fuckyeahphysica: fuckyeahphysica: Leonard’s classic joke...

Photo

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Hahaha. This is a really good goal, but I am far too talented at...

Hahaha. This is a really good goal, but I am far too talented at binge watching shows when I should be learning.

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The ads increase. The product continues to amaze.

The ads increase. The product continues to amaze.

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Why Apple Needs to Re-think Disallowing Game Controller Requirement on Apple TV

The new Apple TV.

It's actually a really great set top box. It's probably the best one on the market, honestly. Putting an Apple powered App Store onto a streaming box was definitely a long time coming, and I'm so glad that it happened.

What's great about apps? Well, you know, apps.
No, seriously, developers being able to put their streaming services onto Apple TV without being blessed by Apple, or working out special deals, or sacrificing their first born children like they had to do before is great.

Also games - games are really great on Apple TV. In the week and a half that I've had it, I've played more than my fair share of Crossy Road, Asphalt 8, Oceanhorn, Xenowork, Galaxy on Fire, Breakneck and other games. They're excellent (you should definitely check them all out), and I want more. Game controllers, as well as the Siri remote work really well, and there's something about games being on my TV that makes them feel more serious - more real.

Games were a huge part of the Apple TV launch spiel. And they have a brilliant future. Taking mobile, casual games more seriously is a huge market that everyone has been trying to tap for a while now. Remember Ouya?

There's only one problem, though: there are games that I dreamed about playing since the rumors of an App Store on Apple TV started going around. Games like N.O.V.A, Dead Trigger, Modern Combat, Shadowgun, Lego Star Wars, Midnight Star, FIFA, Afterpulse, Minecraft, and others are excellent on iOS and would be amazing on a big screen with a controller.

Unfortunately, this is not currently possible, even though I'm sure the developers are interested. Apple requires that all apps on the Apple TV App Store be able to work with just the Siri remote. Apps can utilize game controllers, which is a really good choice, but they cannot require (or essentially require through nerfing usability without) a controller.

What this ends up meaning is that apps with more complicated control schemes, such as first person games, shooters, and 3D world based games are simply not possible. This is really unfortunate, because it means that great games on iOS that belong on the TV cannot be on Apple TV.

This would be one thing if nobody else was doing third party games on set top boxes, but Android TV is doing just that. They happen to have Modern Combat 4 in particular featured in their TV store. Apple TV is the best media streamer (unless you are 100% YouTube + Google Play or all Amazon streaming [but now that's Google and Amazon's fault, not Apple's]) but it can't be called the best mobile game on TV box on the market right now.

Yes, I understand that this adds complications to the App Store, and users are generally bad at complications. However, I still think this is something that could be dealt with for the better gaming end. Also, Apple could either pop up warnings before you purchase a game requiring a controller, or could only display controller games if you've connected a controller to the TV before.

Am I the only one bothered by this? Let me know what you think in the comments. And if any of you have connections at Apple, please send this feedback their way.

Update: Checking out Apple's TV App Store again reveals that Guitar Hero Live is actually able to require a "bluetooth accessory," which is of course their guitar controller. This can be shown is this poorly shot photo of my TV because I don't have a USB-C cable to use to take a screenshot. 

So, apparently, at least if you are a certain developer, or perhaps only if your controller is not a normal gamepad, you can require it for use of the app. But officially policy is still to not allow MFi controllers to be required to play a game. Hopefully this requirement gets lifted.

iheartapple2: I’m really liking this controller for the new...

iheartapple2:

I’m really liking this controller for the new Apple TV. Lightning connnector charging with 40+ hour battery, pressure sensitive buttons, and feels great in the hands. Hopefully the game category will start to grow so I can get some use out of this thing. Enough with the fake fireplace apps!

I would easily pay $20 for something like N.O.V.A. or Modern Combat of Shadowgun or some other good first person shooter game on iOS to play them with this controller. Sadly, there’s nothing yet. Hopefully we see them soon.

TV Gaming is 10/10 the future of most gaming. It’s an awesome console.

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iheartapple2: The New Apple TV is now available to buy I...

iheartapple2:

The New Apple TV is now available to buy

I ordered one this morning, and you probably should too. It’s going to be revolutionary.

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Tim Cook Talks Apple TV

Tim Cook Talks Apple TV :

iheartapple2:

I can’t wait to get this!

I need this in my life.

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thechickkick: 1st episode of ink master I watched: WTF? all the tattoos look great to me. Latest...

thechickkick:

1st episode of ink master I watched: WTF? all the tattoos look great to me.

Latest episode of ink master I watched: your lines are blown out, your color is flat, and shading is non existent. I can’t believe you call yourself a tattoo artist.

