Apple Answers Questions!

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Title: Apple I-Pods, Why Are They So Popular?

Keywords:consumer electronics, ipod, apple ipod, mp3 player, mp3, electronics, ipod accessories, apple ipod accessories, splaytech, podcast,

Summary:

These days while your just walking around school, work, the mall, or just about anywhere you’ll see many people listening to their Apple I-Pods. You might see some with cool accessories such as portable speakers, cool looking cases, voice recorders, FM transmitters, remotes and much more. Lets face it the Apple I-Pod has become the most popular mp3 player around and it doesn’t seem like it will loose that #1 spot anytime soon with all their new little inventions. So what makes the Apple I-Pod so popular?

Article Body:

These days, while just walking around school, work, mall, or anywhere Äôll can see people listening to their Apple I-Pods. You can see there are some fashion accessories like portable speakers, cool cases, voice recorder, FM transmitter, remote control and more. Let's face it the Apple I-pod has become the most popular MP3 player around, and no, AOT is likely to lose the # 1 spot in the short term all the new discoveries of her. So why is the Apple I-pod is so popular?

Some people might say that this design is popular and why do they buy your I-pod and some might say fun accessories that come with it. Also some people can buy just because everybody has one, and just want to fit in it, many reasons why people buy I-Pods're, you just need to find .

Apple I-pod just start playing the song. He moved to the image, and Podcasts and now even plays videos! I-pod MP3 players to do almost everything and more. Not only is good for many things, which are now very thin and lightweight. They can fit into your pocket without you feeling there and still have room for just about everyone else. With Apple I-pod you can watch video pod casts, music videos and favorite TV shows. You can browse your old memories with photo slideshows with music. If you like reading you can also read books with audio books you have. But of course most of you know how good an mp3 player i-pod, AM and probably already have one. In this case, you should get some cool accessories for the Apple I-pod.

Accessories for I-pod can be a great additional feature for all MP3 players are offered. Impress your friends with your new portable speakers you get for your I-pod. Portable speakers you can get out of their Apple I-pod in your pocket while're running and the list of speakers to strengthen all the songs for you. If you are not close to I-pod, as he became the player to play the speakers can also use the remote control to change the song or choose another song with a simple click of a button. You also might want to buy a voice recorder for your MP3 player to record memorable moments. If you are a musician, you can also use the sound recorder to record the songs they play or sing. If you jog every day for good exercise and I want to hear your I-pod can also get lots of sport itself. Apple I-pod almost every accessory you need out there and now became the protagonist of his work to find and great prices. If you are interested in buying some accessories for your I-pod, you should first try to navigate

Apple TV Software Update 4.1.1 – Problems Being Fixed

The second-generation Apple TV is undoubtedly an impressive piece of kit, however there have been a few teething issues since its release in September, according to AppleInsider a software update will be released to fix some of the known problems.

If your Apple TV is up-to-date you will be running iOS 4.1, the next update will bring Apple TV to iOS 4.1.1 and will apparently fix an issue which causes some HDTVs to display at 480p, also if TV shows or movies are unnecessarily re-downloaded you will be glad to hear that Apple will be fixing this problem as well. We have embedded a picture showing these iOS 4.1.1 plan below, or you can check out this link.

I searched Apple’s support forums for fixes and found that a lot of people are currently experiencing the 480p downscale problem here, having looked through all the pages I cannot see a definitive fix, therefore it seems as if it is a fault with Apple TV’s firmware and not a problem with HDTVs and HDMI cables.

At the moment Apple are staying quiet about when this update will arrive, therefore we will have to keep you posted as we find out more, in the mean time we would love to get some feedback from you, therefore feel free use the comments section below to let us know what you would like to see fixed when iOS 4.1.1 for Apple TV arrives.

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Sony PS3 Infographic: Better Than Apple TV, Xbox 360, Wii, Roku, Boxee?

Sony today provided “some clarity in a very confusing market on what’s available on each ‘box” by releasing an infographic. The interactive image tries to prove it is the best system to purchase in a selected range that includes the Apple TV, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Roku, and Boxee.

The graphic shows images of all devices named above, along with a list of 14 compiled features that come with each device. When your mouse hovers over one of the available ‘boxes,’ the features it has are highlighted. Alternatively, if you hover over a feature, for instance “Video Games,” only the devices that can play video games would be highlighted.

As you probably guessed, the Sony PlayStation 3 supports all of the features it lists. This includes Hulu, 3D, Blu-Ray, Free Online Multiplayer, and so on and so forth.

The reason behind this graphic is not entirely clear. One would think that Sony are putting out a relatively large push in marketing the console over the holiday season, and the new recruit — the PlayStation Move. But truth be told, the Move is not selling as well as Kinect, and according to reports, the PS3 is third, behind the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii in console sales respectively.

The real message Sony are trying to deliver is diversity. They clearly have a lot of wanted features on their console, and intend to point it out, just in case consumers were unaware of what a PS3 console could actually do.

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Top Flat Screen TV Reviews

September 22nd, 2010 Filed under: Sylvania Television — Television Author

Samsung LN52A650 52-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

Samsung adds a Touch of Color to a blazing-fast 4ms response time and rich connectivity features to redefine the role HDTVs play in the home with its forward-looking Series 6 (A650) and Series 7 (A750) LCD HDTVs. Utilizing the award-winning technologies found in all Samsung HDTVs, Series 6 and 7 HDTVs deliver unparalleled picture quality and enhanced connectivity and networking capabilities that create a true entertainment hub for any home. Series 7 takes networking and multimedia management to a whole new level. Consumers can easily enjoy MPEG and JPEG files stored on external devices by connecting through a side-mounted USB 2.0, turning their LCD into a full-scale home viewing gallery, or connect their MP3 players for a dynamic audio experience.

