Neil Hughes:

By potentially partnering with carriers and cable operators, Apple could enter the market on a level playing field with everyone else for content. With access to a variety of content through existing providers, as well as the content already available on the iTunes Store, Misek believes that Apple could package everything with a “superior user interface and ecosystem” and beat out the competition.

There are a lot of variables to consider, but many have hoped that Apple could bring some type of subscription service to Apple TV.

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AppleInsider:

Apple has added its Genius recommendation system from iTunes to Apple TV, offering to suggest titles related to previous purchases.

Sounds like a good update.

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Today, the company is unveiling plans for its Roku Streaming Stick, a flash-drive-sized dongle that plugs into the back of television sets to enable the same streaming capabilities as a Roku box.

Roku is leapfrogging Apple by offering a new device that’s little bigger than the average thumb drive, but packs all the features of set-top digital video streaming devices like Roku’s other offerings and the Apple TV. It’s pretty remarkable, and a smart

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“We did so many difficult things this year that we got overconfident,” Hastings said. “Our big obsession for the year was streaming, the idea that ‘let’s not die with DVDs.’”

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings’ comments came during his appearance at a UBS Media conference in New York on Tuesday. He was referring to his company’s missteps in 2011, including separating and rebranding its DVD delivery and streaming services (which Netflix

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The streaming model works. Once you’ve experienced the joy of watching what you want, when you want, it’s difficult to go back to regular television consumption. And yet, here we are, listening to another CEO stick his fingers in his ears and hope to God his business stays on track.

The way we consume media is

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Apple had long been rumored to be working on a subscription streaming service that would aggregate content from multiple TV networks and compete against more traditional cable and satellite services. That product ended up never coming to market, as Apple was apparently unable to convince enough content providers to join. But no one had publicly confirmed that such an offering was actually in the works until today.

I would definitely pay for this

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Wouldn’t it just be far more convenient if there was a global search, that when used, returned a result that said: Apocalypse Now is available on both iTunes and your Netflix account, there are also 43 results on YouTube. Perhaps it even states whether buying from iTunes would be a higher resolution or not, but let’s not get greedy here.

Wouldn’t that be a far better user experience, and potentially more lucrative for Apple?

Yes, Yes, YES!

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Apple updated the software that powers its second-generation Apple TV peripheral on Wednesday. Among the changes are new features exposed with the introduction of Apple’s new iCloud service.

The second-gen (black) Apple TV is now capable of supporting Photo Stream, an iCloud feature that lets you push images to the cloud from your iOS device. It also supports AirPlay mirroring, found on iPad 2 and iPhone 4S – wireless streaming of what’s on the iOS device screen. A new Trailers function gives

This is Apple’s original AppleTV, from circa 1996. Rob Gould, who works on the AOL HD project with my company, Castfire, sent me these awesome pics from his time back at Bell Atlantic (now Verizon) when they had access to this box. He calls it the “Pippen”, likely a spin-off from the Apple Pippin, from earlier in the decade.

Pictures are a lot different than what we have

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The option to rent episodes of TV shows is no longer available on either the Apple TV, or when browsing content via Apple’s iTunes application. Previously, participating networks offered users the ability to rent a TV episode for 99 cents, with 30 days to begin watching and 48 hours to complete it.

]]> http://www.loopinsight.com/2011/08/26/apple-stops-renting-tv-shows/feed/ 0 http://www.loopinsight.com/2011/07/21/apple-tv-competitor-roku-2-plays-games/ http://www.loopinsight.com/2011/07/21/apple-tv-competitor-roku-2-plays-games/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:02:28 +0000 Peter Cohen http://www.loopinsight.com/?p=13034 Continued]]> Dan Moren at Macworld writes:

“The top-of-the-line XS model also includes the Roku 2’s new Bluetooth motion-capable remote. In addition to using the buttons to control browsing and playback on your Roku 2, you can use the motion sensitivity to play games, such as Angry Birds (itself also included free with the Roku 2 XS).”

Some have wondered if the second-generation Apple TV -

Potential buyers for TiVo include Microsoft (MSFT) and Google. Microsoft has wanted to offer a set-top box and have a presence in television systems through cable operators, says Tony Wible of Janney Montgomery Scott, who estimates a takeover price of $17 a share. TiVo’s television

]]> http://www.loopinsight.com/2011/07/18/tivo-may-be-a-target-for-takeover/feed/ 0 http://www.loopinsight.com/2011/07/07/netflix-is-awesome-hulu-sucks/ http://www.loopinsight.com/2011/07/07/netflix-is-awesome-hulu-sucks/#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:25:35 +0000 Jim Dalrymple http://www.loopinsight.com/?p=12658 I could probably just leave you with that headline and be done with the story, but I’ll give you a little bit on context.]]>

I could probably just leave you with that headline and be done with the story, but I’ll give you a little bit on context.

]]> http://www.loopinsight.com/2011/07/07/netflix-is-awesome-hulu-sucks/feed/ 32 http://www.loopinsight.com/2011/06/27/david-barnard-makes-a-case-for-a-49-apple-tv/ http://www.loopinsight.com/2011/06/27/david-barnard-makes-a-case-for-a-49-apple-tv/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:46:46 +0000 Jim Dalrymple http://www.loopinsight.com/?p=12447 Continued]]>

But the bigger question remains—why would Apple sell a device on such a thin margin? I think the answer is two-fold. First, a $49 Apple TV would be an incredible, no-brainer accessory to devices running iOS 5. And though margins would be thin on the device itself I think it would help drive sales of iOS devices and propagate iOS platform lock-in. Second, I think the low price would give Apple momentum in the living room.

Nobody really knows what Apple has planned for

There has been a lot of chatter lately about Apple releasing its own branded television. If it does happen, the projected revenue for Apple by one industry analyst is up to $6 billion a year.

Apple may be looking to expand the reach of its AirPlay technology, allowing users to stream video directly onto their television sets.

In addition to releasing iOS 4.3 on Wednesday, Apple also released Apple TV 4.3, a new version of the software for its home entertainment device.

Microsoft may be ready to unveil a competitor for the Apple TV at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Apple on Friday released iTunes 10.1, available for download through the Software Update system preference and from Apple’s Web site.

Apple has begun shipping the new Apple TV, meeting its loose deadline of having the units to customers at the end of September.