Apple's Front Row and Apple Remote
By Peter Rojas 
posted Oct 12th 2005 2:40PM
posted Oct 12th 2005 2:40PM
Yeah, not as big as a new video iPod, but Stevie did announce the new Apple Remote, as well as Front Row, a new Mac user interface for navigating your media collection (music, photos, videos, and DVDs) from a distance (like from yer couch, you lazy bastard). The Apple Remote looks a lot like the iPod shuffle, doesn't it? Click on for more images of both Front Row and the Remote.
There's also a new "Universal Dock" (fits all docking iPod models -- hooray!) that works with the remote:
http://www.apple.com/ipod/accessories.html
I assume you can't purchase this item alone?.. I just bought an 20" iMac, and now I want one.. damn..
WTF?! The Apple Revolution?
is this compadible with all mac's with bluetooth or just the new imac? because it'd be real nice to have it on my powerbook
Will the FrontRow be able to be used on Powerbooks with Bluetooth and Tiger? Or is it strictly for the Imac G5?
This would be a nice addition to the mini as a HTPC.
that is cool, i wish all my remotes were bluetooth or at least for manufactures to start doing it, line of sight sucks.
plus i'm doing my part to preserve engadget server resources by disabling pictures and ads :)
thanc ury
a_al_gamdi@yahoo.com
So i just bought a G5 like a month ago. SO they come out with one with Front Row pre loaded and a remote. Am I shit out of luck? God damn I mean why not create something that will work on a machine you sold me a month ago. I can't seem to find out if you can buy Front Row as a seperate accessory or not. I suppose the remote would be the problem. I hate apple...especially over priced apple in canada.
soooooooo nice. but the remote is like instantly retro (design wise)
i want frontrow on my powerbook!!!!
I wonder if it will work with my Power Mac G5 with Bluetooth?
No mention anywhere.
hmmm...
How is it adhering to the side of the computer?
I'll also assume the new Universal dock will enable AV out on iPod nano's, as the spec page says it will allow Photo output functionality on any iPod with a colour screen
I'm just glad the new remote works with the new Dock, which works with my new nano. I'm pretty sure that means that i can mount the Dock in my car and have a remote controlled nano on my dash. Rock.
My only question is... if it's a bluetooth enabled remote, why do both the remote and the dock seem to have IR ports on them? Does it support both IR and bluetooth?
I expect the On Demand Group (owners of Front Row - an NVOD service on cable in the UK) will have something to say about that!
Apart from the unoriginal name, it looks good. Should give MCE and MythTV/VDR/etc a run for their money.
what about tv? i guess this is their first try at a 'media center'.
today engadget page looks like Apple home page..... everythings apple apple..ipod...imac...rename site to iEngadget
sailing clicker will probably make it work with my sonyericsson... and that would make me happy...
I want one for my pb. Then I'll be happy.
hmmmm a bluetooth enabled ipod dock and some bangin speakers? amen
Look at Apple's website, folks. You can buy the remote and the universal dock for your iPod but I don't see a way to purchase the Front Row software separately just yet.
I agree with #6, this would be a great addition to the mac mini. just hook it up to your TV and go.
On the remote adhering to the side of the iMac - my guess would be a magnet. That's how the old iSight stuck to the top of the previous revision iMac.
And to the people who just bought an iMac before this. Yes, you pretty much are out of luck. There's always something newer/better/shinier coming down the pike. You place your bets and you take your chances....
As to Front Row on other Bluetooth-equipped Macs like powerbooks, damn good question. I'd like to use it on my powerbook where I have an S-video out to hook to my stereo system.
The reference to BT is to the new iMac, not the remote itself. It's selling the Remote in conjunction with the Universal Dock, which has an IR receiver on its face, and the new iMac, which probably does also. My guess is the remote's not BT, it's IR only.
Apple might release a IR-to-USB hardware piece to make the Remote (and FrontRow) useful to PowerBook, mini, and G5 users. But as of today, I wouldn't buy one and expect it to work without more hardware.
yeah, no tv recording features?
Does it come in black?
I wonder what the iTheater Project people think of this (http://itheaterproject.com/)
Since this is a bluetooth device, i don't see any reason why it won't be available later to the rest of Apple's line up. As long as your mac has bluetooth & a dvd drive u should be set.
