Comments on: The Apple TV versus the Sony PSP: lessons learnt? http://james.cridland.net/blog/2007/03/25/the-apple-tv-versus-the-sony-psp-lessons-learnt/ Radio, broadcasting, websites, and beer. Possibly. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:36:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Mike http://james.cridland.net/blog/2007/03/25/the-apple-tv-versus-the-sony-psp-lessons-learnt/comment-page-1/#comment-31672 Mike Sun, 20 Jan 2008 08:37:40 +0000 http://james.cridland.net/blog/2007/03/25/the-apple-tv-versus-the-sony-psp-lessons-learnt/#comment-31672 i have phat and skim psp and run homebrew and commercial games (iso). the latest firmware, 3.80 is hacked and i can run 3.80 m33 that has hombrew and games wont force update! i have phat and skim psp and run homebrew and commercial games (iso). the latest firmware, 3.80 is hacked and i can run 3.80 m33 that has hombrew and games wont force update!

]]> By: James http://james.cridland.net/blog/2007/03/25/the-apple-tv-versus-the-sony-psp-lessons-learnt/comment-page-1/#comment-5490 James Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:25:54 +0000 http://james.cridland.net/blog/2007/03/25/the-apple-tv-versus-the-sony-psp-lessons-learnt/#comment-5490 Whilst it looks nice and sounds like a cool bit of kit - I think I'd rather opt for a Mac Mini if I was in the market. Without any hacks (as I understand it) you can play DivX video? You could also get a Bittorrent client with an RSS feed and download shows automatically over night, if so inclined? It could also take the place of a DVD player, with EyeTV get and record Freeview channels, browse the internet and so on. If the BBC iMP, CNN Pipeline and 4oD are compatible that's even better. I don't download anything illegally - but if iTunes had shows currently on FX and Sky One to download for a fee I'd be using it without question. Lastly - I listened to some session tracks and an interview on the Virgin Radio site over the weekend. I'm not sure if you can do that on AppleTV - but if you can pull up the tuner, then turn off the TV and listen on the amp that's some more cool points. Perhaps I've missed the point - but I think the Mac Mini represents better value for money, at least in the UK today. Whilst it looks nice and sounds like a cool bit of kit - I think I’d rather opt for a Mac Mini if I was in the market.

Without any hacks (as I understand it) you can play DivX video? You could also get a Bittorrent client with an RSS feed and download shows automatically over night, if so inclined? It could also take the place of a DVD player, with EyeTV get and record Freeview channels, browse the internet and so on.

If the BBC iMP, CNN Pipeline and 4oD are compatible that’s even better. I don’t download anything illegally - but if iTunes had shows currently on FX and Sky One to download for a fee I’d be using it without question.

Lastly - I listened to some session tracks and an interview on the Virgin Radio site over the weekend. I’m not sure if you can do that on AppleTV - but if you can pull up the tuner, then turn off the TV and listen on the amp that’s some more cool points.

Perhaps I’ve missed the point - but I think the Mac Mini represents better value for money, at least in the UK today.

]]> By: Martin Hill http://james.cridland.net/blog/2007/03/25/the-apple-tv-versus-the-sony-psp-lessons-learnt/comment-page-1/#comment-5433 Martin Hill Mon, 26 Mar 2007 01:22:05 +0000 http://james.cridland.net/blog/2007/03/25/the-apple-tv-versus-the-sony-psp-lessons-learnt/#comment-5433 That's the thing - Apple's business model doesn't revolve around the content. Their business model isn't threatened as they make their money on the hardware. Apple makes very little money on the songs and videos they sell on the iTunes Store, it's the iPods that bring in the cash. As a result you can hack the iPod or the AppleTV all you like - Apple is happy as long as you buy their hardware. And if you end up buying the odd bit of music or TV show later on because it is so damn easy, good quality and reasonably priced, well what the hey. You’re growing the marketshare of the open MPEG-4 standard (as well as the proprietary Fairplay DRM) and further marginalising the proprietary Windows media format along with the proprietary Windows media DRM standard. As far as why they don't support DivX etc natively - that would be a nod to the media cartels to imply they are not supporting the pirates. But not going out of their way to stop it for those who have the time and inclination, what better way to satisfy both markets? With the AppleTV having a ultra-low voltage 1GHz Pentium M CPU, Nvidia GeForce graphics card, 802.11n wifi and gigabit ethernet as well as USB, an upgradeable 2.5” hard disk and multiple ways to hook up your HD TV as a monitor, what you have is basically one extremely cheap, compact Mac - a Mac Mini Mini (or Mac Nano) as some have coined it already. It becomes a much more enticing purchase than just another set-top box. -Mart That’s the thing - Apple’s business model doesn’t revolve around the content. Their business model isn’t threatened as they make their money on the hardware. Apple makes very little money on the songs and videos they sell on the iTunes Store, it’s the iPods that bring in the cash.

As a result you can hack the iPod or the AppleTV all you like - Apple is happy as long as you buy their hardware. And if you end up buying the odd bit of music or TV show later on because it is so damn easy, good quality and reasonably priced, well what the hey. You’re growing the marketshare of the open MPEG-4 standard (as well as the proprietary Fairplay DRM) and further marginalising the proprietary Windows media format along with the proprietary Windows media DRM standard.

As far as why they don’t support DivX etc natively - that would be a nod to the media cartels to imply they are not supporting the pirates. But not going out of their way to stop it for those who have the time and inclination, what better way to satisfy both markets?

With the AppleTV having a ultra-low voltage 1GHz Pentium M CPU, Nvidia GeForce graphics card, 802.11n wifi and gigabit ethernet as well as USB, an upgradeable 2.5” hard disk and multiple ways to hook up your HD TV as a monitor, what you have is basically one extremely cheap, compact Mac - a Mac Mini Mini (or Mac Nano) as some have coined it already. It becomes a much more enticing purchase than just another set-top box.

-Mart

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