Wii-like dance party in the living room via Apple TV? Yes, please!

By Christian Zibreg on Jul 24, 2014

Back in June, India-based Rolocule Games teased its upcoming Dance Party game which would supposedly bring multiplayer fun to the living room with a little help from Apple’s AirPlay technology and the $99 Apple TV media-streaming box.

At first, I was skeptical. But as Dance Party launched earlier today in the App Store as a free download, I’ve come to the realization that my fears were unfounded.

Yes, the game indeed works as advertised!

Dance Party really has to be seen live to be fully appreciated. Much like dance games on the Nintendo Wii, users mimic the onscreen dancer to get feedback on how they are doing. The game is basically airplayed from an iPhone to the Apple TV and takes advantage of Rolocule’s award-winning motion tracking technology called Rolomotion… Read More

 

FXNOW channel with Simpsons World content coming to Apple TV

By Cody Lee on Jul 22, 2014

Earlier this year we talked about an upcoming mobile app called Simpsons World that will allow users to stream all 552 episodes of the popular cartoon series. We have since learned that the content will actually be integrated into FXNOW, FX’s on-demand service, and should arrive this fall.

Today comes word that a standalone FXNOW channel could be headed to the Apple TV as well, along with the aforementioned Simpsons content. TV writer Jason Lynch tweeted out yesterday that the app will be landing on Apple’s set-top box, the Roku and others within the next 12 months…. Read More

 

Netflix updates Apple TV app with next episode auto-play feature

By Cody Lee on Jul 21, 2014

Good news Apple TV owners. Netflix has updated its client for the set-top box with its auto-play-next-episode feature, bringing it in line with its other apps. The feature, which has long been available on the web and other platforms, has been a top request among users.

Now, when a TV episode is finished playing in the Netflix app, users will have the option to quickly move to the next one in sequential order. Previously, users would have to back out to the ‘Play’ screen, then out to the ‘Season’ screen and manually select the next episode… Read More

 

Apple releases iTunes 11.3, including all-new iTunes Extras for HD movies for Mac and Apple TV

By Christian Zibreg on Jul 10, 2014

Apple has just released a brand new iTunes 11.3 update which enables iTunes Extras for HD movies on Mac computers. Moreover, iTunes 11.3 finally brings back iTunes Extras to the $99 Apple TV media-streaming box after Apple killed support for this useful content-enhancing feature back in 2010.

As if that wasn’t enough, the company confirmed that these interactive menus with featurettes, behind-the-scenes videos, director’s commentary and other interactive assets will be coming to iOS 8 in Fall… Read More

 

Vimeo’s Apple TV app revamps UI, adds on-demand trailers, staff favorites and more

By Christian Zibreg on Jul 9, 2014

Video-sharing service Vimeo has had its stock channel on Apple’s $99 Apple TV media-streaming box for quite some time now. For those unfamiliar with it, Vimeo on the Apple TV provides basic functionality in terms of streaming your own videos, watching trending clips and other nice-to-haves.

Today, the company has announced a major rethinking of its Apple TV presence with a much-improved app focused on simplifying navigation while adding new features… Read More

 

Gap between Roku and Apple TV is widening

By Christian Zibreg on Jul 9, 2014

A lot has changed since a Frost & Sullivan Consumer Video Devices Market report last August determined that Apple’s $99 Apple TV was the most-used set-top box in terms of content streaming, owning a whopping 56 percent share of streaming device sales, more than twice the share of the #2 Roku, which took 26 percent share of sales.

A month later, Roku said its set-top box was more popular for streaming than Apple TV and now a report from researcher Parks Associates reveals that a gap between Roku’s and Apple’s device is widening… Read More

 

New Apple TV, Find My iPhone and Find My Friends betas also available

By Christian Zibreg on Jul 7, 2014

As Apple seeds a third beta of both iOS 8 (build 12A4318c) and OS X Yosemite Developer Preview (build 14A283j) to developers, we’re dutifully updating our articles with a running list of changes.

