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At times, Best Buy sends surveys to customers asking for feedback on potential new products and services; in the latest survey electrical retail giant is asking about a potential clients’ interest in 42-inch Apple HDTV! „Be one of the first to get the all new 42“ Apple HDTV at Best Buy for $1499. Apple finally reinvents what a TV can do,“ the survey reads.

Best Buy survey suggests that the Apple HDTV will feature 42-inch 1080p LED flash panel display, built in iSight camera and microphone for Skype, will run iOS, will have access to the App Store (!), Netflix, YouTube and Flickr, support for iCloud, will be controllable from an iPhone or iPad and will cost $1499.

The big question is: does Best Buy really have some reliable information on the upcoming Apple product or they know just what we know and are just identifying clients’ interest in long-rumored Apple TV set?

[via The Verge]

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Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Have you missed Gene Munster and his Apple TV-related “predictions” yet? Piper Jaffray analyst wrote a new note to clients claiming he has heard from “a major TV component supplier” that they had been contacted by Apple regarding “various capabilities of their television display components.” Munster sees this as “continued evidence that Apple is exploring production of a television.” Munster added that Apple had a series of meetings in January 2011 in Asia because the company “was investing in manufacturing facilities for LCD displays ranging from 3.5″ mobile displays to 50″ television displays.”

“In Sept-11 we met with a contact close to an Asian supplier who indicated that prototypes of an Apple Television are in the works,” Munster wrote.

Munster believes the hardware part could be ready for late 2012 lunch, but the content part – getting Hollywood on board – seems to still be a major problem. “The timeline and scope of a revamped content solution is more uncertain,” Piper Jaffray analyst wrote. “Without a revamped TV content solution, we do not think Apple enters the TV market,” he concluded.

Munster offers three scenarios on how might a revamped TV content solution look like (quotation from Munster’s note):

1. Apple could simply enable its television to manage a consumer’s live TV service from within a unified interface much like TiVo does, partnering with MSOs [i.e. the cable companies]. As Apple was developing the iPhone many investors expected the company to become an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). Instead, the company partnered with AT&T (then Cingular) to bring the iPhone to market in the U.S. Similarly, Apple could choose to avoid the cost and effort of entering the live TV services business and simply partner with MSOs to deliver live, cable TV to the Apple Television. While this would be the easiest and most likely option, it would also be the least revolutionary. Technically, this option would function much like TiVo does today: partnering with MSOs and offering a unified DVR/guidance software interface to make search and discovery easier for the viewer. In some ways, a connected TV’s software is the biggest differentiator that Apple can bring to the table, so this option could still result in a new and fresh product for the television market. Apple could also supplement this with its iTunes Movie rental and purchase service directly on the television.

    2. Apple could offer access to live TV from network channels in combination with other web-based video services. One middle-of-the-road option could be for Apple to deliver live TV from network channels (either over the internet or over the air) to the Apple Television. Apple could then leverage a new App Store for the Apple Television to supplement the basic live TV features with Netflix, Hulu Plus, or any content provider that chooses to build an app for the television. In this instance, Apple would also likely continue to offer its iTunes movie and TV content through the iTunes store to the Apple Television.

    3. Apple could offer monthly subscriptions, on an a-la-carte basis, for live TV packages with content from content providers. Clearly the most challenging option, if Apple truly wanted to control the entire television experience – which, again, the company chose not to do when entering the smartphone market – it would have to become a virtual MSO (Multiple Services Provider) and offer monthly subscriptions for live TV services. Such an offering would be unlikely given existing licensing arrangements between content providers and service providers as well as the fact that it lies outside of Apple’s core competencies, even in media. That said, it would enable the company to control the entire experience and possibly deliver new features that are currently unavailable through existing television service providers and CE device makers.

[via Fortune; image by Guilherme M. Schasiepen]

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

The devs of IceFilms XBMC plugin for Apple TV haven’t given up after FBI took down Megaupload, the source of the most of IceFilms links, and they just released a new IceFilms 1.0.24 beta that supports RapidShare links. 2Shared links are still an option too. Going forward links will be posted to both 2Shared and Rapidshare so users will continue to see both in the sources section.

According to the developers, the new beta isn’t perfect but “it’s a development build and updates will be pushed through quickly.” There seems to be a bug with the tvshownextaired script but this should be fixed quickly as well.

The devs have disabled the metadata install pack from 1.0.24 so if you are doing a fresh install of this release you won’t be able to get metadata until the beta testing is done 1.1.0.

Things to know about RapidShare:
- Time limit on files varies to what appears to be server load, busier they are the longer you wait;
- No download limits, you can download as much as you want per day;
- Files stream and download just like Megaupload – still high quality AVI and HD scene releases.

To update to version 1.0.24 open XBMC, go to Videos -> Add-Ons -> Get More ->Icefilms -> Update. Some users report this didn’t work and they had to reinstall IceFilms. Here is how to install the new repository:

• Download IceFilms 1.0.24 zip
• Open XBMC, go to Settings > Addons > Install from zip file, browse to your downloads and select it. Repository installed!
• Now you can install Icefilms.info from within XBMC, by navigating to Settings > Addons > Get Add-ons > anarchintosh add-ons.

