Apple executives have frequently called the Apple TV a “ hobby”—as much an acknowledgement of customers ’ lackluster reaction to the pose - top box as it is the amount of attention the company has devoted to the oft - overlooked product . But afterWednesday ’s music - centrical printing press event , Apple has start to show signs of taking this particular hobby a little more seriously .
The AppleTV unveiled by Steve Jobs to crest off Wednesday ’s event is a much different beast than the one laze in Apple ’s production stemma the past four years . This smaller twist fits in the palm of your helping hand , strips down the telephone number of ports , and puts the emphasis on streaming contentedness — not storing and syncing it .
Has Apple finally hit upon the magic formula for a animation way companion ? We wo n’t know for certain until the production actually ships . But we can answer a few rough-cut questions about the late edition of the Apple TV . And if we do n’t encompass your doubt here , finger destitute to involve away in our Macworld.com forums .
With Apple TV, you’ll be able to rent TV shows for $1 directly from the iTunes Store.
When will the new Apple TV be available , and how much will it cost ?
Steve Jobs say it would embark in “ four weeks , ” which puts the spill tentatively at the end of September . The online Apple Store sound out the machine begins shipping in September . Since thirty days hath September , check back when most of them are done . The cost will be $ 99 .
What ’s hardware is inside the Apple TV ?
With Apple TV, you’ll be able to rent TV shows for $1 directly from the iTunes Store.
Apple’sApple telecasting specs pagesays the new model uses an A4 microchip , just like the iPad . This should entail considerably better performance than we saw with the old good example , which ran on an Intel Pentium M processor .
So is the new Apple TV run OS X or iOS ? Can I die hard apps on it ?
Apple wo n’t say what operating system the Apple TV is running . Since it ’s running on the same A4 processor as iOS devices , it ’s belike running iOS — but its port is nothing like other iOS devices , so it may be a distinction without a difference . You ca n’t escape apps on it , in any result , though that ’s always a possibility in the future tense . An Apple TV App Store could be nerveless … but it ’s not a realism yet .
Steve Jobs shows off the ports on the back of the new Apple TV.
What are the term of picture letting for the Apple telecasting ? Do you still get only 24 hour to see a rent video ?
You have 30 days to start watching a movie or TV episode . Once you set out watching a rented flick on the Apple TV , you have 24 time of day to finish . However , the “ see ” period for a TV show is 48 hours .
How much does it be to pull TV shows and movies ?
With Apple TV , you ’ll be capable to rent television shows for $ 1 directly from the iTunes Store .
It motley . For received - definition motion-picture show , it ’s $ 3 for a library ( older ) claim and $ 4 for a fresh title ; for high - definition titles , it ’s $ 4 for a depository library title and $ 5 for new release . TV show , however , are $ 1 for rental , regardless of resolution .
Will I be able-bodied to watch the a la mode shows ( say , the one I missed last dark ) , or will these be older episodes ?
Both . Apple arrogate that the iTunes Store has the largest depository library of unexampled and sometime content . telecasting show typically seem in the computer memory within 24 hour of airing on video — sometimes sooner .
Can you still buy TV display ?
Not directly on the Apple TV any longer , no . But you may still stream goggle box show , movies , and any other message you buy in iTunes with a Mac or PC — which we ’ll direct further a little bitlater in this article .
What if I live outside the U.S. Is all this good only for the U.S. ?
Apple read there are six countries where it currently supports TV rentals ; in other seat the Apple TV has much less value .
Will existing Apple telly support the Modern features via a software update ?
Unfortunately , no .
So the new Apple TV supports only renting , not buy , directly . What about iTunes ? Can you still bribe movies and television receiver shows in iTunes and then play them on the Apple idiot box ? What about pull your own motion-picture show and playing them from iTunes on your computer ?
allot to Apple’sApple TV Sir Frederick Handley Page , streaming depicted object from your Mac should work just like it always has . If you could get it into iTunes , and it ’s in a support format , your Apple goggle box can pullulate it . However , with this Apple TV , it ’s streamingonly . Since there ’s no intimate store , anything you require to toy on your Apple TV has to be streamed — either from your computing machine or over the Internet .
So what are the supported swarm video format ?
The Apple TV support H.264 video at up to 720p resolution and 30 frame per second , MPEG-4 TV at 640 x 480 resolution and 30 figure per second , and motion JPEG ( or M - JPEG ) video at 1280 x 720 settlement and 30 frames per second . ( The honest-to-god Apple TV could play 720p television only if was encode at 24 skeleton per indorsement , and often struggled even then . )
Can I pelt TV from Netflix ?
Why , yes , you may , as long as you have a Netflix account — you may pour movies and tv set shows from your Netflix Instant Queue and browse Netflix ’s crying - ticker library .
With the focus on streaming , does this intend I can pelt telecasting from Hulu or Amazon Video , or audio from Pandora ?
Sorry , only Netflix or iTunes ( for now , at least ) .
Can you connect an external tough drive to the Apple television set ? How about a printer ?
Unfortunately , just as with the previous Apple TV , the lonely external USB port ( now a micro - USB port ) is lock away down for only “ service and support . ” product such as ATVFlash have been capable to expend the Apple TV ’s USB port to allow for things like outside intemperate movement depot and more media features , but these are unsupported additions that will in all probability take time to update for the novel Apple TV version .
Steve Jobs shows off the ports on the back of the unexampled Apple TV .
Is there any other agency to stream content to the new Apple TV ?
A novel lineament arrive to the iPhone , iPod touch , and iPad is AirPlay , an update translation of Apple ’s existing AirTunes lineament ground in iTunes , the AirPort Express , and Apple TV . AirPlay will lease these machine rain buckets movies , TV shows , euphony , and photograph to an Apple TV , cause them a sort of outside , wireless hard drive for your Apple TV . AirPlay go far in next week’siOS 4.1 updatefor iPhone and iPod spot substance abuser . The feature comes to the iPad with the iOS 4.2 update in November .
Does this mean I no longer need an Airport Express to teem music to my stereophony ?
Correct . Just as with the former Apple TV , you’re able to stream music directly from iTunes and play it through your stereo system or home amusement centre . But now you may also stream euphony directly from an iPod mite , iPhone , or iPad .
Has the Apple TV ’s remote been improve ?
No , it ’s still the same six - button , infrared model . However , you’re able to continue to use Apple ’s Remote software for iOS instead .
What fall out to the component - video output ?
The new Apple TV has only HDMI output for video and audio , and optical - digital output for audio .
Can the new Apple TV do 1080p , or is it still just 720p ?
It indorse a maximum answer of 720p .
Is the ethernet port on the novel Apple TV 10/100BASE - T ethernet or 10/100/1000BASE - T ( Gb ) ethernet ?
It ’s still 10/100BASE - T ethernet .
Will I still be able to mod my Apple TV with atvusb - creator , or instal Boxee or one of the other Apple TV mods ?
That remains to be seen , although we suspect the people behind these tool are unquiet to get their hands on the young model to try . If the gadget is truly based on the iOS , the right question might be , “ Will I be able to jailbreak my Apple TV ? ” The result will in all likelihood be yes , finally .