In the meantime, new betas of the accompanying Apple TV firmware – as well as Find My iPhone and Find My Friends betas – are now available to Apple’s registered iOS developers through the company’s Dev Center… Read More

 

Apple TV 6.2 software update also available with bug fixes

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 30, 2014

Apple today released a trio of major updates, one giving the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices improved iBeacon connectivity and the other enabling enhanced Wi-Fi performance and better reliability when waking up your Mac from sleep, among other changes.

The third update is focused on the $99 Apple TV media-streaming box. Now available in Software Update, the Apple TV 6.2 firmware brings no new features and appears to be a simple maintenance update accompanying the aforementioned iOS 7.1.2 and OS X 10.9.4 updates… Read More

 

Apple TV expands content with new ABC News, AOL On, PBS Kids and Willow channels

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 24, 2014

Apple’s media-streaming box has expanded its list of content sources this morning with the addition of both live and on-demand video from ABC News, AOL On, PBS Kids and Willow TV, a sports channel dedicated to international cricket and the Official Broadcaster of Cricket in the United States and Canada.

Integration with ABC News gives Apple TV owners free access to local news, real-time breaking stories and 50 years of historical footage from ABC News’ archives, including “This Week in History” and “The Day in Pictures” features.

In addition to the aforementioned new channels, the $99 device has gained a redesigned Flickr app. Read on for the full reveal… Read More

 

Netflix brings revamped design to iOS and Apple TV

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 18, 2014

An all-new Netflix experience awaits you in the App Store as the on-demand streaming media giant bumps its iPhone and iPad app to version 6.0.

Featuring a departure from the original user interface you’ve come to love, the free Netflix 6.0 edition offers little in terms of new features beyond freshening up its appearance and a few minor under-the-hood improvements.

And to go with the revamped iPhone and iPad experience, Netflix started pushing a redesigned channel icon to Apple TV owners’ Home screens. Both Apple TV and iOS versions include the same set of feature enhancements… Read More

 

Apple TV rumored to receive Continuity integration with iOS 8 and Yosemite Macs this Fall

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 18, 2014

iOS 8 and Yosemite come with Handoff, a particularly useful feature for completing tasks across multiple devices and seamlessly moving from one device to another. Part of the broader Continuity capability, Handoff relies on proximity sensing via power-sipping Bluetooth 4.0 to detect nearby devices which then broadcast user tasks.

Handoff lets you easily create an intelligent Instant Hotspot on your mobile device, start writing an email on your iPad and continue right where you left off on a Mac, receive and make phone calls and handle text messages on Macs and lots more.

According to one blogger, Apple will be bringing Continuity to its Apple TV media-streaming box when iOS 8 launches this Fall, resulting in a much tighter Apple TV integration with Mac and iOS… Read More

 

Apple drops Apple TV price to €99 in Europe and £79 in the UK

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 18, 2014

Boy, Apple surely seems laser-focused on making its products more price-competitive. Minutes after releasing a $200 cheaper baseline 21.5-inch iMac model, now starting at just $1,099, word comes that its set-top box, the Apple TV which retails for $99 in the United States, has been discounted in the United Kingdom and across the European Union markets…. Read More

 

Sony unveils Apple TV competitor ‘PlayStation TV’

By Cody Lee on Jun 10, 2014

During its high profile E3 keynote yesterday, Sony unveiled the PlayStation TV, a rebranded version of the PS Vita TV it showed off last fall. The device is small enough to fit in your hand and costs just $99, making it a direct competitor to the Apple TV.

Like the Apple TV, the PlayStation TV will support a variety of streaming services including Hulu, Netflix, and of course Sony’s own content. But unlike Apple’s set-top box, it’ll have a heavy focus on gaming, supporting some 1000 popular titles at launch… Read More

 

Upcoming Dance Party game promises multiplayer fun on Apple TV

By Cody Lee on Jun 8, 2014

I’ve long thought that the Apple TV could make for a full-blown video game console. Between the set-top box, AirPlay, and Apple’s line of iOS devices with built-in motion sensors, you basically have a Nintendo Wii—you just need developers to take advantage of it.

