“Last week a NPR radio show spotlighted the expansion of new media headed to the Internet rather than just the TV, and in some cases forgoing the TV altogether. The show was noteworthy for Apple watchers because the Cupertino company’s AppleTV device was brought up in the discussion several times,” Anthony Frausto-Robledo reports for Architosh.
“In fact the discussion, led by NPR On Point show host Tom Ashbrook, seemed to strongly suggest that Apple’s strategy for leading all media to the big screen TV in the living room — via the AppleTV device — was a solid play,” Frausto-Robledo reports. “Show guest Mark Kvamme, a partner at Sequoia Capital, a leading VC firm in Silicon Valley… remarked on the show: ‘I had my son install an AppleTV, which kind of links YouTube videos, my music, my family photos onto my big screen in my living room — and I would have said before that this is going to be a different environment — but I gotta tell you that when it is all integrated together it is an amazing experience. So I think it’s going to be really hard for folks to say this is an online situation or computer situation, this is on my television, this is on my radio — whatever it happens to be.'”
Frausto-Robledo reports, “The question for Apple right now is whether or not the AppleTV is going to be a successful device in merging all these media together and bringing it to the big screen TV. Or is the AppleTV really an iFlop as a recent Forbes article suggested?”
Full article here.
Forbes will be eating crow over their assessment of AppleTV in just a couple years. This device will probably be the BIGGEST factor in Apple’s future growth. It opens up so many avenues for revenue growth both in terms of hardware sold as well as potential advertising streams.
Calling it a flop is so short sighted and really just Forbes trying to get clickthrough and subs.
So far it’s an iFlop with potential.
Greg M, I agree completely. I want to buy one SO badly . . . but I can’t figure out WHY. As soon as Steve completes the circle by making it more “Tivo-like” (either with larger storage hard drive or HD streaming capabilities), I’ll be first in line to buy.
I got one a week ago and it is great. Running my 6000+ song iTunes library through my main stereo system that feeds the entire house; pulling up home movies and photos onto my big screen TV that go back 20 years at the touch of a button is simply a wonder of convenience. Being able to explore the YouTube in the living room is a whole new experience because you can do it with a big group of people which changes the whole exploration dynamic. I’m a happy and satisfied customer.
WHY BUY ONE?
Well, I have access to all of my digital photos for viewing on my 42″ HDTV and, obsessive that I am, have ripped my entire (~300+) DVD collection (INCLUDING 5.1 surround sound) via the newest version of Handbrake (@Apple TV quality 2500 bps) to my computer and included the IMDB description in iTunes. DOLBY 5.1 IS SUPPORTED despite so many incorrect reviews.
Now I simply choose the movie (or photo album or music) I want to watch via Apple TV. Yes, being able to purchase DVD quality movies would be nice (but I’m in Canada so that will never happen), but the “jukebox” like effect for movies, tv shows, photos, and music is fantastic.
Apple TV is a sleeper…and the giant will wake up in due time. The iPod took off slowly also…then they hit the nitrous button and it was all over. I played with it at a Sam’s club on a widescreen…so simple and easy to use…it is another Apple product that people don’t know they need, yet. It will take off!
For me, it is not about Tivo-like operations. I don’t care that much about television recording, although I recognize that that would be a nice feature. It is about sharing my personal digital assets with friends and family. It’s one thing to have stuff on your computer, but it’s a whole ‘nother thing to have in your living room on the big screen entertainment center. My computers, routers, and 3TB NAS stay in the office and TV provides the access in the living room. I like it!
They throw a DVD player on it, and they’d sell 3x as many.
Any time Steve J. says something is “just a hobby”, watch out. That’s his way of simply taking the attention away from something good that is currently being developed into something better, and/or waiting for the present to catch up with the future.
Keep wood-shedding that hobby Steve, we’re with you 110%!
When the present of media does eventually catch up with the future of media, Apple TV will be there, ready to receive. “Hobby” indeed!!
MW: “program” — get with the . . .
People want ALL their media while sitting on the couch…bathroom breaks come only when the Dell commercials come on, so I would invest in porta-potties now.
Have any of those calling Apple TV an iFlop provided any statistics regarding sales/usage vs. Window’s Media Centers?? Are more people opting for a full on Windows box hooked to their TVs or streaming content to their Xbox consoles? How about a thorough cost comparison to boot?