Samsung LN40A550 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

Samsung’s 550 Series is a perfect way to step up to Full HD 1080p resolution. A fast 5 ms response rate produces smooth-motion scenes for sports and action movies, and a dynamic contrast ratio of 30,000:1 makes for deep blacks and crisp lines (15,000:1 in 32-inch and 37-inch models). Superb connectivity and networking with a USB port and 3 HDMI 1.3 ports with Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) means these HDTVs play well with all of your other electronics. Easily enjoy MPEG and JPEG files stored on external devices by connecting through the side-mounted USB 2.0, turn your LCD into a full-scale home viewing gallery, or connect your MP3 player for a dynamic audio experience.

Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ800U 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

With its 2008 Panasonic Viera Plasmas, Panasonic brings an astonishing 1,000,000:1 contrast ration to the table. advanced pixel resolution and image-processing technology with the plasma TV’s natural ability to beautifully reproduce fast moving images, so every detail is rendered with amazing clarity, and all the action is delivered with a high degree of fluidity.

What’s New This Year?

Super Contrast–native contrast ratios on the PZ85, PZ800 and PX 850 series are 30,000:1, double last year’s 15,000:1. Dynamic contrast ratios are up to 1,000,000:1.

new anti-reflective filter; lead-free “Tough Under Force” panel is resistant to impacts and scratches

Built-in SD card slot with Photo Viewer/Gallery Player software

x.v. Color and Deep Color (HDMI 1.3 features)

24p native reproduction

Game Mode auto-adjusts image quality suitable to games and includes anti-image retention

Viera Link is now compatible with Onkyo and Yamaha home theater systems

At least 3 HDMI inputs on all models (4 on PZ800 and PZ850 series)

THX Certification on PZ800 and PZ850 series

Sony Bravia L-Series KDL-32L4000 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV

How about a Sony BRAVIA HDTV that has legendary Sony quality at a price just about anyone can afford? That’s what the KDL-32L4000 HDTV represents. Two HDMI” connections mean this HDTV can connect to the latest HDMI”-enabled sources. Add to that two more component inputs, and a PC input, and you have five ways to get HD quality entertainment to your TV. With wide viewing angles and a fast panel response time, and a beautiful gloss black color with chrome accents, now everyone can enjoy video entertainment no matter where they’re sitting and what they’re watching.

32? widescreen HDTV (16:9 aspect ratio) * semigloss black finish with chrome accents * built-in digital (ATSC) and analog (NTSC) tuners for over-the-air TV broadcasts (antenna required) * built-in QAM cable TV tuner receives unscrambled programs without a set-top box (cable service required) * 1366 x 768 pixels * 2 component video (accepts signals up to 1080i) *

Sylvania LC195SL8 19-Inch 720p LCD HDTV

19? LCD TV with PC input. Great for dorms and video games.

The Sylvania LC195SL8 is a 19? 720p Resolution LCD HDTV. This flat-panel LCD television has a 19? screen, measured diagonally from corner to corner. This screen size is perfect for viewing from 3' to 5' away. A 1440 x 900 resolution means that this television has 900 rows of pixels vertically. The more pixels a TV has, the clearer the images it can produce.

HDTV Display with PC input

Digital Tuner

1440 x 900 resolution

V-Chip w Downloadable Rating

Samsung LN32A450 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV

Enjoy the clarity of HD in a stunningly modern design with a unique bezel and frame to suit your decor. True 720p resolution offers amazing LCD image detail, complemented by a 10,000:1 dynamic-contrast ratio for vivid colors and bold blacks. Three HDMI inputs let you connect quickly and easily to your peripherals. Call up a variety of menu options and preferences via a smart user interface. Speaking of smart, the intelligently hidden speakers ensure a sleek, clean look that fits in almost any surroundings. TruSurround delivers a compelling, virtual surround sound experience through any two speakers playback system, including internal television speakers and headphones. It is fully compatible with all multichannel formats up to 5.1 channels Stereo broadcast reception, (MTS & SAP) with 181-channel capacity. Hidden bottom speakers with 10 Watts x 2 audio power SRS TruSurround XT – TruSurround is a patented SRS technology that solves the problem of playing 5.1 multichannel content over two speakers V-Chip system allows blocking of rated TV and movie programs determined by the parent to contain objectionable content Trilingual on-screen displays in English, Spanish or French HDMI-CEC allows peripheral devices such as a DVD player to be controlled by TV remote control Auto wall mount compatible Channel coverage – VHF 2-13, UHF 14-69, and CATV 1-125 (up to 181 pre-selected channels) Antenna – CATV/VHF/UFH 75-ohm, F-type Connections – 3 HDMI High Definition Multimedia Interface (2 rear, 1 side), 2 Rear Component (Y/Pb/Pr), Rear RF Input, Side S-video input, Composite AV (Rear, Side), Side Headphone, Rear PC D-sub, Rear optical sound out, Rear RS232, and Side HDMI-CEC Dimensions – Width 31.5 x Height 20.7 x Depth 3.7 / 31.5 x 22.7 x 9.9 with stand Weight – 24.0 pounds / 28.9 pounds with stand.

