At the AllThingsD D11 Conference held in southern California on Tuesday, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook revealed that the company had sold more than 13 million Apple TVs, and about half the number were sold in the past year. This numbers are actually amazing, especially for a product that Apple has put little marketing effort into.

Apple is long rumored to be developing a full TV set. As usual, when reached for comment on the announced product, Tim declined to comment. He has always been weary of commenting on unannounced products. However, he reassures all Apple TV lovers saying that Apple TV is of great interest to the company. Whether we are going to see a fully developed TV set soon is a matter yet to revealed. At the moment, Cook is keeping all the details to himself.

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Digitimes, a site that has a hit-or-miss track record when it comes to Apple rumors, reports that Apple is continuing to develop a TV that is likely to sport an Ultra HD 4K display (3840 x 2160). According to the sources, a standalone Apple TV set could launch by the end of this year, but it is more likely that Apple decides to unveil it in early 2014.

The sources said that Apple and Foxconn Electronics have been in discussions for quite some time in terms of the TV’s mass production schedule, but that Apple has been considering where panel supply for the TV will come from, as Ultra HD TV panel makers, most of whom are based in Taiwan, are expected to be producing at nearly full capacity in 2013 in order to meet demand from China-based TV vendors.

The sources added that Apple is banking on LG Display to be able to mass produce Ultra HD TV panels by the second half of the year.

According to Digitimes, the upcoming Apple HDTV will also feature voice and motion control functions.

Find more on a long-awaited Apple TV set.

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There is an ever growing number of people eagerly awaiting the news of an Apple HDTV release. The Apple TV set, we believe, is the product that Apple is working on to help them in the process of taking over the worlds living rooms. Though there are many who doubt that Apple will ever make this leap, Apple fans, and investors alike, are following this story with great interest. Thanks to the folks over at CNN NEWS, we were able to get some information found in a note to clients, Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty, issued Tuesday about what she calls “iTV.” Note the difference between an iTV (a TV set) and an Apple TV (current set-top box).

Essentially Huberty put together the results of a proprietary survey of 1,568 U.S. heads of household that she’s been sitting on since September. Key findings

Though we may all continue to debate the reality of Apple launching into the television market, which they will, there is no denying the numbers. Apple is what I like to refer to as an “on purpose” company. Everything they do is investigated, perfected, and responds to a real consumer need, both known and unknown. Granted the infamous iOS 6 Maps app, Ping, and Mobile Me are a few places where this may have fallen short, I would argue that when it comes to hardware they always succeed.

[Source: CNN Money]

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The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple it testing several TV-set designs. According to WSJ, “officials at some of Apple’s suppliers” said the company has been working on testing a few designs for a “large-screen high-resolution TV”:

Two people said Hon Hai Precision Industry (known by the trade name Foxconn), which assembles the iPhone and iPad, has been collaborating with Japan’s Sharp on the design of the new television.

“It isn’t a formal project yet. It is still in the early stage of testing,” said one of the people.

Apple, which works with suppliers to test new designs all the time, has been testing various TV prototypes for a number of years, according to people familiar with the efforts. The company generally tests and develops products internally before doing so with outside suppliers.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on the rumored Apple TV set.

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Rumors have been swirling for nigh on a year now about what would come to pass when Apple finally delivers its television. Not that the Apple TV is any slouch mind you, but visions of a fully integrated Apple HDTV have had experts and fanboys alike drooling. News about a possible release schedule and what could be expected of this hardware has been slow to nonexistent in recent months leaving many people filling that informational void with speculation. One particularly juicy daydream was just delivered by our friend over at The Verge and we simply had to pass it on. So here is one die-hard’s dream of the perfect Apple TV.

The goal is to explore what would be possible if the software manufacturers and the cable providers could hold hands and work together. After all, the HDTV technology today has plenty of punch behind it, but 2K or 3K resolutions wouldn’t mean a thing unless there was a way for subscription-focused live internet streaming to link without limitations to Apple’s superior content delivery system. So the Apple TV would seamlessly integrate with all of our mobile devices, while maintaining a more friendly relationship with non-apple products as well.

