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Dec 28, 07 - 09:17 am Comment from: ChrissyOne

You don't. Say.

Dec 28, 07 - 09:23 am Comment from: JadisOne

I hope that the quality of the rentals will be a higher resolution to take advantage of all the 720p/1080i/1080p sets being purchased. I think that will be an important catalyst for success. Even though people don't really understand what HD is, providing it as an option makes people feel it's better and worth it.

Dec 28, 07 - 09:27 am Comment from: ChrissyOne

@ JadisOne

I think options are the key. Gimme Transformers in Hi Def, but I don't need to wait for a 1080p download of Ishtar, thank you.

Dec 28, 07 - 09:28 am Comment from: LinuxGuyAndMacProdigalSon

It is all so damned obvious that Apple TV has been awaiting content. It is a platform that Apple just had to place into the market, so that it was ready to go once the needed elements were in place. And being based on OS X, its capabilities are upgradeable by synching.

But the almost unanimously stupid analysts and pundits just couldn't containing their snarky cynical mouths -- iFail, iBust, blah, blah ... blah. Massive portions of crow await serving to the anti Apple TV FUD spewers.

Dec 28, 07 - 09:36 am Comment from: ChrissyOne

@ LinuxGuyAndMacProdigalSon

Come on, you should know by now that if a product isn't the final, perfectly realized ideal of everyone in the world the day it's released, then no analyst will have the vision to understand what it's really about. Name one analyst that saw the iPod coming.

If you Can - Do.
If you can't think, imagine, create, improve, or execute - Analyze.

Dec 28, 07 - 09:45 am Comment from: Mr. Reeee

RE-invigorate?
Try legitimize.

Full-HD support will do it.

Dec 28, 07 - 09:48 am Comment from: Demon

I think the movie rentals will start out Standard Def wide screen and as things progress and Apple shows that there is a good market they'll start introducing Hi Def 720p content (about April) and will then introduce a 1080p content option next year.

@MDN,
I think Hessedahl's "also-ran" comment was about WalMart and other rental services that are difficult to use, not Apple's. Anyway, that's my take.

Okay, you're right, I just read the BW article, and he did refer to AppleTV as an "also-ran" after belittling all the other online download efforts from others, as well. Basically, the whole online movie effort is in its nascent stage so far. That's true.

Dec 28, 07 - 10:04 am Comment from: Macromancer

The opinions about AppleTV that reflect poorly on its condition are simply a matter of people having such lofty expectations for anything Apple does. If it's not a rocket to space then it's a complete failure as far as they are concerned.

People need to realize that products take time to mature expecially when introduced into a system like Apple TV and rentals etc will eventually be. It's not going to always be 100% full throttle at launch.

I'm betting that the AppleTV detractors will be sitting along side the laura Goldman quotes by the end of '08.

ok, thats all and good for America and countries that have cheap internet.

In australia, where I pay $70 AUD for 12Gigabytes a month...

Apple needs to have particular deals with ISPs, to set up servers that don't count the movies bought from iTunes as part of the download. And that way, that would really kill bit-torrent.

Dec 28, 07 - 10:38 am Comment from: M.X.N.T.4.1.

Apple TV is only a failure in comparison to the iPod, which more than being a success is one of the greatest successes of all time. As MDN said, I think any company would be happy with sales of their product matching that of the Apple TV - especially when you know Apple will be making a tidy profit of each device - unlike some companies.

Dec 28, 07 - 10:39 am Comment from: ABQ Peter

weren't there a lot of rumors about other stuff to be announced at the same time apple tv came out? and then there were stories about deals falling through at the last minute?

"The opinions about AppleTV that reflect poorly on its condition are simply a matter of people having such lofty expectations for anything Apple does."

False. All the harsh criticism for AppleTV is based on the fact that people want SOMETHING to call a failure when it comes to Apple. It's basic human jealousy.

Dec 28, 07 - 10:49 am Comment from: MacBill

Hmmm... let's see, Netflix for $17.99 per month for unlimited movie rentals, or an AppleTV for $399 plus $5 per each movie I want to rent. Not to mention that the movie EXPIRES after a certain number of days. No thanks, I'll stick with Netflix.

Dec 28, 07 - 10:57 am Comment from: ChrissyOne

I'd much rather have the profits from AppleTV than those from the Xbox.

Let's say 900,000 Apple TV units sold since March 21, 2007.

Let's say 20 million.

Let's say 287 513.

Let's say more than the number of elementary particles in the universe.

Let's say 160GB Apple TV is the 1,521st most popular item in Amazon.com Electronics.

Dec 28, 07 - 11:02 am Comment from: ChrissyOne

Let's say we talk about it again in a year.

@MacBill

Yes, but you don't get to keep any of the movies you rent on Netflix either, unless you're doing something a little illegal (*cough* Handbrake *cough*). $5 per rent is an OK price, Comcast charges up to $7 for some titles (and for no apparent reason), which expire in 24 hours. Plus, the "unlimited" plan as Netflix calls it only let you receive 3 movies at a time (not to mention their throtlling practices). I'm guessing you could rent as many titles as you like with the new rental thing (not that you'd want to). Just my $0.02.

