Official Apple Media Event 9/1/10 Announcements and DIscussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

iTunes 10 is now downloadable:

http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

 

[Steve Tannehill]

It may say iTunes 10, but it downloads version 9.2.1.

 

[Michael_K_Sr]

When I did it, it downloaded v10. I had to clear my cache in Safari in order to get 10 to show up for download.

 

[mattCR]

Just grabbed 10. They did change the installer.. and now all x64 on the windows side for those that chose it

 

[Parker Clack]

I will be getting a 32G iPod touch. Unfortunately, they won't show up at Best Buy until the 23rd of September if i order today and I will be in Atlanta. This is the iPod Touch I have been wanting for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DaveF]

So an important detail I've just learned: the iPod Touch camera is under 1 MP; it's quite low-res: sufficient for 720p video and FaceTime use. But no one will make this their regular snapshot camera, like you can with the iPhone 4 or other smartphones.

 

And the nano reportedly no longer plays video, which is a big step backwards in my view. Video is half the reason I bought my current nano. Now, for me, it's not a big deal, since I have the iPhone. But for those getting a first iPod, or on a lower budget, losing video could be a real detriment.

 

DaringFireball linked to Roku's product page, and at a quick glance I don't see why, for Netflix use, you'd buy a Roku over an AppleTV unless you only want SD video and need to save the $50 to get the cheapest version. Maybe Roku has many secondary uses, but they don't highlight them.

 

[mattCR]

Originally Posted by DaveF

So an important detail I've just learned: the iPod Touch camera is under 1 MP; it's quite low-res: sufficient for 720p video and FaceTime use. But no one will make this their regular snapshot camera, like you can with the iPhone 4 or other smartphones.

 

And the nano reportedly no longer plays video, which is a big step backwards in my view. Video is half the reason I bought my current nano. Now, for me, it's not a big deal, since I have the iPhone. But for those getting a first iPod, or on a lower budget, losing video could be a real detriment.

 

DaringFireball linked to Roku's product page, and at a quick glance I don't see why, for Netflix use, you'd buy a Roku over an AppleTV unless you only want SD video and need to save the $50 to get the cheapest version. Maybe Roku has many secondary uses, but they don't highlight them.

 

The $99 Roku is upgradable to 1080P (some are testing now), more then that, using Rokubox, you can stream any media to it. Also, MLB TV, Amazon, etc. For those who build amazon accounts, it's handy. The $69 Roku is SD only.. The other "pro" for the Roku for some will be that ATV is HDMI only, so those with older TVs, even older HDTVs (think projection, the first 720P HD set I had was component in) which the Roku support, ATV doesn't.
 

Since RoKu also has MLB and a few other things, there is that too... plus about 50 channels, including stuff like "Facebook" which tends to be it's own direct app that people will find interesting (or not).

 

I can't see grabbing either. But With open app development on the RoKu they started the year with about 16 "channels" or "apps" and now have about 40. And since Amazon is backing them..

 

It's a tomato/tomato. But if Netflix is your goal, then both lose. PS3, XBOX360, and WMC offer fully rewindable and searchable storage on HD titles with fore and back buffer. ATV won't (because it doesn't have storage to allow for it). So, it will offer a Wii level client with a better interface and HD support.
 

 

[Sam Posten]

Originally Posted by Parker Clack

I will be getting a 32G iPod touch. Unfortunately, they won't show up at Best Buy until the 23rd of September if i order today and I will be in Atlanta. This is the iPod Touch I have been wanting for.

Do you have a gift cert or something? Why not just preorder from Apple, or better yet, go to the closest Apple Store?

 

[DaveF]

Matt, thanks for the clarification on the Roku.

 

I can see AppleTV and Roku both being better than the Xbox for Netflix based on cost: Xbox requires $60/yr Gold account for Netflix.

 

Having both TivoHD and Xbox (and not Netflix), the AppleTV isn't a must-have for me: it doesn't solve any major problems for me. But at $99, it's now at what Andy Ihnatko called the "What the hell" price. It's tempting as just a music device for my bedroom -- since Tivo no longer does a great job with streaming from the Mac.

 

[DaveF]

Hey! Who sucked all the color out of my iTunes?

 

Gut reaction to iTunes 10 UI refresh: this sucks.

 

And it didn't fix the problem of iTunes chronically revving my CPU to 60%+

 

[DaveF]

 

If you're an iTunes user and don't care about "Ping", I advise against updating to iTunes 10. Stay with 9 and hope Apple puts the color back in 10. It's a big mess of low-contrast, monochrome blah.
  [FONT= 'lucida grande']If you're an iTunes user and don't care about "Ping", I advise against updating to iTunes 10. Stay with 9 and hope Apple puts the color back in 10. It's a big mess of low-contrast, monochrome blah. There's nothing positive to say about the removal of color. It's obviously bad design and I can't see it passed muster at Apple.[/FONT]

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by mattCR

The $99 Roku [also has], Amazon, etc. For those who build amazon accounts, it's handy.

This reminded me that I can get Amazon Unbox on my Tivo, so I took a look. It's a mixed bag. Amazon still charges $2.99 for new TV releases -- a ridiculous price and one of the reasons I wrote both it and AppleTV off as wastes of time previously.

 

But, I found older and less popular shows are $0.99, including my beloved Futurama! So I downloaded the next Futurama show in HD from Amazon for $0.99 and it looked good. And $0.99 is cheap enough that it's far better than futzing with downloading it from websites of uncertain legality and moving the laptop to the living room, etc. The downside is Tivo has a mediocre interface to the Amazon system.

 

So if I was starting with no box at all, what's going to be more attractive: a box that plays Amazon Unbox over a box that playes Apple iTunes? Assuming Apple has a selection at least as good as Amazon's, if not better, I see the aTV more compelling than the Roku.

 

[Parker Clack]

 

Do you have a gift cert or something? Why not just preorder from Apple, or better yet, go to the closest Apple Store?

 

Lots of rewards points. Plus I don't have to pay it off for 18 months.

 

[DaveF]

Can't rent Futurama in iTunes so I'm sticking with Amazon Unbox for now.

The new 4.1 video system is a bit clunky to me, but when in doubt Search works.