With the public noting how the Apple TV is lacking, price modifications, and rumors of how the next Apple TV is shaping up… it’s no wonder current users are feeling left out. The good news is that Apple has, whether intentional or not, built the Apple TV in a way for it to be possible to gain some easy upgrades. It’s definitely powerful enough as a media center — in fact, it can even run the full version of Mac OS X like a charm. So here’s how Apple could upgrade the current Apple TVs, and not force consumers to buy new ones to gain new features.
Make it more like a computer. Not necessarily should it literally be like a computer, like when it’s hacked to run Mac OS X. Just take the iPhone’s approach: besides being a multimedia device, you also have email and Safari. So why doesn’t Apple just add them? Yes, I know — the remote limits the interaction. That’s why they should also…
Give that USB port some good use. Add compatibility for some basic USB devices like keyboard and mice — preferably a Bluetooth receiver for use with Apple’s own wireless peripherals. But if you’ve already used Nintendo’s Bluetooth Wii remote on your Mac (or the Wii itself), then you probably already know how it perfectly suits a media center setup. That’s why the future could rely on the air mouse technology…
Make a better remote. Apple’s simple remote suits the Macs — but not your living room. A universal remote would be handy to have. But why stop there, and not integrate a pointer while you’re at it, to take advantage of it like the Wii remote?
Obvious choice: make it a DVR. The one feature that everyone noticed was missing when the Apple TV was announced. Nobody knows if it was omitted it on purpose in order to favor the iTunes Store, but it’s not too late to add it. At the very least, Apple could make an accessory that could enable DVR functionality and be attached through the USB port — kind of like what Elgato does for the Mac. And if you have the 40 gig model, and think hard drive space could be a bother for all your recordings… a smart sync solution could keep all the weight off the Apple TV and in your Mac’s hefty storage solution.
The always-popular request: allow third party apps. Even if they add a sort of app authorizing and approval system… Apple really shouldn’t mind, as long as they keep selling more of these boxes to the consumers.
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[tags]Apple,Mac,Apple TV,iTunes[/tags]
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