Apps on your TV

[Towen7]

There are rumors that Apple and Google are both poised to release hardware that will bring apps to the TV set. That may usher in the era of a-la-carte television if content providers (like Warner Bros or HBO) can develop a model that will allow direct to consumer sales. We may see an HBO or Cartoon Network app that would allow you to subscribe to their channel to download or stream content. This model probably wouldn't save you any money but it would allow you to get what you want, when you want it, without paying for channels you NEVER watch.

If all or most of the content you actually watch now were available "on demand" would you disconnect you cable or satellite service?

I would. And I'd probably watch a lot less TV.

 

[PaulyT]

I probably would, but I'm only paying like $10/mo for my basic cable TV right now...

 

[Flint]

At the CES and NAB trade shows this year I saw lots of great demos of what the manufacturers think we will want to do with our TVs when they can all run applications. The one I was most attracted to was a Sky Video Phone setup where you could watch a live sporting event at home while participating with several friends at the same time. Since I don't have any real life friends, I was hoping some of you guys would do that with me so I don't feel so alone and isolated. I don't care what the sport is, I just don't want to feel alone anymore.

 

[PaulyT]

Oh get a life, you ninny.

 

[Towen7]

My first thought when I heard about apps on TV was that they would just mimic apps on a smartphone or computer and I have no desire for anything like that. I don't want to play phone games on my TV. I don't want my TV to become a social media hub. I don't want chat bubbles popping up while I'm watching TV.

What I do want is for content producers/distributors to develop apps to sell their content directly to the consumer. HBO can develop a app that will allow me to a pay a small subscription fee for on-demand access to their content without having the cable company in the middle. I think this is exactly why HULU fights so hard to keep their content from being accessed by third party box makers.

 

[Kazaam]

I've been reading the rumors of a $99 Apple TV being rebadged as iTV. I've also heard about Googles upcoming TV device (using Android, I think?). I find the idea interesting about streaming video from a cloud. But the rumored Apple price would be 99 cents per show (48-hour rental), and I wonder if this would result in the end of existing free TV on Hulu?

As far as apps go... I can't quite wrap my head around how the apps stuff would work. Would apps work with a basic cheap remote? Or would one need to integrate some kind of touchpad device like a smartphone in order to take full advantage of them? Would they sell gamepads?

Regardless, I'm probably not buying one. Well... maybe someday I'd consider the rumored iTV, but only as a potential replacement to my Airport Express which I'm currently using to stream lossless audio via an optical port; that is, assuming the iTV has an optical out and can work as a transport for iTunes.

It'll be interesting to see if Apple unveils anything at the September 1st media event. My guess is it'll only be with regards to the new iPods, but you never know if crazy ol' Steve might try to squeak iTV in there, too.

 

[Towen7]

Would apps work with a basic cheap remote? Or would one need to integrate some kind of touchpad device like a smartphone in order to take full advantage of them? Would they sell gamepads?

Apple has a wireless 5"x5" touchpad that they cal the Magic Trackpad. It's annoying to use with a PC but works great on the sofa.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC380?mco=MTM3NDcxNzI

As far as pricing for streamed content goes... I really don't think that we'll save any money in the long run. The advantage is that it you'll have virtually instant access to whatever you want when you want it.

 

[Kazaam]

I hadn't really thought about it that way. One wouldn't really need to have a LCD screen on the touchpad itself for a web-based TV box, such as GoogleTV and AppleTV. That magicpad (or similar device) might could work, indeed.

 

[Doghart]

My new Samsung has download-able apps.

Sure, there's Netflix, Vudu, Skype, Twitter, Napster, Hulu Plus, Yahoo TV, USA Today, Pandora, Youtube, Facebook, AP news, Weather... yada,yada,yada... but there's also a huge section with games and other things to download.

I'll see if I can find a list...

http://apps.us.samsung.com/us/appstore/genre.do

:text-bravo:


D

 

[apcarandang]

Unfortunately the new AppleTV doesn't support apps like it was rumored to do. I think I'm still getting a couple for Netflix though since I already have bluray players for each of my displays. At $100 it looks like a bargain.