Pioneer KURO PDP-5020FD 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

Enter the next generation of Pioneer KURO, where a picture is worth more than a thousand words. Awake your senses and discover there is more to this television than meets the eye. Deeper black levels that pave the way to breathtaking detail, added dimension and more vibrant color are just the beginning. Optimum Mode automatically analyzes and adjusts audio and video settings according to specific room light conditions and type of light and color. Program content is also monitored and finely adjusted so movies, sports and news are all faithfully reproduced. Smooth Film mode eliminates motion jitter in 3:2 Pulldown (60Hz), providing natural even playback of film content. Detachable bottom speaker with fully integrated digital amplifier for pristine clarity and accuracy of sound 4 Independent HDMI 1.3 inputs with HDMI-CEC control and the ability to accept 1080p 24/60Hz signal Room Light Sensor for automatic picture adjustment Standard 3 – 2 (60Hz) and Advanced PureCinema with 3 – 3 Pulldown (72Hz) for accurate playback of film content Fully Integrated ATSC and NTSC Tuner with Clear QAM Supported Formats – Video – WMV9, MPEG1, MPEG2-PS, MPEG2-TS, MPEG4 (SP/ASP), and MPEG4 (H.264/AVC) Audio – WMA9, MP3, Linear PCM (WAV), HE-AAC, and MPEG-4 AAC Photos – JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, and BMP 4 Independent HDMI 1.3 (1 side, 3 rear) with PC support, 2 with analog audio, 1 Component, 3x Composite, 1 S-Video Antenna, USB (Mass Storage Class), LAN (10/100 Base-T –Ethernet), and PC input Optical Digital Audio (Dolby Digital/PCM), Audio LR, Subwoofer, SR, and Headphone output Dimensions – Width 48-17/32 x Height 28-15/32 x Depth 3-21/32 / 48-17/32 x 31-5/8 x 3-21/32 with speaker Weight – 74 pounds 1 ounces / 86 pounds with speaker and stand.

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Samsung LCD TV Reviews

October 1st, 2010 Filed under: Magnavox Television — Television Author

Samsung has various high definition televisions that have outstanding picture quality and speakers that give the illusion of surround sound. Some of the best televisions Samsung has to offer include the Samsung 26 inch LCD TV, the Samsung 32 inch LCD TV, and the Samsung 40 inch LCD TV. All three of these televisions contain great features and one of these televisions will definitely be a great fit in your home.

The Samsung 26 inch LCD TV has many features that make it an outstanding product. This flat-panel television produces clear and crisp scenes due to a contrast ratio of 4000:1. With a 160 degree viewing angle, this television provides you with an enjoyable viewing experience. High quality speakers are already inserted in the Samsung 26 in. LCD TV. These speakers provide an illusion of surround sound which means you don’t have to go out and buy additional speakers. Therefore this television is a great money saver. Don’t be fooled by the small size of the television. Although it isnt as big as its counterparts, the Samsung 26 in. LCD television fills up a room with ease and allows everyone to view it without strain. Its small size makes it extremely portable and it can be mounted on a stand or even on the wall. You can even plug your computer into it and view movies and music on the product itself.

The Samsung 32 inch LCD TV is sleek and slim and includes many features that make it one of the best Samsung has to offer. The picture quality of this television is simply outstanding. The screen possesses high resolution quality and displayed images appear incredibly realistic. The 32 in. LCD TV is attached to a swivel base which allows you to easily adjust the angle of view, twenty degrees to the left or right respectively, to suit your personal preference. There are ten watt speakers already built in to the Samsung 32 in. LCD television which provides outstanding sound quality that add an enjoyable viewing experience. This television also provides a virtual surround sound so it is also a great money saver. The screen can also function as a computer monitor so you also don’t have to waste money buying a monitor. This feature also allows you to play video games on an HDTV which provides a unreal gaming experience. There are also two hdmi plugins and only one TV cable which is much simpler than having to deal with dozens of cables coming out of the TV.

The Samsung 40 inch LCD TV is larger than the previous two products and provides a much crisper and clearer screen. It has a contrast ratio of 30,000:1 which creates fantastic picture quality. Even the darkest scenes appear bright on the screen, and the color is much richer. The picture quality is as good as much more expensive televisions such as plasmas. The screen has a 16:9 viewing angle which allows you to view the entire scene without parts of it cut out such as the bottom line on Sportscenter. I always hated when my old television would do this and since I hooked up the Samsung 40 in. LCD TV I haven’t missed a thing. This television contains two more hdmi plugins than the previous two televisions, making a grand total of four. These plugins allow you to connect your surround sound, mp3 player, digital camera, dvd player, and other electronics. The ability to plugin four different things at once makes the Samsung 40 in. LCD television a very versatile product. With this television, you will never want to go to the movies again.

All three of these televisions are of the best Samsung has to offer and provide specific features that are designed to address specific needs of consumers. You can read reviews on the Samsung 26 inch LCD TV, the Samsung 32 inch LCD TV, and the Samsung 40 inch LCD TV and also purchase these products on learning-about.com/SamsungLCDTV

Read customer reviews with a star rating system for the Samsung 40 inch lcd tv by visiting: Samsung 40 lcd tv

Read more reviews of samsung lcd tvs by visiting: Samsung LCD TV Reviews

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Is Vizio Equal to Sony, Samsung, LG, and Sharp?

I was always under the inpression that SONY did not produce their own components rather they designed a product based on the best available components and then marketed it. Theoretically giving you the best product available. I may be wrong but that was my perception. I am not to sure of the story with Panansonic but back in the late ’80s and early 90s when I worked in retail selling sound systems and hi-fi they were considered the best for the price at the higher end of the scale in regards to their TV (I have 2 from that period, to date both work perfectly) and Technics all I say is SL1210s.


Vizio is Amtran electronics, which is a greybox provider, which is basically they make electronics for companies on contract, but this is typically your 2nd and 3rd tier manufactures, such as Symphonic, Insignia, Westinghouse, etc. Not major manufactures. The misconception came from the fact that Amtran has a factory they share with LG, and they have teamed together in some other joint ventures but that does not mean they are the same product.



Using the logic that most people use, Samsung and Sony are the exact same, since they share factories. In fact so is LG Philips or for a while, Toshiba and Panasonic. Sharing factories is common nowadays because they cost billions and years to create these TV technologies.