Here is a video of the new IceFilms in action:

[via hd420p]

You may also want to read:
AppleTVHacks Best of 2011
Will record 1.4 mln Apple TV sales take Apple to iTV?
How to jailbreak Apple TV 4.4.4 using Seas0nPass – untethered (tutorial)
How to Watch Hulu on Apple TV 2

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Apple has sold record 1.4 million Apple TVs during the last holiday quarter but, interestingly, the company didn’t reveal this figures in yesterday’s press release in which it proudly details record-breaking sales of iPhones, iPads and Macs. The record figures for Apple TV were revealed during the Q1 2012 earnings live call: asked about Apple’s strategy for the living room, Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said “the Apple TV product is dealing very well,” and he gave the numbers: in the last fiscal year – ended in September 2011 – Apple sold 2.8 mln Apple TVs, and in December quarter – record 1.4 mln units.

However, Cook added that “if you dollarize it… we still classify it as a hobby,” but he also said that Apple continues to “add things to it.”

Apple’s CEO also admitted that he “couldn’t live without the Apple TV” and said:  “We continue to pull the strings to see where it takes us.”

Since the Apple TV 2 launch in September 2010, Apple has sold over 4.2 million of the set top boxes.

Apple has been long rumored to be working on an Apple TV set that, according to Gene Munster, could be introduced around WWDC 2012.

You may also want to read:
AppleTVHacks Best of 2011
How to Watch Hulu on Apple TV 2
Apple TV 3 or Apple TV set?

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

2011 was a good year for Apple TV. Although it seems that everyone is already waiting for Apple TV set (are you?), some hackers and developers have worked really hard through the whole 2011 on jailbreaks and software that supercharged our silver and black boxes. Various hacks, jailbreaks, plugins and add-ons convinced us the Apple TV is more than just a simple hobby device that only lets you buy movies on iTunes and listen to some odd radio stations.

It’s time to select the best of the best, to choose “AppleTVHacks Best of 2011”!

We are asking for your votes for the best Apple TV (both 1^st and 2^nd generation) hack/jailbreak/plugin/add-on/software of 2011.  We chose the nominees; the award is people’s choice. The winner will receive “AppleTVHacks Best of 2011 Award” and will be featured on our site.

Cast your vote for a chance to win the following fantastic prizes:

iPod nano 16 GB (6^th generation)

Apple TV 2 (newest version)

Kymera Magic Wand Remote Control (for Apple TV)

Oregon Scientific RM901A Rainbow Clock

Skin Sticker for Apple TV 2

Here are the nominees (in alphabetical order):

• AirPlay for Windows

AirPlay for Windows Media Center, Thomas Pleasance’s free addin, enables AirPlay streaming (video and pictures; music is not supported yet) to your Windows PC running Windows Media Player. Simple to install and use, works seamlessly.

• aTV Flash (black)

In 2011, FireCore’s aTV Flash (black) for Apple TV 2 has finally left beta. Version 1.0 came with all-new Media Player, WebKit based browser, Last.fm radio, Weather, RSS feeds and gives you fast access to plugins like nitoTV, Remote HD, XBMC and Plex client. The only drawback – it’s not free ($29.95).

Read: FireCore releases aTV Flash (black) 1.0 to supercharge the Apple TV 2

• aTV Flash (for original Apple TV)

Luckily for the owners of the original Apple TV, in 2011, FireCore continued to develop the software for the old shiny Apple TV boxes. Released in November, version 4.4 of aTV Flash brought support for the new Remote HD features (iOS 5 AirPlay streaming, support for playing DRM protected media, support for doubleTwist + AirTwist add-on), as well as the support for Mac OS X Lion and NFS file streaming.

Read: aTV Flash 4.4 for original Apple TV now available

• Bluecop repository (Hulu on Apple TV)

Bluecop, a repository of XBMC video plug-ins, brings Hulu to Apple TV after fast and easy installation. It also features Amazon Prime, ESPN3, Free Cable, Cartoon Network, CBS, MTV, South Park Studios and The Daily Show plug-in addons.

Read: How to Watch Hulu on Apple TV 2

• greenpois0n rc6

Developed by Chronic Dev Team (with a contribution from nitoTV), greenpois0n RC6 allowed us to perform an untethered jailbreak on Apple TV 2 running iOS 4.2.1. The development has not been continued for further Apple TV software updates.

Read: How to jailbreak Apple TV 2 with greenpois0n rc6

• IceFilms

The most popular XBMC plugin gives you an instant access to the library of dozens of thousands movies and TV shows that can be streamed directly to your Apple TV.

• nitoTV

@nitotv, one of the first Apple TV developers, not only contributes to FireCore’s Seas0nPass but also continues his great work on developing his own plugin – nitoTV (recently updated to version 0.8.1-3). NitoTV features Weather and RSS functionality and lets you install other add-ons and software, like XBMC, RemoteHD, Overflow, openSSH, BT Stack, Rowmote Helper and more. NitoTV is also available for the original Apple TV.

• PwnageTool 4.3

PwnageTool 4.3, a custom IPSW creator and jailbreaking tool created by iPhone-Dev Team, supported untethered jailbreak on Apple TV 4.2.1 and Apple TV 4.3. The tool has not been updated to support Apple TV 4.4 firmware.