How much though? $19.95 - $24.95 i'm guessing.
So don't fret
Where is the HDMI connector on an Airport Express so that I can pump FrontRow directly to my TV screen? What good is the remote otherwise?!
This is just the same as the ROKR - an experiment. Apple is dipping its toes into waters uncharted, and I think the Cube experience has made them hesitant to plunge straight in. I think what we're seeing here is them getting all the parts of a Media Center working, before finally releasing a Mini-based HTPC that they declare to be the best thing since sliced bread in the HTPC market. These are baby steps. They can't release the full HTPC until the Intel transtion is fully underway, they need all that new hardware to work perfectly when that box comes out as it'll be in the consumer space and they would be punished for an incomplete system. Here they are perfecting the idea itself, and making sure that by the time Longhorn comes out they are already at version 2 of all software they need to make it work. This is the genius of Apple in full effect, and means the next two years are going to be a MASSIVE for them.
Emac is out...
Good one, you guys talked about this months ago:
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000257043526/
http://www.hypnoticnet.com/apple_airtunes_remotecontrol.html
The remote is only Infrared. It says so in the press release for the new iMac. The IR reciever is where the built in iSight is, and also the black dot on the new iPod dock. The product page for the remote does not list the inclusion of FrontRow software, so it's safe to assume that it will only work with brand new iMacs and iPods in the new dock until Apple comes out with something else.
A shame, too. If it were bluetooth, I'd buy it. But I don't always have a line of sight to my powerbook, so if they keep it infrared AND make you plug in a USB receiver, no go for me.
Search the Apple store for "front row"
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/71701/wo/e8Y30d6ckcCk3NATw1I2DpEQNRo/1.0.15.1.0.8.25.7.11.0.3
It's compatible with the iPods, so I doubt its bluetooth (too bad, I wanted it for my powerbook).
The remote is IR only, and not Bluetooth.
What is the point in making it Bluetooth? It would eat batteries for one thing.
Bluetooth is a technology that is really looking for a problem to solve. It was designed for intermittent data connections, NOT for streaming audio, or video, or for using as a remote control.
Every time something new comes out every one jumps out of their skin for Bluetooth. Headphones, syncing, remote control.
There are better, more functional technologies for all of these problems.
If you want a Bluetooth remote for your Mac or PC, then buy Salling Clicker. I'm sure they'll support Front Row.
welcome to the year 2000 apple.
The FrontRow interface looks great, but I'll wait for the 2nd generation of the remote -- with click wheel! :o)
The remote most likely just communicates with the built-in iSight... any digital camera can pick up IR signals.
I'm sure that the next version of the Mini will have an IR reciever on it. I just hope it doesn't take too long to get there.
It's not Bluetooth, it's IR. boooooooo. very poor.
I also wouldn't be surprised if FrontRow becomes part of iLife.
I guess since Windows Media Center Edition is outselling WinXP this year that Apple thought they better get in the game...
Agree with everyone on the IR remote... lame. Good design as usual), lame execution.
Not sure about the black screen... I presume it's skinnable? Black UIs don't look good on TVs...
#25 Usman, looks like Center Stage beat them to the punch.
http://www.centerstageproject.com/
true dat, smashmyipod.
why is apple excluding other computers for front row? what is the business logic? all I can say is that a beefy mini with front row, would be a dream for a lot of people, regardless if your a mac head or not.
hey engadget, your photos cant be clicked.
As some of you have already been saying...who cares if its not bluetooth. Seriously, for this application bluetooth has basically no advantages over something like IR or RF.
In short:
1. Its way more expensive to implement.
2. It consumes power more quickly.
3. All the extra bandwidth bluetooth offers is basically wasted in a remote control. Commands sent from the remote are short and serial in nature.
Also, Steve Jobs is so impressed with the fact that this thing has just 6 buttons, but if you think about it, all it does is control the media player. The bulk of extra buttons on other remotes are for TV related functions which arent supported in this case.
On another (unrelated) note, I'm really starting to hate these apple product releases. Every time they come out with something new (for them), they act like its the latest greatest thing and they were the first ever to think of that. HOLY CRAP theres an ipod that supports video! WOW a remote control for the computer! Listen up Mr. Jobs, products that do these very things are already on the market. Don't act like such hot shit. I know other companies do this too, (i.e. AMD64 versus Intel's EM64T) but somehow it seems way more annoying coming from Apple.
maybe its just me tho....
