Does anyone else think that v2 or v3 of AppleTV is not going to be just a box but instead a TV (or technically a tv-sized internet connected monitor running a native OS)? If Apple is truly going to close the circuit they need a large screen in the living room. An AppleTV-style buddy box or mac mini plugged into a HD TV isn’t going to cut it. Tablet is a great intimate media device that continues to make media portable, but even w/ a stand, it’s not going to replace five hours a day of lean back. iPhone/tablet/touch become remotes.
It'd make a lot of sense, but then again it made sense 5 years ago and Apple still hasn't pulled the trigger. Not sure what's holding them back, but if they don't allow alternative providers like Netflix and Amazon on board, I'm not sure that it will become anymore than the hobby that it already is.
@davis – oh, i think they would have been way too early five years ago. They're lurking and learning….
Given the problems they've had with the 27 inch iMac I suspect it won't happen too soon.
I think that's a bit of imperial overstretch. Those are totally new supply lines for them to delve into, as the larger LCDs generally come from different kinds of specialists than the smaller PC LCDs, AFAICT.
The Mac-Mini -> LCD via HDMI is pretty tight right now actually. With the Boxee remote app on Ipod Touch and Boxee on the Mac, it's pretty smooth as it stands. I'd imagine a Bluetooth remote option would be even nicer (done by Apple).
For some reason the mac mini still doesn't have HDMI out. Furthermore, my guess is Apple will not embrace Boxee. Boxee is way too much like an alternative OS for Apple to be happy with them.
Boxee is far more open than apple likes to be.
An emphatic “yes.” TV is the death match – super bowl, game 7, alien v. Predator – all rolled into one for Goog and Apple. I should hyperbolize more, no?
daslee knows – it's a media cloud death match. Get into the octagon!
Erik – it does have DVI out. DVI->HDMI cables are dime a dozen, as it's nearly straight through (plus HDMI has audio of course).
Hunter, I've just found your blog hence the hmmm elapsed time between your post and this…
I completely agree with you on this and have been convinced that Apple will come out with a line of TVs for a while. The iPad whilst something that I will buy (when it finally gets over here or someone kind soul from the US visits us with some room in their bag 😉 is a great stepping stone. It has already spurred app developers to build apps using more pixels on the larger screens and I see several apps featuring video content and the remote / viewing companion that you mention.
As an ex-pat in a foreign land Apple's generous policy of determining users Apple TV locations by credit card bill is a huge boon to my wife and I (and the sellers of 24 and Grey's A etc.) I'd happily swap my boring (and party broken only 2 year old Sony) TV for an Apple one even at B&O money. With the LED backlit screens now available I drool at the thoughts of what the team at Apple can do to extract a couple of $K from us…