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Boxee launches iPad app, new Box update, media server and bookmarklet today
The long awaited Boxee for iPad app is finally ready to launch, and coming with it is a fresh update for the Boxee Box, plus new Media Manager software for your PC or Mac to make streaming locally stored files to the tablet or PC even easier. We got an early look at the iPad app (which lacks access to the Box's apps) and while the interface had been lightly reworked since our last hands-on experience at CES it was very crash prone, with a tendency to close suddenly while streaming videos from YouTube or a connected PC. Boxee Box owners may not have to worry about that however, since the new v1.2 update adds AirPlay compatibility as an "experiment" for any online content (check after the break for the full list of changes). The Media Manager software on the PC makes it easier to organize content for playback on the tablet or Box, while a new Watch Later Bookmarklet also makes one-click sharing of online video from browser to device possible. All in all the idea is to make Boxee the "one place to discover, watch and share video" no matter where you are and we can see it getting there -- once everything stays up and running consistently. %Gallery-130236%
Preview of Bartleby Vol. 2 iPad app shows possibility of future AirPlay integration
We covered Monster Costume's interactive children's book Bartleby in 2010, and multiple TUAW reviewers found it to be a charming and well-crafted iPad app. Monster Costume is hard at work on Bartleby Volume 2, and even though I don't have kids of my own and am about 25 years beyond the target age group for this app, it still looks like a lot of fun. As you'll see in the video demo below, Bartleby Vol. 2 is really taking iPad interactivity seriously. Like many other iPad apps, it allows you to plug your iPad into your TV and use the iPad as a sort of oversized controller for the game. The video shows an iPad 2 hooked into an HDTV via an HDMI dongle, which may seem clumsy and possibly a recipe for disaster with smaller kids -- but if you've got an Apple TV 2, there may be a solution to that problem coming this fall. The upcoming iOS 5 update will allow wireless video via AirPlay for any app that supports it, and in fact, it seems the only reason Monster Costume isn't showing off the AirPlay functionality already is because of Apple's NDA for iOS 5 features. AirPlay could turn the Apple TV 2 into a de facto game console for apps like Bartleby. Seeing this demo has now got me thinking about the upcoming Final Fantasy Tactics release for the iPad and hoping Square-Enix includes this feature, too. Bartleby Volume 2 looks great so far, and Volume 1 is currently available for free until Volume 2's release. If you've got young kids, definitely check it out. Bartleby Airplay Demo from Monster Costume Inc. on Vimeo.
Apple TV 101: Create a genius playlist on Apple TV
Of late, the Apple TV hasn't received all that much attention here at TUAW. We can only assume that's because it simply does what it says on the tin -- it just works! But the other day, I found myself trying to do something quite simple on my Apple TV, and it wasn't "just working!" Using AirPlay to stream music from my Mac to my Apple TV (2nd generation) downstairs, I wanted to create a genius playlist on the Apple TV without going upstairs to my Mac or using the Remote app. Using the Apple remote, I started scrolling through all the various menu options to try and find any way to create a genius playlist from a particular artist's song, but I couldn't find anything anywhere. Out of sheer frustration -- guests were knocking at the door -- I squeezed the Apple remote and accidentally pushed down and held the center select button. All of a sudden, a menu appeared out of nowhere with a "start genius" option. Crisis averted! So there you go. To create a genius playlist on an Apple TV (2nd generation), go to the artist's song you want to start the playlist with, hold down the center select button on the Apple Remote and click on "Start Genius."
Libratone's AirPlay-enabled soundbars want to cozy up with your iOS wares
Been on the prowl for an audio solution with AirPlay to compliment your iDevice or Apple TV? Bid hello to Libratone's ultra-chic Lounge and Live soundbars. Last year, the company introduced its eye-catching Beat wireless speaker system back at IFA; we were intrigued by its active drivers and carry handle, but mildly disappointed that cord-cutting required pesky proprietary adapters. Apple users will be happy to know AirPlay's been fully embraced this time, along with the signature adornment of cashmere wool. First up, the Live appears to be an Airplay-enabled Beat with 50 extra watts of RMS power (150 total), and an updated -- mini TOSlink accepting -- 3.5mm input for hooking up non AirPlay-enabled gear. Next up, the sleek Lounge unit above sports a similar external design and digital 3.5mm jack, but it's svelte in comparison for wall-mounting under a TV. Under its sheep fuzz, you'll find two 1-inch ribbon tweeters, two 4-inch ceramic drivers, and one 8-inch inverted woofer, all of which are independently amplified for a combined output of 150 RMS watts. Poised to please audio enthusiasts, both employ DSP and Libratone's FullRoom for a "360 degree soundscape" controllable via an iOS app, while the Lounge's volume can also be handled by a TV remote. The Lounge will be available through Apple's online store this September priced at £1,099 to €,1199 (about $1,791 to $1,954), and the Live for £599 to £6,99 ($699) at Apple retail locations in the EU and US -- both in various colorways. You'll find details in the PR after the break while your next bout of Gear Acquisition Syndrome begins settling in.
