We're in the midst of being shown new OS X Mavericks features here at WWDC, and one of those sounds especially interesting for those craving a bigger work area: for those already using a two-display setup, the dock and menu bar will now appear on either panel as your activity moves between them, and each display can be panned independently. What's more, if you have an HDTV hooked up to an Apple TV box, you'll be able to use that as a wireless third display in exactly the same way.

Follow all of our WWDC 2013 coverage at our event hub.

Filed under: Desktops, Displays, Apple

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The team behind the Plex media playback package seems to rarely rest, and has most recently pushed an update to the server end of the software. Now up to version 0.9.8 and nearing the lofty 1.0 tag, Plex Media Server is finally offering proper multiuser support, giving each user their own view state. That means your kids can have their own account, for example, with access to only certain silos of content. Even better, the Web, iOS, Android and Roku clients are already prepared for this, and the others are getting updates soon, although it's currently only enabled for PlexPass subscribers. Also new is a "now playing" status which carries more importance thanks to the previously mentioned multiuser feature, all viewable through Plex/Web or accessible via the API. The last major change is that it can create video index file that drops in thumbnails for each section of a video. That enables image previews while navigating on the Roku, and thumbnails of progress in that new now playing feature.

On the client end, the Plex blog highlighted an interesting project called PlexConnect which runs on the Apple TV. While that's not new by itself, the twist here is that it works on Apple TV second and even third generation boxes without the need for a jailbreak. This bit of magic is apparently achieved by spoofing Apple's Trailer app, which means it requires firmware 5.0 or higher to work. It doesn't have all the features of other clients (yet) and it will require a bit of Terminal know-how to get running, but there's plenty of information in the wiki to get you started.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Plex Media Server, PlexConnect

The launch of the Xbox One may be behind us, but we still have plenty of numbers to crunch. Speaking of ones, this week we saw a record-setting auction for an old Apple 1, a multi-tabbed refresh of our inbox and the release of Mary Meeker's annual Internet Trends Report. Add to that some big names taking the stage at D11, an anti-graffiti drone and a rather bizarre-looking harp, and you have this week's After Math. Join us after the break for the digits.

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Internet, Software, Apple, Samsung, Nokia, Google

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Speaking at AllThingsD's D11 conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook just dropped the latest sales figure for the Apple TV: 13 million (compare that to Roku's sales of 5 million in the US), with "about half" sold in the last year. Despite being prodded by interviewers Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, Cook repeated his "area of great interest" line (again) regarding TV, only mentioning that the company does have a "grand vision" in place. Surprised by the hockey puck's popularity? You're not the only one, as Cook followed up on Steve Jobs' proclamation that" no one wants to buy a box," claiming "Frankly, the popularity of the Apple TV has become much larger than we thought it would. We aren't marketing it."

Last year at the conference he reported sales of 2.7 million Apple TVs for the year, and the company noted 2 million sold in Q1 2013. He also followed his predecessor's stance that the current TV experience needs remodeling "When you look at the TV experience, it's not an experience that I think many people love... still an experience that is too much like 10 or 20 years ago." As usual however, despite the "interest," if you're looking for a hint that Apple is going to join the likes of Google and Microsoft in trying to shift the balance of the TV market, Cook -- like Jobs before him -- is keeping those details to himself.

Follow along with our D11 live blog right here.

Filed under: HD, Apple

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This week many TV networks are putting on "upfront" where they lay out their content plans for the next year, and The CW President Mark Pedowitz announced it's bringing full TV episodes streaming to the Apple TV. The CW already has ad supported full episode streaming on several platforms including iOS and Android, Windows 8 and it launched last month on the Xbox 360 (pictured above). Pedowitz indicated the network is working to reach more viewers on more platforms, so Apple TV is probably not the last. In a note to MacRumors The CW confirmed it will mirror the experience on other platforms, with episodes available the day after they air, no cable TV authentication required and supported by advertisements. Les Moonves is president of CBS (which is a part owner of The CW, along with Warner Bros.) and previously remarked on turning down participation in an Apple subscription service funded by advertising revenue. Of course, CBS now does full episode streaming on mobile iOS devices, so we'll see if this a sign of more changes on the way, although with no release date we don't know how long we'll have to wait.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Via: MacRumors, 9to5Mac

Source: Deadline

The Apple TV has seen its share of issues crop up and then be fixed by software updates, but it looks like at least some are proving to be too difficult for some fresh firmware to fix. According to a support document obtained by 9 to 5 Mac, Apple has informed employees at its Apple Stores and authorized resellers that a "very small number" of third generation Apple TVs are eligible to be replaced due to persistent WiFi problems. Those replacements will be offered for up to two years from the original purchase date (free of charge), and you can check if the serial number for your device matches up with the affected units at the links below.