Read: Untethered iOS 4.3.1 Jailbreak for Apple TV 2 Released (updated)

• Remote HD

Remote HD, an Apple TV plugin that works with a dedicated iOS app, gives you complete access to your Apple TV. It works like an Apple Remote, but it can do a lot more – one of the greatest features is Remote View that brings your Apple TV’s display to your iPhone/iPad or iPod touch. In 2011, Remote HD added support for Apple TV 2 and brought AirPlay functionality as well as iOS 5 and iTunes DRM-encrypted video support to the first generation Apple TV.

Read: Remote HD now supports Apple TV 2
Remote HD 5.0 plugin keeps old Apple TV kicking with iOS 5 support

• Seas0nPass

Seas0nPass, a jailbreak tool designed by FireCore specifically and exclusively for the AppleTV 2, has been consequently updated during the whole year to jailbreak the newer and newer versions of Apple TV firmware. Both Mac and Windows, it also includes a simple tethered boot option when an untethered jailbreak is not yet available.

Read: How to jailbreak Apple TV 4.4.4 using Seas0nPass – untethered (tutorial)

• Sn0wbreeze 2.5.1

Considered as the unofficial PwnageTool for Windows, sn0wbreeze works with Windows XP, Vista and 7. Version 2.5.1 supported untethered jailbreak for Apple TV 4.2.1. Further Apple TV software versions are not supported.

Read: How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3 with sn0wbreeze (untethered)

• XBMC for Apple TV 2

In 2011, XBMC has finally been released for the Apple TV 2. XBMC supports a very complete spectrum of audio and video multimedia file formats and codecs right out-of-the-box. The 2011’s release also features full hardware decode for 720p/1080p movies as well as network files sharing. Add-ons like Icefilms, Bluecop and Navi-X make XBMC on Apple TV a must-have.

Read: XBMC for Apple TV 2 now available

Let the voting begin!

Here is how to participate:


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Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Netflix has finally arrived in the UK and Ireland. For £5.99/€6.99 a month residents can now instantly watch unlimited films and TV programs streamed directly to their Apple TV. Also, starting today, people throughout the UK and Ireland can begin a free, one-month trial of Netflix.

At launch, Netflix is offering films and TV programs from All3Media, the BBC, CBS, Channel 4′s 4oD, Disney UK & Ireland, ITV, Lionsgate UK, MGM, Miramax, Momentum Pictures, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox and Viacom International Media Networks.

The service is integrated with Facebook, allowing members to connect their Facebook account to Netflix and share what they’re watching on both Netflix and their Facebook Timeline.

Get ready for new episodes of Top Gear on your Apple TV!

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iOS apps running on Apple TV
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Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

English Premier League official app on Apple TV? Wouldn’t it be great to be just two clicks away from fantastic games like yesterday’s City’s impressive victory against Liverpool? Daily Mail reports that Apple is considering bidding for the TV rights to show live Premier League football. The Mail claims that “the Premier League is seen as the type of premium content that will help establish Apple TV in the UK and boost iPad sales.” According to DM, the three certain bidders will be Sky (who paid £1.6billion for their current packages), ESPN and Al Jezeera. The Mail also suggests that Google could be interested in the EPL rights for its Google TV, which is due to launch in the UK and Europe this year.

Apple TV users are currently offered subscription services to NBA, NHL and MLB content (live and in HD) through dedicated apps. Available are live and on-demand games with an NBA League Pass Broadband, NHL GameCenter and MLB.TV subscriptions. If you don’t have a subscription you can still get team schedules and real-time scores, standings, and stats — both in-game and full-season — all free.

At the moment, you can watch Premier League matches live via XBMC plugin called LiveOnlineFooty. It’s a paid subscription service (3£ per month) but, unfortunately, they are not currently accepting any new registrations.

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iOS apps running on Apple TV
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Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Looks like Apple has temporarily turned on streaming of purchased TV shows on the Apple TV for customers in the UK, Canada and Australia on Wednesday. Users from these countries have been able to purchase the episodes directly on Apple TV 2 and stream it to the device. These were actual purchases, not rentals, and cost between free and $2.49 in Canada and about $2.99 AUD in Australia. According to GigaOM, only Aardman Studios, A&E, History Channel, PBS, PBS Kids, Vivendi Entertainment and Viz Media appear to have made their content available as of yet.

Yesterday, users started reporting that TV Show menu has disappeared from the Apple TV, so it looks like Apple removed this feature again. According to iPhoneinCanada, Apple did it because “the update was mistakenly sent out early, or the fact it wasn’t working properly.”

You may also want to read:
Apple TV 3 or Apple TV set?
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FireCore releases aTV Flash (black) 1.0 to supercharge the Apple TV 2

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Back in October, 9to5Mac found an evidence for a next-generation Apple TV being in the works – a reference to ‘Apple TV 3,1’ (current model is listed as 2,1) inside the iOS 5 file system. The number changing from 2 to 3 should signify a major upgrade. 9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman believed the device would get a dual-core A5 processor (that would open door to true 1080p) and a bluetooth support.

This Monday Gurman found that a new codename – J33 – has been assigned to Apple TV in iOS 5.1. According to Gurman, iOS release history tells us that Apple assigns a proper codename to products that move closer to release.

Now 9to5Mac has found that the next-generation Apple TV will include Bluetooth 4.0 technology, what is believed to be further evidence that an Apple TV refresh will soon be upon us. Gurman speculates that low-power Bluetooth 4.0 technology could bring a bunch of new input devices to Apple TV: Bluetooth remote with a built-in noise-canceling microphone to take Siri commands or some sort of touchscreen game controller – like a standalone version of the iOS Remote app. With the FM Radio chip in the new Apple TV, Apple could theoretically include radio streaming support.

