://gizmodo.com/5505288/slingplayer-hd-coming-to-ipad)
Quote from: Jobydrone4of20 on September 02, 2010, 12:40:29 PM
I would love a streaming option for the iPad similar to Slingbox. For THAT I'd pay $99 bucks.
Wait a second - so you can't access your home networked PC/Mac using your iPad to show content located elsewhere? Every video file has to be converted and moved to your iPad via some kind of plug in sync method? Yuck!
Interesting. Kind of useless for my Wifi only iPad unfortunately but very very cool none the less.
Quote from: Rico on September 02, 2010, 01:25:43 PM
Wait a second - so you can't access your home networked PC/Mac using your iPad to show content located elsewhere? Every video file has to be converted and moved to your iPad via some kind of plug in sync method? Yuck!
Yeah...What do you think this is, Star Trek or something?
Quote from: Jobydrone4of20 on September 02, 2010, 01:28:56 PM
Quote from: Rico on September 02, 2010, 01:25:43 PM
Wait a second - so you can't access your home networked PC/Mac using your iPad to show content located elsewhere? Every video file has to be converted and moved to your iPad via some kind of plug in sync method? Yuck!
Yeah...What do you think this is, Star Trek or something?
Ahh, no. But I thought it could at least network like a netbook or laptop. Wow, that's a major drawback for me.
Yeah it's a very strange restriction. Apple introduced this AirPlay thing in the keynote as well but it seems to be for streming FROM your iOS device TO a 3rd party device, not from a computer to the iOS thing.
Sometimes Apple is just strange.
Hm, I'm so used to converting stuff and adding through iTunes I guess its become second nature. I've been doing it ever since they released the first ipod with video. I know there's programs out there that allow you to access your home computer when on the road with another computer or laptop but I thought those were subscription/premium services that cost a certain amount per month or year. I'm sure something like that is coming for the iPad but I imagine it will be costly.
Quote from: Jobydrone4of20 on September 02, 2010, 04:10:48 PM
Hm, I'm so used to converting stuff and adding through iTunes I guess its become second nature. I've been doing it ever since they released the first ipod with video. I know there's programs out there that allow you to access your home computer when on the road with another computer or laptop but I thought those were subscription/premium services that cost a certain amount per month or year. I'm sure something like that is coming for the iPad but I imagine it will be costly.
Here are two programs that cost a 1 time fee. Or at least Air Video does, not sure about the other one, haven't tested it yet. All it requires is an internet connection and your computer on. Converts on the road.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/air-video-watch-your-videos/id306550020?mt=8 (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/air-video-watch-your-videos/id306550020?mt=8)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/streamtome/id325327899?mt=8 (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/streamtome/id325327899?mt=8)
Now accessing your computer is something I haven't touched yet, but might do in the future. Not sure yet.
King
Quote from: Jobydrone4of20 on September 02, 2010, 04:10:48 PM
Hm, I'm so used to converting stuff and adding through iTunes I guess its become second nature. I've been doing it ever since they released the first ipod with video. I know there's programs out there that allow you to access your home computer when on the road with another computer or laptop but I thought those were subscription/premium services that cost a certain amount per month or year. I'm sure something like that is coming for the iPad but I imagine it will be costly.
I'm not talking about when on the road or away from home. I'm just talking about accessing music, video files, etc. on your main computer using your iPad at home instead of moving all your content to every device you move around with. For example, my TIVO at home can access video content on my PC and play it on my big screen TV. It would bug me a lot to have to move each file first to the iPad, just so I could have it with me sitting on my couch to watch a TV show or a movie when the file is sitting on my main computer too. Especially considering the limited storage on the iPad. Seems rather silly and a waste of time.
Except, Rico, most people do not have a way to stream their PC's HD content to their TV. Once again, you have to look at the less technical crowd to appreciate the utility.
Do you work for Apple Bryan? ;)
It's way better being shareholder. :)
Apple TV hasn't been a very compelling product but this is a move in the right direction for the company.
Something I've been confused/unclear about with the apple stuff: can you download a file, like a divx video from someplace and view it, or does everything have to be imported from a computer via itunes?
Can you dl torrents and unpack multi part .rar files on the device?
I do not have a computer so am seeking the best mobile option.
King I'm going to give one of those streaming apps a try, thanks. Seems like for movie files at least this addresses what Rico is referring to.
And no to d/l torrents on the iPad. All you get is an error. Not sure if there's a solution on jail broken devices.
The new Apple TV has no internal storage whatsoever. I believe you will be able to stream iTunes content to it in addition to streaming rented iTunes videos over the net (and netflix).
Quote from: Bryancd on September 02, 2010, 04:56:30 PM
Except, Rico, most people do not have a way to stream their PC's HD content to their TV. Once again, you have to look at the less technical crowd to appreciate the utility.
This isn't true. Anyone with a Xbox 360, PS3, and some Bluray players can stream. Given that 41.7 million units of the 360 and 31.8 in Ps3 sales Not to mention numerous laptops that can be connected to HD tvs, there are plenty of ways to stream to your TV.
My Zune can play HD on my TV.
Quote from: X on September 02, 2010, 08:38:09 PM
This isn't true. Anyone with a Xbox 360, PS3, and some Bluray players can stream. Given that 41.7 million units of the 360 and 31.8 in Ps3 sales Not to mention numerous laptops that can be connected to HD tvs, there are plenty of ways to stream to your TV.
My Zune can play HD on my TV.
This is true but they definitely need to make it easier to figure out how to accomplish this awesome feature. I'll would bet that no more than 10% of users of the devices you mentioned are even aware that the ability to stream from the PC/MAC to the TV is possible through their gaming or bluray systems. I consider myself at least fairly technically adept and it took me quite a while to set up these features.
Quote from: Jobydrone4of20 on September 03, 2010, 08:22:47 AM
Quote from: X on September 02, 2010, 08:38:09 PM
This isn't true. Anyone with a Xbox 360, PS3, and some Bluray players can stream. Given that 41.7 million units of the 360 and 31.8 in Ps3 sales Not to mention numerous laptops that can be connected to HD tvs, there are plenty of ways to stream to your TV.
My Zune can play HD on my TV.
This is true but they definitely need to make it easier to figure out how to accomplish this awesome feature. I'll would bet that no more than 10% of users of the devices you mentioned are even aware that the ability to stream from the PC/MAC to the TV is possible through their gaming or bluray systems. I consider myself at least fairly technically adept and it took me quite a while to set up these features.
The streaming on my XBox 360 was pretty simple, basically sharing out the media player on my PC. But I agree, they probably could hace documented it a bit better as it took a google search to find.
TIVO streams too from home PC's, Netflix, etc. It's been like this for years. Apple needs to make this a feature with any TV device if they want it to really take off. Personally, I wish we could get an all-in-one device instead of having 2-4 devices to do all this stuff with. A separate DVR, Blu-Ray player, game system, Apple TV, Roku, Slingbox, etc... it's nuts!