Filed under: HD, Apple

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Via: Ars Technica, MacRumors

Source: 9 to 5 Mac

It's not often that we see those services present on the Apple TV get tweaked, but today Hulu announced its Plus offering has been on the receiving end of a major design overhaul. Clearly taking a cue from Cupertino's own iTunes app on the tiny media box, the Hulu Plus redesign makes perfect use of a top navigation bar, which, as pictured above, lists familiar entries like TV, Movies, Kids, Latino, Queue and Search -- a nice visual (and useful) change when compared to what we've been become accustomed to since the app first arrived on the "hobby" platform. According to Hulu, the redesign was driven by the idea to bring quick access to what subscribers are trying to watch, as well as the thought of delivering an easier discovery experience which aims to help with finding new shows and making it easier to watch recent episodes of those that are already preferred. Apple TV owners running the latest firmware can play with the fresh UI now -- of course, that's for those who are already shelling out the required $8 monthly fee for Hulu's premium ware.

[Thanks, Andrew]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Source: Hulu

The XBMC crew hasn't been distracted by its early work on XBMC 13 Gotham -- it's more than willing to share the love with those who are still busy with Frodo's adventures. A just-launched XBMC 12.1 update improves the experience in several ways on Apple platforms, rolling up iOS 6 support for second-generation Apple TV boxes, making full use of the iPhone 5's expanded screen and bringing support in OS X for both the default audio device and playback acceleration from Intel GPUs. There's a number of upgrades elsewhere as well: XBMC no longer monopolizes audio in Linux, runs more reliably on the Raspberry Pi and supports more Xbox 360 controllers and HDMI-CEC devices. Android has received an audio control tweak of its own and the software is available in seven new languages We'd say 12.1 is a near-automatic download if XBMC is the cornerstone of your living room, hit the source to find out everything new that awaits, or check out the Github link.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD

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Source: XBMC

Quiet, mid-cycle component upgrades are a thing with Apple, and they're sometimes worth watching out for. The iPad 2 got a chip update last year, for example, which significantly extended its battery life by using a 32nm A5 SoC instead of a 45nm one. Well, much as expected, a very similar processor update has just come to the Apple TV. MacRumors popped open the latest version, known as "AppleTV3,2", and found good evidence of a further die shrink: the central block of silicon is just 6 mm x 6 mm, which is even smaller than the 8 mm x 8 mm chip in the newest iPad 2. This inevitably leads to speculation that Apple has shifted to a 28nm fabrication process, possibly snubbing Samsung's 32nm foundries, but we'd need a proper silicon-level analysis to be certain. In the meantime, though, we'd guess that this update may not be worth hunting down to the degree that the new iPad 2 was -- the level of shrinkage here doesn't seem enough to have a huge impact on power draw, and in any case that's less of an issue for a device that's fed from the wall.

[Image credit: MacRumors]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Via: iMore

Source: MacRumors

Jailbroken Apple TVs with software update 5.2 (iOS 6.1) snagged Bluetooth keyboard compatibility roughly a week ago, and now Cook and Co.'s hockey puck is in store for a heftier perk: support for XBMC. Memphiz, a developer on the entertainment hub project, has managed to tweak XBMC to run on Cupertino's TV box with its latest software release. Ready to load up your hardware with the alternative media suite? Hit the bordering source link for the download and instructions, or check out the "Manage Extras" section if you're running aTV Flash.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Via: FireCore (Google+)

Source: XBMC

Cupertino finally saw fit to give users access to Bluetooth keyboards when it rolled out version 5.2 for Apple TV. It took a bit of time, but the folks at Firecore have finished up the Seas0nPass jailbreak for the new OS iteration. Along with the jailbreak, a revised version of its aTV Flash (black) software is also now available to give the new Bluetooth functionality to folks who prefer it to a stock Apple TV experience. Excited? Head on down to the source for the full how-to, and you'll have a wireless keyboard hooked up to your hacked Jobsian hockey puck in no time.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Source: Firecore

We don't generally find surprises from Apple in the daily stream of FCC documents and test reports, but a new filing published today seems to suggest that a new Apple TV model of some sort could be on the way. While the diagram pictured above doesn't suggest any major changes to the device's appearance, it does list some slightly smaller measurements: 93.78mm square compared to the 98mm of the current model. That's certainly not the biggest of differences, but the measurements in previous Apple FCC filings have been spot on. The model number, A1469, is also one that we haven't seen before, but the documents unfortunately don't offer much else in the way of details (only confirmation of the same WiFi capabilities as the current-gen Apple TV).

