2 posts tagged “gadgets”

This is a regular Wednesday post for me.  In these posts, I get to be the boss and make changes to things that interest me.  For the first five posts, I described changes to sports I watch.  In this post, I will be an Apple Product Manager and make changes to Apple TV.

I have never bought Apple TV because the features didn't quite live up to what I would want in such a box.  The 2.0 version makes additional changes (especially the Wi Fi support), but it's still not there yet.  Here's what I would add:

1. DVR built in or TV show rentals
It's great that I can download programming from the iTunes store, but this requires me to buy programs.  Sometimes I just want to record a program and erase it later after watching, like you would with TiVO or a VCR. The model that Apple is working with is video-on-demand, which is fine if I want to keep the programs that I buy.  A rental model for TV shows (like for movies) could work as well.  Maybe you could rent a TV show, then have it deleted from the hard drive after a specified period of time.

2. Digital tuner built in
For people that receive over-the-air digital programming (yeah, we're a small minority), this would allow people to hook the Apple TV box to the antenna like a VCR.  It helps to accomplish bullet point 1 above.  My assumption is that this is not in the box because Apple's model is that you buy or rent programs only.  Whatever you watch you can get via cable or satellite.  A plus for adding this is you could sell this as a value-add for over-the-air programming: replace your analog TV receiver and get a DVR at the same time.

3. More internet capabilities
As more programming appears on the internet, this machine should evolve into handling more kinds of downloads.  I would expect there to be programs that can be subscribed to via RSS that would be automatically added to the hard drive. By jumping ahead of the curve on this, Apple can lead the way towards a box that can acquire programs from either the internet or from iTunes.  If you could manage your subscriptions/iTunes purchases from the internet, even better.  That way, you could download content and view it when you got home from work.

These changes are by no means minor, but I think that some of these could get more people to want to buy this box.  If they could compete with TiVO, I think they could beat them.  A similar technology company, Sezmi, just announced a digital receiver that effectively does all of this.  Apple right now is just experimenting with this.  If they got serious about the capabilities, they could have a hit on their hands.

• I am really looking forward to the NCAA College Basketball tournament.  This should be a really competitive tournament with a good chance for some upsets in the first few rounds.  My favorites are UCLA, Memphis and North Carolina.  My alma mater (Cal) didn't make it, so I have to watch them in the NIT.
  
• Speaking of the NCAA, I still hate the Bowl Championship Series.  There are no excuses for not having a playoff.  Just start with the top 4 teams and add more every few years.
• I just bought a Digital Video Recorder.  Unfortunately, it's crap and I'll probably have to return it.  All I want is a replacement for my VCR in anticipation of the Digital Broadcasting switchover in 2009.  I don't want to pay for a service, so that rules out TiVO.  I think the search continues...
  
• The Bear Stearns buyout seemed like a panic move by the Bush Administration (but what hasn't been a panic move by those incompetent boobs?).  I would love to see the Democrats win the White House, but my fear is that their stupidity in running campaigns will continue in the election this fall. If they're smart, they hammer home that "McCain = Bush" and you'll get more Iraq and more recession.  Hopefully, Hillary won't burn down the house in order to win the nomination.
• Movies have been pretty blah so far this year.  Saw "Horton Hears a Who" on Saturday.  Meh.  I was hoping it would be funnier.  I'm anticipating the summer films this year.  Indy Jones and The Dark Knight in particular look pretty good.
• Anyway, that's my brain dump for today.  Happy St. Patrick's Day!