On the other hand, there is a lot of evidence that Apple is working on its own TV set. The new rumors come, once again, from an Apple analyst Gene Munster. Munster just said at Business Insider’s IGNITION: Future of Media conference that Apple is going to launch a TV next year. Not a set-top box, a TV set. According to BI, “Munster is so sure an Apple TV set is coming that he told anyone in the audience who is thinking of buying a TV to wait, because Apple’s is going to be awesome.”

Here is what Munster thinks:

• Apple TV will be a full-fledged TV set, not an external gadget like the current Apple TV that you have to plug into your TV set.
• This is because Apple thinks people hate to plug in external gadgets.
• Apple TVs will come in a range of sizes, in contrast to most Apple products, which are one-size-fits-all. Part of Apple’s goal here will be to appeal to young Apple fanatics who can’t afford or don’t have room for a 50-inch flat screen.
• Apple’s TVs will be priced at TWICE the prevailing market price for a normal TV: $1,600, for example, for a TV of a similar size from another manufacturer that might cost $800.
• The magic of Apple’s TV will be seamless integration with your other Apple devices and service. The TV will come with a standard remote, but you’ll also be able to control it with your iPhone or iPad or via Siri. You’ll also be able to download console and other games, content, etc., from iTunes, the App Store, and iCloud.
• Apple’s TV will be the first TV that thinks the way you do. Instead of trying to remember what channel is ESPN is on, for example, you’ll just fire up (or say) “ESPN.”
• You’ll still have to have a cable subscription and cable box because Apple doesn’t have enough content otherwise. But the only thing you’ll have to do is screw the co-ax cable into the back of the TV set.
• Apple will launch its TVs for the holiday season next year.

There is no doubt Apple is working on its own TV set but the 2012 release seems highly unlikely. Most probably, Apple will release an updated Apple TV box (Apple TV 3?) sometime next year, and we will not see the Apple-branded TV until 2013, maybe even 2014.

You may also want to read:
Sony CEO: No doubt that Steve Jobs was developing an Apple TV set
Bluetooth coming to Apple TV 2 with iOS 5
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 4.4.3 with Seas0nPass – Tethered
Giveaway: aTV Flash (black) for Apple TV 2

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Last week, FireCore released aTV Flash (black) 1.0 to supercharge your 2nd generation Apple TV. New aTV Flash features all-new Media Player, WebKit based browser, Last.fm radio, Weather, RSS feeds and gives you fast access to plugins like nitoTV, Remote HD, XBMC and Plex client. All new features are installed alongside the normal Apple TV features, so things like movie rentals, Netflix, and AirPlay will remain unchanged.

We are giving away 10 free copies of this fantastic piece of software. Here are the details:

You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway.You may also want to read:
FireCore releases aTV Flash (black) 1.0 to supercharge the Apple TV 2
How to install aTV Flash (black) 1.0 on Apple TV 2
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 4.4.3 with Seas0nPass – Tethered

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Apple has released Apple TV software update 4.4.3 (build 9A4051). The official release note says this minor update “ads support for Netflix in Mexico and addresses an issue in which audio may not play through the optical port when the TV is turned off.”

Users are reporting that the update has also made Netflix available in Brazil and Colombia (and maybe in other South American countries; anyone?). Some users that went from 4.4.2 to the new update report they have lost their settings. Also, after iTunes Match is turned on the Music menu just has one entry entitled “iCloud“.

As usual, keep away from the update if you don’t want to lose the jailbreak. nitoTV has already managed to jailbreak 4.4.3, so it won’t be long until the FireCore’s Seas0nPass is updated to tethered jailbreak 4.4.3. Stay tuned!

You may also want to read:
FireCore releases aTV Flash (black) 1.0 to supercharge the Apple TV 2
How to install aTV Flash (black) 1.0 on Apple TV 2
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 5 (Apple TV 4.4) Using Seas0nPass – Tethered
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3 with Seas0nPass (untethered)

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Both Amazon and Best Buy are now selling the Apple TV 2 for $89, $10 lower than the original price. Amazon also added “2010” label next to the product name, suggesting there will be 2011 or 2012 model coming soon. When? According to AppleInsider, the price drop doesn’t suggest an imminent release of an updated model “as it is likely too late in the holiday season for Apple to launch a new product. The last time the company released new hardware in November was the Core 2 Duo MacBook in 2006.” However, TechCrunch’s Matt Burns believes that the new Apple TV may be released in the coming days: “The holiday spending spree is in full effect and Apple isn’t one to ignore shopping trends. If it’s not out soon, the next version probably wouldn’t be released until 2012,” he says.

There are rumors flying that Apple has already started the production of the Apple TV set. According to analyst Gene Munster, the new Apple TV, controlled by Siri, “will be the most revolutionary product ever created.” Munster believes that the device will be introduced around WWDC 2012.

Last week Sony CEO Howard Stringer said that he has “no doubt” that Steve Jobs was developing an Apple TV set. “That’s what we’re all looking for”, he noted.