"The simple six-button Apple Remote gives you control over your music, movies and photos from anywhere in the room and it stows away neatly (and magnetically) on the side of your iMac when not on." Magnets, near a computer? Another first from Apple!
from: http://www.apple.com/imac/design.html
Watch Microsoft make an inferior copy of this in 2 years. Again Apple is the only company offering true innovation.
To #40: Actually, the folks at Apple (and a lot of other folks, including me) recognize that there is often a huge difference between "doing something" and in "doing something extremely elegantly." If you don't understand that at a conceptual level, you are likely not a prime Apple customer prospect.
You call this innovation? MCE has been out for over 2 years. There is no TV included in Front Row. It looks like they just kicked the nuts right off the people who just bought iMac G5's. Way to go piss off the customer base...Innovation my ass...come on people get serious. Browse your music collection from your couch..wow...if my Mac is in my living room with it hooked to my stereo (which it isn't). Its not a new concept #41 jimmy get a grip.
#41, jimmy, where the hell have you been? Microsoft has had Media Center Edition out for years...
There is zero innovation in this product... it's jumping on the bandwagon. Go look at SageTV, GB-PVR, etc, etc...
@ #41, aree you on pot.
Microsoft has this for at least 3 uears now, ever heard of "Windows Media Center". This is actually apple copying microsft, except worse, as in no live TV with DVR capabilities.
I think Jobs is theatrical and dramatic here because he wants to impress analysts and shareholders who he is ultimately speaking to during such events; NOT the average consumer who will learn about these products through traditional media (i.e. TV spots and press articles). Of course he knows the market inside out; anyone would be naive to think otherwise.
The only company that can come up with such a USELESS remote - Apple. 6 buttons? come on, where's the expansion capabilities for future iterations of the software?
Oh, nevermind, this new "Front Row" doesn't have TV and probably never will given the useless remote.
to #41 Jimmy: Microsoft has already done it 2 years ago, and even though the Apple version is newer, it is also inferior. Kudos to them for a first try, though.
CenterStage beating them to the punch? I tried it recently. Still very beta. I guess I wouldn't pay much for FrontRow but it would really add some value if added to iLife.
I would bet $100 that Front Row will become part of iLife '06 -- bundled with new Macs. I would expect an IR receiver/remote accessory combo for $29 or $39 for sale around that time.
A hundred years ago people would riot at premieres of avant garde operas, symphonic pieces and gallery shows. Now it appears Apple product launches are the only thing that excite violent negative emotions in the bourgeoisie.
#43... spoken like a true douche bag. Take this from a Windows and Mac user: Sure, there is a similarity in the goal of Front Row to the goal of MC. But allow me to explain the differences:
1) No crashing/BSOD while being demoed.
2) Simple design.
3) No cost difference.
4) Seamless integration with great media programs i.e. iLife instead of the rubbish you get on a Windows installation.
5) people really want this product (see above).
And the argument re: pissing off recent iMac buyers is kind of ridiculous as this is a problem whenever you change a product. should apple stop selling a product for 3 months prior to an upgrade in order to avoid this? Think about it.
Yeah, Apple innovation, because they invented the remote control and sliced bread. WTF? Computers serving as media centers WITH remote controls has been around for at least a year. Apple is the only company pretending to offer true innovation by spending millions in marketing in hopes people like you eat it up.
@49 you are so wrong...
1. Who cares if when it was demo'd 3 years ago it BSOD'd... it doesn't now.
2. No simpler than MCE.
3. BS. I can get a MCE PC for <$1000 with a tuner and full PVR capability.
4. MCE is fully integrated with... MCE! It doesn't need to integrate with other stuff because it's already there!
5. Poeple can already get better versions of this product from 3rd party vendors.
I'm only using MCE as an example... seriously, go look at all the little companies making media PC/MAC software out there... you'll be surprised at how good they are.