When it comes to hardware, it’s obvious what should go on the ‘must’ list. You’ve got to have Bluetooth and AirPlay, as well as integrated WiFi technology that passes muster. That beautiful HD quality FaceTime camera and software should make an appearance, as well as 3D technology if they can get it right (which means losing the terrible glasses, of course). Resolution should bottom out at 1080p, and outputs should include USB, Optical Audio, HDMI and Apple’s new Thunderbolt. That will allow for an expanded hard drive, though inclusion of a DVR with at least 1TB of storage should be in the conversation.

Of course, FaceTime won’t be the only iOS App to make an appearance. What would be perfect is a fullscreen App store, where you could buy and utilize many of the apps that make the iPhone, iPod and iPad so fantastic. But you would also be able to download one-click access to the various players you most frequently use (Hulu Plus, VUDU, Netflix, etc.) AND to purchase subscriptions to pay cable networks. Ideally you’d be able to pick a monthly or yearly subscription to ShowTime or AMC, while also paying for membership to HBO Go or one of the other fantastic cable streaming sites.

As with your other Apple hardware, the Apple TV would certainly utilize Spotlight for searching. But in our ideal device it would be able to search not only your library’s content, but anything available on iTunes, within an app Store, or upcoming in a TV guide listing. That way you’d immediately see any free and paid options. If Siri was integrated to help remind you of subscribed shows or TV Guide alerts, that would just be the icing on the cake.

And as far as that TV guide is concerned, the closer the resemblance to our app screen the better. All the channels could be listed vertically, with click-through descriptions. The guide would cleanly integrate with iTunes, so you could see all upcoming releases the same way. Previews would be available for all movies (as on Apple Trailers), and anything you bring to the party through an external drive would upload to the same guide and be visually cataloged.

Is all of this probable, or even possible? Who really knows. This is the Apple TV that will live in our dreams until we are given one in real life. It’s going to take Apple becoming more willing to accept non-Apple products, and the cable providers choosing the joy of the user over maximizing advertising profits. If you think it’s probably not going to happen, you can dream at least. It’s what Steve Jobs would have wanted.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Tech bloggers, including ourselves, have been buzzing hard about the hush development of an Apple television set for quite some time now. While the Apple TV set top box has been quite successful, it still requires a non-Apple piece of hardware to operate. Well, according to some whispers overheard on Barrons, those days may be drawing to a close.

Apparently Apple is deep in conversation with cable operators about a new TV product. While they haven’t been any more specific then that, chances are they aren’t talking about making a smaller Apple TV to match the iPad mini that launched so successfully. The only real option is an Apple HDTV that comes with built-in internet connectivity and deals with the larger cable companies.

According to a new report from Jefferies & Co.’s analyst James Kisner, Apple wouldn’t be talking to these companies if its product release was anything but “imminent”. Basically, the networks are playing ball because they know any Apple television would be immensely popular, meaning additional data requirements on all of the major broadband networks and some serious infrastructure work. Naysayers declare this could just be a conversation about additional streaming services, and remind excited parties that Apple themselves have continuously turned away questions about a pending TV release.

Also, according to AllThingsD’s John Paczkowski, ” the idea that a “potentially … imminent” launch is in the works seems harder to take seriously.”

For starters, Apple has already steered analysts away from the notion that it will have something to say about a TV solution soon. More important: If Apple were close to launching a new service, it would almost certainly be in touch with TV programmers about new arrangements, and we haven’t heard anything along those lines.

In other words, there are still a lot of missing pieces here, and while a major cable provider running what-if scenarios on a rumored Apple product is certainly interesting, it’s not necessarily a trumpet fanfare announcing its imminent arrival.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on the rumored Apple TV set.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

This week in “Apple TV News from the Web”:

1. AirPlay mirroring coming to iPhone 5
2. Anatomy of an Apple Rumor
3. Let’s talk… new Apple TV
4. Killer iPhone feature
5. Sharing some love

We are open for submissions: if you find anything related to Apple TV and you think it may fit here, send us a tweet or a Facebook comment and we’ll post it the coming week.

