Get more from your shiny box of joy
Your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch have been generously updated by Apple with over 200 new features yesterday, and the Cupertino-based company didn’t forget about its “hobby device”. Apple released the Apple TV 4.4 software update, which adds Photo Stream, AirPlay mirroring, NHL live games, Wall Street Journal news, support for subtitles in Netflix, new movie trailers section and some new slideshow themes.
Brought to you by the developers of Remote HD, AirServer is an advanced AirPlay/AirTunes receiver that lets you seamlessly stream audio, videos, photos, and photo slideshows to your Mac or iOS device. The software has just been updated to version 3.0, which comes with a new built-in video players and enhanced iOS 5 and Lion support. AirServer has now the ability to stream slideshows with visual effects and music intact via AirPlay.
Deep inside the iOS 5 file system 9to5Mac has found an evidence for a next-generation Apple TV being in the works – a reference to ‘Apple TV 3,1’ (current model is listed as 2,1). According to 9to5Mac, the number changing from 2 to 3 should signify a major upgrade. What changes can we expect? Most likely, the device will get a dual-core A5 processor that would open door to true 1080p. In July AppleInsider reported that Apple may be preparing to begin supporting 1080p movies in its iTunes Store later this year. True 1080p would be a nice update for iPhone 4S owners since the device allows to shoot 1080p videos and then stream it to Apple TV via AirPlay. Games mirrored in 1080p, like Real Racing 2 HD, would also be awesome. The current Apple TV’s A4 processor only allows 720p playback.
First announced for iPad 2 back in June, AirPlay mirroring is now coming to iPhone 4S. This feature will let you see on your TV (with the Apple TV 2 plugged in) exactly what’s on your new iPhone. Although iOS 4 natively supports AirPlay for photos, videos and music, and there are iPhone apps that let you AirPlay pretty everything – web pages (Web Browser for Apple TV), live view of your iPhone’s camera (Camera for Apple TV), maps, text editor (TVOut Genie!) – one thing still missing are games. Well, it will finally change with the arrival of the iPhone 4S and, as this video shows, we can expect it will work as smooth as we are hoping for.
There are apps in the App Store that can do similar things (e.g. IMDb, Fandango), but Showreel is claimed to be the first AirPlay-enabled app that lets you watch full length HD movie trailers on Apple TV 2. Although the developer promises to “showcase nothing but the latest and greatest movies”, the movies are, well, not the latest releases and the collection is still quite small. On a good side, trailers are updated weekly, there are no ads and pre-trailer commercials, and the browsing experience on iPad as well as viewing trailers on the big screen in 720p is great. The app is iPad only.