You may also want to read:
Sony CEO: No doubt that Steve Jobs was developing an Apple TV set
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 5 (Apple TV 4.4) Using Seas0nPass – Tethered
How to Watch Hulu on Apple TV 2

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Speaking at a breakfast hosted by The Wall Street Journal, Sony CEO Howard Stringer said the company is working on a “different type of TV” to re-energize the television market. Hi didn’t give any details on what Sony is developing but said “there’s a tremendous amount of R&D going into a different kind of TV set”. Stringer also said that he has “no doubt” that Steve Jobs was developing an Apple TV set. “That’s what we’re all looking for”, he noted.

Stringer admitted that he spent the last five years building a platform so he can compete against Steve Jobs. “It’s finished, and it’s launching now”, he said. He was referring to Sony’s “four screens strategy” designed to seamlessly sync smartphones, laptops, tablets and televisions. This includes Sony’s own acclaimed network services, like the PlayStation Network and Sony Entertainment Network. Stringer believes the company it’s well positioned to produce the changes needed in the making and selling of televisions, even as it faces design-savvy competitors like Apple.

There are rumors flying that Apple has already started the production of the Apple TV set. According to analyst Gene Munster, the new Apple TV, controlled by Siri, “will be the most revolutionary product ever created.” He believes that the device will be introduced around WWDC 2012.

You may also want to read:
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 5 (Apple TV 4.4) Using Seas0nPass – Tethered
Apple TV 4.4 Software Released
Media Player 0.9.4 for Apple TV 2 Now Available

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

This week in “Apple TV News from the Web”:

1. Steve and the TV puzzle
2. Apple is already building prototype TV sets
3. The Apple iTV gets mocked up
4. Hulu Plus coming to Apple TV
5. Apple TV and Siri

We are open for submissions: if you find anything related to Apple TV and you think it may fit here, send us a tweet or a Facebook comment and we’ll post it the coming week.

—————-

1. Steve and the TV puzzle

From the new biography of Steve Jobs author Walter Isaacson said that the new Apple TV could be the best innovation from the iPhone to the present. With this TV you will not have to use your remote and also you will not have to struggle with movies, everything will be just a “touch” away. The new TV would be synced with all of the devices and with iCloud, Steve Jobs didn’t want users to complicate with DVD players and cable channels.

TUAW, Steve “finally cracked” the TV puzzle, says bio
Computerworld, About this Apple TV revolution chatter

2. Apple is already building prototype TV sets

The analyst Gene Munster, who anticipated Apple TV set from a long time, says there are rumors that the company have already started the production. According to Munster, the new Apple TV, controlled by Siri, “will be the most revolutionary product ever created.” He believes that the device will be introduced around WWDC 2012. Also, on Sept-11, an Asian component supplier said that the prototype from Apple TV is in works.

CNN, Piper Jaffray: Apple is already building prototype TV sets

3. The Apple iTV gets mocked up

Soon after the rumors about the Apple TV set started to fly around, the new product got mocked up. Guilherme M. Schasiepen an artist on Flickr, said that iTV combines the best of Apple, with a multi-touch screen, iTV application, HD effects, Siri and iCloud.

9to5mac, iTV gets mocked up

4. Hulu Plus coming to Apple TV

The Hulu Plus app may run in the Apple TV 2. The first thing crossing your mind is that there has to be some technical issues, that the service isn’t available on the atv yet. Well, there are only political. Seems that the Hulu Plus app could get more sales that iTunes, and Hulu also wanted to sell itself to Google. But 9to5mac has gotten word that “inside Apple there are Apple TVs running the Hulu Plus app natively. The app is feature complete and ready to roll out to Apple TV users on current builds”. We should wait and see.

9to5mac, Hulu Plus app and Apple TV

5. Apple TV and Siri

As you can read from the news above, Steve Jobs was quoted saying that he made the final invention on Apple TV. The rumors are spreading to the web and many are speculating that the new Apple TV set could be controlled by Siri. Here, you can already see what an Apple TV without any physical controller can be, thanks to the newest episode from “30 Rock”, where Alec Baldwin boasts with his new voice recognition TV.

[image by Guilherme Schasiepen]

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Original Apple TV got a lot of love yesterday. Soon after App Dynamic released Remote HD plugin 5.0 for the 1^st generation Apple TV, Firecore announced the release of aTV Flash version 4.4 for your original shiny box of joy. Apart from the support for the new Remote HD features (iOS 5 AirPlay streaming, support for playing DRM protected media, support for doubleTwist + AirTwist add-on), the new update includes support for Mac OS X Lion and NFS file streaming.

What’s new in aTV Flash 4.4?

• Added support for Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion)
• Added NFS file streaming (Lion compatible)
• Remote HD: Added support for iOS 5 AirPlay streaming
• Remote HD: Added support for playing DRM protected media from iOS devices and iTunes via AirPlay
• Remote HD: Added support for doubleTwist + AirTwist add-on (AirPlay from Android devices)
• Remote HD: Added supports enhanced slideshows with music when streaming via AirPlay
• Updated metadata scrapers
• Resolved VPN setup issues
• Other miscellaneous fixes

Full details on setting up NFS streaming from Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) can be found here.

aTV Flash version 4.4 is available through the Downloads tab in your account. If you’re already running aTV Flash on your AppleTV you can update through the Maintenance –> Manage Plugins menu.

