AppleTV movie rentals are the real story here...

[Kramerica]

You can get one under $200 new easily if you're willing to buy on ebay. IMO, that's not expensive considering people spend 3-400 on an iPod, and this requires an HDTV which isn't too cheap anyway.

There are lots of great reasons for someone to buy, but they vary on that someone. I think it is worth it to me even if it couldn't play tv and movies. Just having my music and YouTube on there provide alot of fun, and access to the hd podcasts are great. When I hit the couch and start thinking about what to watch, podcasts have become a nice option for me. I wasn't that much into them prior to the ATV. Photos are awesome too and now access to Flickr will be a very nice addition. I will be able to check out any friend/family Flickr shots on a whim just sitting on the couch.

Did I say I love YouTube on there?

I still think Apple should stream the Keynotes live to Apple TV users. Why not?

[Robert M]

Kra,

The last thing I want to see on a nice TV is YouTube videos. They're craptacular at best on a computer screen. The last thing I'd want to do is lounge on my comfy couch and watch them on a nice TV and listen to them on a home theater sound system. Blech!

Robert

[Kramerica]

Funny thing is, I don't really browse YouTube on the computer much at all. I don't have an account, and usually only go directly to videos sent directly to me or posted in articles. But with ATV, I end up watching all kinds of stuff. Much of it is craptacular, but alot of stuff is entertaining... it's addictive- even with the lower quality. I'm displaying on a 52" 1080p LCD.

Also neat if you hear about something in the news, a highlight in a game, etc that you may have missed, I've switched over to ATV, run a search and found the clip to watch it right there. Granted, I could've done this with a laptop probably even faster, but I don't use one.

I do understand not wanting to watch the lower quality res though. To each his own.

[Sam3]

I think the biggest reason that makes the Apple TV viable is the ability to rent and watch HD movies. Why spend $400 for a BlueRay player, and then cough up money for renting or buying the disks when you can spend a bit over $200 and then be able to watch an HD movie pretty much on demand? *That* is why AppleTV 2.0 will work. Watching your pictures, Flickr, YouTube are nice side benefits.

I also agree that the 24hr limitation is too restrictive. Both Blockbuster and Hollywood video offer 3-5 day rentals, this should be on parity with those B&M rental places. It's happened multiple times in our house that one or the other of us falls asleep during a movie and wants to finish watching it the following day. The following day's viewing start time might be close to the 24 hr mark, so in effect we'd miss the movie.

[M A V I C]

[quote Robert M]Mav,

Maybe so. But, if that's the case, Steve (and Apple) are going to have to work their butts off to convince people to buy it. If Apple wants to find success in the living room/home entertainment room, then it has to reach the average consumer, not the Apple enthusiast.

Apple reached me with the ipod because it was the best product in its class. Apple has to do the same with its video oriented offerings. The AppleTV doesn't even come close to doing that and I'm an Apple enthusiast. If it can't reach me, how will it reach the average consumer?

Hopefully, Apple has more products in the pipeline both software and hardware that will do the job.

Robert
Hey, I'm just reaching. I think the movie rentals will be more of a success for Windows users than TV users. I have no interest in buying an TV, for all the reasons you've already stated.

[Ombligo]

MAVIC - For someone who is not interested in the AppleTV, you seem to spend an inordinate amount of time complaining about it.

I'm not thrilled about the unit either but my criticisms (as well as others here) are at least constructive in our statements. I'm glad your thrilled with your Windows MCE, so be content and ignore the AppleTV until it serves your needs.

[Jem]

[quote Kramerica]There are lots of great reasons for someone to buy, but they vary on that someone. I think it is worth it to me even if it couldn't play tv and movies. Just having my music and YouTube on there provide alot of fun, and access to the hd podcasts are great. When I hit the couch and start thinking about what to watch, podcasts have become a nice option for me. I wasn't that much into them prior to the ATV. Photos are awesome too and now access to Flickr will be a very nice addition. I will be able to check out any friend/family Flickr shots on a whim just sitting on the couch.
I think this captures very well who the typical target market would be for this device, and I include myself in that group.

