Help
Post your comments for The Macalope Weekly: It's a wonder here
The Macalope Weekly: It's a wonder
#3
herbert harper 
- Newbie
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 13
- Joined: 15-January 08
Posted 08 December 2012 - 07:50 AM
Why does there have to be an actual TV? This part makes no sense to me. We've had Apple TV for a while, and more recently have been driving it with ipad mini.
I can see how, with (much) richer content and better awareness/interaction between media apps on the two, this could come to be an ideal TV arrangement. But the actual TV set is just a nice monitor when we get to this point. I wouldn't want to upgrade my whole computer system to get a new monitor and the same goes for the home entertainment gear.
I personally hope to see a continuation of the Mac mini approach in this space, rather than iMac. BYOTV, baby!
I can see how, with (much) richer content and better awareness/interaction between media apps on the two, this could come to be an ideal TV arrangement. But the actual TV set is just a nice monitor when we get to this point. I wouldn't want to upgrade my whole computer system to get a new monitor and the same goes for the home entertainment gear.
I personally hope to see a continuation of the Mac mini approach in this space, rather than iMac. BYOTV, baby!
#4
dannyo152
- Member
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 47
- Joined: 15-January 09
Posted 08 December 2012 - 07:53 AM
I'm not an investor, don't have Apple stock, don't have any interest in getting Apple stock.
Seems to me, daily changes in stock prices are an indicators of changes in perception. A trade happens because someone says "This stock is going down." While someone else says "You're wrong, this stock is going up, and here's my money."
Or, someone makes the decision that at this point, he or she would rather have cash than the stock.
Now, there must be a catalyst for the change in perception. Usually, it's stupid rumors or the lack of unicorns and Apple TVs at product announcements.
Let me suggest that the stock decline this week was related to it being the end of the year, and some people are acting on expectations of a tax increase and, so, want to show the capital gains in 2012. Some may have decided that they got the profit they wanted from their investment or, being the end of the year, it's time to adjust portfolios to a target mix of stocks, bonds, and cash. Apple's run-up this year distorted these mixes the way a genius ruins the curve.
Or folks were getting the funds to throw their "The Mayans Were Right" bashaganzas. If so, you read it here first.
Seems to me, daily changes in stock prices are an indicators of changes in perception. A trade happens because someone says "This stock is going down." While someone else says "You're wrong, this stock is going up, and here's my money."
Or, someone makes the decision that at this point, he or she would rather have cash than the stock.
Now, there must be a catalyst for the change in perception. Usually, it's stupid rumors or the lack of unicorns and Apple TVs at product announcements.
Let me suggest that the stock decline this week was related to it being the end of the year, and some people are acting on expectations of a tax increase and, so, want to show the capital gains in 2012. Some may have decided that they got the profit they wanted from their investment or, being the end of the year, it's time to adjust portfolios to a target mix of stocks, bonds, and cash. Apple's run-up this year distorted these mixes the way a genius ruins the curve.
Or folks were getting the funds to throw their "The Mayans Were Right" bashaganzas. If so, you read it here first.
#5
Kennethfcooper
- Member
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 603
- Joined: 06-April 08
Posted 08 December 2012 - 09:38 AM
My favorite movie browser is IMDB (Internet Movie DataBase). It is easy to search for a movie or actor. If you find an actor, you can see all his movies. If you find a movie, you can see all its actors. There is information on each actor and movie. The one thing you can't do is launch a movie from its site.
My vision for a "Apple TV" (meaning a great TV interface - not necessarily from Apple,) would be the IMDB with the buy/free button from the Apple store. It it beyond my imaginative capabilities to think of something better. This, of course, is why we look forward to a Apple TV – if they develop one, they are likely to think of something better.
My vision for a "Apple TV" (meaning a great TV interface - not necessarily from Apple,) would be the IMDB with the buy/free button from the Apple store. It it beyond my imaginative capabilities to think of something better. This, of course, is why we look forward to a Apple TV – if they develop one, they are likely to think of something better.
#7
Paradise
- Member
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 16
- Joined: 28-July 10
Posted 08 December 2012 - 06:50 PM
Quote
Why does there have to be an actual TV?
Because that "TV" can manage everything. All the downloads, device backups, storage, networking, etc. It'd be a bit like a giant iMac, but more simplified and streamlined.
#8
lwdesign
- Member
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 921
- Joined: 28-September 05
Posted 08 December 2012 - 08:35 PM
I can't wait until Apple starts delivering the iHome. It will be an integrated system built of Apple components that are part of the home's basic functionality. Here's a bit of how it would work:
You come home after work and as you pull into the driveway you tell Siri to unlock the front door and adjust the thermostat to the temperature you like via your iPhone. At the same time you can direct Siri to gather all your personal messages that came in while you were at work so she can play them back at you when you enter the door. Siri would then remind you of any appointments, dates or things to do for the evening that you may have forgotten. "Dinner at the Charles' family tonight".
Siri would, of course, be running on the server built into the house, which would allow full control of the lights, door locks, home security system including security cameras. Siri would be tracking electricity and water use and would let you know if you were using a lot, or if there was a leak. Siri would be always-on at home and would have full control of the heating and AC, the TV, music and everything would respond to voice commands. Siri would have access to all the stuff you've been doing all day via a Bluetooth connection to your iPhone and Macs at work, so if you needed to bring some work home, it would already be there.
Strangely enough, this utopia isn't all that far away. In fact, in many cases it can be attained today with various add-ons and 3rd party devices. I'd just like to see the whole system developed by Apple so that it works seamlessly with only a few components that could be wired into a home in a few hours. It will make a drastic, always connected change to our lives that will finally make my visions of "the future" a reality. I was born in the early 50's and have been seeing this vision in sci-fi for decades. Apple is inches away from bringing this to the real world.
