Study finds smart TV adoption growing rapidly, market ready for iTV?

By Cody Lee on May 3, 2013

Although we continue to hear reports regarding Apple’s work on a full-blown television set, pundits remain skeptical that the project will ever see the light of day. They say the margins are too small, and the demand for internet TVs is too weak for Apple to make a move.

But the latter part of that theory isn’t entirely accurate, according to a new report from media research firm TDG. Their studies show that Smart TV adoption is actually growing rapidly around the world, with 25% of broadband households now owning at least one set… Read More

 

Amazon is planning on introducing a set-top box this fall

By Lory Gil on Apr 24, 2013

Amazon has been working hard to become a player in the tech hardware market. Not only has the Kindle tablets seen multiple redesigns in an effort to compete more closely with the iPad, but the online retail giant has also been rumored to be working on developing a smartphone. Today, Businessweek is reporting that Amazon will introduce a set-top box to compete in the living room arena… Read More

 

Apple TV software updated to kill evasi0n jailbreak

By Cody Lee on Mar 19, 2013

In addition to this morning’s release of iOS 6.1.3, Apple has also seeded a new version of its Apple TV software. The update brings the firmware to version 5.2.1, and it includes a number of bug fixes as well as support for the new Hulu Plus app.

Unfortunately, as with iOS 6.1.3, the bug fixes are actually patches for the exploits used in the latest evasi0n jailbreak. So if your Apple TV is jailbroken, or you would like it to be in the future, you’ll want to be sure to stay away from this update… Read More

 

XBMC updated with iPhone 5 support and other improvements

By Cody Lee on Mar 19, 2013

Popular open-source media player XBMC has been updated today, bringing the app to version 12.1. The update improves the experience across all of Apple’s platforms, including the Mac, iOS and Apple TV.

For most users, the iOS update will be the most welcomed change, as it brings about support for the iPhone 5′s larger 4-inch display. And Apple TV2 users will be similarly pleased with further support for iOS 6… Read More

 

Hulu updates Apple TV app with new categories and improved playback

By Cody Lee on Mar 19, 2013

Great news today for Hulu Plus users. The popular streaming service has announced this morning that it has created a brand new app for the Apple TV that will make it easier to find new content and play it back on your favorite set-top box.

Hulu says it has “redesigned the Plus experience from the ground up” with a new content section, a new “Shows You Watch” tray for quickly accessing your favorite shows, and a more streamlined playback feature, with new Play button… Read More

 

New Cupertino hotel offers an Apple TV in every guest room

By Cody Lee on Mar 18, 2013

If you look around your next hotel room, there’s a fair chance it will have an alarm clock with a 30-pin dock connector for your iPhone. It’s a popular amenity for hotels to list, since there are some 500+ million iOS devices out in the wild.

But one hotel in Cupertino, California is taking their iOS compatibility to the next level. Starwood Hotels’ Aloft Hotel has announced today that it now has an Apple TV, connected to a 42-inch LCD television, in all 123 of its guest rooms… Read More

 

Retooled Apple TV found to have die-shrunk A5, not A5X

By Cody Lee on Mar 10, 2013

Earlier this year, a software update for the Apple TV (5.2) revealed a new device labeled “AppleTV3,2.” After digging through some FCC documents, and some code, it was discovered that it was just a tweaked version of the third-gen ATV with an A5X processor.

Or at least it appeared that way. The retooled set-top box has just begun hitting Apple Stores, and the folks over at MacRumors were able to pick one up and crack one open this weekend. And they’ve determined that its processor is actually a die-shrunk A5 chip… Read More

 

Apple expands iTunes in the Cloud support in France, Sweden, the Netherlands, and eight more European countries

By Cody Lee on Feb 27, 2013

It appears that Apple has begun rolling out TV show and movie support for its iTunes in the Cloud service to a handful of new European countries this week. Users in France, the Netherlands and a few other European countries are reporting that they have just gained access to the feature, which allows you to access previously purchased content… Read More

 

Meet Apple TV’s newest competitor, the Samsung HomeSync

By Cody Lee on Feb 25, 2013

As you’ve probably noticed by now, we’re huge fans of the Apple TV here at iDB. Apple’s set-top box is inexpensive, easy-to-use, and it integrates perfectly with our iOS devices. Plus, older versions of it can be jailbroken.

The device has been doing remarkably well for Apple, despite the fact that it has several competitors. But we’ll see if that hot streak can continue now that Samsung’s throwing its hat in the ring with its new HomeSync… Read More

 

XBMC for Apple TV now compatible with iOS 6.1 (5.2)

By Cody Lee on Feb 22, 2013

Shortly after the release of the iOS 6.x jailbreak tool evasi0n, FireCore rolled out a new version of its Seas0nPass utility to support the latest firmware. Folks with a second-gen ATV on iOS 6.1 (5.2) can now enjoy an untethered jailbreak.

