Apple TV survey checks into user habits

Apple may say that its Apple TV is just a hobby, but we know better. A recent survey for Apple TV users took a deep look at all activities users engaged in, and potentially more important, at which activities they didn't engage in. With the recent surge in interest in digital downloads, Apple has to be considering how it could exploit its box to take advantage of newfound interest, but that would likely require it to open its traditionally locked doors and allow other applications to ride shotgun. We already know that many users add extra capabilities not sanctioned by Apple, but boy, can you imagine the marketing on this thing if boxee, HD Netflix and Amazon Video On Demand were natively supported? We can dream, can't we?

[Nintendo Tim Posted Feb 15th 2009 10:43PM]

What they need to do is throw in a coax line-in to make the Apple TV worthwhile. Do you know how big of a shit Apple would be taking on all the cable/satellite companies?

[Evan Posted Feb 15th 2009 10:52PM]

Sorry, does apple tv stream 1080p, have a deal with satellite radio, offer my local channels?

[DrXym Posted Feb 16th 2009 7:39AM]

Apple TV can barely display 720p, only managing it at 24/25 fps, not 30fps. You're unlikely to see the service support 1080p unless they produce a new model.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 15th 2009 11:08PM]

If it handled HD Netflix, it would kill of their iTunes music store business for movies. Never. Gonna. Happen.

Regardless, I think that AppleTV is broken will take a complete product replacement to be fixed. I'm still quite content with my 360 streaming HD Netflix and my PS3 playing downloaded HD shows, so unless some super box can combine those two functions, I'm not really interested.

What I could kill for is a cheap Windows Media Center HTPC, but they're so god awfully expensive. $900+ at LEAST for a DVR is insane!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 15th 2009 11:55PM]

There's one habbit they forgot to put in the survey - run boxee on it... everyone i know including myself got an AppleTV just for that purpose.

I got mine from boxeeonappletv.com with boxee preinstalled.
A huge upgrade to the appletv software as well as to my viewing repertoire.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 16th 2009 8:50AM]

"With the recent surge in interest in digital downloads"

With less than one half of one percent of US households downloading content to their tvs I hardly call this a surge. Some xbox 360 fanbois streaming from netflix is hardly a surge or trend for that matter.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 16th 2009 9:44AM]

Sadly I have not received the survey.
The ATV has so much potential if they changed its idea from Itunes for your TV to Digital viewer of anything for your TV. Boxee certainly helps double its value...but it would be much nicer if apple did all of that.
Mine has no problem with output set at 1080p. Of course the incoming streams are at most 720p, not sure if it would choke at 1080 and take advantage of the fact that it doesn't need to upscale.

[ProfWho Posted Feb 16th 2009 10:19AM]

Apple needs to wake the hell up and realize that no one wants to pay for TV shows or movies when they can stream it for free.