Klipsch's AirPlay-enabled Gallery G-17 Air soundbar pleases ears sans cords for $530
No, that's not some oversized Kinect KIRF. What you're looking at is Klipsch's latest soundbar, the Gallery G-17 Air. Seem familiar? If you'll recall, back at CES it was known as the Gallery Studio -- the smallest of three AirPlay-enabled speaker systems the company let us demo at CES. Although not totally new, its full specs have been revealed and its price re-vamped from $400 to a slightly spendier $530. The bi-amplified stereo rig features four individually powered drivers that aim to deliver full-range sound via two Tractrix-horned .75-inch tweeters (10 watts each), and dual 2.5-inch, 20 watt woofers. Although you'll probably be streaming music over WiFi from iDevices or iTunes, the unit's equipped with USB and 3.5mm inputs should you ever want to plug-in directly or juice-up your battery. There's an ultra-svelte grill-cloth magnetically attached to the front, playback and power buttons on the side, and it also comes with a remote. The system itself sits atop a tempered glass base, but if space is at premium it can be mounted to a wall. The G-17 is set to release this fall, but if your ears are already tingling you'll find more info in the source link below.
AirPlay mirroring for FaceTime appears to be coming in iOS 5
Here's some interesting news. It appears that FaceTime will gain AirPlay support with iOS 5. Rene Ritchie at TiPb has posted a screenshot of a FaceTime call up on a big TV. Noting that he "snuck out to a developer friend's place to try it out," Rene calls the experience "magical." This feature is available in iOS 5 beta 3, but as Rene correctly points out, not all beta features make it to the final product. If it does, however, millions of people will benefit, and my childhood dream of owning a Jetsons phone will finally be realized.
Remote Potato brings your Media Center HD video to the iPad
We suppose it isn't surprising that Windows 7 Media Center isn't tightly integrated with iOS devices, but even the cable company's DVR has an app these days, so why not. In this case an independent developer has felt the need to fill the gap, and this is where Remote Potato HD for the iPad comes it. In addition to its guide and DVR management functionality, it also allows you to stream content to your iPad at home or on the go, or event to an AirPlay device, as well as sync music for offline access, or just look at pictures. We gave it a quick go and found, it was easy to setup and offered great picture quality. The bad news is the software was not without its quirks, including slow loading guide data. One feature we were disappointed was missing, was that resume on the iPad didn't pick up where we left off on the big screen. Just one of a few things we'll be looking for when 2.0 rolls around, but for now check out the embedded video after the break.
New iPhone commercials feature FaceTime and AirPlay
Apple has aired two new iPhone commercials. The first features the capabilities of FaceTime on the iPhone. It shows users video chatting via FaceTime iPhone to iPhone, iPhone to MacBook Air, and iPhone to iPad. The second iPhone commercial showcases the iPhone's AirPlay features. The commercial shows a user streaming music from an iPhone to their stereo, and pictures and video to their TV. The ads are part of Apple's "If you don't have an iPhone" series. Both commercials can be view below and are also available on Apple's YouTube channel.
Philips introduces AirPlay speakers, Engadget goes hands-on
No, those units you see above aren't cannons -- they're speakers, released by Philips and branded as the Fidelio SoundSphere DS9800Ws, according to our buddies at Engadget who got to see a version of the speakers wirelessly playing through the AirPlay hookup. Like most great speakers with lots of bells and whistles, however, these aren't cheap. The full size models will run US$800 for the pair, with the smaller models running $400. Want something a little more affordable? The AD7000W models run (only?) $230. All of the speakers will be out in time for the holiday later on this year, and for more on how well they work, you can check out the video on Engadget. For my money, a nice headset will probably be cheaper than these speakers and provide sound that's just as solid. If you want some sweet AirPlay functionality to show off to house guests, that's one thing, but if you just want to listen to 16-bit music files, why spend all that money?
