2011 was a big year for digital amusement . It bring us expanded content options for the Apple TV , the tenth anniversary of the iPod , iTunes Match , AirPlay to the masses , and more .
Apple TV makes new friends
The second - generation Apple TV may have been released in 2010 , but it was 2011 when the diminutive set - top stream equipment really thrive beyond its border . Sure , it transport with Netflix streaming built in , but in March Apple tot up support forstreaming sport subscription content from MLB.TV and NBA League Pass(in add-on to supporting Dolby Digital 5.1 environment sound for Netflix streaming ) . And in October , the Apple TV got another major software encouragement , this fourth dimension gaining National Hockey League subscription support , as well as a Wall Street Journal Live surgical incision , and AirPlay Mirroring for the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 .
rumor also twirl mid - yr aboutApple buy up stream video help Hulu , which would have tally another facet to Apple ’s video - delivery stage business . But like so many rumors , this one has not add up to pass .
At the same time , Roku delivered the latest editionsof its portable streaming twist , with the Roku 2 lineup — all of which cost the same or less than the Apple boob tube . The new Roku fashion model search strikingly similar to the Apple TV ( the solemn strain of flattery , no ? ) and add support for game and a Bluetooth distant control . In October , the companyadded a middling stripped - down LT model for $ 50 , give users even more options .
For those concerned in how the Roku modeling stack up against the Apple , check out“Apple TV vs. Roku : Which is right for you ? ” .
It seems that the life room is no longer a sideline when it comes to delivering digital media . In addition to the Apple video and Rokus of the world , there are many TVs , Blu - shaft of light actor , and plot console with rain cats and dogs video and medicine serve built into them . Yet the content remains the elusive piece of the mystifier , as medium companies continue to stave off fully embracing the New World Order .
The iPod turns 10…
On October 23 , 2001,Apple lifted the curtain on the first iPod , a sleek white box with 5 GB of warehousing and a FireWire connection . By the iPod ’s tenth day of remembrance this past October , Apple had sell more than 300 million of the gadget .
Thestory of how the iPod came to beis a fascinating one , and its impact on Apple andthe world around ushas been unmistakable .
…and becomes a second-class citizen
speak of the iPod , for the last several years , the spill has been met with an Apple euphony - related event that bring us new iPods , Modern variant of iTunes , and update to the iTunes Store . This year , Apple held an event as usual , but it was dedicated not to Apple ’s portable euphony ( and often video ) histrion , but rather to the iPhone 4S and iOS 5 .
Appledid update some of its iPodsat the October event , but in the quarrel of my confrere Chris Breen , it ’s clear that the society isnot putting a great deal more effort into them . The change for 2011 ? Apple finally introduced a ashen iPod touch theoretical account , while dropping the price of the 8 GB touch modality from $ 229 to $ 199 . The caller also issued a software update for the iPod nano that contribute large image and 16 fresh clock faces ( great for those wholike to use their nano as a lookout ) , and abridge the price by $ 20 and $ 30 for the 8 GB and 16 GB models , respectively .
Although a bloodless iPod ghost , some software tweaks , and a few price pearl are gracious to see , this is the first year in a farseeing clock time when the iPod has taken a distintive back seat to the iPhone and iPad in the declination . ( But at least Appledidn’t drink down the iPod classic yet . ) At the same meter , Apple ’s decreased focal point on the iPod is n’t all that surprising . While Apple still has a most three - quarters share of the music role player market , iPod sale have been steadily declining over the past few year , making them less of a priority for Apple .
If you ’re in the market for an iPod , be certain to discipline out our iPod buying guide for more info .
iTunes lights a Match
Perhaps one of most anticipated addition to the whole iTunes / iCloud / iTunes in the Cloud mixture was iTunes Match . annunciate atJune ’s Worldwide Developers Conference , the $ 25 - a - yeariTunes Matchservice does two things : match and upload your euphony depository library to a central server , and lease you download ( or stream , if you ’re on a information processing system ) those point to devices you own .
The table service works by scan your library and matching as many tracks as it can with Sung from iTunes ’s 20 - million - song catalogue . If iTunes ca n’t find a match , it will upload those unmatched caterpillar tread to its central server so that you may well out or download them to other devices link with your Apple ID ( up to a total of 25,000 non - purchased tracks , withlittle control on the substance abuser ’s end ) .
This profit you in two ways : You do n’t have to manually upload every song in your catalog , and — for songs that iTunes matches with its catalog — you may re - download high - quality versions of them for free .
As such , if you have a poorly - encoded ( or Digital Rights Management - encumbered ) written matter of a birdcall you own or have authority for — and that song exists in iTunes ’s catalog — you may re - download those tracks as 256 - kbps DRM - free AAC files . If you have more than 25,000 tracks not in the first place purchased with your Apple ID , you ’re currently ineffective to sign up for the service without employing a trick or two .
iTunes Match was supposed tolaunch in the United States by the end of October , but the dateslipped to November 14 with the release of iTunes 10.5.1 . Apple did , however , handily make its self - imposed deadline of extending iTunes Match internationally by the end of 2011 .
Even without pay the one-year fee , Apple ’s iTunes in the Cloud let youre - download any music , apps , ebooks , and TV showsyou’ve purchased from Apple in the past ( as long as they ’re still available in the iTunes Store , App Store , or iBookstore , that is ) .
Air(Play) supply
It was back in November 2010 when Apple officially rolled out AirPlay — the evolution of its AirTunes engineering science — for streaming audio and video from iTunes and iOS devices to an AirPort Express fundament station or to a 2nd - gen Apple TV .
But it was n’t until 2011 that third - political party machine started getting in on the company , with a number of vendors harbinger and then releasing AirPlay - compatible audio devices .
And if you ’re more of a DIY type , you canbuild your own AirPlay audio systemwith some of the product you may already have .
For more info , take a look at our slideshow of 12 AirPlay - enabled speakers on the grocery store now .
Subscriptions abound
Although the rumors of an Apple medicine subscription religious service never materialize , there was mint of exciting news in that arena during the past year .
Perhaps the biggest natural event was thearrival of Spotify in the United States . The pop - in - Europe euphony subscription service finally hit U.S. shore in July as aninvitation - only propositionand thenopened up to all in September . Spotify tender three tang — free ( you could listen to a special number of hours of music per calendar month at 160kbps ) ; Unlimited ( $ 5 a month with unlimited hearing at 160kbps ) ; and Premium ( $ 10 a calendar month with limitless listening , 320 - kbps track where available , and support for downloads and nomadic listening ) . Spotify has its own O X screen background app , as well as well as an iOS app . The snatch , however , is that it need a Facebook account to sign up .
Slacker Radio , antecedently in the realm of Pandora with its programme mental object , set in motion a $ 10 - a - month on - demand tier called Slacker Premium Radio in May . It gives endorser on - demand access to Slacker ’s library of more than 8 million song . Users can listen on the Web , or using an iPhone , iPod touching , iPad , or Android or BlackBerry twist .
Rdio also beganoffering a costless interlingual rendition of its servicein October .
And the traditionally subscription - only Mogadded a free interpretation of its on - demand cyclosis servicein 2011 as well . Like Spotify , however , a Facebook invoice is postulate .
[ Jonathan Seff is Macworld ’s executive editor . ]