Real talk.

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Apple needs to overhaul Apple TV in 2015

Here it goes - I'm calling it:

This year, 2015, we have to see an update to Apple TV. This update must be both in hardware and in software. 

The hardware can come either in the form of an updated set top box, or our can be the long rumored full-on Apple Television we've been hoping for. What it looks like essentially doesn't matter. What matters is that it will have an A8 system on a chip and 1-2 GB of RAM minimum. The A8X from iPad Air 2 wouldn't be a bad thing, though. 

The software could definitely use a more modern face-lift, but that's not the most important thing for now. What we absolutely need to see is an App Store so that developers can take advantage of the space. What makes any product, but Apple products in particular, great is what they enable you to do with them. An app ecosystem open to developers is vital to this, and is the biggest reason we've seen iOS and Android take off in recent years. And yes, this App Store likely means games on Apple TV (because it certainly means the potential for games: and where there's potential, there are apps taking advantage of that potential). 

The only way around these upgrades is for Apple to do something like they are doing with CarPlay, where the device responsible for AirPlay-ing to Apple TV handles the processing, and Apple TV just acts as a wireless display adapter. Or, Apple could come up with some other crazy, Apple-style optimizations and blow our minds. Essentially, the hardware needs to get more powerful, the OS needs to get easier to run, or our iPhones/iPads/Macs need to be offloading the computing from the device.

But of course, it's possible none of these update will happen. The consequence for these updates not happening is that Apple TV will fail to remain relevant in the streaming/set-top-box world. Playing the AirPlay card to justify Apple TV's superiority has worked so far, but Android 5.0 has achieved this ability with Chromecast, so it's not as cut and dry of an argument as before. 

So, I'm calling it: we will see a major update to Apple TV this year, or it will fade into obscurity. Apple TV can no longer afford to be Apple's hobby device.

Do you think we'll see an Apple TV update this year? How will that manifest? Do you even care about Apple TV anymore? Do you even care about set-top boxes or streaming devices anymore? Let me know in the comments. 

Internet TV stands a chance with new FCC proposal

Good news for us cord cutters out there: the Verge reported today that the FCC has just offered a proposal which would give companies the ability to license traditionally broadcast television based shows for streaming on the internet.

This proposal would be excellent for consumers, because it would mean generally lower monthly bills, and also only paying for shows that you actually want to watch. And it likely would lead to more competitive pricing from cable companies as well, which is never a bad thing.

This could also mean that we will actually see the long rumored Apple Television, rather than just the current set top box iteration. Google appears to have been prepping for a future with this passed proposal, based on an app seen for Android TV.

Are you excited for this as I am? Let me know what you think in the comments.

Comcast's Xfinity Commercial is ridiculous

Does anybody else find it totally ridiculous that this commercial from Comcast touts the company's ability to record 4 shows at once and watch another? They talk about this like it's revolutionary, and not just some artificially imposed number, no different than the 2 shows at once that other companies use as limits.

The only reason that this seems like a good option is because the other option are worse. We shouldn't be happy with this. Comcast shouldn't have the nerve to advertise this.

I hate cable companies.

The problem with bundling

Megan Geuss on arstechnica reports on a study that found "On average, Americans get 189 cable TV channels and only watch 17." 

To many, this may seem surprising, especially considering another finding of the study, which is that while the available channels to consumers has increased steadily since 2008, the average number of channels actually watched has remained relatively constant around 17 (source: linked article above).

So what does this mean? To me, this means that it's time that cable change format for delivery. I'm not calling for their change to pay-per-show model like many popular downloading stores like Amazon or iTunes. Rather, I am calling for a change in model to a pay-per-channel model.

Here's the justification: I am a huge football (soccer for Americans) fan. I would gladly be paying for Fox Soccer Channel right now, if it weren't for the fact that said channel comes bundled with a bunch of other channels I just don't care about. Yes, I want Fox Soccer, but I don't also want to be getting NFL Network, CBS Sports, and ESPN U, because I just don't care about the content that they air. I would be willing to pay more for a per-channel basis to only get what I want than to pay less for a bundle of crap.

This is where cord cutters are stepping in. This is where the cable industry is starting to falter and look to other means of keeping their ridiculous profit margins.

The content producers themselves would prefer this model, I would think, because they'd be serving their content only to a dedicated user-base who actually watches it, and would be paying directly for it. There would be far less of fighting to get into a bundle in hopes of being watched, and then being excluded from the magic 17 channels.

Just my two-cents on the subject, though. Let me know what you think in the comments. Do you like having more channels than you watch? Is that value to you?