I personally am greatly dissapointed with the IR remote. Only the latest iteration of the iMac has IR. None of the older Mac computer have IR because it sucks when compared to Bluetooth and Wireless. Also all older iMacs have plugs on the back and IR is line of site, so I'm going to have to buy a deal that plugs into USB, and then is taped to the edge of my clean looking iMac so that I can have line of site. I am dissappointed in Apple's complete lack of innovation here. There is nothing new or exciting about this product unless it was supposed to come out 3 years ago when IR was still sweet. The Salling Clicker program with my Treo or Palm is much much more useful and innovative.
Got to laugh at the mac haters...
"Gah, Microsoft's being doing this for like a million years already!"
Reality check, guys. Apple will own this market segment whenever they choose to assimilate it into their little iWorld. They own 80% of the music download market... a market that they created out of nothing. They will do the same thing in the downloadable video market. Their UI runs rings around anything that Microsoft could even dream about, and Microsoft doesn't even have anything that comes close to iPhoto.
No doubt the next Mac Mini will be "Front Row" compatible. Better still give me a "Front Row" Mac Mini with wireless capability in a Hi-Fi form factor and it's game over. Period.
#50...im a Douche bag? Geesh a bit harsh don't u think? I am writing this on a windows mce 2k5 pc that I won right now. I also have my Mac G5 beside me. I was simply commenting on the people that think this is innovation. This is not a novel idea. It has been done many times. What pisses me off is the way Mac peopel think that anythign apple does is innovation.
1)The BSOD happened on MCE 2K4 the first release of the "innovative" product. Microsoft was not even the first company to do this.
2)Simple Desgin compared to what? MCE? If you can't get around on MCE you shoudln't even own a computer.
3) No cost difference? Hmm I can run MCE 2K5 on most PC's around. I just bought a $2300.00 G5 that from all reports I can't run Front Row on. Yeah good argument there.
4) Seamless Integration. Hmm I don't find ti to hard to put my media in MCE. But then again im a douche bag.
5) Of course mac fanatics want this product its very innovative...don't you know?
Ummm well until they allow me to download Front Row for free to add to my G5 and sell me the remote for $29.00 I will continue to be pissed off.
" Apple will own this market segment whenever they choose to assimilate it into their little iWorld."
Reality check - what is Apple's desktop market share?
http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/03/20/marketshare/index.php
@ virtualalex
I don't disagree with your comments about this plus a Mac Mini... killer combo (although MCE UI is pretty slick now)... it just kills me when people think that Apple are all innovative when they're just copying someone else and putting marketing $$$ behind the message. That's not innovation, thats just hype.
I do, however, disagree with your "Apple will own this when they like" comment. They have a lot of catching up to do, and there's already a lot of protected movie content available in WMV format. Music worked because they had the iPod. This isn't another iPod... it's a "me too."
WMV format is crap.
I love this, now they must put HD content for iMacs on iTunes Store.
"It looks like they just kicked the nuts right off the people who just bought iMac G5's."
No. That's an absurd and irrational view. It used to be and it still is the case that people get pissed at Apple for not updating products enough. So... Now... Your theory is that because their customers found a product attractive enough to buy a year ago or six months ago or two weeks ago that Apple is screwing them over by making their products better? Whatever.
Your the sort of person who thinks Apple users are irrational, but your views of Apple are jsut as irrational.
Oh no! Nintendo-fans will come out of the woodwork to comment on this one....
is it just me or is this the ugliest GUI mac has ever made. While it is simple, it is not elegant at all. I am very disapointed. I was hopeing mac would kickstart the VOD market like they did the music market, However Microsoft has a much more solid product at this point, Especially with 360 as an extender Which IMHO much better than having a mini as an MCE.
"This isn't another iPod... "
Yes, it is another iPod. But it's just another iPod. Jobs is right: the TV/movie world is completely undecided. IPTV? Satellite? Cable? DVRs built in to TVs or cable boxes or separate or on the PC? Movie downloads or DVD subs? On Demand? Storage? Purchase? Renting?
They aren't copying and they aren't playing catch up. They are staying out on purpose.
What they did today was create a transition market: they appease the music biz mildly by making them twice as much money off a product thye never made money on WHILE getting into video... and they introduce small-form video viewing byselling TV shows rather than crappy little vidphone clips or absurd HD movie downloads.
Today Apple did more to transition the TV/movie business to the internet than CinemaNow has done in 5 years or who cares however long they've been around with their 200 B movies from the 70s.
