Apple to become a video force?
By Kevin C. Tofel 
posted Dec 14th 2005 9:47AM
posted Dec 14th 2005 9:47AM
We speculated, prognosticated, and even just plain guessed that the iPod of the future will play high-def video. No, it won't be on a small screen in the current iPod form factor; more than likely, you'll hook up that iPod to an HDTV and pump out the content. Honestly, you don't need 1080p resolution on a portable device with a screen size smaller than your hand.Seems like Slate magazine is catching our drift as they have thoughts on how Apple can become a force in the video industry. The article is a general thought and not specific to high-def, but the concepts still apply. Give the article
Will the portability of future iPods be portability of the content to another device as opposed to the ability to play in a standalone form factor? What does Apple need to do to crack the video market currently reigned by cable, satellite, DVD and *gulps* Windows Media Center?
"Give the article and read and let you know what you think."
Glad to see things get proof read around here.
Don't the two mistakes cancel each other out? Actually, I'm surprised I spelled "prognosticated" right. Seriously, thanks for the catch; fixed!
It's not Apple that's holding back the content...it's the Movie and TV Studios....
It's called copy protection (HDCP). HDMI with HDCP is what they are waiting for....Cable Cards with the encryption flag set to "ON" so you can't burn to DVDs.
We could have so much more HD content out there already without the studios fighting over copy protecion! Hell....HD-DVD/Blu-Ray would have been out already if it wasn't for studios holding up the process with the copy protection. Now, don't get me wrong, I understand the need....the problem is....there has NEVER been a copy protection scheme for digital medium that has not been circumvented. A week after HD-DVDs/Blu-Ray is released, there will be a new "DeCSS"-type cracker...so all this waiting for copy protection to be finalized will be in vain....
Sorry for the Tangent but Apple is right on track and I can't wait to see where they take this iTunes Video Store but Apple is being held back right now...I want a Mac OS X Media Center that is on par (preferrably better!) with Windows MCE 2005.