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aTV Flash goes commercial: plug-and-play hacks for your Apple TV
Engineering souls have been hacking up the Apple TV for a good while now, but those too scared of completely ruining their box have had to sit patiently on the sidelines waiting for someone else to do their dirty work. Enter aTV Flash, a USB flash drive which enables your Apple TV (Take 2 included) to do all sorts of fancy new tricks without any fuss. Those with the drive simply plug it in and watch as new file formats become supported, UPnP media streaming opens up and Safari-based web browsing becomes a reality (among other things). Granted, the convenience will cost you $59.95, but that's the price you pay for making your life easier (and your Apple TV a little more useful).[Via TUAW]
Apple quietly enables movie purchases from Apple TV
We can't say we're too terribly fond of purchasing movies on a proprietary set-top-box (à la VUDU), but for those with no real attachment to physical media, Apple's looking to hook you up. Aside from announcing that day-and-date DVD releases were coming to iTunes, Cupertino has also enabled its Apple TV to purchase full-length films; prior to today, users could only rent them for a window of time. Details are pretty scant at the moment, and we're not even sure if HD films can be purchased (or if a premium is added on), but feel free to fire up your box and let us know how it goes in comments below.
How would you change the Apple TV (take 2)?
Yeah, the Apple TV (take 2) update took a bit longer than promised to actually arrive on the scene, but now that it's available for existing ATV owners to chew on, we're interested in hearing from its toughest critics. Rumors of Apple finally enabling some sort of HD movie / television show download service had been making the rounds for what seemed like ages, and after months of waiting for a move to be made, take 2 made its debut under the shadow of the MacBook Air. Aside from finally offering up 1080p support and giving users the ability to rent HD flicks (though only some with Dolby Digital 5.1), the v2.0 upgrade changed up the look and added in Flickr integration. Granted, the innards here have remained the same, but we're not just interested in finding out what you adore / detest about the newest update. Oh no -- we're also curious to know how you think the existing hardware is handling its new duties. Has anything slowed down? Are you still (or were you ever) satisfied with the port assortment? Have you found yourself itching to downgrade? We know, software updates as substantial as this one hardly ever never leave everyone happy, and while we've done some sizing up of our own in regard to HD quality, how would you like to see things tweaked for take 3?
Disney announces Pure, plans to "redefine" off-road racing
Motorstorm, DiRT, that game with Ivan "Ironman" Stewart -- these are among the elite of off-road racing titles, having set the bar ridiculously high for other games to follow. Disney, however, has its dirt-encrusted sights set higher by announcing Pure, an upcoming off-road racer that it claims will "redefine the off-road racing genre." In development for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, the game is currently being dragged through the mud at Disney's Brighton, England studio Black Rock, formerly known as Climax Racing, a studio known for such racing franchises as Moto GP and ATV Offroad Fury. Even with this experience, however, we're not exactly sure how Disney's plans reshape how we think about off-road racing, though it might have something to do with what it calls "breakneck racing" and "jaw-dropping aerial tricks," all of which are apparently being overseen by stunt guru and ATV filmmaker Wes Miller. Still, we've read these sorts of claims before, and while the initial bath of media looks interesting it's a good bet our jaws are in no danger of hitting the floor just yet.%Gallery-16063%
Poll: So, are you buying an Apple TV now?
Although the MacBook Air sucked the proverbial wind out of the Apple TV relaunch sails, we here at Engadget HD still find that aspect of Steve's keynote quite intriguing. At first listen, we were blown away by the promise of "HD downloads with Dolby 5.1 audio," but after digging in a little further, we found quite a bit of red tape stuck to those lofty claims. Still, many HD aficionados didn't give the original Apple TV a passing glance due to its general disregard for high-definition content, and while the so-called Take 2 effort isn't an HD junkie's dream, it's far and away more appealing than what we were dealing with just last week. So, dear readers, now that Cupertino has taken the first step and recognized the desire for easy to obtain downloadable HD content, are you biting? %Poll-8391%
Apple TV, take 2 brings HD movie rentals to the living room
After waiting for what seems like ages, Apple has finally admitted that the Apple TV wasn't exactly a hit. Better yet, it's hitting back with the Apple TV, take 2 (same box, new firmware), which enables users to rent movies directly on their HDTVs in high-definition with full 5.1-channel Dolby surround sound (but only on "select" films). Announced today at Macworld, owners will be able to rent HD movies (still no 1080i/p) for $3.99 and $4.99, and there are reportedly 100 HD titles to choose from starting today. So, what's the admission price? $229 and shipping in two weeks, but best of all, existing Apple TV owners will be entitled to all the fancy extras as well courtesy of a free update that'll be available as a free automatic download in a fortnight.
WRUP: Squad-based vehicles edition
This week, the new releases pretty much deal with squad-based combat or vehicles exclusively. So, if you aren't down with that, you're likely to not be picking up a new game. But, have no fear, as the holidays come next week and you're likely to receive some kind of gaming gift, if you were a good boy or girl. There's that to look forward to as you spend the weekend without a new game.So, what are you playing?