You may also want to read:
Remote HD 5.0 plugin keeps old Apple TV kicking with iOS 5 support
Installing and Configuring a FTP Server in Your Apple TV 1st Generation
aTV Flash (black) RC1 for Apple TV 2 Now Available

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

App Dynamic, the company that brought AirPlay to the 1st generation Apple TV, has just released Remote HD plugin 5.0 featuring an all new AirPlay upgrade. The 5.0 plugin breathes new life back into your old Apple TV with iOS 5 and iTunes DRM-encrypted video support. The update does not include mirroring or HTTP live streaming over AirPlay.

What’s new in Remote HD’s 5.0 plugin:

• Added support for iOS 5
• Plays DRM protected Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, Trailers, Music from iOS devices or iTunes on Mac/PC
• Added support for doubleTwist+AirTwist add-on; AirPlay from Android
• Optimizations for iPhone 4S added
• Support enhanced slideshows with music
• Added support for Camera for Apple TV iOS app
• Fixed iPhone 3GS photo-orientation bug

You can download the new Remote HD 5.0 plugin from here.

Here is how to install it on your old Apple TV:

1. If you are not using the latest Apple TV Software (version 3.0.2), update the Apple TV software from Settings > General > Update Software.

2. Unlock your Apple TV using opensource atvusb-creator. Step by step instructions can be found here and here.

3. Connect to your Apple TV using your preferred SSH client:

Host: appletv.local
Username: frontrow
Password: frontrow

Recommended SSH clients are:
OS X: Use the buit-in SSH command line client using Terminal.app
Windows: Putty

Here’s an example of how to connect to the Apple TV using Terminal.app on OS X:
ssh frontrow@appletv.local
Password: frontrow

4. Once connected, run these 3 commands one by one.

These 3 commands will download, uncompress, install/upgrade Remote HD plugin and restart the Apple TV interface.

scp ssh.remotehd.com:RemoteHelper.tar RemoteHelper.tar;
tar xvf RemoteHelper.tar;
./install-RemoteHelper

“frontrow” is the default password.

If prompted with a security prompt to confirm connecting, type in yes.

Thats it, you’re done! Now grab your device and have Remote HD scan for available connections. Your Apple TV should show up in the list of available WiFi-connections – just tap to connect!

The default password is empty.

Head over to the App Store and purchase a copy of Remote HD iOS app to activate the plugin.

Existing Remote HD users get all this for free.

For more information, visit Remote HD website.

You may also want to read:
AirPlay Streaming Hacked into the Old Apple TV
AirPlay Implementation on the Old Apple TV is Now Complete
AirServer 3.0 brings AirPlay to your Mac

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Firecore has finally released aTV Flash (black) Release Candidate 1 for the Apple TV 2. RC1 adds a number of new features including a brand new ‘grid view’ browsing mode (allows you to browse through media by simply viewing a grid of posters, instead of a list), huge subtitle related improvements, support for Apple TV 4.4 (iOS 5), and other performance and playback related improvements.

Here is the complete list of new features and improvements:

• Added grid view and pre-playback view options
• Added bulk metadata fetching with growl-like status
• Added fetched names in list view
• Added hardware decoding for .m2ts files
• Added support for embedded subtitles (MKV, M4V, etc…)
• Added support for ISO (DVD) files
• Added TV Show metadata fetching
• Added metadata correction for Movies and TV Shows
• Added movie title in Top Shelf (instead of filename)
• Added DSI ping for better operation with AFP shares
• Added folder tagging
• Added metadata view indicator
• Added support for metadata overriding using xml files
• Added DVD menu buffering
• Added support for subtitles with invalid timestamps
• Added support for AppleTV 4.4 (iOS 5)
• Added subtitle ‘Weight’ setting
• Added option to show/hide local files
• Improved data buffering and playback performance
• Improved XSUB subtitle support
• Improved network error handling
• Improved filename parsing for metadata fetching
• Improved NAS drives support and increased connection timeout
• Improved video loading process
• Improved DVD menu handling
• Improved playback position detection
• Improved memory footprint
• Improved SMB share handling
• Resolved DVD subtitle issues
• Resolved Voiceover related issues
• Resolved audio synchronization issues
• Resolved problems when streaming from an AirPort Extreme
• Resolved AFP related issue when resuming after a long pause
• Resolved issues that caused the first subtitle section to be skipped
• Resolved performance and crash related issues for certain DVD files
• Resolved audio playback issues when the connection to Last.fm fails
• Resolved potential issues in shares handling and filename processing
• Resolved AFP related crashes
• Resolved .dvdmedia extensions and folder images not hiding
• Resolved floating crash during metadata fetching
• Resolved various cloud backup issues
• Many other miscellaneous fixes

RC1 is available through the Downloads tab in your account. If you’re already running aTV Flash (black) on your Apple TV all the new features can be installed through the Maintenance –> Manage Extras menu.

Note: Installing RC1 requires Apple TV 4.2 or later.

You may also want to read:
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 5 (Apple TV 4.4) Using Seas0nPass – Tethered
Media Player 0.9.1 for Apple TV 2 Released
aTV Flash (black) Beta6 for Apple TV 2 Now Available

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

This week in “Apple TV News from the Web”:

1. Siri on Apple TV?
2. Real Racing 2 AirPlay and Party Play
3. Coming to Apple TV – iTunes Match
4. Movie streaming

We are open for submissions: if you find anything related to Apple TV and you think it may fit here, send us a tweet or a Facebook comment and we’ll post it the coming week.

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1. Siri on Apple TV?