Anyhow, I would say no to Vizio due to their warranty practices. If it’s out of warranty or you don’t have the box you are basically out-of-options with them. It’s up to you to get it to them, (around $100 shipping for a large set) they have the right to deny service if it’s not in the original box and the flat rate on large sets is $1100. You might as well buy something new. Popularity: 10%If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
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VIZIO VO320E ECO 32-inch LCD HDTV 720p

VIZIO VO320E ECO 32-inch LCD HDTV 720p

VIZIO VO320E ECO 32-inch LCD HDTV 720p back panel

Well, my trusty 42 inch rear-projection CRT TV decided to take a permanent vacation. Without any cash budgeted for a new TV, and two teenagers (which moves TV from a luxury to a necessity), I went looking for a cheap “interim” TV to fill the gap.

My apartment is small. While I was initially set not go below 42 inches, my lack of funds quickly led me to the conclusion that 42 inches was out of my price range. So, I discovered this Vizio 32-inch LCD TV.

The instruction manual and quick setup guide are clear and understandable. TV setup seemed to take no time. Vizio should be commended for writing a 67-page manual that is entirely in (reasonably clear and non-geeky) English.

The ‘calibration’ process (what Vizio calls “fine tuning”) is simple and uncomplicated (except for DVE). Most control default settings were nearly correct when checked with DVE test patterns.

I changed “Color” from 50 to 45 for my calibration using DVE’s red, green, and blue filters. I reduced “Sharpness” from 4 to 1. A bit more sharpening gave my picture more pizzazz, despite what DVE concluded.

This TV has a number of ways to connect various video sources. This includes two HDMI ports, component video, S-video, SVGA, and coaxial. You also get an audio out to attach amplified speakers or an inexpensive surround sound system.

The whole “eco/green” thing seems like just another marketing gimmick. However, for this TV the whole ECO thing does two things.

First, the TV is amazingly light. It is just over 24 lbs with the stand. It is a joy to move compared to that 42 inch tank.

Second, this Vizio is EXTREMELY energy efficient. It uses about 85W operating and .33W standby (thanks to a mildly annoying amber VIZIO logo you can’t turn off without unplugging). My kids use more electricity in the bathroom than I spend on my favorite DVD.

An energy efficient TV is great. But, if the picture is lousy, what’s the point. A TV that I don’t watch because it looks like garbage is great for energy efficiency because it’s not watched!!!

Thankfully this TV is energy-efficient WITH a great picture. It has a 15000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio with a nice viewing angle. It is perfect for my small apartment living room. Replacing that 42 inch rear projection for this Vizio actually makes the living room look bigger.

Now, some think 32 inches for a living room is too small. This is funny since I remember hearing the praises for the “mighty” 27 inch TV 10 years ago. A 32 inch works great for my space.

For larger rooms, you will be spoiled. I believe you’ll wish you had a bigger screen. For me, it’s just about perfect.

The one thing that surprised me is the enhanced DVD viewing. My old 42 inch CRT TV used a 4:3 contrast ratio. When I watched widescreen DVD’s on it, the actual usable picture was less than that on the 32 inch. Now my DVD’s appear “larger” on a “smaller” TV.

Being used to Standard Definition, I thought the HD hype was just that…Hype. Only one word to describe that…WRONG!!!

I got a cheap “wall mount” antenna to pick up “off the air” HD broadcasts for weekend football. Let me say…HOLY COW!!!! Even on a 32 inch TV, the clarity and detail in HD makes the picture jump out at you.

Remember, this TV is 720p. It upscales to 1080i. This is the default resolution for all over-the-air HD broadcasts. 1080p is used with PS3 and Blueray, and a few Video on Demand services.

Unless you are into Bluray, or PS3, 1080p is probably a waste. Besides, on a 32-inch screen, your ability to see any difference will probably not be significant. For those with older eyes, you probably won’t see any difference at all!

Overall, it shocks me how much I love this TV. It is small enough to move around the house, without trouble. It is light enough to place on a cheap TV stand. The picture is outstanding. Plus, I like the thin strip of chrome along the bottom, it adds a neat touch of class

What started as an “interim” TV, just may be my preferred choice for as long as I have this apartment. A 32-inch TV is certainly big enough for comfortable viewing. It is not so large that it overshadows the rest of the living room.

Given the competition, this TV is easily the “best bang for the buck” for HDTV’s of any size.

For the size, picture quality, and features, this is as close to a must buy 32 inch LCD TV as I have seen in a long time.

Popularity: 16%

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What Makes LCD Flat Panels The Right Choice

What Makes LCD Flat Panels The Right Choice

Summary:

This article discusses the pros and cons of installing an LCD flat panel television set in a home theater.

Keywords:

home theater design, home theater installation, LCD flat panel television, Nexus NX422, Samsung, Nexus

Article Body:

When designing your home theater, there are many questions and decisions to be made regarding audio and visual elements. The type of television itself is usually one of the biggest of these decisions. Plasma, LCD, flat panel, rear-projection – these terms are thrown at us each day and many of us are just starting to understand the differences. The most common televisions being purchased in the United States are plasma televisions and LCD flat panels.

There are several pros and cons to consider before choosing a LCD television. While the reduced footprint and the flat screen are nice they certainly aren’t for everyone. You should carefully consider the various advantages and disadvantages of this TV versus a plasma screen before making a purchase.

The following is some of the basic information about the LCD and some advice to help you in making your decision. You should keep personal considerations in mind as well, and ask electronics and audio-visual professionals for their opinion if you still aren’t sure as to what you should buy.

Advantages of LCD Flat Panel Television Sets

LCD flat panel televisions have the most options available in regards to how they are installed. When including one in your home theater, installation can be as simple as placing it on a standard television stand or you can choose to mount it on the wall. Most LCD flat panel televisions are aesthetically pleasing because they are incredibly sleek and thin. They should fit in well with pretty much any home theater design, and they are relatively lightweight when compared to other televisions so that they can be moved easily.

LCD televisions are also considered to be good long-term television investments because they will run for 50,000 – 60,000 viewing hours. Most modern LCD televisions also support higher picture resolutions and high-definition display options are becoming more available as well. And unlike some brands of plasma televisions, LCD video displays do not but an image into the screen after a long period of time.

