AppleTV and gaming

I had expected games to be announced for AppleTV by now (so much so that I foolishly deferred buying an AppleTV for our new television).  I had originally assumed that the announcement would be dependent upon a large enough installed base of AppleTVs to resolve the usual chicken/egg problem for game devices (no games means no one buys the console; no console owners means no one develops games).

However, I think that, beyond installed base (seems like it is about 20m units so far, but perhaps some of these are older models? In any event, at 7m units per year, it will reach a respectable number quickly), perhaps the delay is because of the poor reception for the MFi controllers.  And, until Apple can figure out if it wants to sell its own controllers or try to simply set standards, it is holding off on gaming?

A good controller is hard to design but worth getting right.  And a good controller at a reasonable price (especially as it will be compared to the relative cost vs. the AppleTV itself) is even harder.  If we don't see games announced when the installed base of third generation AppleTVs (running at least an A5) is 40m, I will be more convinced that it is a lack of good controllers at a good price that is deferring games.

Separately, the fact that Apple has stuck to A5s for the AppleTV is suggestive of trying to create a meaningful base.  At the same time, the 64bit A7 likely makes more sense for quality gaming and future proofing so, if Apple wants the installed base to be 64 bit, we may have a long wait for games on AppleTV.  I may go buy that AppleTV now that I think about it...

Targeted broadcast television advertising

Given the high value of digital advertising, much of which is based upon the better targeting, why haven't cable providers and broadcasters joined forces to deliver targeted ads?  I think this should be relatively straightforward (massive because of the numbers but straightforward nevertheless): with broadcasters' permission, cable providers would replace the ads with those better targeted to the specific household.  Delivery should be relatively simple.  Ads could be pre-loaded during low demand periods to avoid the need to stream ads in realtime (DVR equipped cable boxes may be able to do this without hardware modifications).

I believe advertisers would object if they perceive their ratecards as losing value (we paid for x households, instead we got y).  So we would have a combination of broadcast program and narrowcast ads. Which, in fact, is how adserving works generally anyway.  And could very well be why Google is getting in the broadband business.

AppleTV

If I understand this right, AppleTV now streams/redownloads video as well as audio previously purchased from iTunes.  Which means that (setting bandwidth issues aside), when traveling, I can just bring my AppleTV and plug it into a hotel TV and have my entire (to the extent iTunes purchased) video library available.  I currently use the iPad as a video library but even with 64g, the library is limited.  Too bad hotel bandwidth makes this more hypothetical than useful for now.

iPad video mirroring

Why isn't there video mirroring on the iPad?  All I want is to be able to plug the iPad into a monitor and see the same thing on the monitor and the iPad's screen.  For me, it's for the kids (they can watch the same programming in the car using the existing screen).  For others, it's for academic efforts (electronic whiteboard).  Or for business presentations.  Etc.

This must be trivial to program but, unfortunately, isn't susceptible to third-party app solutions because it has to be part of the OS.

This is a real stumbling block to buying an iPad...

iAd

Wow.  Although this was largely expected, it still feels weird to realize that Apple is going to be deeply involved in advertising.  And, it's actually hard to describe their position - I think it is selling advertising space (but, because it is Apple and the tight control that comes along with it), advertising services, and the medium itself.  It is like Panasonic manufacturing the television, owning some (but not all) of the channels, having control over a certain type of channel (those that opt into iAd), helping create/approve the advertising, etc.  It's a very global system and very much shuts google out of advertising on apps that go the iAd route.  And, if built very neatly into the SDK, will be hard to resist simply opting into iAd as a default for occasional developers.  Google will really need to create a drop-in ad system for apps that goes beyond display ads.

Separately, it never occurred to me until two seconds ago with Google's auto-complete, that the "App Store" is two letters away from the "Apple Store".

iPad for the car

I'd like to see a case for the iPad that velcros on (or similar) so it can be attached and detached from the headrest in front.  Alternatively, some sort of snap-in system where it goes in a bracket with cords hidden away for power (and maybe audio).  At $500, it's not much more expensive than other high quality 9" screens but it also holds a lot of media, is easy for the kids to run, and, obviously, is very portable compared to most screens.

Internet in Italy

I'm shocked that significant bureaucratic hurdles that de facto make internet video services (such as YouTube) uneconomic would be imposed in Italy, a country whose Prime Minister owns its largest television group.  Shocked.

24: day 8

I had the following questions about the first four hours of season 8 of 24:
1. why not just take a taxi to the handoff rather than make an injured man walk 5 blocks?
2. how did the Russian hitman join the NYPD in the space of a few months (or perhaps weeks)?
3. why did the evil brother believe the evil weapons dealer when he said his son had radiation poisoning?
4. why is evidence of radiation poisoning a solution to the problem of: "money or goods first?"?
5. exactly how does someone create a false identity good enough to join CTU?
6. why are personal phones permitted throughout CTU?
7. how do personal phones even work in CTU?
8. how is Jack supposed to go undercover when he was in nationally televised congressional hearings?
9. why exactly would you go to the trouble of bringing nuclear materials into the US only to export them again (of course, hard to have a threat against the US if you don't bring them in, so this is excusable)?

So far, the basic plot and premise are pretty fun and compelling: good Iranian stand-in, credible bomb threat to take targets out of secure locations, believable internecine conflict (who more likely to take over than the brother after a tragic death?), customary 24 expansion of crisis by adding in nuclear weapons dealing on US soil...

future TVs

This Panasonic TV is an okay idea but misses something more useful - TV manufacturers should work to embed the camera in the middle of the screen to permit "eye contact" in video-conferencing.  This would permit true differentiation from add-on cameras beyond simple aesthetics and leverage a capability unavailable to add-on providers (and thus permit better margins).

fan with a thermostat

I've been looking but can't find a simple small fan with a thermostat to cool down my media cabinet.  This should be a $20 product but it doesn't seem to exist.  I've found over-priced components to cobble one together but that would be nearly $100.  My cable box keeps shutting off because it overheats.