OBSECREI

Tech Talk with TJ Manotoc

Tech Talk
with TJ Manotoc


Apple TV - A Pillar Of The Future Of Television?

First off let me re-introduce myself to you all, not as an anchor or reporter, but now as a writer.

I am a tech junkie, not necessarily a connoisseur, but the love for technology and gadgets is definitely there. Im not an expert on many things, but modesty aside, I may have a little more tech knowledge and experience than an average Joe, just a little bit.

That said, may I humbly introduce you to s Tech Talk. Here we will discuss the latest tech news and rumors affecting and benefiting you, simple non-geeky reviews, and consumer buying guides here and on the Web. So let's begin this new journey shall we?

Welcome, Apple TV

First stop, I want to talk about the new Apple TV. Let me tell you that since this was announced by Apple CEO Steve Jobs last January at the Macworld Expo, it got me drooling. You see the first attempt of the Apple TV last year by Apple, it was pretty much, well, a hi-tech way of playing what you had in your computer onto your TV. That was it.

Like an expensive wire that we all know we could work around and do it ourselves with some adaptors here and there. What it couldnt do then? The Apple TV could not act on its own, it was just like having some sort of giant iPod hooked up to a TV. Yep, that was it.

But now things have changed, and so much for the better, thank you Steve. With the Apple TV 2.0 as some call it, it is now like a teenager with some sort of new independence.

Technically speaking, the new Apple TV can pretty much survive on its own, without a computer, at least after the first set up. But let's get into the details in a bit. For now lets do an overview of what this baby can do.

Apple TV's new capabilities

It can still play your music and videos from your iTunes in your computer. How it does that? It downloads it via wifi from your computer to your Apple TVs hard drive.

I actually got surprised that without me telling it to, the Apple TV ā€œgrabbedā€ my Macs music and videos without me knowing. I only noticed it when I opened my iTunes and it was telling me what was going on.

But that was after my first go at connecting them wirelessly, when, during the initial set up, the Apple TV asked me for a computer to work with. And oh yeah, it can still show your photos which it will also grab from your iPhoto library.

But now what else can it do? Well, can you say youtube, podcasts, iTunes TV show purchases, and iTunes movie rentals in 2 words? Yes, now you can, just say Apple TV.

Youtube is fun, now you can watch all them inmates in orange dancing in sync or Charice Pempengco doing us proud on Ellen in widescreen glory. Its just a little funky to navigate the search function when you have to type in using a remote control and not a keyboard. But you get used to it.

Podcasts. I have loved downloading podcasts for free from the iTunes store for quite some time now. I get tech-related video podcasts and also some comedy stuff. Hello Happyslip. And yes, I get my sports fix from the ESPN podcasts. That was for my iPod. But whats new and fun on the Apple TV is that you can watch or listen to your podcasts via streaming and not have to actually download them.

Movies at home

ITunes movie rentals. Now this is an alternative to getting your movie fix from a guy who says dibidi-dibidi as you walk around those notorious malls in the metro. Here you can spend your $2.99 or roughly P123 on a great clear movie, whose trailer you can preview first and watch in the comfort of your home on your widescreen.

For some people that price beats getting dressed, driving to the mall, paying for parking, buying a pair of P150 movie tickets, and still have to buy popcorn and a drink. Yes, you may argue that it is just a rental, but really, how many times do you watch the DVDs you have bought the legit or the dibidi variety? Yeah I can hear you mumbling it, just one time. And besides, you help put a smile on Edus faceā€¦

Moving on, you can even get HD movies, if you have the patience for the lengthy download, or the foresight of downloading what you wanna watch on the weekend a day or 2 before. Make sure you have a component or HDMI connections to maximize them HD vids.

Music, TV shows, photos

ITunes store music and TV shows for sale is still there. Its just a little more fun visually doing it on the TV. Albeit a little more tedious though to type in the names of what youre looking for if you move around via search.

Photos. Yes, you can still see your photos from your iPhoto library but you can also see photos from the Web. If youve heard of the photo sharing site Flickr, and those who have a .mac account, then you are in luck. The Apple TV can on its own, via your wifi router, go to Flickr or .mac and view the pictures of your friends and family, again in all widescreen glory, granting you have widescreen by now.

Oh and yes, it can work with a Windows powered PC too. It's not just limited to the Macs.

The price tag

Given all that it can do, Id say the new Apple TV is worth its new price in the U.S., $229 for the 40GB model. However, it's a bit more expensive in Manila, where the price is not necessarily arrived at by multiplying the dollar tag by the conversion rate of 41 or so. This same model sells at nearly P18,000 at some distributors.

One would have to consider though the Internet speed you have at home and youre pretty much set. .

So my first grade to give this new version of a cool product? Id give it a generous 4.5 out of 5 stars.

If you have any feedback, violent reactions, and requests, just no song numbers please, email me at tmanotoc@gmail.com . Till next week, cheers!