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Apple TV - Review

Apple TV is here. I had an opportunity to test it out this weekend - here are my thoughts.

First...

It's important to understand that companies like Roku and Tivo are already on the market with set top boxes and also Boxee Box and Google will be unveiling their highly anticipated versions in just a few weeks. This is Apple's second version of Apple TV.

Whats it for?

So the idea is to get more entertainment out of your TV using this little box (a quarter of the size of the previous model) that costs 99 bucks.

Hook the box up via HDMI to your TV (cord not included) and plug in the power cord. You need a Netflix account and the latest version of iTunes. You control it via a little remote (provided) or through your iPhone or iPod Touch. The setup took literally 1 minute.

The interface is extremely intuitive and easy to use like you would expect from Apple.

Content

You have access to purchase ad-free TV shows for $0.99, (FOX, DISNEY, ABC, BBC), over 4,000 HD Movies at $3.99, access to Netflix, YouTube, Internet Radio, Podcasts, Flickr. You can also stream all of your photos, music and videos directly from your iTunes Library.

In November AirPlay will be launched which will allow you to stream from your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad directly to your TV.

My Thoughts

Apple has cleverly positioned itself. If you have a lot of Apple products it really streamlines your gadgets creating an entertainment hub in a small footprint.

Is this a game changer like the iPad or iPhone? No, but it's a cool device that can be used for what you want it for. I've been hooking up old school via HDMI to my computer and playing content that way - which I am fine with. However, if I want to still be use my computer when I'm not playing a movie on the plasma or just simply listen to a podcast while I'm multitasking its sweet to have the capability. I can definitely see families sharing photo albums too over the holidays from their computers or people loving the AirPlay app. For $99 its worth experiencing hands on.

Final Note

It will be interesting to see how it pans out for networks. Will they get behind this digital platform that doesn’t promise huge monetary output? Maybe the money isn’t there but the future is?

A Touch of Ridiculous.

Things you don't need - but need to see.

The Situation Shirt. See thru panel for abs and Jersey Shore lovers.

Bacon Bubble Buddy. Bubble gun shoots bacon flavored bubbles made for dogs and kids?! Mark my words - I will get this on a segment.

LED Air Freshener.

Inflatable Meatloaf. I honestly have nothing to say about this. Not a clue how you would use it except to admire its sheer awesomeness.

Starship Enterprise Pizza Wheel. What a great stocking stuffer for a Trekkie.

Let's Talk Tablets.

With Apple selling 3 million iPads in 80 days it's easy to understand why competition in the tablet arena is heating up. But what we are calling 'tablets' these days is pretty diverse.

This weekend on CNN Newsroom we showcased a few:

1.) Samsung Galaxy Tab - Price TBD

Expected to be the iPad's biggest competition the Tab will be hitting the States in the upcoming weeks.

Samsung made a huge announcement last Thursday that it will live on four major carriers; Sprint, Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, allowing the carriers to set the price point, plan and of course tweak for customization (VCast, access to AT&T's Wifi Hotspots, etc). Initially it will only be available with a carrier but it is also anticipated to have a wifi only version taking cues from the iPad.

The biggest difference with the Tab is that it runs on Android 2.2 (Froyo) and it has a front facing (1.3) and rear facing camera (3MP) with capability to video conference.

It is 3” smaller than the iPad and has expandable memory via microSD slot (up to 32GB).

2.) Kno - Price TBD (guesstimated $1,000)


The first tablet made just for college kids – currently in beta testing it will be out by the end of the year. The idea behind Kno is to replace everything in a 20lb backpack being lugged around from the books (now digital) right down to the pens (stylus).

This is still in the tablet category but its larger in size and its two 14” panels and weighs 5.5 lbs. The large dual screen viewing makes it easy to work with the device - access text on one side and graphs on the other for example.

Kno hopes to have 90% of textbooks available by launch.

3.) Dell Inspiron Duo - Price TBD


Dell recently unveiled a 10" convertible netbook/tablet unit. Little is known beyond the fact that it will run on Windows 7 with an Atom dual-core processor and is release date is TBD. The big deal is the tablet conversion (and Ill take an Atom processor any day) but guess what - I can make my tablet a netbook too with a Brando.

Food for thought:

What will it take for tablet success? The tablet is taking the hype of the netbook - though I personally think it is more practical. I still feel it is a want not a need and for that matter price point is huge. Also, we've learned that people don't like commitment and contracts (being sold on a carrier). The iPad is great on 3G because you are only committing month to month. I also think apps are a huge selling point. While the Android marketplace has around 80,000 the Apple App Store is still king with over 250,000.

And as a final note - this has not received as much attention but I found it interesting that Google's director of mobile products, Hugo Barra, stated that Android is not optimized for tablets. (The reference is to Froyo - while he stated the next versions of Gingerbread and Honeycomb will be up to par.) See link.

What I Want ... RIGHT NOW

Stay Puft Caffeinated Marshmallows

This treat box may upstage the World's Largest Gummy Bear which was a nice addition to the marketplace a few months ago.

For just $19.99 you can cuddle up with that special someone, make some smores, and enjoy the kick with the built in caffeine.

Wow! Totally outdoing Gushers!

Sidebar- Is it just me is anyone else regularly bothered by the fact that the Michelin Man totally ripped off the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man's look? Not cool Michelin Man, not cool.

Hi-tech Approaches to Death

File this under did you know? Hi-tech and just plain interesting approaches to death and dying.

Neptune Memorial Reef - The World's First Underwater Cemetery

A burial alternative. Three miles off the coast of Miami in 16 acres of ocean floor is the largest manmade reef of its kind - accommodated by an underwater cemetery. For burial, ashes are mixed with cement (made for underwater use) and fitted to the ocean floor by a diver. A plaque then has the individuals name, birthday and death date.

