The Apple TV is a consumer product, and like all Apple products, is mostly aimed at people who don't want to deal with all the complication and bullshit they've have to put up with using their Comcast boxes, etc. Apple frequently designs clever solutions to get around really obvious annoyances and there's no reason why they can't do the same with the Apple TV.

I as a consumer shouldn't have to read Wikipedia to know why the buttons on my remote that look like volume controls don't actually control the volume. And note - these buttons actually ARE volume controls in other contexts with this remote - i.e. controlling your Mac or Front Row.

So DJFriar, your assertion that we should all be diligent Wikipedia readers, and know how Dolby Digital audio works on a technical level is total bullshit. Thanks, come again.

Very cool place.

I took some video of my own when I was there a few weeks ago at the opening weekend. (Canon HF100 1080p scaled down for Flickr)

http://flickr.com/photos/aschwabe/2598011311/

I miss the Engadget podcast already!

Clicked through on the feed expecting to see a lot of comments about this, but surprise, surprise, there's nothing. I guess nobody cares.

I for one just wanted to say how outrageous to try and charge readers to syndicate your content that's already supported by image ads and Amazon.com links. Particularly with a personal blog.

FYI this is coming in the official Last.fm client. It's already in the 1.3.1.1 beta, anyway. Each time you sync your iPod, a dialog comes up in Last.fm with the tracks you've played while you were out, and you can check/uncheck the ones you'd like it to scrobble.

Pretty handy actually. Look for it in an official client soon.

Make sure you get an industrial designer in on this if you're actually serious about this thing. It will NOT sell if it looks like some 1st gen Rio audio player, no matter how many great minds go into it.

Testing my luck...

As I mentioned, I'm not a fan of him, but I disagree with posters asking why his software is featured because he's a jerk.

News flash - Not all developers are the most likable people on the planet, some are hardly bearable. Doesn't mean they don't make good software, though.

I tend to agree with the above posters. I paid for Acquisition, and sent him a suggestion to improve Bittorrent support (before Xtorrent was announced), and this is what I got back:

"Are you expecting me to disagree? The goal of software development is *constant* improvement.
David."

To which I replied, "No, but as someone who is also in software development, and who has paid for your software, I thought I'd share my thoughts."

Then he shot back, "Right, I'm just saying that what you're saying is pretty obvious to me. No need to read anything into that.
David."

I just don't think he gets that when you charge for things, you gain customers, and from time to time, customers may like a change in something they've paid for. Seems like a typical programmer with far too much ego, not enough open-mindedness.

This has got to be one of the most fundamentally flawed ideas I've ever heard. Making a server farm... portable? Wait, don't stop there, put it in a SHIPPING CONTAINER so that it can be hoisted onto a truck, and boom, your company's infrastructure is GONE.

Haha who was the genius who came up with this?