Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple, Apple TV
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!).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
IMHO said 7:12PM on 7-24-2008
Safari and DVR capability first! Only then applications.
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Mark said 9:06PM on 7-24-2008
How would you do DVR functionality on the current (and previous) gen AppleTV. There's no feed into the device, only out.
Basye said 7:15PM on 7-24-2008
We can only dream, can we?
AppleTV could be so much more!
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Jeff said 3:25PM on 7-25-2008
no kidding... just imagine things like Pandora on the aTV!
:)
...I already use the crap out of mine, but i'd really like it to be able to do *more*
Bassir said 7:32PM on 7-24-2008
I'm still looking for the YouTube "app" from the Apple TV for Front Row.
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Hobbes said 7:33PM on 7-24-2008
Sign me up indeed!!!! What a great idea. And about time to infuse some needed life into the AppleTV. Hacks are cool and I've been relying on some of them for quite some time, but you either avoid Apple's updates or you're looking at tons of googling and lots of terminal commands to keep it running. I would love to have the same features without the work.
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Mike said 8:05PM on 7-24-2008
Please please please ! I'm tired of having to hack the aTV and just imagine a BBC iPlayer app !
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GSP said 8:23PM on 7-24-2008
WOW! Now THAT really is a brilliant idea! Just imagine using your iPhone/Touch remote to control all sorts of fun on your TV. Sign me up too!
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Frank said 8:23PM on 7-24-2008
Netflix? Yeah, sure it would be cool, but never gonna happen as long as Apple is doing rentals...
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Joseph Crawford said 9:12AM on 7-25-2008
That and Netflix does not work with mac's yet. If they made it mac compatible I am sure someone would hack a plugin for Netflix.
Gary Lee said 8:29PM on 7-24-2008
I've been calling it for months - the app store is the new income stream for Apple - http://www.mrgarylee.com/the-genius-of-steve-jobs-and-itunes/
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inovak1 said 9:08PM on 7-24-2008
Absolutely sign me up. I don't have an Apple TV for just this reason. I figure if they are going to create applications native for the Apple TV they would also hook in Safari and DVR capability too. Also, work in the iPhone as a full fledged controller for the aTV to ditch the white thing, among many other uses... DO IT APPLE!!!
Apple TV take 3
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totoro said 9:37PM on 7-24-2008
Add this and Apple will add me as a new AppleTV owner.
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JimGramze said 10:43PM on 7-24-2008
Here's a thought. Instead of getting an AppleTV, buy a Mac Mini and hook the video and audio output to your TV. Got a USB port? If so you can use a USB capture card and some might fine software to go with it. And guess what else? There are tons and tons of apps already for it!!!
I use VLC player with a MacBook feeding my TV because it is the "extra" computer in the house. But a Mac Mini would serve the same purpose. Pay a little more and get a real computer in your living room.
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DrWho said 8:51AM on 7-25-2008
Yeah and spend ages messing with Switchresx or Displayconfigx or whatever they are called.
You make a very good point though - make the mac mini play nice with tv resolutions like the apple tv does and you already have your appletv with applications + dvd player too.
Clark Goble said 12:07PM on 7-25-2008
The Front Row software and the AppleTV software are quite different. I'm kind of meh on Front Row but love AppleTV although it definitely could be improved.
JimGramze said 9:38AM on 7-26-2008
There have been two comments about my suggestion of getting a Mac Mini instead of an Apple TV.
Dr Who suggests: Yeah and spend ages messing with Switchresx or Displayconfigx or whatever they are called.
Clark Goble adds: The Front Row software and the AppleTV software are quite different. I'm kind of meh on Front Row but love AppleTV although it definitely could be improved.
My experience is that Dr. WHo's comments are completely unnecessary. I have never needed to do any such thing. I use VLC player, go full screen, and use my Sony Bravia's zoom controls as appropriate and everything works fine. Period. I never had to twiddle with anything.
To Clark Goble, I never mentioned using Front Row and I have no intention to. There are better solutions in using a Mac Mini and a TV set than using Apple's stock software.
I use VLC Player to play any video codec I care to. I use Apple's little hardware remote along with a program called Remote Buddy which enables this remote to work with a great number of programs including VLC.
So the Mac Mini doesn't need any complicated help, just a cable to output to a TV set. VLC Player makes it completely unnecessary to use Apple's Stock software at all and Remote Buddy solves remote control issues. This is simple, elegant, and also puts a full fledged computer at your fingertips instead of being handcuffed by Apple TV's refusal to use most popular video codecs and the craptastic software implied by Front Row.
LD said 11:03PM on 7-24-2008
The aTV isn't the greatest device. You can store music on it, but that's not likely. It will supplement your main library. And if you already have a main library just get AirTunes and stream to your stereo that way at a lower price point.
If you use it for video you are in the minority. Rentals are far too expensive (RedBox is a buck, Netflix streams for $9/month plus DVDs, etc). Rentals need to be $1-$2 max. Purchases are ridiculous, DVDs are cheaper.
And that's it. Music, limited video, and pics if you care. Not that compelling.
Cheaper rentals, cheaper purchases, good streaming content (such as Hulu or other flash-based sites), and apps a la iPhone and you have a winner.
Also, fix the Remote app, it sucks and is severely lacking for aTV. You can't navigate menus at all!
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Jonathan Wise said 7:39AM on 7-25-2008
I'll agree on some of that. I recently got (and hacked an AppleTV) and the thing is pretty useless without the hacks.
However, hacking in new functionality (like AFP support, and additional codecs) really shows how underpowered the little box is. That 1Ghz processor just doesn't cut it for browsing over a network, and loading in Metadata with Sapphire (an amazing add-on) can get frustratingly slow!
That, and I'm pretty sure my AppleTV gets hotter than my XBox 360!!
Jason said 11:11PM on 7-24-2008
iTunes rentals and an open SDK aren't the only things standing in the way of Netflix on the aTV. There's also the issue of DRM, which is why Netflix movies aren't available on the Mac, either.
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