Burials range from $995 to ~$7,000

Alcor Life Extension - Cryogenically frozen isnt just science fiction vocab.

Alcor, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, was founded in 1972 and currently holds 98 cryogenically frozen patients including baseball great Ted Williams. Cryogenics is based on the idea that human life is preserved in a state that will be able to be brought back by future medicine.

Vinyly- Press your ashes into a vinyl record.

The track selection is up to you: personal message, playlist, last will, creepy cracks and pops. There is even an option to have your records distributed through 'reputable vinyl stores worldwide'. *Side note- having just gotten into vintage records, I would really hate to purchase some Tom Petty and accidentally get someones last will and testament. Prices starting at $3,000.

App Shakeup!

Here are my top app picks of the week. And to see who took home gold (not shown) catch my 'App of the Week' showcased every Saturday on The Early Show on CBS!

Fake-A-Call, $0.99
iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Fake-Call-Me (Android) $0.99
Get out of an awkward date or escape a scene with a "talker" by creating a fake incoming call with name and number of your choice.
This app has been out for a while but now has cool updates. Must note that there are 9 voices to choose from that will even have a conversation with you if you get stuck. And if you get REALLY stuck they will read you a script of what to say so you dont look like an idiot on a fake call.

ReelDirector, $3.99

iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
The ultimate video editing tool for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Trim clips, split clips, create transitions and add titles.

Toon Paint, 1.99

iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

Instantly convert your pictures to a sketched toon. You can then add any color to any selected area and upload to social networks or send via email.

Talking Harry, Larry, Tom or Hippo, $0.99 *The best $0.99 you will ever spend

iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

This is simply an amazing app. You can create custom animation with three buttons and upload to social networking sites or send via email. Beware of Harry the depressed Hedgehog - too funny!

3 Geeky NYC Places

1) Toy Tokyo

91 Second Ave (between 5th and 6th)
Meet my favorite store in the entire world - Toy Tokyo. If you ever make a trip to NYC Toy Tokyo is a must. It is appropriately located in the heart of the East Village and carries an eclectic variety of all things geek. So whether you are looking for a George Jetson Bobble Head, Light Saber Chop Sticks, Carny Qees, Pac-Man candies or just a happy meal toy from 1990 they will have you covered.

2) Dylans Candy Bar
1101 3rd Ave (between 60th and 61st)

Created by Dylan Lauren (daughter of Ralph Lauren) with inspiration from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - this candy shop will blow your mind. Candy cigarettes to Charleston Chews to choose your own bulk assortment - something for everyone. It is likely that will spend at least $100.

3) Toys R US

(Times Square)

Worth the trip just to see the indoor ferris wheel. Each cart is different from My Little Pony to Monopoly to Cabbage Patch Kids.

Social Networking and YOU

While 74% of Internet users turn to social networking sites (up 24% from last year) that still leaves nearly a quarter of all users without. On CNN we decided to track down a few people that weren’t on the sites and give them a digital media makeover which will air again at 10pm EST Saturday.

I wanted to share some interesting random thoughts/observations from the digital makeovers:

First, statistics. The largest growing group of Facebook users is 50+.

Also (in my experience) older individuals approach social networking sites different than younger users. They use a more methodical, calculated approach asking lots of questions wanting to really wrap their head around understanding it. They’ve heard of the privacy issues and want to make sure they don’t make any mistakes - (which of course is a good thing!)

We also discussed who should be taking advantage of social networking. And while it depends on the individual its at least worth trying a test site if even the slightest interested. However, for a business it’s an absolute must. It is low-cost / high traffic and in many cases FREE resource for marketing and promotion.

But of course this isn’t a complete love fest of social networking. It’s very important to understand these sites and the repercussions of oversharing. Just keep in mind there is no such thing as Internet privacy and just as amazing as it can be to make a long lost connection it could be detrimental on the other hand if you upload a picture you should have thought twice about.

Social Media - Ways to Capitalize

Recently, I had the chance to give individuals social media makeovers which will air on CNN Saturday, September 4th at 330pm. This was interesting for me - as a techie sometimes you have to step back and realize not EVERYONE is connected to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. But should they be?

In short, for businesses and individuals that are looking for networking opportunities it is an absolute must. You have to stay ahead of trends and utilize FREE opportunities any way you can to both promote and interact.

I want to share with you two examples I thought were relevant:

1.) I am a heavy purchaser on Thinkgeek.com and often organically use a lot of their products on-air. With that said the other day my LED umbrella broke. I was not happy. I called ThinkGeek and received fabulous customer service. I immediately tweeted about it and received instant feedback from their Twitter account @thinkgeek. I was impressed. Case in point. Twitter gives you instant connectivity and feedback with your customers for FREE. It gives you ways to change and make a good impression or just say "Hey, we're listening." which is valuable to customer retention.

2.) In our CNN social media makeover we met with a very talented actress. This is a perfect example of someone who spends thousands of dollars on headshots and marketing tools (trust me I've been there) when she could be using Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter to promote herself for FREE. She admitted she has lost out on a lot of opportunities both personally and professionally and was willing to give social networking a shot.

Again, with trends ever changing its important to adapt. You always want to be one step ahead. But it is also equally important to approach these platforms carefully and understand them before making the leap. For more on this topic catch our piece Saturday CNN, 330PM EST.

Wheres Waldo? App a Must

For just 99 cents you can get time burglarized for at least an hour! And for 2.99 you can have your mind blown with the iPad HD version.

Bring the nostalgia and frustration back with the wizard, the dog and the scroll. Swipe through the screen to find Waldo and co. Great narration and music and even animation in each of the worlds. Its so cool that you can hear the people talking underneath the music. A true upgrade from the books!

Never will you be so annoyed but yet equally pleased with stripes again.