And nobody understands this better than the folks at Rolocule Games. The India-based app-maker released a game called ‘Motion Tennis’ last summer, and this year they’re back with another innovative, motion-based game for iOS and Apple TV called Dance Party… Read More

 

WWDC channel goes live on Apple TV ahead of today’s keynote

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 2, 2014

Ahead of today’s much anticipated keynote address – which starts at 10am PT / 1pm ET at San Francisco’s Moscone West – Apple has silently added a WWDC channel to the Apple TV owners’ Home screen.

As in years past, the Apple Events channel has been updated with the familiar WWDC graphics to reflect the upcoming event.

This makes good on Apple’s promise to stream the keynote live to the Mac and Windows users on desktop, as well as to Apple TV boxes and the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices, utilizing its industry-standard QuickTime architecture.

We will be covering the keynote live so you’ll want to refresh iDownloadBlog regularely to follow the announcements as they happen… Read More

 

Eddy Cue: today’s TV experience sucks

By Cody Lee on May 29, 2014

Last night, Apple’s Eddy Cue (and Jimmy Iovine) joined Recode’s Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher on stage at the Code Conference to discuss a wide range of topics. The focus was obviously on the recently announced Beats acquisition, but as you can imagine, other interesting stuff came up as well.

One of the more noteworthy bits came after Cue was questioned on the long-rumored Apple TV update. Mossberg said it’s clear Apple has been wanting to do a big TV project for a long time, and Tim Cook has even alluded to it on a few occasions, but we haven’t seen anything yet. Here’s Cue’s response… Read More

 

Netflix working on Dolby Digital 5.1 fix for Apple TV

By Cody Lee on May 27, 2014

Folks experiencing problems with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound in the Netflix app on Apple TV will be happy to hear that the streaming video giant is aware of the audio issue, and is currently working on fix.

The bug, 9to5Mac reports, stems from the Apple TV 6.1 update seeded in March. Following the release, a number of users with 5.1-capable systems reported they could only get stereo output from the Netflix app… Read More

 

Don’t expect to see a new Apple TV or iWatch at WWDC

By Cody Lee on May 2, 2014

I don’t think many folks were expecting Apple to unveil any exciting new hardware at WWDC this year. The company has rarely used the developer conference to unveil non-software related products, outside of maybe refreshed MacBooks and other Mac products.

But for those who were still holding out hope for a Jobs-like ‘one more thing,’ I have some bad news. According to a new report from Recode’s John Paczkowski, the company has no intention of using WWDC to show off the long-rumored iWatch or revamped Apple TV… Read More

 

Apple announces 20 million Apple TVs sold to date

By Cody Lee on Apr 23, 2014

During Apple’s earnings call earlier this afternoon, CEO Tim Cook announced that the company crossed the 20 million sold mark for the Apple TV during the last quarter. The mention is noteworthy as Apple doesn’t typically breakout numbers for the set-top box (though it has on occasion).

The move falls in line with Cook’s previous sentiments regarding the Apple TV—at a shareholders meeting in February Cook said ‘it’s a little more difficult to call the Apple TV a hobby these days,’ and comes amid rumors that the company is preparing to launch a new version of the device… Read More

 

Siri coming to Apple TV, iOS code strings suggest

By Christian Zibreg on Apr 23, 2014

Apple on April Fool’s Day released iOS 7.1 with CarPlay, Siri/Touch ID improvements and more.

As part of the launch, the company has posted the final version of the official iOS 7.1 software development kit (SDK) that programmers use to take advantage of new features.

Enthusiasts frequently comb through iOS code in search of leads that would indicate upcoming new features or devices and iOS 7.1 SDK is no exception. In fact, eagled-eyed fans have spotted a couple interesting references in the iOS code possibly pointing at Apple’s digital personal assistant coming to Apple TV boxes… Read More

 
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