Denon, Marantz show off 2011 receiver lineups, how much they love AirPlay
D&M Holdings, home to Denon, Marantz and Boston Acoustics picked this week to show off a slew of new receivers, and while TrustedReviews has most of them compiled we'll just focus on a few. The big thing to remember this year is AirPlay, with 2011 line featuring support for Apple's tech built-in from the beginning, with no need for a $49 update. Denon has branded its line of receivers the IN-Command series and is calling AirPlay "cybernetic telepathy" -- how impressed you are probably has to do with whether or not your setup is already Apple-imbued and you've ever used DLNA with Play To. Marantz's trick up its sleeve is the Wizz app for iPhone (Android and iPad versions due in Q4) that controls its smart receivers. It's promising DLNA 1.5 certification, FLAC-HD playback and even a new "Advanced GUI" that promises easier setup on its king SR6006 receiver (pictured above) that's priced at £849 in the UK. Check the course links for more models and specs, and bring your iPads.
Philips Fidelio Speakers with AirPlay hands-on (video)
Traditional speaker docks are so 2010. This year, AirPlay is in, and Philips was on hand to demo five new wireless speaker models at the CEA LineShows in NYC, set to roll out beginning later this month through the holiday season. Its flagship Fidelio SoundSphere DS9800W will ship in June with a price tag of about $800, but didn't appear willing to pair with the iPhone Philips had on hand at the show. We did go ears-on with the more affordable DS8800W, however, which filled the small demo room with deep, rich Fire and Rain, sans-wires -- and can do the same in your own home when it ships for $400 beginning next month. That model isn't nearly as sleek as the non-functional SoundSphere, or its smaller DS6800W counterpart, which will hit stores in time for the holidays with a $500 MSRP. Philips also showed off its 360-degree DS3881W and compact AD7000W -- both of which also include AirPlay support, and will ship for $330 and $230, respectively, by the holiday season. Jump past the break for a look at all five models.%Gallery-126903%
More iOS 5 features get their moment in the beta testing sun
Steve Jobs and co. showed off all kinds of cool new features during the debut of iOS 5 at WWDC earlier this month. We had the chance to take a few of them for a spin, when we tested the beta build of the mobile operating system, and now that more and more folks have tried their hand at iOS 5, more and more features are getting their turn to shine. Here's a list of some of the cooler ones we've seen in the last few weeks. Apple has added the ability to make FaceTime calls over 3G -- though rumor has it that this may be a beta-only feature, which carriers can choose to disable, over obvious data usage concerns. AirPlay Mirroring has been shown off. The feature lets users display video from an iPad 2 on an HDTV, by way of Apple TV, for those times when you just can't keep your tablet content to yourself. (Read) The new software also offers up the ability to sync 1080p video to iOS 5 devices, opening the door to speculation that future iPads and iPhones may be able to play back content at full 1080p. (Read) Like to play your iTunes over your car stereo? Good news, iOS 5 will transfer audio information like album, track, and artist names over Bluetooth. (Read) [Thanks to everyone who sent in tips]
Real Racing 2 announces wireless iPad to TV streaming, waves at Wii U
Real Racing 2-dev (and recent EA acquisition) Firemint took the opportunity at WWDC today to announce AirPlay support for its latest iOS racer. When the just-announced iOS 5 is released later this year, it will enable AirPlay video mirroring support, which Firemint will be using to do a lot more than just mirroring; the iPad 2 will be able to wirelessly send an HD signal to your Apple TV while using the iPad 2 to handle real-time racing telemetry and tilt-based steering. Of course, this is the reverse of Nintendo's just-announced Wii U functionality, which sends a wireless signal from a console to the WiiPad. Notable differences between the two platforms include the fact that the iPad is a standalone portable device that can be used without a TV and this will be available sometime in the next four months, as opposed to late next year.
Real Racing 2 HD beats Wii U to the wireless, dual-screen gaming punch
Hey, guess what? That Real Racing 2 HD update that combined your iPad and TV for dual-screen gaming action will soon be able to ditch the wires and use AirPlay to beam every turn and crash to your flatscreen. You'll need an Apple TV or other Mac device hooked up to your set, and the feature won't be unlocked until iOS 5 hits, but it should satisfy your curiosity for what playing a Wii U might be like until the new Nintendo console lands next year. If you're set hardware-wise and your interest is piqued, you can download the game for $12.99 from the app store -- now you've just gotta hold tight for that OS update in the fall.
