Below is the article. Why would anyone want an Apple branded TV? What killer feature would entice you to buy one?

Very easy answer... It will probably have a simple user interface, 1 remote for everything, plus voice control, and any idiot will be able to operate the entire system.

Here's a short story... We went to a wedding the other weekend and my brother in law was doing the baby sitting. He had to ring me so I could explain how to use the TV, DVD, and ABC for kids, and FoxTel. It took me 8 minutes on the phone to explain it all. I can tell you one thing, remote controls shouldn't be that hard to operate!!! [}:)] My SONY TV is very good, but the "external inputs" (DVD, Fox, etc) are tucked away in such an obscure menu position... I don't blame my brother in law for having trouble...

Imagine telling your system to "play DVD", or "TV on, ABC2", etc. I bet you $5 that this is what Apple is working on.




www.theage.com.au/technology/why-would-i-want-an-apple-television-20111202-1oa6f.html

Why hand the remote to control freaks like Apple?
The rumours of an Apple-branded television are growing stronger, but I still don't think they make much sense for Apple or for us. Apple's future lies in content and services, supported by tiny throwaway devices sold at premium prices. Why would Apple want to get mixed up in the cut-throat television market when it can sell you content via gadgets such as the Apple TV media player?
I don't think an Apple Television makes sense for shoppers either. Yes, I know that "Smart" TVs are all the rage, but I've always felt the best approach to shopping for televisions is to buy the best picture quality you can afford. Ensure it's got plenty of HDMI inputs and then let your set-top boxes do the heavy lifting.
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In other words, buy a dumb television with a great picture and hook up a few smart devices. Smart devices such as games consoles, internet-enabled Blu-ray players and media players like the tiny Apple TV. You might be prepared to replace these set-top boxes every few years but, if you're going to spend thousands on a new television, you certainly don't want to get stuck on a smartphone-esque 24-month upgrade cycle.
Owners of the original Apple TV got burned when Apple released a new model and declined to add many of the best features to the old model. Now imagine this was all built into your television, so you were looking at $999+ for a new Apple television rather than $99 for a new Apple media player. If you don't think Apple would do that, just look at every other product it sells. Once it's 24 months old it's obsolete.
Also keep in mind that Apple products tend to lack the advanced features of the competition, a price you pay for elegant gadgets which "just work". What kind of functionality will Apple expect us to sacrifice in return for an integrated Apple Television? Do you really want Apple to rule your television with an iron fist the way it does smartphones and tablets? What won't you be able to watch? What won't you able to connect to your television? Which features will Apple add or take away on a whim via a firmware update?
Considering the Apple TV media player already integrates your television with the iTunes ecosystem, Apple will need to add something pretty amazing to entice people to upgrade to an Apple Television. It can't be merely content, as the Apple TV has that covered. If you want even more online content, your money should go towards a Sony Blu-ray player or D-Link's Boxee Box.
Chances are the Apple Television's big attraction will be Siri, but I don't think the ability to talk to my television is enough to entice me to hand over complete control of my lounge room to Apple. The other drawcard might be an iOS-style app-driven interface that some people have been expecting to see on the Apple TV media player. But keep in mind that iOS5 now offers video mirroring via the Apple TV, running from iGadgets with the new A5 processor.
What killer feature would entice you to buy an Apple-branded television? Which features do you think it might sacrifice for the Apple logo?


Read more: www.theage.com.au/technology/why-would-i-want-an-apple-television-20111202-1oa6f.html#ixzz1fQg7iMcu

Simondo said...

He had to ring me so I could explain how to use the TV, DVD, and ABC for kids, and FoxTel. It took me 8 minutes on the phone to explain it all.

Run out and buy a Logitech Harmony 600 universal remote for about 70 to $90.

I've got a barrage of 7 remotes and some of them look the same in the half dark.
It made watching tv an exercise in self restraint to stop myself throwing the remote at the tv.
Now I just press one button to turn on whatever is needed and configure it to do whatever I want. It controls the tv, foxtel box, sound system and hard disc time shift recorder, Blu Ray player.
It only turns on those devices required for whatever you select.
And one button to turn them all off afterwards.

The "watch tv" button turns on all the required devices and configures the inputs.
Likewise for watching Free to air tv or a Blu Ray or standard DVD or watch something on the media player.
You program it on your computer to do all the things you usually do and then load it onto the remote.
It takes a while to set up and you wonder if it's all worth it but once it's set up it's magic.
You can change the setup later if you buy something new.

Logitech Remote could be the go actually. I'll check them out.

Conidering there is bvgger-all worth watiching, I have a TV, a VCR to tape stuff and a DVD player.

Why make it so complex?

Watch 4hrs a week on the old outdated equipment and spend the $10K saved on watersports gear.

I too use a Logitech Harmony remote. Its the second one as the first one died after a couple of years of use. Logitech have a huge database of equipment that can be programmed to work with a harmony. Not too difficult to set up either.

"Get back to basics,you don't need to nuke your food in the micro-wave to save a precious few seconds!"

They save money in efficiency by using less energy.....so you can watch your 55" plasma longer!

^^^ Noooo Toots you have it so wrong

In addition you need a mobile phone that does all the same stuff, a top end PC (replaced every 6months), and a 4m wide TV and $10K surround sound so it is just like the movies (even thought you can go to the real movies 500 times for the same cost)

It is not about what you can watch or engage in, it is being able to watch it or engage in it anytime anywhere and making sure the Joneses know you can

the people that will buy this.

Have said it many times before..

Apple make nifty product but what they do best is marketing them and creating a 'must have to be relevant/funky/seen' vibe amongst the sheeple out there.

Myeh.. when they put an Apple Teev with a nifty white motif in a $100k Screw U Vehicle... then I will be interested.

getfunky said...

Have said it many times before..

Apple make nifty product but what they do best is marketing them and creating a 'must have to be relevant/funky/seen' vibe amongst the sheeple out there.

Yeah ass am example - the first gen Ipods were **, battery life was awful and they would keep on freezing. I had a Sony Mp3 player which was far better from a hardware perspective, like comparing a Lada to a Porsche, but unfortunately Sony's marketing dept were out to lunch, permanently...

I agree Toots. I hate all te crap my GF watches already without the TV thinking it knows that I want to watch it because she is in the lounge! I hope if it does come to that it will have some form of kiddy control so I can override her.

I am not a fan of even having the TV on at home except for sport and news. All of these new digital channels just give her more reason to watch crap!!