Now here’s an interesting idea, the intelligent personal assistant from iPhone 4S, Siri, could be integrated in your Apple TV. It would be amazing for us to get away from the remote controllers and finally use this great assistant. In the near future, we will be able to simply talk to our TVs, let’s hope they will talk back.

9to5mac, Is Siri coming to your television

2. Real Racing 2 Airplay and Party Play

Real Racing 2 comes with an amazing update, like AirPlay with the Party Play mode. They also fixed the bugs and increased the memory optimizations. The popular car racing game from Firemint will definitely take advantage of the new iOS 5 and iPhone 4S/iPad 2 so you can enjoy a great performance.

Firemint, Party Play Update

3. Coming soon to Apple TV – iTunes Match

Apple is bringing another great feature to the owners of little black boxes. If you will subscribe to soon-to-be-released  iTunes Match, you will be able to access your entire music collection from iCloud — including songs you’ve imported from CDs or bought somewhere other than iTunes — right from your Apple TV. The service will be $24.99 a year.

iTunes Match has a scan-and-match feature — all the songs in your iTunes library are scanned and then matched with those available on the iTunes Store. Matched songs are instantly added to your iCloud library with no uploading needed. Any remaining songs are automatically uploaded from your computer to iCloud.

4. Movie streaming

Apple could be streaming movies on iTunes Store, in fact, they are negotiating with the film studios to make this happen. Imagine that in the near future you can stream movies or TV shows to your favorite devices from Apple with transferring them. You don’t have to search for films that can be played only with an iOS device. In the future we may have a simple solution for this.

TUAW, Apple negotiating for streaming movies on iTunes Store

You may also want to read:
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 5 (Apple TV 4.4) Using Seas0nPass – Tethered
Apple TV 2 Software Update 4.4.1 – Released and Pulled (Updated)
AirServer 3.0 brings AirPlay to your Mac (Updated: Giveaway!)

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Apple has released a minor software update for Apple TV 2 on Monday. Version 4.4.1 (build 9A335A) was supposed to fix an issue that required a “small number of Apple TV units” to be connected to iTunes in order to complete the update. There were no new features in this release. Apple later pulled the 4.4.1 update after reports from the Apple TV users that the new update was causing even more issues (bricking the devices) than version 4.4. We will let you know as soon as the new software is out again.

Update: Apple has started pushing iOS 4.4.1 again. Let us know in comments if you have any problems with this update.

You may also want to read:
Apple TV 4.4 Software Released
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3 or iOS 5 Beta with Seas0nPass 0.7.7 (untethered)
How to Watch Hulu on Apple TV 2

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch have been generously updated by Apple with over 200 new features yesterday, and the Cupertino-based company didn’t forget about its “hobby device”. Apple released the Apple TV 4.4 software update, which adds Photo Stream, AirPlay mirroring, NHL live games, Wall Street Journal news, support for subtitles in Netflix, new movie trailers section and some new slideshow themes.

With Photo Stream in iCloud, your last 1000 photos automatically appear in a special Photo Stream album on your Apple TV 2.  No matter which device you used to take the picture. No syncing. No sending. iCloud’s Photo Stream service automatically uploads the photos you take or import on any of your devices and wirelessly pushes them to all your devices and computers.

AirPlay mirroring lets you wirelessly stream what’s on your iPad 2 or iPhone 4S to your HDTV. It lets you to mirror every app to the big screen, including web browsers and games.

Other new features:

• National Hockey League: watch live games. View highlights, scores, and more.
• Wall Street Journal: watch up-to-date news, business commentary, and financial analysis from leading experts.
• New Slideshow themes: enjoy your photos on your HDTV with new slideshow themes: Photo Wall, Flip-up, Shifting Tiles.
• Netflix: added support for subtitles when available.
• Trailers: browse and view hundreds of the latest theatrical trailers

As always – don’t update to 4.4 if you don’t want to lose your jailbreak. @nitoTV and @firecore are already working hard on the new jailbreak. We’ll have a tutorial on how to jailbreak your Apple TV on firmware 4.4 as soon as the new jailbreak is out.

Our readers report that Apple is still signing the 4.3 software, which means that if you didn’t update and your atv is still running 4.3, you can jailbreak it using SeasOnPass 0.7.7 or sn0wbreeze.

You may also want to read:
AirPlay Mirroring Coming to iPhone 4S
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3 or iOS 5 Beta with Seas0nPass 0.7.7 (untethered)
How to Jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3 with sn0wbreeze (untethered)

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Firecore has just released another update to its Media Player for the 2nd generation Apple TV. Version 0.9.1 includes a number of “long awaited features,” like a support for embedded subtitles, support for ISO (DVD) files and metadata correction for TV Shows.

Here is the complete list of changes:

• Added support for embedded subtitles (MKV, M4V, etc…)
• Added support for ISO (DVD) files
• Added metadata correction for TV Shows
• Added movie title in Top Shelf (instead of filename)
• Minor UI improvements

Media Player 0.9.1 can be installed on your ATV2 (with aTV Flash black already installed) through the Maintenance –> Manage Extras menu.

You may also want to read:
Firecore Releases Media Player 0.9 for Apple TV 2
aTV Flash (black) Beta6 for Apple TV 2 Now Available
How to Watch Hulu on Apple TV 2

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Brought to you by the developers of Remote HD, AirServer is an advanced AirPlay/AirTunes receiver that lets you seamlessly stream audio, videos, photos, and photo slideshows to your Mac or iOS device. The software has just been updated to version 3.0, which comes with a new built-in video players and enhanced iOS 5 and Lion support. AirServer has now the ability to stream slideshows with visual effects and music intact via AirPlay.