Up until now, though, most people (including myself) have been reluctant to upgrade to the new software because many Apple TV apps still don’t support it. But you’ll be happy to hear that XBMC has just taken its name off of that list… Read More

 

Third party apps may finally land on the Apple TV this fall

By Cody Lee on Feb 15, 2013

I know, I know. There’s so many different Apple rumors these days, going in so many different directions, it’s hard to keep track. There’s the 4.8-inch iPhone, and the budget iPhone, and let’s not forget about the iWatch, which has become extremely popular as of late.

But try to block all of that out for a second, and focus on the Apple TV. A new report is out today from Tech Crunch’s well-connected MG Siegler, who says that talk of Apple’s broader television plans is picking up, and we could see something happen as early as this fall… Read More

 

FireCore updates aTV Flash (black) with support for Apple TV 5.2

By Cody Lee on Feb 13, 2013

Now that Apple TV 5.2 can be jailbroken via the new Seas0nPass, FireCore has updated its popular aTV Flash (black) software suite to support the new firmware. Apple released 5.2 at the end of last month alongside iOS 6.1.

The aTV Flash (black) update, which brings the app to version 2.2, is fairly minor. But it does include several bug fixes, improvements to DVD playback, and of course, support for the new Bluetooth keyboard feature in 5.2… Read More

 

Seas0nPass jailbreak tool updated for Apple TV 5.2

By Cody Lee on Feb 13, 2013

Good news for all of you second generation Apple TV owners out there. FireCore has just announced that the latest firmware for the set-top box, Apple TV 5.2, is now jailbreakable thanks to an update to the Seas0nPass tool.

Apple released the new software at the end of last month alongside iOS 6.1 for its other devices. The update includes Bluetooth keyboard support, Up Next and now, thanks to the jailbreak, pretty much whatever you want… Read More

 

Xbox founder says App Store on Apple TV would ‘kill’ gaming consoles

By Cody Lee on Feb 13, 2013

Earlier today, Jeffries analyst Peter Misek told investors that Apple will hold a TV-related media event in March. And he suspects that the focus of the event will be the unveiling of a software development kit that will allow developers to finally make third-party apps for the Apple TV.

Well if that’s really the case, major gaming consoles better watch out. In a recent blogpost rant entitled ‘Stupid, Stupid xBox!!’ Xbox founder Nat Brown says that if Apple opens up an App Store on the Apple TV, the platform would “simply kill” the Playstation, Xbox and the WiiU… Read More

 

New Apple TV found to have A5X processor

By Cody Lee on Jan 30, 2013

There’s been a lot of talk this week regarding the next-generation Apple TV. First, an unknown AppleTV 3,2 device popped up in Monday’s iOS 6.1 release. And then yesterday, a slightly smaller ATV surfaced in some FCC documents.

So now that we know that Apple is readying a new set top box for release, the next question is: what improvements has it made? Well for starters, it looks like the device is going to get a performance bump with an A5X processor… Read More

 

FCC filing reveals new, slightly smaller Apple TV

By Cody Lee on Jan 29, 2013

This is pretty interesting. Hot on the heels of yesterday’s discovery of an unknown AppleTV3,2 device in the new iOS 6.1 firmware comes evidence that Apple is indeed planning to refresh the set-top box sometime in the near future.

The proof comes by way of a new FCC (Federal Communications Commission) filing, published today, from the Cupertino company. The documents out an unreleased Apple TV, model A1469, with slightly smaller dimensions… Read More

 

It looks like Staples might soon begin selling Apple products

By Cody Lee on Jan 27, 2013

Apple has been significantly expanding its retail presence over the past several years. I can remember when you could only find Apple products at CompUSA, and now they are everywhere: Best Buy, RadioShack, Walmart, Target, you name it.

And it looks like it’s set to add another store to that list. According to a new report this weekend, Staples has begun advertising the Apple TV on its website. It would seem that the office retail giant is gearing up to begin offering Apple products… Read More

 

Apple sold record 2 million Apple TVs last quarter

By Cody Lee on Jan 23, 2013

Among some of the more interesting tidbits from Apple’s earnings call today was Tim Cook’s mention of Apple TV sales. The device has long been called a hobby by Cook and other Apple executives, but it doesn’t act like one.

The Cupertino company sold over 2 million Apple TVs during last quarter, a record high for the company. That’s a 60% growth over last year’s first fiscal quarter, which is bigger than that of both the iPhone and the iPad… Read More

 

FireCore updates aTV Flash (black) with TV show playlists and more

By Cody Lee on Jan 11, 2013

Well, it’s Friday afternoon and the folks at FireCore have just given jailbroken second generation Apple TV owners something else to be excited about as the weekend approaches: an update for the popular software suite: aTV Flash (black).

The update, which brings the app to version 2.1, features several improvements including a new TV show playlist option, which makes it easier to pick up where you left off with your favorite show, customizable favorites, and more… Read More

 

Streaming video service Watchever now available on Apple TV in Germany

By Cody Lee on Jan 11, 2013

Apple TV owners in Germany are in for a little surprise the next time they boot up their set top boxes. It appears that Apple has added a new app to the home screen for Watchever, a new video subscription service.

Similar to Netflix, Watchever gives users unlimited access to local, European and international movies and TV shows for €8.99 a month (or about $12 USD). And now, German users can access it on their ATVs… Read More

 
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