AirPlay for Windows Media Center beta now available
Thomas Pleasance has released a beta of AirPlay for Windows Media Center, which does just what you think: it streams video and photos to a Windows Media Center PC via Apple's AirPlay. To get started, install Apple's Bonjour for Windows and Pleasance's client on your Media Center PC. From there, fire up your iPhone or iPad and send over some photos or movies (note that music isn't supported yet). The Digital Lifestyle has posted a hands-on with the setup, noting, "I was impressed how quickly video playback started, within seconds of selecting Windows Media Center Airplay option my Media Center PC was playing the video and without leaving Media Center at all." Sounds good! Let us know how this goes if you try it out.
AirPlay for Windows Media Center does exactly what you're thinking it does
This isn't the first time Windows has been invited to the AirPlay party, but Thomas Pleasance's AirPlay for Windows Media Center addin seems to already be one of the smoother combinations we've seen and it's still in beta. Unsurprisingly, it does what the name says, so after installing Apple's Bonjour service and the free client on your Media Center PC you should be able to stream video or pictures to it (there's no support for music yet) from an iPad or iPhone with a simple click. The Digital Lifestyle has already gotten a quick hands-on with the app and got it working seamlessly as seen above, check that out for more details or hit the source link to download the necessary software to make it all work.
doubleTwist adds AirPlay hooks to Android
I remember doubleTwist as an iTunes alternative from back in the day, but it's apparently morphed into an Android application and promises to bring many of the standard iTunes and iPod music features to the Android platform. Now the app has added yet another trick to its arsenal: doubleTwist now features support for AirPlay so that users can stream music, videos or photos from an Android phone to an Apple TV or any other AirPlay compatible devices. The app itself is free on the Android marketplace, but you'll need the AirSync add-on, which sells for US$4.99. Of course, those of us running just iOS devices don't have to worry about hooking AirPlay up (that's kind of what it's for), but if you have an Android phone and want to sync your media across devices, doubleTwist is happy to help. Engadget also points out that another Android app called Twonky Mobile also offers AirPlay integration, though it doesn't have the rest of doubleTwist's robust feature set.
DoubleTwist upgrade features AirPlay support for more Apple / Android miscegenation
Add another notch to DoubleTwist's Apple ecosystem integration belt, now that its Android app has added AirPlay streaming to the list of features. As of version 1.4 it will stream music, videos or pictures to the Apple TV or other compatible devices while also claiming beta support for Sonos hardware. The DoubleTwist player is free, but using AirPlay means purchasing the $4.99 AirSync add-on that also enables wireless sync with your media library (iTunes) and streaming to DLNA or uPnP compatible devices. Twonky Mobile is a free alternative that's also AirPlay-compatible but without the tight iTunes integration; you can check them both out in the market.
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air review
What's that, an alien egg? Nope. Memory foam iPillow? No, silly, it's a Zeppelin, a Zeppelin Air more specifically. Bowers & Wilkins brought us the first iPod-centric Zeppelin in the middle of the great iPod dock flood of '07. A few years later they downsized and brought us a mini version. The logical extension after the advent of AirPlay is here: a Zeppelin that does its thang without wires. We've been beaming music to it for a few weeks now -- wanna find out how our relationship has been? Click through, captain. %Gallery-122679%
Testing the Sonos-AirPlay solution
AirPlay is a very cool technology, but it's limited to the second generation Apple TV and a few receivers. Sonos, as I reported last week, has come up with its own way to integrate AirPlay into a multi-room music system, and the company was nice enough to lend me an Apple AirPort Express to try it out. Since I already had a Sonos music system, the AirPort Express was the only missing piece. You plug AirPort Express in, connect it to one of your Sonos ZonePlayers with an Ethernet cable, and run a stereo mini-plug to stereo RCA cable from the AirPort Express to your Sonos unit. From there, you open the AirPort Utility (it ships with OS X, and you can download a Windows version) and configure it in a couple of easy steps. You then move to your updated free ZonePlayer software version 3.4 to let the Sonos system know that the AirPort Express is there. That's it. From that point on you can wirelessly stream audio from your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad into your Sonos system. The Sonos is smart enough to auto switch to the correct input, and then you can hear the music on any individual ZonePlayer or on all of them at the same time. Of course, since the playlists on my iPhone and iPad are subsets of the music that Sonos normally has access to from my Mac, there's not much advantage there. On the other hand, I went out running yesterday listening to a podcast, and when I got back to the house, I was just a couple of taps away from hearing it on any or every audio system I had in the house. When the audio switched, not even a word was dropped.