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1. AirPlay mirroring coming to iPhone 5

A source told TUAW that iPhone 5 will also feature AirPlay mirroring that lets wirelessly display everything you do on your iPhone right on your HDTV through Apple TV 2. We’ve been all expecting it but it can also be a… rumor.

2. Anatomy of an Apple Rumor

“Everyone, including your mom, re-reports Apple rumors,” claims PCMmag. The guys at the Magazine have a great infographic that shows the anatomy of an Apple Rumor. We know how it ends, but how it all begins? And what is your role in this process? Check it out on this graphic.

3. Let’s talk… new Apple TV?

Apple has finally announced that its upcoming media event will take place on Tuesday, October 4 at 10am Pacific Daylight Time on Apple’s campus in Cupertino and will be led by Apple’s new CEO Tim Cook. There are no doubts that Apple will focus specifically on a new iPhone, but is there a chance that Tim will surprise us with the updated of the company’s “hobby device”? There were some speculations that Apple may be releasing a new Apple TV with A5 chip making the device capable of true 1080p.

4. Killer iPhone feature?

9to5Mac reports that, according to a source familiar with the SOC’s manufacturing, the new iPhone will feature Apple’s dual-core A5 processor, 1GB of RAM and improved, 8 megapixel camera. But the new device’s biggest selling point and a game changer may be a software feature called Assistant – a Siri-inspired, system-wide voice navigation system. The phrase on this year’s invite, ‘Let’s talk iPhone,’ seems to confirm this. Check out 9to5Mac’s article to learn more on how the Assistant works.

4. Sharing some love

Our Facebook fan Erick Ramirez wanted to “share some love” to Apple TV Hacks by creatively playing with our logo. LOL, thanks Eric, we are impressed! We share some love too!

How do you like it?

You may also want to read:
Apple TV News from the Web: Edition 4
Watch HD Movie Trailers on Apple TV 2
Apple TV News from the Web: Edition 3

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

This week in “Apple TV News from the Web”:

1. Apple to build 3D TV system
2. Apps coming to Apple TV
3. Adobe AIR 3 games for iOS
4. The Pear TV
5. Apple TV Hacks Store

We are open for submissions: if you find anything related to Apple TV and you think it may fit here, send us a tweet or a Facebook comment and we’ll post it the coming week.

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1. Apple to build 3D TV system

Ben Kunz from Thought Gadgets predicts that Apple will soon get in the television business and build a 3D TV system. The trigger for his prediction was a patent that Apple won last year: the company wants to use Microsoft Kinect-type movement tracking to determine where the eyes of every person watching the TV in the same room are and then project separate beams of light to both of each user’s eyes making it possible for every person in the room to experience 3D without glasses. Kunz even thinks that thanks to this “truly holographic experience” plane travel could become a thing of the past!

Thought Gadgets:  Apple to build a hologram

2. Apps coming to the Apple TV

We all know that one of the next big things for Apple will be apps for the Apple TV. Developer Michael Gile predicts that “Apple TV will be the most successful game console in history.” He took the stage at 360iDev in Denver and showed off the code he’s already gotten running on the Apple TV and demoed an  app that let him to load up and play media assets. Gile also revealed that he’s working on porting Wolfenstein 3D and Quake over to the Apple TV’s system and announced that he’ll be releasing a version of the cocos2D iOS development platform that will also work with the Apple TV. Be ready for apps!

TUAW: 360iDev: Getting ready for apps on the Apple TV

3. Adobe AIR 3 games for iOS

It looks like Gile and other developers will soon have another option for making apps for iOS. Adobe has announced version 3 of its AIR software that is said to allow game publishers to deliver console-quality 2D and 3D games to any device running on iOS. Adobe promises that with AIR 3 developers will be able to deliver a “new class of gaming, premium video experiences, as well as sophisticated, data-driven applications” across devices, including the iPhone and iPad.