I think Apple TV is an overlooked sleeper ready for greater things. It’s a very small device with a hard drive and various output options. At any time Apple can upgrade the software/functionality and it’s ready whenever HD content is available.
@G Spank: “They throw a DVD player on it, and they’d sell 3x as many.”
I couldnt agree more. I would have bought one. Apple are probably waiting for the whole HD/Blu-Ray thing to resolve (as are most of us).
thhis won’t happen for another two or three years, though! Boo!
I have one and like the things it does. However, it seems to me that it’s potential is greatly under utilized by Apple. So much more functionality could be added with some big software upgrades I would think.
Prominent Venture Capitalist is WRONG.
Remember where there is Apple, there are doubters.
After all the Apple stores were supposed to be a flop.. well, at least according to business week.
Apple needs to add Divx support as that is the default for videos. The thing that made the iPod so successful was that it supported MP3s which are the default for audio.
I just bought a mac mini for my TV. It has this awesome program called front row. So, apple missed the ball on this one and is losing sales to the Macintosh computer.
On a serious note, the one thing apple tv needs or any successful set top box is someway to aggregate TV available from the big publishing companies online onto the device. IE abc.com videos, nbc.com videos etc. Being able to watch the advertising content such as these sites and get it to my TV is where I would like things to go.
Maybe joost has it right, they just need content and to get to my tv not my computer.
I agree! The Killer App for me is instant access to old home movies that would otherwise languish on MiniDV tapes somewhere waiting to be found and hooked up to the TV after a hunt for the necessary cables (by the time you’ve done all that you’ve forgotten why you wanted to look at jujniors 2nd birthday party). My wife always said that photos went into iPhoto never to be seen again (she’s not a big computer user). AppleTV changed that too!
iMovie and iPhoto made it real easy to get digital media onto the computer…AppleTV makes it easy to get it back out!
Daily Reader
Linksys doesn’t think it’s a hobby as they have come out with 2 Media Extenders. But, Holy Cow, they are Ugly with a capital U!
From Crave: “Linksys is tossing its hat into the 2007 Media Center Extender ring with not one but two models. The DMA2100 is a small form factor MCE, while the larger DMA2200 offers a built-in upconverting DVD player. Both models attach to a standard or high-def TV to stream a variety of digital media–live and recorded TV, video files, music, and photos–from networked Media Center PCs located elsewhere in the home.”
MW: cannot in that Linksys didn’t attempt to copy AppleTV.
@Eric C
Its all about the content, I would love to see Joost on appleTV, and rental movies
what about a monthly subscription to someone like HBO, down laod anything they are broadcasting on a monthly fee ??
Still love mine, but it has so much more potential
Cptnkirk – you are totally wrong that Apple is waiting on the winner of HD/Blu-Ray war. For all you short sighted people out there this format war will go nowhere. Streaming video or syncing video from a mutli-terabyte storage drive is the wave of the future. No more discs of any kind. I have had my AppleTV since March and LOVE IT! I have ripped my entire library of DVDs via handbrake and has since put all those clunky discs away in my closet out of sight. Hopefully Apple’s movie library will (sooner than later) become as prolific as the music library and I can just download my movies from here on out…no need to rip the DVD.
It appears that Apple TV is slightly ahead of the curve, which is totally consistent with Steve Jobs’ stated philosophy—which is to aim where the puck is going to be. People without vision (meaning most people) do not understand this strategy. To them, it looks like you’ve simply “missed.”Nevertheless, when Steve has aimed correctly (which he seems to do most of the time), most people eventually see what he was aiming for.
do yourself a favor do NOT buy this POS. What a total POS! One of Apple’s biggest POSs. Did I mention that AppleTV is a POS?
It’s possible. The Minotaur thought Daedalus was amazing.
Prominent Venture Capitalist, a partner at Sequoia Capital, a leading VC firm in Silicon Valley – which firm helped start Apple and may have a remaining investment interest in it. Now that is objective. I have no opinion on AppleTV. I do not own one and have never tried one. I do question remarks by people with vested interest in things, no matter the beneficiary. Otherwise I would believe Fix News really does present fair and balanced reporting.