Filed under: Audio, Internet, Apple
Apple TV, amongst other things, now mixes your music!
Not only was there an update to iTunes today but there was also a software update for the Apple TV media center box thingee! With it there's a shiny press release and overhauled website.If you haven't heard of Apple TV, it's their answer to the Windows Media Center -- just plug it into an HD TV, connect to a Mac or PC running iTunes via your local network... and blam! All of those lovely iTunes-bought movies and TV episodes can now be easily streamed to your big screen.
The new functionality being touted with version 3.0 of Apple TV are their two musical technologies: iTunes LP and Genius Mixes. iTunes LP is like some kind of 'immersive experience' -- not only do you listen to your favourite albums through your living room sound system (which is usually the best in the house!), but you also get 'extra footage' displayed on the TV! Presumably this will be liner notes from the album, studio photos and video footage from live concerts.
The update also brings the other new, neat feature of iTunes -- Genius Mixes -- to the Apple TV. Using some kind of match-making algorithm (a la Pandora?), Apple will apparently create smooth-sounding playlists automatically.
Of course, available to you at any time with the Apple TV there's the usual fare of streaming Internet radio and YouTube (though I can't imagine your living room speakers are going to be very kind to YouTube videos...) Also worth mention is the ability to easily get your photos from your hard disk (or Flickr) over to your big TV.
It all comes at a price though -- $230, for a box with a small hard disk and a network adaptor.
At least it's a pretty box.
[via Engadget]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Josh said 10:57PM on 10-29-2009
New feature? Hasn't Genius been out for over a year now? It's not exactly new.
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Sebastian Anthony said 11:03PM on 10-29-2009
The release would suggest that it's a new feature for Apple TV -- but yes, it's been on iTunes for a while now. I guess they merely enabled streaming of those Genius Mixes to the pretty white box!
jgomez14 said 12:28AM on 10-30-2009
The ATV has had the Genius option for some time now, but it has not had the option to play the new Genius Mixes that came with iTunes 9.
Ryan Taylor said 3:43AM on 10-30-2009
Look, I have an Apple TV and I will not do this update. I have modded mine and can watch Hulu from Boxee and stream non-MP4 movies to it. I have used their hardware and made it a very usable, necessary part of my home experience.
If you get one, go ahead and patchstick to make it the product it should be. With Netflix coming to the Wii, PS3, and XBOX, Apple is running out of room in the crowded mess we call home entertainment.
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Sebastian Anthony said 9:10AM on 10-30-2009
Why'd you use an Apple box? Is it cheaper than the competition?
iSlate said 2:18PM on 11-10-2009
I think Apple TV will be perfect for the iSlate. http://www.islate.org
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