As MacRumors noted yesterday, a look at the download options for the latest Apple TV software update also revealed a new "AppleTV3,2" model, which it speculated could be an international version of the device -- although it of course remains to be seen if it and this model are one and the same. For now, you can get a closer look at the filing yourself at the source link.

Update: Anandtech has peeked through the filings and the source code, finding a new single antenna setup that follows the design of other iDevices, and a reference to an updated A5X SoC at its heart.

Update (Jan 30th): The Verge has gotten a statement from Apple on the filing. It states: "We sometimes make component changes which require an updated model number for regulatory approval. The component changes we made don't affect product features and Apple TV customers will continue to have the same great user experience."

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Source: FCC, Anandtech

It looks like the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch aren't the only Apple devices getting a software update today. The company has also rolled out an update to the Apple TV, which adds Bluetooth keyboard support, along with the ability to play music you've purchased from iTunes through iCloud. You'll also get a new "Up Next" feature that lets you choose what to play from the cued up music (or simply keep an eye on what's coming up).

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Source: 9 to 5 Mac

It's not hard to find a media app with some type of favorites system. It's tougher to find one that lets us be very specific on just what a favorite can be. The new aTV Flash (black) 2.1 update, however, will let Apple TV modders be as exacting as they'd like: they can favorite individual videos, whole seasons and even broader search terms. Catch-up viewers get their own treat in the form of TV show playlists that simplify watching episodes back-to-back. A slew of further tweaks are inside, including iOS 6 support, so there's every incentive to upgrade for those who rely on not-quite-official firmware for Apple's living room hub.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Source: Firecore

Sometimes minor-sounding events presage bigger things to come (and sometimes not), so Cupertino's recent addition of a new subscription service app to Apple TV in Germany, Watchever, made our ears perk up. The service -- which is still rolling out in the country and may not work on all devices, according to its Facebook page -- offers Netflix-like streaming of movies and TV shows in dubbed German or original formats for €9 ($12) per month. More significantly, it marks one of the first times Apple TV has added programming specific to a single region on its streaming service, perhaps marking a new trend we could see elsewhere, too. Apple currently has paid subscription apps like NBA, MLB and WSJ from which it gets a nice cut, so a regional expansion would make financial sense -- particularly in countries that don't know a pop fly from a pop tune.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Via: TNW

Source: Watchever (Facebook), (Twitter)

It's a hobby. That's basically what we've been told about the Apple TV since day one. Cupertino saw the device as an accessory to its ecosystem, not necessarily a marquee product. Tim Cook is singing a slightly different tune these days, though. After reaffirming the Apple TV's hobby status back in January, he recently told NBC's Brian Williams that the screen in your living room is now "an area of intense interest." The CEO isn't necessarily talking about the Apple TV as we know it today, he could be referring to the long rumored Apple-branded television set, but we wouldn't hold our breath on that one. Of course, in following the tradition set forth by his predecessor Cook left plenty of mystery for the media to poke at. The TV is stuck 30 years in the past, but if you ask what Apple plans to do about it you'll just get the line about "intense interest" and a quick, "I can't say more than that." He's a slippery son of a gun.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Source: NBC

If you're the early adopting type living in an Apple ecosystem, you probably upgraded to iTunes 11 almost as soon as the bits reached the servers. You might not have noticed that Apple gave its iOS Remote app and Apple TV firmware shots in the arm to match. Of the two, Remote 3.0 is the larger update and brings a simpler UI that also takes advantage of iTunes' new Up Next feature to add or prune out songs in ongoing playlists on a host computer. iPad owners reap the most rewards -- the album view now expands in place to quickly drill down to a specific track. Apple TV viewers aren't quite so coddled, although they too get Up Next support for iTunes 11 (and iTunes Match) as well as the usual rounds of speed-ups and bug fixes; we imagine a solution to some of the troubles with 5.1 is part of the package. No matter which update fits into your vision of musical harmony, you'll find details at the source links.

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Tablets, Mobile, Apple

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Via: Cult of Mac (1), (2)

Source: App Store, Apple

Whenever you get the urge to ingest an update without doing a bit of research, just remember: things don't always end with streamers falling and glasses raised. Such is the case with the latest Apple TV update, which arrived back in September as v5.1. At the time, it promised users the ability to tap into Shared Photo Streams and to easily switch between iTunes accounts. Now, however, Apple's support boards are rolling with comments about the update. In fact, many users are reporting that the update has killed their device entirely, with most everyone else hitting up links to downgrade in an attempt to dodge the Reaper. Are you amongst the troubled? Let us know how things are going for you in comments below -- particularly if you've stumbled upon a bulletproof solution.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Via: TUAW