Here is the full list of new features and changes:

• Re-engineered support for iOS 5
• New iOS 5 playlist support
• New built-in video, photo and slideshow players for Lion
• New built-in photo and slideshow players
• Slideshow player supports visual effects and music
• Multiple displays, mouse gestures and keyboard support on Lion
• Fullscreen mode with Plex and XBMC in the background
• Support for both fullscreen and windowed mode
• Audio password protection
• Automatic rebroadcasting on overloaded networks
• Automatic relaunching after crashes

• Audio streaming crash fixes
• Wake on demand (with display) now supported on Lion
• Prevent Mac from going to sleep when streaming videos, music or photos
• Prevent Screensaver from going off when photo or video streaming is in progress
• Fixed cursor issues after playback finishes
• Fixed Dual-mode AirPlay for iOS 5

You can purchase AirServer through PayPal (for Mac; $7.99) or get it from Cydia (for iPhone/iPad; $4.99).

UPDATE: We are giving away 10 free licenses for AirServer 3.0 for Mac. Join us on Facebook or follow on Twitter and retweet the contest message for your chance to win. The winners will be announced on Friday, October 21st.

You may also want to read:
AirPlay Mirroring Coming to iPhone 4S
Remote HD now supports Apple TV 2 (updated)
AirPlay Streaming Hacked into the Old Apple TV (updated: giveaway!)

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Deep inside the iOS 5 file system 9to5Mac has found an evidence for a next-generation Apple TV being in the works – a reference to ‘Apple TV 3,1’ (current model is listed as 2,1). According to 9to5Mac, the number changing from 2 to 3 should signify a major upgrade. What changes can we expect? Most likely, the device will get a dual-core A5 processor that would open door to true 1080p. In July AppleInsider reported that Apple may be preparing to begin supporting 1080p movies in its iTunes Store later this year. True 1080p would be a nice update for iPhone 4S owners since the device allows to shoot 1080p videos and then stream it to Apple TV via AirPlay. Games mirrored in 1080p, like Real Racing 2 HD, would also be awesome. The current Apple TV’s A4 processor only allows 720p playback.

The Apple TV 3 should also come with some more RAM and a bluetooth support. Cross Research analyst Shannon Cross thinks that Apple could even put Siri into the Apple TV or an Apple branded television, reports FORTUNE (click here to find out what our Facebook fans would say to Siri if it was running on Apple TV).

Unfortunately, we shouldn’t expect the new Apple TV to be out soon. MacRumors reminds that when the previous iPhone references have been found in iOS releases, we’ve seen a lead time of up to 15 months. Earlier reports claimed Apple is not planning a hardware update for the device this year.

You may also want to read:
AirPlay Mirroring Coming to iPhone 4S
Real Racing 2 HD First to Support Wireless Gaming over AirPlay on Apple TV 2
No Apple TV 2 update this year?

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

This week in “Apple TV News from the Web”:

1. AirPlay mirroring coming to iPhone 5
2. Anatomy of an Apple Rumor
3. Let’s talk… new Apple TV
4. Killer iPhone feature
5. Sharing some love

We are open for submissions: if you find anything related to Apple TV and you think it may fit here, send us a tweet or a Facebook comment and we’ll post it the coming week.

—————-

1. AirPlay mirroring coming to iPhone 5

A source told TUAW that iPhone 5 will also feature AirPlay mirroring that lets wirelessly display everything you do on your iPhone right on your HDTV through Apple TV 2. We’ve been all expecting it but it can also be a… rumor.

2. Anatomy of an Apple Rumor

“Everyone, including your mom, re-reports Apple rumors,” claims PCMmag. The guys at the Magazine have a great infographic that shows the anatomy of an Apple Rumor. We know how it ends, but how it all begins? And what is your role in this process? Check it out on this graphic.

3. Let’s talk… new Apple TV?

Apple has finally announced that its upcoming media event will take place on Tuesday, October 4 at 10am Pacific Daylight Time on Apple’s campus in Cupertino and will be led by Apple’s new CEO Tim Cook. There are no doubts that Apple will focus specifically on a new iPhone, but is there a chance that Tim will surprise us with the updated of the company’s “hobby device”? There were some speculations that Apple may be releasing a new Apple TV with A5 chip making the device capable of true 1080p.

4. Killer iPhone feature?

9to5Mac reports that, according to a source familiar with the SOC’s manufacturing, the new iPhone will feature Apple’s dual-core A5 processor, 1GB of RAM and improved, 8 megapixel camera. But the new device’s biggest selling point and a game changer may be a software feature called Assistant – a Siri-inspired, system-wide voice navigation system. The phrase on this year’s invite, ‘Let’s talk iPhone,’ seems to confirm this. Check out 9to5Mac’s article to learn more on how the Assistant works.

4. Sharing some love

Our Facebook fan Erick Ramirez wanted to “share some love” to Apple TV Hacks by creatively playing with our logo. LOL, thanks Eric, we are impressed! We share some love too!

How do you like it?

You may also want to read:
Apple TV News from the Web: Edition 4
Watch HD Movie Trailers on Apple TV 2
Apple TV News from the Web: Edition 3

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!