Apple today announced that it’s bringing the Internet’s most popular originally-created content from YouTube to the living room with Apple TV. Beginning in mid-June, Apple TV will wirelessly stream videos directly from YouTube and play them on a user’s widescreen TV. Using Apple TV’s elegant interface and simple Apple Remote, viewers can easily browse, find and watch free videos from YouTube in the comfort of their living room.
“This is the first time users can easily browse, find and watch YouTube videos right from their living room couch, and it’s really, really fun,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, in the press release. “YouTube is a worldwide sensation, and Apple TV is bringing it directly from the Internet onto the widescreen TV in your living room.”
Thousands of the most current and popular YouTube videos will be available on Apple TV at launch in mid-June, with YouTube adding thousands more each week until the full YouTube catalog is available this fall. With Apple TV’s stunning interface and simple Apple Remote, users can easily navigate through YouTube’s familiar video browsing categories or search for specific videos. YouTube members can also log-in to their YouTube accounts on Apple TV to view and save their favorite videos.
Apple TV seamlessly integrates with iTunes® to wirelessly play a user’s favorite content from a PC or Mac on their widescreen TV, including movies, TV shows, music, photos and podcasts. Apple TV users can choose from over 500 movies and 350 TV shows in near DVD quality; over five million songs; 5,000 music videos; 100,000 podcasts; and 20,000 audiobooks from the iTunes Store. Users can enjoy their favorite music on a home entertainment system and view slideshows of their photo albums on a widescreen TV.
Apple today also announced that it is offering a new Apple TV build-to-order option with a 160GB hard drive. The new larger hard drive offers four times the storage for up to 200 hours of video, 36,000 songs, 25,000 photos or a combination of each. Apple TV is easy to connect to a broad range of widescreen TVs and home theater systems and comes standard with HDMI, component video, analog and optical audio ports. Using high-speed AirPort 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking, Apple TV can auto-sync content from one computer or stream content from up to five additional computers right to a TV without any wires.
Apple TV, which includes the Apple Remote, is available through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of US$299. Apple TV with a 160GB hard drive will be available tomorrow for a suggested retail price of $399. The YouTube feature for Apple TV will be available as a free software update in mid-June.
Apple TV requires iTunes 7.1 or later running on a Mac with Mac OS X version 10.3.9 or later, or a Windows PC with Windows XP Home/Professional (SP2).
Apple’s YouTube via Apple TV demo:
Geez, a $100 premium to upgrade to a 160 GB drive which replaces the dinky one. You can buy a 250 GB drive (OEM) for a lousy $70. The next upgrade will be a 320 GB and they’ll drop the price $50. Oh well, ya gotta pay to get the best.
I believe that the AppleTV uses the smaller laptop drives (like the Mac Mini), which is a big reason why they are “over-priced.” I always thot both products could have been slightly bigger to accommodate regular drives (much, much cheaper) but what do I know?
Still would like to know what that USB2 port is for. Wouldn’t that be fast enough to stream video as long as nothing else was demanding attention from the port.
ATV = All Terrain Vehicle
TV = Apple TV
Apple TV streams so well with the Airport Extreme 802.11n that you do not need a large hard drive inside the TV.
Apple is just copying Nintendo. The Wii has an unusable USB port too, its the latest thing.
That´s a reason to buy something so you can watch YouTube videos???
Good grief!
Apple’s strategy is brilliant. iTunes is to Apple what Windows is to MSFT. It’s become the industry standard. iPod, iPhone and Apple TV are just the devises for easily accessing iTunes.
I’m I the only one who feels for the phone set makers who offer up a new design and brag about how many songs it holds?
Who cares if you can’t use it easily with iTunes. Apple TV will get better and better and people will need it if they want to buy movies and TV show using iTunes.
> Geez, a $100 premium to upgrade to a 160 GB drive which replaces the dinky one. You can buy a 250 GB drive (OEM) for a lousy $70.
The Apple TV uses a 2.5-inch drive. If you can find a 250 GB 2.5-inch drive for $70, tell me who stole it for you. Actually, tell me about the time-traveler who stole it for $70, because I think the largest 2.5-inch drive currently available is 200 GB, and they cost a lot more than $100 plus a 40 GB drive.
It’s interesting, when AppleTV first came out a lot of people were saying that it ought to be able to play internet content such as YouTube. And now people are blasting the new feature because YouTube content is low quality. I don’t think the point of YouTube is about quality, it’s really just about the content itself. It’s already low quality, isn’t it? And it’s also pretty popular, isn’t it? So now you can watch that stuff while lounging on your couch. That’s pretty decent, don’t you think? At least for people who liked watching YouTube content in the first place. And adding the feature doesn’t really *detract* from AppleTV, does it?
So I guess what I’m saying is that some of you might consider shutting the f**k up. AppleTV is being improved – even if it’s something YOU don’t care about.
Hurray! Streaming video for my iPhone!!!!
THAT’S what an Apple – YouTube agreement means to me!!!
This is why I’m waiting for the 2G iPhone.
Still waiting for true HD playback. Might be wailting awhile.
MDN word “age,” as in hey Apple, this is the age of real 780p or better high def television!
YouTube? Bigger hard drive? Cool!
Time for Apple to buy TiVo and seal the market.
“Time for Apple to buy TiVo and seal the market.”
Time for Apple to put dual Cablecard HDTV tuners in the Apple TV to make it useful for something.
Steve you’re starting to peak my interest I just might have to break down and buy one of these puppies.
Sorry guys, but the Apple TV is the lamest piece of hardware to come out of Apple in a while. YouTube won’t save it.
Oh BOY, LonelyGirl15 on my HDTV!!! Huzzah! </sarcasm>