Comments on: Quote of the Day: Apple TV “still a hobby”

By: 88keys

88keys — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:57:05 +0000

What about VUDU? They have 11,000 titles, 650 HD titles, HDX and a much better interface. Is that an issue here?

By: PaulTT

PaulTT — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:31:23 +0000

Seems since there is no one dominating in the is space, Steve Jobs is correct. PS3 sales are not wonderful along with Blu-ray. The SlingCatcher just released sucks beyond belief after waiting two years for it. VuDu and Tivo give me a break, neither is doing well.

Seems with the content owners, licensing, and competition Apple is playing the wait game. Probably in a down economy a good idea. Especially since players like Microsoft and others have not made a dent.

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:05:59 +0000

Dave: the Apple TV is already nearly identical to a Sonos. Couple an Apple TV with an iPhone or iPod Touch and the free Remote application, and you’ve basically got the same functionality as the Sonos. The Sonos has an amplifier, but the Apple TV does video and iTunes. I personally think that gives the Apple TV a slight edge.

I agree with Steve Jobs that the target market for the Apple TV is a replacement for the DVD player. But the two impediments are the small library of downloads and the DMCA which legally prevents Americans from copying DVDs to an Apple TV. (Legality of DVD copying varies in different countries).

Online video streaming could be interesting, but there aren’t enough compelling reasons for that. Most streaming video has such small resolution and such high compression that it is unwatchable on a living room TV. YouTube? It’s fine to a point, but I doubt anyone is ready to pay hundreds of dollars just to watch the same grainy videos on their living room.

Now if Apple could get Hulu and other streaming content to the Apple TV, that would make a compelling device. But that would threaten revenues from the iTunes store. And if you consider other networks such as Discovery channel, their goal in online video is to compel you to watch the ads on their website. Putting this content onto a living room device makes that difficult, if not impossible.

An Apple TV DVR would be great, but I’m not holding my breath.

By: Dave Zatz

Dave Zatz — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:28:29 +0000

Well, I’m not in a position to say “Because Jobs is an egomaniac.” However, it’s interesting that he’s also said there’d be no color or flash-based iPods either… and look where we are. I only harp on this because Apple is in one of the best positions to innovate in this category. If they only dedicated the resources to do so.

By: Todd

Todd — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:46:15 +0000

@David that’s a much more articulate, intelligent way of stating my snarky comment. Thanks.

Also, Pixar was “just a hobby” for his Steveness too, until Finding Nemo became like the third highest grossing film of all time, then it was “serious business”.

Jobs is on the board of directors for Disney, ABC and ESPN it’s not like he doesn’t see decent live content in front of him, he could add to AppleTV!

By: David

David — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:02:21 +0000

Maybe a lot of this isn’t mainstream or easily understood today

And that’s the key. Jobs specifically said that Apple doesn’t do “nascent” markets. Their strategy lately has been to jump into already well-developed markets and try to remake them. iPod went into the Walkman market; iPhone into the cellphone market and aTV was supposed to go into the VCR market. The things you’re talking about don’t exist as a readily exploitable market.

’s “telling people not to buy the thing until Apple gets serious about it. Even if you think that, why say so in public?”

Because Jobs is an egomaniac and wants everyone to be clear why aTV isn’t as “awesomely great” as everything else Apple does? Same reason he disparages the Mac mini.

By: Dave Zatz

Dave Zatz — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:28:02 +0000

What I always wanted to see was a $99 SlingCatcher that was truly ONLY a SlingCatcer (for a Slingbox feed) and then a higher-end model with these additional streaming and extender capabilities. I can tell you that they’re working on pulling in direct video feeds without a PC via all sorts of content arrangements negotiated in conjunction with Sling.com. Don’t know timing though. And of course I’m already on the record requesting NAS streaming and high def PRO-HD streaming. I’m also on the record saying all products should integrate WiFi capabilities.

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:19:00 +0000

It’s just frustrating that such an important product has been left languishing. It makes me wonder if the Echostar aquisition has resulted in a change in priorities away from next gen products like Sling Catcher.

We should have seen a $199 Sling Catcher basic and a $299 product with integrated wi-fi and hard drive. Both boxes should have been capable of pulling in direct feeds and downloads without a PC for purchase and download of TV episodes, movies, etc.

As it is the Sling Catcher is a shell of a product, and even worse, there’s no other competing product out there that can do the same thing.