Having Podcasts, Youtube, TV shows, Hi-Def Movies, photos, music and home movies all in one place is *very* convenient.

At this point all it is really missing is the ability to playback broadcast (realtime) TV signals, and lacks a DVD player. The latter, I'm sure will come eventually, once the format wars are settled.

DVR functionality may come, but I'm not convinced. People clamored for FM radio built-in to the iPod for a very longtime, and Apple steadfastly resisted.

I'm betting they'll follow the same model here with the AppleTV.

[Robert M]

Jem,

Therein lies the problem. I doubt the niche you described is the target market in the long run. It makes for a good starting point but it is definitely too small. What Steve wants is the living room, much in the same way that he wanted everyone's belt for the ipod. That's why the AppleTV no longer requires a connection to your Mac for a very important part of its functionality, this being movie rentals.

The beauty of the ipod was its solid design features and its ability to be useful without a connection to a computer. The IPod was designed for the masses and, as we all know, it reach them. The former version of the AppleTV wasn't designed for the masses. It was a hobbyist gadget.

Now, with the new features and the advent of the movie rentals, Apple is changing the target market of the AppleTV from the hobbyist to the average consumer and his/her living room. Unlike the iPod, the AppleTV is just barely useful to the average consumer in its existing form. Movie rentals are a start but it isn't enough to justify the cost. Neither are the other features listed by Kramerica. Nifty for the hobbyist but not Joe or Jane consumer.

Robert

[Undrpsi]

All-right...

Now I am confused.

The Apple TV can (thru itunes) rent a limited selection of movies.
The Apple TV can (thru youtube) show a selection of limited movies.
and...what else?

I am not a microsoft fanboy (computers) but as I sat last night playing my XBOX 360...I had to wonder...Steve at the very minimum produces appliances that are equal or better to the competition.....

Plays Xbox & Xbox 360 games
Plays DVD's
Plays HD-DVD's (with optional HD drive)
Plays Music CD's (limited appeal but there)
Streams video's, music, and photo's from one to whatever computers (Mac & PC)
Has an ipod interface and several USB ports (which I have added an 180gig hd to) for external drives and hardware.
You can buy (permanetly! ..... not rent!) movies, tv shows, and other video's..in HD!

I am not pointing this out to RAVE about the Xbox....merely to show...it's already been done....by freakin' micro-crap of all people....

Not to mention my Direct TV HD/DVR I use.

SO...Now to my confusion. Steve has routinely brought out either BRAND NEW technology OR a BRAND NEW way of using the same technology for the better. My Macbook and iMac are, hardware wise, nothing special but you put it with the software and industrial design...viola! Money well spent. My iPhone, again nothing hardware spectacular, but with the multi-touch screen, OS, and looks....money well spent.

The Apple TV (to me) is nothing new, nothing spectacular, and (for once) is not even close to it's competitors on release.

I really, really want to like it....but can't understand why it was built in the format it was....

Confused....

Jay

[M A V I C]

[quote Ombligo]MAVIC - For someone who is not interested in the AppleTV, you seem to spend an inordinate amount of time complaining about it.

I'm not thrilled about the unit either but my criticisms (as well as others here) are at least constructive in our statements. I'm glad your thrilled with your Windows MCE, so be content and ignore the AppleTV until it serves your needs.
This thread's subject is about the AppleTV movie rentals. Well, those movie rentals are also available for machines that run iTunes. Some people seem to think the movie rentals success is dependent upon the AppleTV, which is not the case. It's somewhat like saying the iTMS was dependent upon the iPod.

I'm a bit confused by your first statement. People who find the AppleTV fits their every need are probably not going to be complaining about it. The reasons the AppleTV is not an option for me - or the vast majority of consumers - are complaints. That's just the way it works. It's like the phrase "why is something you're searching for always in the last place you look?" Because no one in their right mind keeps looking after the found it. Why is it the people who don't like something complain about it? Because the people who do like it don't have problems with it.

I've pointed out numerous possible reasons for the AppleTV, as well as other reasons why the movie rentals success is not tied to the AppleTV... somehow you seem to have missed those. Those comments most certainly are constructive.