Dec 28, 07 - 11:11 am Comment from: ChrissyOne

@ MacBill

If you're going to add the cost of the AppleTV, then you have to figure in the cost of the DVD player you use for Netflix.

My friend just got her third shattered DVD in the mail from Netflix yesterday. 3 in a row.

Netflix vs AppleTV

$18/month | $3 per rental (NOT $5)

Decide what movie you think you may want to see in a few days
vs
Get the movie you want to watch then and there

I probably watch about 5 movies/month. AppleTV is CHEAPER & BETTER than Netflix

Dec 28, 07 - 11:38 am Comment from: macbookmad

of course AppleTV is a work in progress. I mean, it only works with HD TVs and doesn't have HD content. have patience before you judge it. It's a new strategy for Apple but it is the right one for this market. I'm glad AppleTV was in place for the big content announcements.

Dec 28, 07 - 11:51 am Comment from: El Guapo

@ChrissyOne

"...but I don't need to wait for a 1080p download of Ishtar, thank you."

Why would anyone wait for any version of Ishtar?

Dec 28, 07 - 11:59 am Comment from: shen

"Hmmm... let's see, Netflix for $17.99 per month for unlimited movie rentals, or an AppleTV for $399 plus $5 per each movie I want to rent. Not to mention that the movie EXPIRES after a certain number of days. No thanks, I'll stick with Netflix."

hmmm, lets see, 2 movies a week if i watch them asap with netflix, or as many as i want when i want them as fast as my 7 meg pipe can throw them at me.

gosh you are right.

plus, subtract the 2-3 bad disks i get a month on netflix against the number of bad downloads i have gotten from itunes... zero... yeah this is stacking up well.

not to mention on itunes i get to buy stuff if i want to as well....

all Apple needs to crush ALL movie rental places is a deal where the rental price applies towards buying it if you want it after you watch it, and a nice easy disk player in the next gen appletvs that will read files i bought and burned for backup.

the end approaches...

I'm hoping for v2 of Apple TV
1- 40 GB for $300 is way too much for too little.
2- Powered by a Pentium D? Why not a more power efficient chip, Steve?
3- How about built-in Bluetooth, so we can use our iPod Touches or iPhones for a controller/keypad?
4- Visual overhaul of Apple TV (and Front Row in 10.5) to the look of Front Row in 10.4. All that Blue is garish. Actually ,most of 10.5 is as well.

I'd settle for a Mac Mini with an HDMI jack and a real graphics chip.

Dec 28, 07 - 12:27 pm Comment from: iWill

If Apple pulls the trigger on releasing content for rent, then the flood gates of video will stream forth to your hungry little eyes.

Just watch and see.

Hobby, indeed!

Dec 28, 07 - 01:50 pm Comment from: The Dude

The Dude's only problem is with iTunes not playing nice with AC3 surround sound. I have to trick it into playing an AVI file with AC3 passthrough by using Perian and QT Pro to convert the AVI to a referenced .mov file... then take the .mov file and throw it in iTunes. Lot of work for what should already be supported IMO.

Maybe iTunes and the Apple TV will support MKV files and AC3 passthrough natively... that would make my day.

The Dude abides.

Dec 28, 07 - 02:07 pm Comment from: HolyMackerel

@ Crippled TV: "3- How about built-in Bluetooth, so we can use our iPod Touches or iPhones for a controller/keypad?"

As much as I love my new Touch it has no Bluetooth.

Dec 28, 07 - 05:50 pm Comment from: Brau

"iTunes movie rentals could reinvigorate Apple TV"

Could .... but won't .... unless they allow the user to stream ANYTHING from their Mac. Until then, the TV offers nothing over my set-top cablebox where I can already rent movies in DVD quality with surround sound. As it is now, the TV is just another ham-fisted product tied to a proprietary service.

Dec 28, 07 - 06:08 pm Comment from: LorD1776

Brau,

I agree about renting movies with pay-per-view. I find this to be a quick and economical way to view movies. If it's something I really like I will then buy the DVD.

Unfortunately, I have Time Warner Cable. I only like to watch in the widescreen format, and these knuckleheads have just about eliminated that option. Last weekend there were only three movies, and they were turds.

They used to have more, but it seems like since they started the HD channels, they have dropped them. I hope you have more choices than I do.

Dec 28, 07 - 06:35 pm Comment from: ChrissyOne

@ El Guapo

Touché.

Dec 28, 07 - 07:42 pm Comment from: Jubei

ATV can do HD easily as proven with the HD PodCast at iTunes. The images are stunning. Just need that 5.1 DD track shoved in there and ATV will be awesome.

"People need to realize that products take time to mature",

And that some people, like Ballmer - never do!

Let's all hope that the Zune never matures either.



d

i do mean the PRODUCT!

d