Source: Apple Support Forums

Tim Cook keeps saying it's a hobby, but if Apple keeps selling its little TV hockey pucks at this rate, he may have to change his tune. On Apple's Q4 earnings call today, the company revealed that it's sold 1.3 million Apple TVs this past quarter, for a total of five million sold during this past fiscal year. Despite those sizable sales figures, Cook claimed on the call that the revenue generated by Apple TV is "quite small." That said, his crew in Cupertino will continue to focus on improving the device for its customers -- meaning we can look forward to getting more updates like the improved UI and 1080p support in the coming year.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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If you haven't already bookmarked our liveblog (you should get right on that), Apple's revealed that it will resume broadcasting its events --starting today. Appearing alongside a new events channel on Apple TV, we get a brief mention of today's conference in San Jose. But until it kicks off at 10AM PT, you can kill some time by watching Apple's back-catalog of events, which are ready to view on the new channel.

Update: Better still, you can also hit up Apple's events site to stream it in your browser of choice Safari on OS X 10.6 or later.

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Tablets, HD, Apple

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Source: TUAW, Apple

There's a new Bang & Olufsen set in town. The BeoVision 11 Smart TV gives viewers access to the Web courtesy of a browser that can be navigated via remote, iPad or Android tablet. You can also check out apps like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube on the set. There's DLNA enabled for media streaming, two USB ports, Ethernet, six HDMI sockets, six speakers and a cabinet in the back for storing your Apple TV. Aesthetically, the TV doesn't look all too different from the BeoVision 10, though the company is calling this its "most ambitious television to date." The 11 comes in 40-, 46- and 55-inch varieties and a slew of color options. You can pick one up (use your back) at B&O stores beginning today, priced at £4,995 (around $8,000). Stay tuned after the break for a press release and a video in which B&O's CEO humbly calls it the best TV his company has ever made.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Apple TVs of the second and third-gen variety are getting update 5.1 today, which brings two long-awaited features. Both shared photo streaming and iTunes account switching are now part of Apple's set-top box -- the combination of those two finally freeing parents from the potential nightmare of discovering their child's "not safe for parents" photo streams, of course. The update, spotted by MacRumors, also adds some new AirPlay functionality, enabling users to "send audio content from Apple TV to AirPlay-enabled speakers and devices (including AirPort Express and other Apple TVs)." Beyond those two biggies, however, the rest of the update is rather nuts and bolts oriented -- head below for the full list.

Filed under: Household, Software, HD

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Via: MacRumors, The Next Web

Source: Apple

It's been a year since Hulu launched its streaming video service in Japan, and to celebrate it's released its app on Apple TVs there. It hasn't all been roses for the last twelve months, with a price drop in April -- and we're not seeing any celebration of subscriber figures in the blog post -- despite including things like HBO that it seems unlikely we'll see on Hulu domestically. Just like the Apple TV app that popped up over here, Japanese users should simply find it on their devices, while prospective subscribers are being enticed with one month free subscriptions if they sign up via their hockey puck.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Via: AV Watch

Source: Hulu Japan

Just in case you thought the often discussed / as yet unseen Apple HDTV rumor mill was dead, you were wrong. The Wall Street Journal is reigniting things this evening, with sources claiming that instead of competing with cable providers by starting up its own IPTV offering, Apple has switched to sweet talking pay-TV providers into offering their content through its box. If you're still looking for a Cupertino-embued display you may be in luck, since the anonymous parties also indicate the set-top box tech it's working on could be integrated with HDTVs. That is still an less than certain path at the moment however, given pay-TV operators current preference to control every element of the experience and relationship with consumers, as well as the split of profits.

According to the Journal report, Steve Jobs was "dismissive" of attempts to build a cable box since cable operators each only have limited regional exposure and don't own the content they license from studios. Since then however we have seen a few offerings of cable and satellite TV beyond the box as Microsoft offers Verizon and Comcast apps on its Xbox 360, Samsung has brought providers directly to its smart HDTVs and many providers offer streaming access via iPad or other mobile devices. Still, since the rumor doesn't indicate a deal is inked or even on the way, we wouldn't hold our breath for any or all of the listed possibilities to come true any time soon.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Students today can catch high-quality video on a variety of screens -- computers, phones and tablets are probably always within reach -- but nothing can truly replace a TV's role as the center of entertainment. Whether it's a quick Madden or Call of Duty session, inviting a friend over to catch a flick or just zoning out after class, having the proper setup makes all the difference, and there are plenty of options at every price point. Of course, walking into any big-box electronics store to peer down aisles of seemingly identical flat screens could drive anyone mad before they ever step on campus, so we've narrowed down the list for you, and even suggested a few other items to plug into those HDTVs. Expanding feature sets and universal pricing have raised average prices a bit over last year, but we can find something to fit whether your budget ranges from a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand dollars.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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