Not inovative, but I would say it's pretty cool. It would have been nicer with clickwheel
MrFloppy, thanks for showing your ignorance.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the wmv format for video. That aside, the mp3 format is also crap, but that didn't stop if from being the most common format for encoding music.
Apple has 3% market share. Unless that changes significantly, the majority of movie content will stay with wmv.
to #58 Kim Laughton
It's irrelevant what market share Apple's computers have had in the past when you're talking about media downloads today. Since iTunes works with Windows, their potential share of the coming broadband video market is immense. Apple has also clearly demonstrated that will create software for Windows if it helps Apple. Therefore, it's not implausable that Apple will compete directly with Microsoft on their own OS and come to dominate the field (they already have with iTunes right?). We'll have to wait and see, but the number of Macs sold in 2004 has nothing to do with it.
music != movies
Lots of people buying video iPods is not going to give Hollywood a reason to provide movies for Macs. People need to buy Macs for Hollywood to start thinking about providing HD video for sale via iTunes.
It's not Bluetooth, it's IR. boooooooo. very poor.
i think the front row announcement long-term will be the biggest announcement of the day in that it is the next step of apple entering the living room. i feel certain you will see this feature on the next revision of the mac mini and with it hooked up to a flat panel TV will look pretty great.
of course, as some pointed out, this solution does not include a pvr function, but my guess is they will either offer their own down the line or they will partner with someone. of course, if you can record Lost with a PVR why would you download it from iTunes? Downloading episodic TV is just the first wave. The second wave is movie downloads. That is where they want to go....
Apple has 3% market share. Unless that changes significantly, the majority of movie content will stay with wmv.
---
Uh. Holy Shit. You don't know what QuickTime is?
It is neck and neck with Windows Media for marketshare, and rising.. WindowsM is flat and Real is plummeting.
"People need to buy Macs for Hollywood to start thinking about providing HD video for sale via iTunes."
Yeah, because you need a Mac to play HD video. WRONG!!!
VC-1 is 95% mpeg; by standardizing it, it was revealed that the mpeg patent holders contributed more to it than MS. All MS has is DRM. Apple has DRM too. Apple also has leading edge suppotr for mpeg-4 and particularly H.264 which is where the real future is. And guess what? It plays on everything from cellphones to PCs to DVD players to PCs to Macs. Not jsut Macs.
Media wars are nothing like platform wars. It doesn't equire developer and app support and ISV and OEMs. It simply requires cool products, a company dedicated to bringing more and new content to the consumer, and easy to use, attractive end-to-end solutions.
Apple has that. Microsoft doesn't.
i feel like i just got kicked in the nuts
I am waiting to see how many people that purchase the remote will complain about how easy it scratches (like the Nano).
tf, I agree with you on media vs. platform, but Apple has never been about making money from media, they make money from platforms. They don't make money from iTunes, they make money from iPods than connect to iTunes.
#67
I think it is relevant. Apple software will succeed on Apples - that's a given. PC users arent as easy to win over. Sure iTunes is popular on the PC, but the online music world is still dominated by the illegal. On this occasion MS has a pretty big head start with Media Center, and only needs to start providing decent downloads from within the interface. As has already been mentioned here, the Xbox 360 will make a damn good Media Center extender, and there are already (admittedly fairly poor) compatible portable players. Apple is going to need to be very quick to release a stand alone media extender and video iPod to stand a chance.
I am amazed at all the Microsoft fans that are willing to admit it after today. Apple does it right. OK you have Media Center PC, but who uses actually uses it, and there is no way it is as simple as what Master Steve announced today. Apple stabbed the Living Room Media Market in the heart today, and millions of people will never know that there WAS a Media Center PC (nice original name by the way too)
You can say what you want about Apple's designs or complain about the fact that all of your shit-can WMA's are useless, but Apple does it right, they get music to people, they get real technology to real people and now they get video to people. All of this is done right and all of it is done attractively.
I'd like to see William Gates create half of the buzz for a Windows Announcement, hell most of their annoucements are either after thoughts or so delayed we don't care anymore.
Apple does it on their terms, their way, and in my opinion correctly and classy.
What a great day to be a Mac-Head !
