Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iTunes, Software Update, Apple TV
Hands-on with the underwhelming Apple TV 3.0 update
Regardless of some of the breathless comments coming out about the Apple TV 3.0 update, it appears that Apple TV is still a "hobby" to Apple. That is my impression after updating my Apple TV this afternoon and giving it a short run around the block.To start with, I need to qualify this post with a quick reminder that I rarely use my Apple TV. But the gyrations I went through to get it updated are an indication that it still needs a real update, not just a facelift.
I began the update by turning on my Panasonic Viera Plasma TV and flipping the various switches to get the Apple TV on the display. Shortly after, the Apple TV woke up from a few months of sleep and I began flipping screens to find the Update button. I saw something that said "Downloads," and decided that was where I needed to go.
It asked for my Apple ID and password, and then told me I had the password wrong or it couldn't find the Apple ID. All of this was done not by typing on a keyboard, but by using the old white plastic Apple remote to pick one letter at a time off of a grid of letters and numbers. So much for Apple's vaunted skills in user interface design...
I had to do this a few times before suddenly realizing that I had never updated the Wi-Fi WPA2 security password on the Apple TV after I installed an AirPort Extreme earlier this year. That irritated me in two ways -- first, I had wasted ten minutes re-entering the password and Apple ID several times, and second, the Apple TV never told me that it was having network problems.
Finally I had a nice link to the AirPort Extreme, and I looked around again, finally finding the Update button under the Settings menu. The update took about 7 minutes altogether between the download and installation, and at the end of that time the usual Apple TV startup movie appeared.
The interface is different, I'll grant you that. It seems that the menus load a lot faster than they used to, they look better, and navigation with the Apple Remote seems to be more fluid than before. But there are no new real sources of content. You have your same choice of iTunes on a local Mac or two, the iTunes Store, or YouTube. There's no Hulu, and no Netflix. Just the same old stuff.
The big changes, which I had to read the official press release to figure out, are the addition of iTunes Extras and iTunes LP, as well as the ability to listen to Genius Mixes through your home theater system if it's attached to the Apple TV. As an official member of the old guy club, I'm not sure I'm all that thrilled about Extras and LP, although I'm sure many of our readers probably are. Wake me up when they do a virtual box collection of Steely Dan tunes with HD video clips from the current concert tour.
I took a few "screen shots" off of the TV while the update was in progress. Be sure to check out the gallery below to see them. If there are any other Apple TV owners out there who were more impressed by the update than I was, leave a comment with your views below.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Dave said 6:06PM on 10-29-2009
It took me about 3 pushes on the remote to get my update going. No password, no problems. The entire process took less then 10 minutes start to finish.
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herrflick said 6:07PM on 10-29-2009
This article is underwhelming
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BroccoliofDoom said 1:21AM on 10-30-2009
No kidding, I sure hope this guy isn't getting paid for this drivel.
This sounds like the kind of person who complains about how hard his screen is to operate because no one told him to turn it on...
Oh, and just use the remote application to enter passwords, etc (you know you own either an iPhone or touch).
Jon C said 1:32AM on 10-30-2009
Why is this guy writing? I used to enjoy reading TUAW, seems like I am sifting through all the crappy writing and useless articles of late.... starting to be annoyed by its uselessness.... come on TUAW, pick it up...!
ryanschick said 8:31AM on 10-30-2009
This article really is an incoherent piece of garbage. What parts were actually edited out?
It's like a random train of thought from Bill Cosby, but less funny, "and then I put my cup of coffee to me lips, but before I did this I would concentrate a very soft exhale in order to cool down the coffee. Once my cup of coffee was cool enough so that I could drink it I brought it to my lips...NOW!"
I use my AppleTV all the time, I'd be more than happy to provide my opinion on the latest update. The update was flawless and the new GUI is improved. PLUS, it fixed the infamous Smart Playlist option.
I wish more people would give the AppleTV its' due worth -- it's a remarkable device and way ahead of its' time. Apple won't abandon these efforts, instead they'll release a new gen that will improve on the lessons of this well-intentioned and decently-executed piece of engineering history.
David L Good said 8:51AM on 10-30-2009
I have to agree -- this blog entry isn't of much value (unless you find this writing style entertaining).