Disadvantages of LCD Flat Panel Television Sets

Because of the nature of the liquid crystal display in their screens, they are much more likely to be damaged if something hits the screen. LCD screens should always be installed by a professional; an incorrectly-installed wall mount will pull away from the wall over time and could fall. The cost of an LCD television set is generally higher than plasma or rear-projection televisions, as well. You should consider that while high-definition display options may be available, not all LCD flat panel televisions are HD-ready and even if they are additional components are generally required to allow HD programming to display. These must be purchased as an additional cost. Additionally, early models of LCD screens did not display black and dark images as clearly as a plasma screen. This differentiation appears to have been improved upon in newer models.

Deciding if LCD Is Right for You

While some of the disadvantages listed above are worst-case scenarios, they should be considered simply because they add additional costs to your overall home theater system. Be sure to consider exactly how much you want to spend on a television that fits your home, especially if you’re still in the process of buying your system and want it to be included in the home theater installation. Decide whether you need a high-definition system now or not. With the transition to digital television in 2009, many are preparing their household for HD now. The decision to buy HD ready televisions and components now is one you will have to make based on your budget and household’s entertainment habits. This is a major decision to make, and you’re going to want to make sure that you’re happy with the final result when you make it.

Second generation Apple TV is here

There was one more thing coming at the end of Steve’s show today and this time it was one more HOBBY… The new Apple TV is here! This tiny matte-black box (80% smaller than the previous generation) will stream HD (720p) movies for $4,99 and commercial free TV shows for 99 cents  (ABC, ABC Family, Fox, Disney Channel and BBC America are on board;  all rentals, no purchases) and your Netflix content if you are a subscriber. It has HDMI, Ethernet, USB and optical audio ports, Bluetooth and dual band WiFi (802.11 b/g/n at 2.4GHz and 802.11 a/n at 5GHz). There will be no local storage. AirPlay – the new feature that will come with iOS 4.2 in November – will let you to stream movies from any iOS device to your HDTV through the Apple TV. It will be shipping within 4 weeks for the “breakthrough “ price of just $99.
There was one more thing coming at the end of Steve’s show today and this time it was one more HOBBY. The new Apple TV is here! This tiny matte-black box (80% smaller than the previous generation) will stream HD (720p) movies for $4,99 and commercial free TV shows for 99 cents  (ABC, ABC Family, Fox, Disney Channel and BBC America are on board;  all rentals, no purchases) and your Netflix content if you are a subscriber. It has HDMI, Ethernet, USB and optical audio ports, Bluetooth and dual band WiFi (802.11 b/g/n at 2.4GHz and 802.11 a/n at 5GHz). There will be no local storage. AirPlay – the new feature that will come with iOS 4.2 in November – will let you to stream movies from any iOS device to your HDTV through the Apple TV. It will be shipping within 4 weeks for the “breakthrough “ price of just $99. Tagged as: 720p, ABC, AirPlay, apple, Fox, hd, iOS, iOS 4.2, netflix, new apple tv, second generation apple tv, TV shows
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New Apple TV: What We Know So Far