Now let's see how these products pan-out
Well, not too many years ago Apple introduced something called the iPod and iTunes. It took some time before John Q. Public figured out what it was all about... and Apple refined the technology to better appeal to lots of John Qs. I think they're on to something, but it's a Rev-1 edition: Usable, yet way more to come several months to a year from now. I can envision Apple at CEDIA in a big way a couple years from now (as they have been at AES, NAB and NAMM for example).
can this thing be used to control music streaming from a digital music server? like the squeeze box (www.slimdevices.com) or the musica (www.olive.us) ?
this whole thing reminds me of the Apple PowerCD I got for Christmas in 1994 or so.
1x speed with SCSI! Came with a beautiful matching remote that (in later years) (unintentionally?) interfaced with my Performa via IR. I think it was $400, but then immediately went down to $200 or so.
Check it out:
http://www.429bauhaus.no-ip.com/Apple/apple_powercd.html
In my opinion the reason Apple has not entered into the video market is that with an IP based system, you cannot, with any bearable QoS (quality of service), make use of the video content. Sure it can look great in one setting, but try more than one stream of video across an ethernet network in the home... or worse yet, try doing it wirelessly. Dropped frames, flicker, rebuffering. Apple cannot at this time do these things in a manner that is consistent with Apple quality.
Look for a IEEE 1394 based (FireWire) solution in the near future. It is the best protocol for digital video delivery. It is what Apple has used as the cornerstone of their commercial editing systems. So, combine FireWire ports with TV's (many around but not ready for primetime), and the software to allow Mac computers to display their GUI over the FireWire, and you have the ability to do the highest quality HD possible.
Next stage, FireWire networking around the home - once you have this, you have a trully connected home - this is what I think Apple's ultimate target is.
Greenline (#74), well over 1 million MCE PCs have been sold and this summer more MCE PCs were sold than WinXP machines.
On this occasion, Apple has to take the fight to Microsoft... Apple are playing catchup.
It would be nice if the Universal Dock connected to a laptop [or other Mac] would act as a receiver for FrontRow not just the iPod in it.
These religious debates are useless. Apple has the same premium brand cache as Bose or BMW. Sure, you can get a "better" and cheaper table radio from Boston Acoustics, and you can get a "better" and cheaper Euro-sedan from Audi. Yet no reasonable person gets upset when they see their friends wasting money on a Bose or BMW. If you go with Apple or Bose or BMW, you pay a price premium in order to have certain confidence that you're buying a product that is well-conceived and executed. (Not flawless, necessarily, but well-executed.) Apple delivers consistency across its product line because it's marketing to a group of people who really don't care if the Creative Zen is a better all-around DAP, and who aren't going to read gadget blogs to find this out. They're going to buy the thing that gives them the greatest personal confidence they chose a product that confers value in return for the price premium.
I see he's a fan of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.
"Greenline (#74), well over 1 million MCE PCs have been sold and this summer more MCE PCs were sold than WinXP machines."
Apple sold a million nanos in 17 days!
Extenders are horrible ideas. You still need an MCE. That means 20 million people will also need to be that 1 million people using MCEs.
Microsoft has NO lead.
They don't have distribution: MSN Music is almost 80% MusicNet or LoudEye/OD2, and Loudeye has gone from being a billion dollar company to an 80 million dollar company in risk of being delisted. They walked away from any possible deals with the music industry. They've thrown hundreds of millions at cable, now they are throwing hundreds of millions at IPTV. They've got nothing.
Apple will have a high-speed, longer range wireless standard in a year or two, and buy then they will have a large video library. By mid-year 2006 every Mac will have these MCE like features. They will release a portable video player that will shut people up, and that will be the game.
The notion that Microsoft has a lead is absurd. They've barely updated the playforsure site for music in a year and a half. Now they are making deals with Yahoo and Real left and right. Where's their plan?
If the new iMac uses it's camera to detect the IR signal from the remote, I'd guess that we'll see an updated iSight for other macs or a software update for the existing camera.
There's also the patents registered a few months back for a laptop with a camera mounted in the latch. Maybe that's coming in a powerbook update.
Shaun, I remember Sony doing that for their VAIO (WinCE) Picturebooks, I could see that now, since I haven't seen cameras added to any companies' 'books since 2001.
Any small addition makes a whole lot of money, regardless how simple it is, heh.
