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Apple TV review: it’s all about the potential

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Potential. That's a word that you're going to hear tossed around a lot when it comes to the newly released Apple TV. It has the potential to be a great streaming device. It has the potential to be a wonderful music playing machine. It has the potential to be an awesome gaming console. It has the potential to really become your living room's nucleus for entertainment.

Is it doing any one of those things in a mind-blowing fashion currently? Not exactly. Fortunately, the Apple TV has plenty of room for growth, because it's powered by a more significant operating system called tvOS, and Apple has opened the platform up so that developers can create apps. Just like an iPhone 4s at its beginning, which shipped with iOS 5, looks nothing like an iPhone 4s running iOS 9, the Apple TV experience is bound to evolve, grow, and improve.

If you purchase an Apple TV now, you're buying into that potential. Already, the Apple TV can do more than the 3rd-generation version that it supplants. The older hardware couldn't download apps, and wasn't capable of playing games natively on device. With the new Apple TV, you have all of that, along with much-improved hardware, a better remote that doesn't require line of sight, and limited Siri access.

At this early stage in the game, you shouldn't expect a perfect experience, but even out of the gate, it's obvious that the new Apple TV is a much better device than prior versions. Right now, it's just good, but with the proper direction, it has the potential to be the best set top box that we've seen thus far.

Apple posts its first iPad Pro launch ad on YouTube

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Apple, gearing up for Wednesday's launch of the iPad Pro, has posted its first launch advertisement for the super-sized tablet on its YouTube channel. The 30-second spot, entitled a Great Big Universe, features footage of Sky Guide and Procreate, two apps that will launch alongside the iPad Pro with assets that take advantage of that extra large screen.

Great deal: 47% off JayBird BlueBuds X Sport Bluetooth headphones

Cody Lee ∙ November 9, 2015

The JayBird BlueBuds X Sports are wireless, Bluetooth headphones that offer great sound and great features at an affordable price. They look sharp, utilize SignalPlus tech for skip-free playback, and can last for up to 8 hours on a single charge. And for a limited time, these headphones are 47% off, meaning you can score a pair for just $89.99.

1Password updated with Teams support, new All Vaults view and more

Cody Lee ∙ November 9, 2015

AgileBits on Monday issued an update for its 1Password app, bringing the mobile client to version 6.1. The team is calling this the "Unity Edition," and it brings about support for 1Password for Teams, a new All Vaults view, and various other smaller improvements.

With 1Password for Teams, everyone gets the simple, convenient security of 1Password, and you get the tools you need to control and manage access to your important info. This includes features like end-t0-end encrypted sharing, anti-phishing defense and more.

FireCore confirms Infuse media player hitting new Apple TV ‘very soon’

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 12, 2018

Well regarded jailbreak developer FireCore today put an end to speculation, confirming that its speedy, powerful and versatile media player for iOS devices, Infuse, will be coming to the 4th generation Apple TV.

“We're now starting to see a beautiful bright light at the end of the tunnel, and that light is coming into form as Infuse 4 for Apple TV,” reads the post. Infuse 4 for Apple TV will be a free update for all current Infuse Pro users.

Facebook’s facial recognition coming to Messenger

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 9, 2015

Facebook's facial recognition technology, used on the site to offer suggestions for photo tags, is coming to the company's Messenger mobile software, Re/code reported Monday.

With facial recognition, Messenger will run an analysis of the photos in your iPhone's Camera roll that you haven’t uploaded yet. When it recognizes a face of a Facebook friend on a photo, you'll get a notification to send them the image through Messenger, a cool feature if you snap a bunch of photos at parties that you routinely forget to send later to the attendees.

Tag Heuer unveils Android Wear-based $1,500 Connected smartwatch

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 9, 2015

Tag Heuer, a Swiss watch maker, announced at today's event in New York City a brand new smartwatch that its outspoken CEO Jean-Claude Biver claims has “almost the same features as an Apple Watch”. Marketed under the Connected moniker, the $1,500 titanium-clad 46mm device is powered by Google's Android Wear software for smartwatches, delivering “micro apps” to your wrist.

It has a classic design and Tag Heuer is offering a selection of six colorful bands (black, white, green, blue, orange, yellow and red). The watch is priced at $1,500.

Twitter app update makes polls available to everyone

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Twitter on Monday pushed out an update to its mobile apps, bringing the iPhone client to version 6.40.3. The update doesn't any major changes or improvements, but it does bring about full support for the social network's new polling feature.

Introduced last month, Twitter Polls allows users to quickly and easily create two-choice polls. The feature has been rolling out to some users over the past few weeks, but after today's update, everyone should be able to access it from within the app.

Apple releases tvOS 9.0.1 for new Apple TV

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 12, 2018

Apple has released tvOS 9.0.1 for the new Apple TV. The update is available as an OTA update by going to Settings → System → Software Updates. The full update is also available as a 922 MB download from Apple.

tvOS 9.0.1 comes with build number 13T402, and any user currently running tvOS 9.0, which will be all users not running a beta, are recommended to update.

FiftyThree’s Paper comes to iPad Pro, gains 3D Touch sensitive inks on iPhone 6s

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 9, 2015

Following Apple's confirmation this morning that it will begin accepting online orders for the iPad Pro this coming Wednesday, developer FiftyThree has now updated its Paper drawing app with support for Apple's upcoming device and full compatibility with the Apple Pencil.

In addition, today's Paper update brings out pressure-sensitive inks on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus smartphones via 3D Touch and the ability to reorder Spaces from the Space Settings dialog.

MacPhun unveils new Mac app co-developed with renowned HDR photographer Trey Ratcliff

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 9, 2015

San Diego, California-headquartered MacPhun, the makers of some of the finest photography and image editing applications for the Mac, iPhone and iPad, today announced what's being billed as “the most advanced HDR software in the world,“ a brand new Mac app called Aurora HDR.

Available for pre-order today and arriving November 19, the Mac-only app contains every tool you'll ever need to produce high-quality HDR images and includes handy one-click presets, support for layers, custom textures, native RAW file format and more.

Siri gains Apple Music support on Apple TV, now can search and play music on latest beta

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Siri has apparently gained some new functionality for Apple TV, at least on the tvOS 9.1 beta. You can now direct the remote assistant to play any song or album directly from Apple Music, even if the song or album isn't in your library. Siri can even search for songs on Apple Music, play Play Beats 1 radio, and more.

This makes Siri a lot more useful on Apple TV, and means that you don't have to look at the interface to start playing a song that you want to hear. The lack of Siri integration for Apple Music has been a popular pain point for early adopters of 4th-generation Apple TV.

I'm running the 9.1 beta on my Apple TV. For the record, Siri search for music was said to come as an update early next year, so it's highly likely that this could be a beta-only feature. Other iDB staffers have tried to replicate this functionality on tvOS 9.0 boxes to no avail.

Watch our video that shows Siri integration for Apple Music on the Apple TV...