“We’ve sold a lot of them but it’s never been huge hit,” Jobs said last week. How could we not agree: Apple TV wasn’t a game changer for the living room. But hey, there are hundreds thousands of users completely satisfied with the existing ATV (according to the analysts, Apple might have sold 3 million Apple TV devices worldwide) and most of them never even thought of hacking this mysterious box! That’s why here at Apple TV Hacks, we think Steve has figured it out very well: what the average customer wants from his/her HDTV in the living room is to play latest movies, popular TV shows, family vacation photo slideshow and maybe some music from time to time. We, geeks, need more, that’s obvious, and that’s why we are so disappointed with the new device. The only thing we can do now is to try to squeeze as much as we can out of this hockey puck when we put our hands on it sometime at the end of September.
But before that happens, let’s focus on what we know about the second generation Apple TV so far.
The box
3.9 inches (98 mm)x3.9 inches  x0.9 inches (23 mm); 0.6 pounds (1/4th the size of existing ATV)built-in power supplyno power button
Connectivity
HDMI (cable sold separately)Optical audio10/100BASE-T EthernetMicro-USB (for service and support); loses host USBBuilt-in IR receiver
Wireless
802.11n Wi-Fi (a/b/g compatible)2.4GHz and 5GHz
Processor
Apple A4 chip (replacing Intel Pentium M that powered the old ATV)
Storage
No internal storage – instant online streaming (iTunes, Netflix, Flickr, Mobile Me, etc.) and local streaming (from your mac or pc via iTunes).
But Steve only said there will be no “storage management”, no details were given on what exactly is inside the box, no details on RAM.
Video formats
H.264 (up to 720p, 30 fps)
MPEG-4 (up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 fps)
Motion JPEG  (up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 fps)
No 1080p, only720p!
According to Engadget, Apple felt that using 720p allowed them to strike a balance between quality and bandwidth.
In comparison to old, hacked ATV, the new device looses 1080p
Audio formats:
HE-AAC (V1), AAC, protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV;
Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound pass-through
Photo formats
JPEG, GIF, TIFF
Controller
Aluminum Apple Remote (included)iPhone or iPod touch running Remote app (free). Not so comfortable as Apple Remote device, but facilitates writing: use your device’s QWERTY keyboard to quickly tap out the title instead of clicking letters on the Apple TV screen.
OS
No details on the OS are given by Apple. According to Boing Boing, an Apple spokesperson said that the new Nano and Apple TV don’t use iOS, but other sources reports he has only confirmed that the new Nano doesn’t use this OS.
Since the second generation Apple TV is powered by A4 chip, like other iOS devices, it probably runs some form of iOS, just not identical as iPhone or iPad.
Content
-          iTunes rentals available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom:
-          HD: new releases – $4.99, library titles – $3.99
-          SD: new releases – $3.99, library titles – $2.99
-          instant access; you have 30 days to start watching, and once you begin, you can watch as many times as you want in 24 hours
-          availability: often the same day they come out on DVD
-          searching by top movies, title, or genre; trailers, reviews, Rotten Tomatoes rating
Older Apple TVs will continue to work as they have been working up to this point, and they will continue to be able to purchase movies and TV shows even though the new Apple TV is rental-only.
-          iTunes rentals only available in the US
-          titles from: ABC, ABC Family, Fox, Disney Channel and BBC America
-          commercial free
-          99¢ per episode (HD and SD)
-          once you rent an episode, you have 30 days to press Play. Then it’s yours for the next 48 hours
-          Apple TV keeps track of your favorite shows so the next time you turn on your TV, you can see which season you’re watching and which episodes are new
-          only available in the US
-          Netflix subscription required
-          watch your content right away or add it to your instant-watch queue
Mobile Me (access to Mobile Me galleries)FickrYouTubeSlidshows (various slideshow themes, music from your iTunes library)Internet radio Local streaming
-          music, videos and photos streamed from PCs and Mac
-          iTunes 10 required
Coming soon: streaming from iPhone, iPod touch or iPad to the Apple TV with AirPlay, a new feature that will come with iOS 4.2 in November. There will be no need to rent or buy a movie or TV show again if you already have it on one of your iOS devices.
Price and availability
Apple will start shipping the new Apple TV at the of September/beginning of October for $99.
Sadly, there will be no updates for current ATV.
Possible hacks
Hacking the new Apple TV will be much more difficult since it has no USB host (no patchstick, no external hard drive) and hard drive (no room for additional files). “The hacking will probably have to be done via hooking the AppleTV up like a hard drive, and I doubt it will be as easy as the original one,” thinks NitoTV. And if the device is truly based on some form of the iOS, we will rather have to talk about “jailbreaking”, not “hacking”.
But we are sure that together with the great and creative ATV Hacks community we will soon make the new device more “usable”. “We’re committed to developing for the AppleTV platform, and will continue to do so once these new models are available,” said Firecore, the developer behind aTV Flash. Fingers crossed!
Interesting comment from our Facebook page:
“The real question is whether app developers will be able to utilize “air play” for their apps.. If so then apps like HuLu+ pandora ect will be able to work on the new aTV that way and apps like stream-to-me and airVideo will be able to deliver any video codec from your Mac or network storage drive (if you have an iOS device).”
Hands-on
Engadget
WIRED
Ars Technica
Boing Boing
Tagged as: 1080p, 720p, A4, AirPlay, apple, apple tv, appletv, atv, hdmi, iOS, iOS 4.2, iTunes 10, movies, netflix, new apple tv, old apple tv, second generation apple tv, TV shows
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All you want to know about the new Apple TV

It wasn’t too long ago when we heard from Steve that he had NO IDEA on how to succeed in the television market. Any chance it has just changed? Apple’s special event is set for September 1st and what the world expects to be unveiled in San Francisco that day is an updated, upgraded, renamed, rebuilt, rethought, revamped, refreshed or completely new, long-romored, long-awaited, magic, revolutionary, shiny — Ladies and Gentleman — the new Apple TV. Well, maybe not the whole world, there are those skeptics who ask if Apple is really going to announce a TV gadget at an event with a guitar on the invitation. Pessimists aside, now, when everyone on this planet seems to have its own opinion on what is going to happen on Wednesday and when every little website in the cyberspace has its own rumor on the next Apple’s TV device, let’s sum up the most important ones. Here is a comprehensive list of what has been lately said about the new Apple TV.

General

Engadget: new Apple TV called iTV: $99, A4 CPU, iOS, 16GB of flash storage, cloud-based storage, new iTunes streaming services, AppStore, no 1080p, quite small device with a scarce amount of ports (only the power socket and video out), “an iPhone without a screen”DigiTimes: “Apple is set to launch a new Apple TV using AMD’s Fusion solution and will not include a hard drive. The new device will adopt a user interface similar to the iPhone with support for social networking websites, network multimedia and the App Store.Kevin Rose: “From what I hear we should expect to see the iTV launch in September”Jason D. O’Grady on ZDNet: “iTV would no longer be a hard drive based setop box, but rather a live streaming device. Think of it as a combo iPad docking station and Airport Express with an HDMI port out the back.”AppleInsider via Shaw Wu of Kaufman Bros.: “The biggest potential change to the forthcoming Apple TV refresh is the move to an ARM architecture processor running the same iOS software that powers the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. (…) The new Apple TV will have access to the App Store.”Gene Munster: Apple could offer an $1,800 to $2,000 “all-in-one Apple television solution that would replace the current amalgam of set-top boxes, Blu-ray players, PVRs, cables, game consoles and TVs in a typical home.Bloomberg: “Steve Jobs will rather focus on the ability for customers to watch TV shows and movies on their iPads, iPhones, and iPod Touches, says a person familiar with the plan. The company will announce that customers can rent many TV shows for 99 cents.”

Name

Engadget: Apple will be officially changing the name of the device to iTV (that was the name of the Apple TV when it was originally announced by the company)AllNewsMac: Lawyers looking into Apple TV name change as ‘iTV’ is already taken

Hardware

Engadget: A4 CPU, no hard drive, 16GB of flash storage, only 720p support, only the power socket and video out portsDigiTimes: AMD’s Fusion CPU, no hard drive

Storage

Engadget: cloud-based storage, Time Capsule as an external storage componentRose: picture and video sharing feature powered by MobileMe

OS

Engadget: iOSBusiness Insider: How will Apple’s touch based operating system work on a TV screen that will not be touch based?