OCZ offers up rugged ATV / ATV Turbo USB flash drives
We wouldn't guesstimate that OCZ's newest duo of flash drives were the toughest we've ever seen, but the styling alone is pretty intimidating, we must say. Both drives reportedly tout weatherproof "rubber tread" housings and can withstand being submerged in water, and while the ATV will hum along "at mainstream speeds," the ATV Turbo promises read rates of up to 35MB/per second and write rates of up to 30MB/per second. No official pricing details look to be available just yet, but both iterations should be available shortly in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB sizes.[Via SlashGear]
All-electric GEM vehicle gets off-road makeover
If you've been pondering assembling your own dune buggy to cruise the beaches this summer, here's a swank idea. An all-electric GEM caught parked at the Pismo Beach Classic custom car show had apparently undergone quite a dramatic makeover as it boasted off-road tires and a substantial lift to boot. Sure, enabling it to climb over the punier hybrids on the freeway is bound to hurt those miles-per-watt, but there's nothing like crawling over barricades without even a hint of carbon dioxide being emitted. Catch another snapshot of the whip after the break.
Bungie profiles Halo 3's Mongoose ATV
Bungie has drawn up a geeked-out dossier of Halo's M274 Ultra-Light All-Terrain Vehicle, commonly referred to as the "Mongoose." Included in the report are various battle strategies, which suggest the Mongoose will play a key role in taking control of certain maps' neutral points as players use the lightweight vehicles to race to strategically placed turrets and sniper positions. The M274 will also be an important asset in Capture the Flag multiplayer matches. Anyone eager for a test drive during the upcoming Halo 3 beta?
Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle poised for 2007 launch
Okay, space-loving fans, you'll be happy to know that the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle has just survived three straight weeks of software and hardware testing under simulated space conditions at the European Space Agency's test facilities in The Netherlands. In order to pass the tests, the ATV had to continually operate while going through massive temperature differentials, or as one engineer explained: "It is like putting your computer laptop in the freezer, then exposing it to the Sun in the summer heat and back again to the freezer while you are continually using it." This spacecraft will hook up with the International Space Station this coming summer when it brings supplies and fuel to the outpost. Now when will this space tech reach us lowly terrestrial consumers? We're guessing probably around 2020.
ATV Offroad Fury developer thinks PSP's future is "worrying"
Karl Jeffrey, CEO of Climax Studios, talked to GI.biz about the future of the PSP, and he thinks its pretty bleak. Climax, responsible for the development of over two dozen Sony titles, such as the ATV games, thinks that Sony is simply not doing enough to reinvigorate the now-slowing PSP market. "We're sitting here thinking about what Sony is going to do to get the platform back on track and we're not hearing much from them."It's distressing to see one of Sony's development partners express such fear and uncertainty for the platform. "Personally, I love it as a platform to develop for, it's very powerful and it's a great machine," Jeffrey said. But it's very disappointing at the moment when you look at the installed base and the sales of the games that are out there; it's not a compelling prospect for many publishers."Jeffrey believes that publishers will soon abandon the system, but predicts that a PSP redesign and downloadable games will help reverse the negative momentum. Too bad Sony continues to deny the possibility of a new PSP, and won't allow downloads without a PS3 (for now). Sony... what are you doing?!
Aquada maker unveils Quadski ATV / jet ski combo
You've already got both a car and an SUV that can magically transform into watercraft at the touch of a button, but what to do about your spoiled kids who want to go from land to sea without changing vehicles? Luckily for you, Aquada and Humdinga (that name still kills us) manufacturer Gibbs Technologies has just revealed a prototype product that's sure to be hit with the younger crowd at your summer house: the Quadski dual-purpose ATV / jet ski. Equally at home in sand or surf, the Quadski can hit a claimed 50 miles-per-hour traveling on either surface, thanks to a 140-horsepower engine and a propulsion system protected by no less than 60 patents. The switch from ATV to jet ski supposedly takes a mere five seconds, and a full tank of gas will give you either a 372-mile range on land or two hours to tool around in the water -- but don't go getting the kids too hyped up, because there's no word on when/if the Quadski will see mass production.[Via Gizmag, thanks Madeleine]
Superfourin wheelchair opens up a new world to the disabled
A radical new GPS-enabled wheelchair with fat tires and four-wheel drive may soon offer disabled individuals the ability to tool around almost any terrain while still being protected by a virtual "tether" to a remote command center. The Superfourin chair, as it's known, is basically a modified ATV with a hybrid engine, on-board computer, and embedded sensors to monitor both vital signs and vehicle status, and was developed by Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Information and Data Processing IITB in conjunction with Otto Bock HealthCare GmbH. Designed mostly for deployment in fleets for group outings into Mother Nature's thoughtlessly unpaved terrain, the Superfourin was also given high marks for solo use from its multiple sclerosis-afflicted test driver, who was able to enjoy the Thüringer Forest alone with his family for the first time in years.[Via Gizmag]