When the original iPod came out people scoffed saying "there is nothing new about an mp3 player." I wonder how many of them now own iPods.
The key is not always being first, but rather doing it better than anyone else.
The point is, Apple's Front Row isn't better than anyone else. I don't personally like/use MCE but it is better than Front Row, with functionality and form.
SageTV, Meedio(I use) and the open source Media Portal are all good as well. MythTV(I also use) is great for Linux users as well.
The best thing about Front Row is that Apple is making an effort, hopefully it will get better.
Of course, I've never bought a single thing off ITMS nor will I ever buy DRMed downloaded music.
I have no problem paying for digital items, but when I buy it I want to actually own it. Jobs said in the keynote that you "own" the video downloads, as long as you don't put them on more than 5 computers. I just really hate that idea, even if I won't own another 5 computers in my lifetime, I vehemently hate the idea of DRM. But if Jobs is bringing it to the masses, I'm all for it. I'll just continue to buy my own DVDs and rip them (I don't even encode, just keep the ISOs, hard drives are cheap) and my own CDs and rip them to pure WAV format and put them in FLAC files where they aren't using the crappy MP3 format.
Anyway, I think its a good start, I like the idea of a digital media hub in your living room. I've had one for a while, it's a lot of fun, about time Apple got into the game.
But don't act like its the greatest creation, its really not that great yet.
well guys, it seems the HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray format war is over, the new movie format to-go is the iPod. Hook up a mini to your TV, download your films with the FrontRow remote (how long do you think it will take Apple to put a 7th buy-button in there?) and watch it without leaving the sofa. + Airport Extreme and that thingy to conect your stereo to your new MediaCenterMac -airport express- and you manage your whole digital entretainment content from your -drums- 500$ mini. Want it to go? do you have an iPod? who needs discs any way...
Some doesn't find it quite elegant, but that's about taste, not funtionality. The thing about this piece of softare is that's so easy to use, your grandma is going to take the remote away from you to buy and watch singing in the rain. Original? the idea has been around for ages. but not one made it so far. Just imagine a mini with an iPod basis station built in, an IR port on the front, and the video out for your 42" plasma. everything you need, just there, without monthly fees or tv ads
functional, simple, fast entretainment, Apple style, and this thing manages even your BitTorrent porn!
This software will kick ass on a Mac mini. It's MADE for the Mac mini! Now all they need to do is PUT it on the mini.
By the way, I don't think this is meant to be a TV-killer, or a WMC-killer, but a VCR/DVD Player-killer. You still need a TV, if you want to watch tv. But you wouldn't need a DVD player ever again, or DVD discs, if you think of it. And the catch? iTMS. no one is going to get the content as fast as apple online, and the iPod compatibility is a huge issue. They do sell 6,5 millions every 3 months... I think it'll be huge, despite the fact that dozens of companies -some as big as MS- are playing the game for years. But only as soon as there are movies for sale. until there it's just gonna be testing the battle field.
Here's a possibility that would lead to a BlueTooth remote.
http://macspec.net/archives/13
As a recently graduated design student whilst at college we often speculated about what the next step for Apple was.
A friend on my course and fellow long time Apple fan came up with the product idea 'iVision' which is rather similar to the new front Row system and Remote.
If anyone is curious you can see more on his website : www.aaronbennettdesigns.co.uk
Worth a look I think, please post any comments here I for one would be interested to see what you think.
All of you MAc fanboys need to look a little more closely at those pictures.
What's missing from that spectacular Apple designed interface?
TV
Games
If you add those two items, the apple interface becomes congested and ugly. Which means they are going to switch to a list, which means it will look exactly like MCE, except black instead of blue. The other screens already look similar to if not identical to MCE.
And in any case, the competition in the living room isn't MCE, knuckleheads, it's XBOX 360 and Playstation 3.
MS sold 20 million xboxes. How many mac minis has apple sold?
You think TV downloading is going to conquer the living room? Check the data. TV viewership is declining. By contrast console videogames are a growth industry. Wow, I can download Mpeg 4 quality LOST and desperate housewives. For $3 an episode.
Here's a newsflash, with MCE I can record them for a marginal cost of $0. And then there's tivo, and cable dvrs.
And despite all this Ipod frenzy, apple still has a 3% share of the desktop and 0% in the living room. Good luck.