If you have the Apple TV, settle down, they didn't released new hardware. Instead they released an update to the OS.
Apple TV 3.0 adds the current iTunes features, Genius Mixes and iTunes LP to your set top box.
Check it out and drop your first reactions in the comments below.
Below is Apple's press release:
Apple Introduces Apple TV 3.0 Software With Redesigned User Interface
Enjoy iTunes Extras, iTunes LP & Genius Mixes on Your HD TV
CUPERTINO, California—October 29, 2009—Apple® today introduced new Apple TV® 3.0 software featuring a redesigned main menu that makes navigating your favorite content simpler and faster, and makes enjoying the largest selection of on-demand HD movie rentals and purchases, HD TV shows, music and podcasts from the iTunes® Store even better on your TV. You can now enjoy iTunes Extras and iTunes LP in stunning fullscreen with your Apple TV, as well as listen to Genius Mixes and Internet radio through your home theater system. The new Apple TV software is available immediately free of charge to existing Apple TV owners, and Apple TV with 160GB capacity is available for just $229.
“The new software for Apple TV features a simpler and faster interface that gives you instant access to your favorite content,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “HD movies and HD TV shows from iTunes have been a huge hit with Apple TV customers, and with Apple TV 3.0 they get great new features including iTunes Extras, Genius Mixes and Internet radio.”
The redesigned main menu on Apple TV gives you instant access to your favorite content. Recently rented or purchased movies, as well as other content including TV shows, music, podcasts, photos and YouTube, are accessible directly from the new main menu. The new software also allows Apple TV users to enjoy stunning fullscreen iTunes Extras and iTunes LP, including great new movie titles such as “Star Trek” or classics like “The Wizard of Oz” and albums such as Taylor Swift’s “Fearless (Platinum Edition)” and Jack Johnson’s “En Concert.” iTunes Extras gives movie fans great additional content such as deleted scenes, interviews and interactive galleries. iTunes LP is the next evolution of the music album, delivering a rich, immersive experience for select albums on the iTunes Store by combining beautiful design with expanded visual features like live performance videos, lyrics, artwork, liner notes, interviews, photos, album credits and more.
Now Apple TV users can enjoy Genius Mixes through their home theater system and listen to up to 12 endless mixes of songs that go great together, automatically generated from their iTunes library. Customers can also enjoy Internet radio, allowing them to browse and listen to thousands of Internet radio stations, as well as tag favorite stations to listen to later. Apple TV’s support of HD photos is enhanced with iPhoto Events, which simplifies finding your favorite photos on Apple TV, as well as iPhoto® Faces, which gives access to photos organized by people identified in iPhoto.
Apple TV users have direct access to a catalog of over 8,000 Hollywood films on iTunes including over 2,000 in stunning HD video available for rent or purchase. Users can also choose from a selection of 11 million songs, 10,000 music videos and over 50,000 TV episodes to purchase directly from their Apple TV or browse and enjoy the iTunes Store podcast directory of over 175,000 free video and audio podcasts. Purchases downloaded to Apple TV are automatically synced back to iTunes on the user’s computer for enjoyment on their Mac® or PC or all current generation iPods or iPhones.* iPod touch® or iPhone® users can download the free Remote app from the App Store to control their Apple TV with a simple tap or flick of the finger.
Pricing & Availability
The new Apple TV software is available as a free automatic download
to all Apple TV customers. The 160GB Apple TV is available from the
Apple Store® (www.apple.com),
Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested
retail price of $229 (US). Apple TV requires an 802.11b/g/n wireless
network or 10/100 Base-T Ethernet networking, a broadband Internet
connection and a high definition widescreen TV. Video availability
varies by country.
Apple TV easily connects to a broad range of widescreen TVs and home theater systems and comes standard with HDMI, component video, analog and optical audio ports. Using high-speed Wi-Fi, Apple TV automatically plays your iTunes content without setup or management.
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November 10, 2009 at 10:17pm
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formercustomer
October 30, 2009 at 5:34pm
That's officially it. With the new apple TV 3.0 (forced) update, I am officially never spending another dime with Apple. Despite my love for mac look and feel and ease of use, the company has steadily been betraying its own dedication to the user experience by slowly but steadily trying to wall in users and extract extra cash from them.
This is like being betrayed by a friend.
It started with the DRM nonsense that suddenly made my own music impossible to access without repeated password entries. apple treated us like thieves in our own homes. And no access to non-itunes video files. God forbid we should enjoy our own content. Then it blocked ipod touch from functioning as a remote speaker for macs and apple tvs. Why? No technical reason, but who would buy a $99 Airport Express if it allowed us to do this? No matter that I have spent thousands on ipods and other hardware already.
The apple TV fiasco is officially the last straw. I got forced-updated tonight. I lost all my hacks that allowed me access to hulu, to xbmc (watch my own content) etc. That, and I get a hideous new interface designed to privilege renting and buying instead of access to my own (already purchased from apple) content. I bought a device as media center and then a year later, it has been turned into a private retail outlet for apple, sitting in my living room. No asking, no apologies, it just happened. apple is now officially trying to turn my home into its private online store.
Enough. This is the last betrayal. I have always loved mac products, but the truth is Apple cannot be trusted with full access to home and to my content. Not content with the $4-5k I have spent already 9and would have continued to spend on their hardware), they went for the nickel and dime profit on $1.99 movies.
Big mistake. Farewell apple. Microsoft at least never pretended to be on my side.
Enjoy your precipitous stock slide. It's been fun.
allplatform
October 30, 2009 at 1:34am
Upgraded to ATV 3.0 and I have to say the new UI is pretty cool. I was impressed with the online radio addition and podcast providers. The big thing for me was the upgraded remote app for iPhone that acts much like a touchscreen mouse. Can't figure out why they didn't come up with this earlier.