You come home after work and as you pull into the driveway you tell Siri to unlock the front door and adjust the thermostat to the temperature you like via your iPhone. At the same time you can direct Siri to gather all your personal messages that came in while you were at work so she can play them back at you when you enter the door. Siri would then remind you of any appointments, dates or things to do for the evening that you may have forgotten. "Dinner at the Charles' family tonight".
Siri would, of course, be running on the server built into the house, which would allow full control of the lights, door locks, home security system including security cameras. Siri would be tracking electricity and water use and would let you know if you were using a lot, or if there was a leak. Siri would be always-on at home and would have full control of the heating and AC, the TV, music and everything would respond to voice commands. Siri would have access to all the stuff you've been doing all day via a Bluetooth connection to your iPhone and Macs at work, so if you needed to bring some work home, it would already be there.
Strangely enough, this utopia isn't all that far away. In fact, in many cases it can be attained today with various add-ons and 3rd party devices. I'd just like to see the whole system developed by Apple so that it works seamlessly with only a few components that could be wired into a home in a few hours. It will make a drastic, always connected change to our lives that will finally make my visions of "the future" a reality. I was born in the early 50's and have been seeing this vision in sci-fi for decades. Apple is inches away from bringing this to the real world.
#9
herbert harper
- Newbie
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 13
- Joined: 15-January 08
Posted 09 December 2012 - 06:21 AM
Quote
Why does there have to be an actual TV? Because that "TV" can manage everything. All the downloads, device backups, storage, networking, etc. It'd be a bit like a giant iMac, but more simplified and streamlined.
But the brains of the thing will still be the size of current Apple TV or likely less, plugged into a fancy monitor. I just don't see the point of locking consumers (me) into the monitor part, especially when that tech has been changing so fast. Do they sell more (hardware AND downloads) if everyone has to buy a new TV to buy in, or a sub-$100 add on to the set of our preference?
#10
herbert harper
- Newbie
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 13
- Joined: 15-January 08
Posted 09 December 2012 - 06:24 AM
Not to say that they wouldn't sell a jillion of them, but my preference is BYO.
#11
redgeminipa
- Member
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 999
- Joined: 01-December 09
Posted 09 December 2012 - 07:16 AM
An actual TV? Eh, I don't know. A TV is usually something someone only buys if they really need one, or it's finally time to upgrade to that new 50" LED for the living room, and put the puny 37" in the bedroom. Most people hold on to their TVs for what would seem like a lifetime compared to actual tech products.
I think Apple is cooking up something unbelievable for the TV, but not an actual TV. Think Apple TV on steroids, and a lot of them. Most, if not all, could be done with the current model. It's getting the old-school studios going in the right direction that's the biggest challenge.
I think Apple is cooking up something unbelievable for the TV, but not an actual TV. Think Apple TV on steroids, and a lot of them. Most, if not all, could be done with the current model. It's getting the old-school studios going in the right direction that's the biggest challenge.
#12
Pontavignon
- Member
-
- Group: New Members
- Posts: 20
- Joined: 24-April 11
Posted 09 December 2012 - 07:55 AM
Quote
My favorite movie browser is IMDB (Internet Movie DataBase). It is easy to search for a movie or actor. If you find an actor, you can see all his movies. If you find a movie, you can see all its actors. There is information on each actor and movie. The one thing you can't do is launch a movie from its site. My vision for a "Apple TV" (meaning a great TV interface - not necessarily from Apple,) would be the IMDB with the buy/free button from the Apple store. It it beyond my imaginative capabilities to think of something better. This, of course, is why we look forward to a Apple TV – if they develop one, they are likely to think of something better.
#13
Pontavignon
- Member
-
- Group: New Members
- Posts: 20
- Joined: 24-April 11
Posted 09 December 2012 - 07:56 AM
Agree with you about the excellence of IMDB. Unfortunately it is, I believe, owned by Amazon. Wrong ecosystem for Apple.
#14
bettercitizens
- Member
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 836
- Joined: 28-August 09
Posted 09 December 2012 - 10:24 AM
More than anything Apple TV is about innovation in media licensing. Just as Apple, Inc. changed the music industry by negotiating licenses that allow content on multiple device, and turbo charged that with iTunes in the Cloud and iTunes Match and Apple changed the software industry through low pricing and allowing software to automatically be installed on multiple devices Apple, Inc.'s biggest innovation in the TV space may be in licensing that allows true ala carte media consumption - on all Apple and hopefully even non-Apple devices.
Once the content licensing is sorted then Apple needs to innovate navigation of a huge library that can be watched making it super easy for the user. One area that is a problem for the average user is backing up their media library, however Apple can just backup the licenses you have purchased. It would be good if the user could download and backup those licenses too, however if the licenses are backed up on multiple servers in geographically desperate locations that should be enough. If Apple can crack this and make everything truly ala carte then the cable industry would be forced to innovate and compete which would be good for consumers.
It will be interesting to see what Apple does in this space and how they are able to innovate the licensing of content. Perhaps Apple will become a content creator?
Once the content licensing is sorted then Apple needs to innovate navigation of a huge library that can be watched making it super easy for the user. One area that is a problem for the average user is backing up their media library, however Apple can just backup the licenses you have purchased. It would be good if the user could download and backup those licenses too, however if the licenses are backed up on multiple servers in geographically desperate locations that should be enough. If Apple can crack this and make everything truly ala carte then the cable industry would be forced to innovate and compete which would be good for consumers.
It will be interesting to see what Apple does in this space and how they are able to innovate the licensing of content. Perhaps Apple will become a content creator?
