Apps for Apple TV: sign me up
Saul Hansell, over at the New York Times Bits blog, takes Microsoft’s recent announcement about Xbox LIVE Community Games as a jumping off point to some speculation about Apple TV (and who doesn’t like speculation?). Hansell wonders what would happen if Apple were to open up an App Store for the Apple TV, and I have to admit that I think that’s a brilliant idea.
I’ve always thought that the Apple TV would greatly benefit from third party plugins (official ones, I mean, not hacks), if not full blown apps. Take, for example, the YouTube functionality. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could watch videos from Viddler, Vimeo, or any of the other countless video sharing sites, in addition to those on YouTube? And let’s not forget Netflix. Microsoft and Netflix have teamed up to offer the ‘Watch it now’ library of videos to XBox Live Gold members. Being able to watch those videos from Netflix on my Apple TV would make me one happy panda.
Hansell notes that to make apps on the Apple TV viable something has to be done about that horrible onscreen keyboard. He thinks that Apple might tie the iPhone into the Apple TV as a way to control it. Luckily, Apple has already done this. As John Gruber points out, when you have Apple’s Remote app on your iPhone you are able to use the iPhone to enter text into your Apple TV.
Let’s hope Apple stops thinking about Apple TV as a hobby and starts making an aggressive push for the living room. I like my Apple TV, but my XBox 360 offers up more functionality (and more heat!). [nytimes]
Popularity: 8% [?]
Mac 101: Pairing/Unpairing Apple remotes
If you’re like me, then you have multiple Macs with IR sensors in the same room. What happens when you push the menu button on your Apple remote? Chances are it will launch Front Row on every Mac in the room. I had this problem until I discovered Apple remote pairing.
To pair your remote with a specific Mac or Apple TV, just hold down the menu and the next (fast forward) buttons for 5 seconds making sure you’re within 5 inches of the IR sensor on the device.
You can unpair a remote by going into System Preferences (Apple menu > System Preferences) and click security. From the Security System Preference pane, select the “Unpair” button at the bottom the preference pane.
Lastly, you can disable the use of remotes all together. To do this, head back to the Security System Preference pane and click the check box labeled “Disable remote control infrared receiver.” This will keep rogue remotes away from your Mac.
Popularity: 13% [?]
Tip: iPhone Remote Is a Wi-Fi Keyboard for Apple TV, Prevents Aneurysms
Apple TV’s onscreen keyboard is an exercise in stress management, especially with its morsel of a remote. Not pimped by Apple is that the iPhone’s Remote app solves this by presenting the iPhone’s keyboard anytime you need to type and would otherwise pop a blood vessel, like when you’re searching for “Jay and Seth Vs. the Apocalypse” on YouTube or plumbing through iTunes. Handy for the weekend, no?
[Daring Fireball via Mac Rumors]
Popularity: 14% [?]
OSX Media Application CenterStage Merges With Plex
CenterStage, the great Media Center-like UI for OSX, has merged with the Plex project, an alternative interface in hopes of creating a de facto product for any Mac user looking for more functionality that Apple TV currently affords. The application can play back many formats the Apple TV, and even iTunes, can’t, like XviD, AVI, Video_TS, and others, straight through your HDTV. It also has additional features like streaming Internet radio and built-in game emulators. The excellent Plex UI will mix with the what Centerstage already has built, the end result being a universal application for Mac-centric Media Centers that’s easy to use. Check out the new UI demo and screen shots after the jump. [CenterStage]
Read the rest of this entry
Popularity: 6% [?]
Apple TV 2.1 walkthrough
Today Apple released the 2.1 update for the Apple TV. The main new features of this update are MobileMe and support for Remote.app (Apple’s Remote application for iPhone/iPod touch users).
Telling readers what the update did is one thing, but showing is a completely different story, that’s why we went the extra mile to bring you a walkthrough of the new features in the 2.1 update. So check out our gallery of Apple TV 2.1 screenshots.
Popularity: 7% [?]