A gripe I do have is that Steven mentioned having problems with his network password. This should not have been mentioned at all, as it has nothing to do with the AppleTV update. It's simply a user error that would have come up at some point in time, regardless of a pending update. Including this issue in the article implies to some readers (and skimmers) that there are 'issues' with the AppleTV 3.0 update -- which there are not. It would be similar to my talking about how I spilled coffee all over my lap while installing the latest Mac OS update. It's information that has nothing to do with the performance of the actual update and probably isn't indicative of a normal user experience.
With that we do have to keep in mind that Steven's writing style is entertaining -- almost like listening to someone talk about their experiences -- but I visit TUAW for technical updates, tips, tricks, and techniques, and industry news; not to read personal opinions about casual one-off user experiences.
Nowadays you have to usually skip the first two paragraphs of many entries to get to the start of the information you've come to TUAW for. I guess it's not a big deal, for the most part, but when entries like this show up I feel as if I've wasted my time.
Fortunately, Steven has plenty of good entries under his belt so I don't consider it a huge problem to have an 'entertaining' slice-of-life style article slip in from time to time.
Glen F. said 4:56PM on 10-30-2009
This article is terrible. TUAW is about to fall off my favorites screen.
What qualifies someone to write about 3.0 when they have to 'dust off' their AppleTV 'after months of sitting idle'?
Is TUAW that desperate for content? Why not wait a few more hours to get a quality article rather than just try to be the first one to 'scoop' something.
What a waste of time.
grimjinx said 9:29PM on 10-31-2009
Incredible, this is not a news or a review.
7 minutes for downloading? that's like commenting on how long it took me to get to the new coffee shop down the road if I was reviewing it. The update took me 3.
I don't know why this article made me so angry but it did. I don't care if you don't like 3.0, it's really just a different layout and bringing it's features inline with iTunes 9. But seriously TUAW it's writing like this that reinforces why print media thinks that blogs are legit, there needs to be some sort of editorial process where sub par articles are edited before going to print.
RA said 6:10PM on 10-29-2009
Translation of this review: "Get of my lawn!!!"
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Mike Pro said 6:10PM on 10-29-2009
Anybody know if I'll be able to use a patchstick and keep XBMC? AppleTV is useless to me without it.
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Mr Lizard said 7:54PM on 10-29-2009
Not yet, keep checking back though!
http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=12605
For me, a new menu design is not worth losing Boxee for so I'll hold off for now...
Mark Ross said 10:40AM on 10-30-2009
You can use the aTV Flash patchstick and it allows XBMC support... I don't have it installed, but I see the option to do so, along with Boxee. plus it keeps all the standard stuff installed. Pretty neat.
Schmedely said 6:13PM on 10-29-2009
Downloaded and installed and the Apple TV continuously reboots...no joy here, still trying to figure out how to resolve the issue.
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Jay said 6:13PM on 10-29-2009
Umm, this just seems like an article stating that you had to enter your wi-fi password. There is almost nothing about the update other than what was stated in the press release. I have no idea of the purpose of this hands on article.
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Jordan said 6:40PM on 10-29-2009
Maybe because there's no purpose to the AppleTV
mike said 9:41PM on 10-29-2009
Exactly. Why is the guy bitching that he couldn't remember his password,
"The menus look better, I'll grant you that" Yea, that's the 'update'... !!! That's the new stuff... Focus on that, not that fact that you ran out of toilet paper this morning, and some guy cut you off on the way to work...
Ah... Blogging...
Bob Patin said 6:16PM on 10-29-2009
Your article was a study in annoyance. Rather than actually tell us anything, you post pictures of the update prompts.
Six of your ten paragraphs detailed your labors to update your AppleTV.
I will now detail my update process:
I turned on my system; I switched to AppleTV, found setup, selected update, clicked the button, went back to my office, and heard it complete its update from the other room. Done.
What would have been useful here might have been a decent listing of the updated features, or perhaps an article by someone who, like me, uses his AppleTV enough to appreciate its great utility. Instead, we got this lame article.
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Jeff said 6:47PM on 10-29-2009
agreed.
Drifter71 said 10:27PM on 10-29-2009
He forgot to mention the new feature of Internet radio. Btw anyone having trouble getting the screen to come on after you swithch inputs? I noticed that after I switched inputs to tv and switched back I couldn't get the screen to come on. I had to reboot. Happened a couple of times. Haven't checked lately but upsets me nonetheless.
Joe said 10:48PM on 10-29-2009
Agreed. Useless article. I was expecting to see more info on the update. Not the fact that you forgot you changed your password on your extreme and got frustrated with yourself (not the Apple tv as you have stated)