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Even pundits who formerly thought Apple Television — as in a fully integrated box with a Web browser that flings content across iPhone’s, iPod touches and iPads, as well as Macs — was hopeless are beginning to warm to the idea the company Steve Jobs reinvigorated has to try to conquer the complex home entertainment market.
In his Monday post, Jean-Louis Gassee noted:
“Imagine a true plug-and-play experience. One set with only two wires: power and the cable TV coax. Turn it on, assert your Apple ID credentials and you’re in business. The program guide looks good and is easy to navigate; pay channels are just a click and a password away. The TV runs apps, from games to FaceTime and Skype, it “just works” with your other iDevices and also acts as a Wi-Fi base station using the cable provider’s Internet service.“
Apple, of course, would have to run a gauntlet of integration challenges involving CableCards and other stuff. Woo the carriers, etc.
Frankly, I was more excited by this prospect when it comes to Apple Television’s competition, Google TV:
“And now that Google owns Motorola, a company with known expertise in set-top boxes and CableCards, we can expect a next-generation Google TV and, quite likely, a Samsung TV set with an integrated Google TV running Android apps and competing with the putative Apple TV.“
Which sounds great if you don’t already own one of the Logitech Revue boxes people aren’t buying, even at $99. A next-generation, integrated system such as that Google and Motorola could produce together would probably be a lot better than the current, first-generation iteration, which could stand to be far better.
Which makes me, again, wonder, if I’m using a dead-end technology. No matter, I suppose what matters is it gets the job for me done now. Just last night I updated my Google+ account through the Chrome browser on my Google TV set.
Onward and upward.