Content

Engadget: new iTunes streaming servicesEngadget: iTunes streaming video service coming soon? (“A new Apple iTunes customer survey lists “Titles are available to watch instantly” as a reason you might totally love watching video on the iPad. This could be a big hint that instant streaming is coming quite soon.”)Bloomberg: Apple Said to Prepare 99-Cent TV Shows (“Apple is in advanced talks with News Corp. to let iTunes users rent TV shows for 99 cents. Viewers would be able to rent programs from Fox for 48 hours. CBS, NBC and Walt Disney also are in talks about joining the effort.”)Rose: Expect to see an iPhone/Pad like marketplace for television applications. Video sharing/streaming/recording apps, interactive news apps, and of course games.Rose: a la carte (app) stations “With Apple’s iAds, content producers (eg. ABC/NBC/etc.) can directly monetize and distribute their content. This will eventually destroy the television side of the cable and satellite industry.”David Gewirtz on ZDNet: FaceTime could be Apple’s iTV killer app (“You no longer just have little tiny screens talking to little tiny screens — you can have grandma on the couch, talking to Baby Biff in his crib.”)Hardmac: Apple working on a new video format (“The ultimate goal for Apple would be to promote this new format to support 4 K video – up to 4096×2160.”)Macworld: Apple could let third-parties deliver the video content to the ATV (“So the next Apple TV becomes another iOS device that uses third-party apps. If Netflix or Hulu or ABC or NPR or whoever wants to get its content on the device, it simply makes a compatible app for it.”)new media age: Cloud-based iTunes “Apple purchased cloud-based music service Lala last year only to close it, prompting speculation that it will incorporate the online music streaming service into iTunes.”Apple Insider: Apple’s potential Web-based iTunes will be ‘social, not streaming’ (“Apple may reveal a “big overhaul” of its iTunes Music Store next week, likely to be a lightweight Web version, but the service will not be updated to allow users to stream their content from the cloud.”)

Controller

Rose: The iPad will turn into one big badass remote control (“Imagine watching monday night football on the TV while viewing/exploring other camera angles on the iPad.”)Jason D. O’Grady on ZDNet: 7-inch iPad like touch device (iTV Pad)Venomous Porridge: An iPhone without the screen (“It’s the love child of an iPod touch and a Magic Trackpad. It has the same inertial and gyroscopic motion sensors as the iPhone 4, and the same multitouch surface we’re familiar with. A home button. Bluetooth. No screen.”)The Russians Used a Pencil: “Apple would never require a user to have an iPhone / iPad in order to use their Apple TV.” Other options: 1) Apple Remote, 2) Bluetooth Keyboard and Trackpad, 3) Game Controller

Games

Bloomberg via Shaw Wu of Kaufman Bros.: “Apple TV could be a popular, low-cost game console for people who don’t care about running the most cutting-edge, graphics intensive games.Macworld: an iOS Apple TV could take a chunk out of the huge game-console market (“I know more than a few people who’d be happy to spend $200 or so on a system that doesn’t require you to spend $30 to $50 a pop for “family” games that are matched, both in visuals and gameplay, by $1 to $5 games for iOS.”)Macworld: “Provide an Apple TV that can play high-resolution games—with surround sound, an HDMI connection, and hardware controllers, yet—and you’ve got a fairly formidable hunk of hardware sitting next to your TV.”

Price

Engadget: $99Jason D. O’Grady on ZDNet: By integrating the existing engineering from the Airport Express and scaling down the iPad technology (no need for Retina display, nor do you need 10 hours of battery life, or even 64 GB of storage) Apple could easily deliver a TV solution for $249.Mark Sigal on his blog: The $99 price tag implies one of three paths for Apple TV: 1) Limited Storage, cloud dependency path, 2) getting to $99 via Subsidy, as is the case with iPhone, 3) running on top of the Mac Mini as a $99 software add-on, with the user being able to choose between a $69 Magic Trackpad, a $200 iPod touch, a $99 iPhone or $500 iPad as the controller

Release date

Rose: SeptemberBloomberg: September 1stMacDailyNews: “Multiple” sources say that Apple’s busy prepping telesales employees for a new product that will be “huge” or “very big” and coming in “October”DigiTimes: Mass production of the device will start in December.”

Other interesting thoughts on Apple TV and IPTV

NYT: In the Living Room, Hooked on Pay TV
CNET: Content kings control the future of IPTV
Associated Press: Apple’s 99-cent TV show idea is no game changer
ZDNet: Apple, Google TV: Does Pay as You Go Make Dollars and Sense?
LA Times: Murdoch may be key to Apple’s plan to offer 99-cent digital rentals of TV shows
Game Theory: How App TV Disrupts the Console Industry

Apple TV Hacks will be providing all the latest news on the new Apple TV/iTV. If it’s coming… Stay tuned!

[images: ZDNet.com, venomousporridge.com, blog.monty.de]

Tagged as: App Store, apple, appletv, controller, Face Time, iPad, iPhone, ipod, ipod touch, iTunes, iTV, new apple tv, next Apple TV, streaming

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Watch the World Cup live on Apple TV

There have already been some great shots, some howlers, some nice Dutch supporters, and even some North Korean “fans”, but the best of the show is yet to come. And there is finally a way to watch all the games live (!) on your Apple TV: World Cup 2010 app has arrived to Boxee. Find it in the app library, fire up and enjoy. Thanks Univision, thanks Boxee! Sadly, for those of you who don’t live somewhere between the RFK Memorial Stadium and the Home Depot Center, it is US only.

Tagged as: apple tv, boxee, boxee app, live stream, South Africa, World Cup, World Cup 2010

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aTV Flash 4.2 Brings Last.fm to Apple TV

Remember that little shiny box called Apple TV buried deep in your closet since the announcement of the NEW Apple TV? You may now want to dig it back up: FireCore team didn’t waste time wondering whether the new device will be hackable/jailbreakable or not and how and today released new update to their fantastic old atv enhancement – aTV Flash.

