Apple TV Update

In the world of Apple enthusiasts, there is an annual event called the Macworld Expo, at which our Macleader, Apple CEO, offers a keynote presentation and tell us, the Mac-minions, what cool new hardware gadgets and software upgrades we can expect from Apple computer. Usually, it is all very drool-worthy, but from time-to-time, even Apple offers up something that is widely considered to be a flop.

One of the announcements at this year’s MacWorld was a software update for AppleTV, called ‘Take 2’. I have an AppleTV, and it serves primarily as a tool to turn my basement Manspace TV into an iTunes juke box. It’s also serves some purpose for viewing digital photos, and exploring YouTube on a big screen. And while I have yet to ever purchase a movie from Apple’s iTunes Store, I have purchased a few music videos. And it’s in this area that Apple TV lacks an obvious feature.

When playing music, AppleTV provides an option to ‘shuffle songs’, randomly playing selections from your library, playlist or album. But when playing music videos, there is no ‘shuffle videos’ option. You must select a video, and play it. If you want to view another video, you must select and play it. Repeat until you’re bored.

AppleTV Take 2 has some nice new features, including connecting now to Flickr and .Mac galleries, in addition to iPhoto pictures. And AppleTV Take 2 is a serious pimp for the iTunes store, in every menu putting options to search and buy content above the choice of perusing your own libraries. A bit cheesy, but not the end of the world. I have yet to try out renting a movie from iTunes, I’ll explore that option later.

But why, oh why, no video shuffle? It would be sooooo cool to to have a video jukebox, why must music videos be played one at a time? After that, my next wish for AppleTV would be that it turn my TV into an external monitor. I count on the fact that Apple has labs full of technicians working to make that happen. Help me. Write to Apple TV Feedback, and tell them that this was a nice small step forward, but there’s some major fixes that they missed.

for further reading…

Wired
Apple TV’s ‘Take 2’ Update Is Finally Ready

MacWorld
Hands on with Apple TV, Take Two

iLounge
Apple Inc. Apple TV Take 2