The 4.2 version brings Last.fm to your old Apple TV. “Last.fm for AppleTV is a new, rich, visually engaging way to experience your favorite music like never before.  It provides access to Last.fm radio, artist bios, artist slideshows and allows you to ‘scrobble’ plays (including plays from the built-in music player) back to your Last.fm account,” FireCore said on their blog.

Current users with aTV Flash installed can updated to version 4.2 through the Maintenance –> Manage Plugins menu.  Once updated, Last.fm will appear as an option in the Manage Plugins menu.

Other aTV Flash 4.2 features and updates include:

Improved weather forecast layout and iconsMultiple performance improvementsSapphire (8.0.5.2) – Improved metadata importing + bug fixesnitoTV (0.9.5) – Improved DVD file playback + bug fixesMaintenance (4.2) – Improved download/update process + Minor bug fixesOther minor bug fixes

FireCore is giving away 50 Last.fm subscriptions. Check out their Twitter page for details.

And stay tuned, we will have a few aTV Flash licenses to give away soon!

Note: Current Last.fm radio streaming is only available to users in the US and UK.  A Last.fm subscription will be required to stream Last.fm radio.

Tagged as: apple tv, appletv, aTV Flash, firecore, last.fm, new apple tv, newappletv, old apple tv

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Remote HD for Apple TV [+giveaway!]

Recently released Remote HD is an iPad/iPhone/iPod touch universal and powerful application that gives you complete access to your AppleTV, Mac or PC. It works like an Apple Remote, but it can do a lot more – one of the greatest features is Remote View that brings your AppleTV’s display to the iPhone/iPad or iPod touch.

Remote View now also works with XBMC and Boxee.
The app allows you to reconnect to last connection – - if you use Remote HD mostly to connect to the same Apple TV, you can save the time of searching for available connections and tapping to connect.
Using Remote HD you can also put the Apple TV to sleep, restart it or even shut it down altogether. In addition, selecting “Log off” will perform a “soft” restart on the Apple TV.
Other great feature is that when you connect to your computer or Apple TV using the mobile network (3G, EDGE, GPRS), Remote HD kicks into a mode designed to save data transfer and optimize its performance based on the available bandwidth at any given time. Check out the rest of the features here.
The app is XBMC and Boxee compatible. aTV Flash has already added support for Remote HD (can be installed through the Maintenance –> Install Extras menu).
We have 5 free copies of the app to give away! To enter the contest follow us on Twitter and retweet the contest message (Win RemoteHD and access your AppleTV from your iPhone/iPad! Follow @appletvhacks and RT for your chance to win #giveaway). The winners will be announced on Tuesday (June 29).

Tagged as: atvflash, boxee, giveaway, iPad, iPhone, ipod touch, remote, remote hd, remoteHD, xbmc
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New Apple TV with iOS, App Store and AMD Fusion arrives in early 2011

Hungry for a new Apple TV rumors? Sure you are! So, there is no other thing to do for you right now than dig deeply into the bunch of Apple hardware-related rumors Taiwanese DigiTimes brought to the Mac world today. The most interesting part for us says:
Apple is set to launch a new Apple TV using AMD’s Fusion solution and will not include a hard drive. The new device will adopt a user interface similar to the iPhone with support for social networking websites, network multimedia and the App Store. Mass production of the device will start in December.
Well, Engadget’s findings that came earlier this year seem to be (almost) fully confirmed: no HD (cloud storage instead), iOS, App Store. Ok, there will be no A4 CPU, but, hey, AMD Fusion knows how to do the job well. According to AMD, the chip offers the following:
CPU and GPU capabilities for HD, 3D and data-intensive workloads in a single-die processor called an APU. APUs combine high-performance serial and parallel processing cores with other special-purpose hardware accelerators, enabling breakthroughs in visual computing, security, performance-per-watt and device form factor. Software developers, utilizing AMD drivers, libraries and either the ATI Stream SDK2 or the Microsoft DirectCompute API, can enhance the user experience and speed application performance by developing applications that fully utilize the unique computer power of the AMD Fusion™ Family of APUs and AMD discrete GPUs.
Already started to look for a buyer for your old device? If only someone could confirm the rumored $99 price.
Tagged as: A4, AMD, AMD Fusion, App Store, DigiTimes, iOS, new apple tv, next Apple TV, rumors
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New Apple TV Set Up for Installing Applications, Installation Works

Gizmodo reports that iPhone developer Steven Troughton-Smith has found out that iOS apps can be “easily” installed on the new Apple TV. He discovered that “if you give an app a UIDeviceFamily of 3 it will install on it when signed.” Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean we can run our apps on the new atv right now: according to Steven, “while you can install apps after modifying its type, you just can’t launch them – there’s no built-in facility to do that.” Someone has to find out how to do this but we don’t expect it will take long.

Steven also has some interesting thoughts on how developers are going to write apps. “The only option I see is UIKit,” he says. “UIKit is familiar to all iOS developers, is very Cocoa-like, and very powerful. In fact, since iOS 3.2, 1280×720 is a supported resolution for developers, mainly for those creating TV-out UIs in iPad apps. Developers have already started crafting ten-foot-UI experiences in existing iOS apps, so it would be a no-brainer for that to translate over to AppleTV wholesale.”

According to him, to make it work, Apple would have to build remote control support into iOS. “But hold on a second, Apple already added that in iOS 4! Effectively, all the pieces are in place to build a remote-control driven 720p iOS app. All Apple needs to do is build the distribution mechanism and open the floodgates, and ‘Universal’ apps would be a definite possibility,” he concludes.

Tagged as: 720p, apple, apple tv, appletv, application, apps, iOS, ios 3.2, ios 4, launcher, new apple tv, UIDeviceFamily, UIKit

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