AppleInsider: Adobe promises ‘console quality’ games on iPhone, iPad with cross-platform AIR 3

4. The Pear TV

Our Facebook fan Steve has found and shared with us on our page that on the show iCarly, instead of using “Apple”, they use “Pear”, as in Pear Phone and Pear Pad. He posted a photo of his TV screen on which we can see the characters watching… the “Pear TV”. You can see it here.

5. Apple TV Hacks Store

We have a new section in Apple TV Hacks – our merchandising store! Join our Facebook page and tell us what is your favorite item in the store and we will make a draw among the participants in two weeks. Make your choice for a chance to win the item you like most!

You may also want to read:
Watch HD Movie Trailers on Apple TV 2
Apple TV News from the Web: Edition 3
Installing and Configuring a FTP Server in Your Apple TV 1st Generation

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

How Adobe is going to deliver Flash content to every iPhone and iPad? Will Feral’s legendary game finally come to the Mac? Which TV shows are now fully closed-captioned in the iTunes and how will be the new MacBook Pro? Read the third edition of “Apple TV News from the Web” to get the answers for all these iQuestions.

We are open for submissions: if you find anything related to Apple TV and you think it may fit here, send us a tweet or a Facebook comment and we’ll post it the coming week.

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Edition 3:

1. Flash coming to iOS
2. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
3. Closed-captioned episodes in iTunes
4. Updated MacBook Pro line

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1. Flash finally coming to iOS

Every day there are more and more websites with iOS-friendly non-Flash content and there is the famous, amazing Skyfire app (which I use a lot) that lets you play any Flash video on your iPhone or iPad but, still, it’s obvious it would make the life of every iDevice user much easier if there was simpler way to get Flash content. Well, it seems Adobe has finally found a way to bypass Apple’s restrictions on Flash – recently announced Adobe Flash Media Server 4.5 will allow the publishers to push every Flash content to any iOS device.

Read more on iPhoners.org or go to the BGR’s article for more details on how it will exactly work.

2. Deus Ex: Human Revolution coming to the Mac

Deus Ex: Human Revolution, the critically-acclaimed prequel to the legendary Deus Ex will finally have a native Mac version! The game will be released this winter.

What is Deus EX: HR about? Players control ex-SWAT commander Adam Jensen, who is forced to undergo cybernetic augmentation and thrown into the heart of a global conspiracy. He finds himself in a world where only those who adapt survive.

Watch the trailer to dive deeper into the unique atmosphere of this legendary game.

3. Closed-captioned episodes now available to iTunes Store

AppleInsider has discovered that some TV studios (Fox, FX, CW and ABC) have quietly begun adding closed captioning to some TV shows on iTunes. You can now watch the current seasons of closed-captioned “Sons of Anarchy,” “New Girl,” “Switched at Birth” and “The Secret Circle,” (more to come, hopefully) to improve your literacy skills (really, that’s what FCC says). But seriously, it’s very helpful for all TV shows lovers with hearing disabilities. To enable closed captioning on the Apple TV, go to Settings > Video.

AppleInsider: TV studios quietly adding closed-captioned episodes to iTunes Store

4. Apple to update MacBook Pro line this month

AppleInsider has a fresh, “exclusive” rumor about much-anticipated refresh of MacBook Pro line. According to sources speaking to the site, Apple is planning to release the new MacBooks Pro before the end of this year, even as early as the end of September. AppleInsider has been told that, since Intel’s next-generation Core i-Series mobile platform is not expected until the second quarter of 2012, the MacBook Pro refresh will deliver “marginal speed bumps to the notebooks’ processors but will otherwise introduce no material changes over the existing models.”

AppleInsider: Apple to surprise with late-2011 MacBook Pro refresh this month

And here are some more rumors about the iPhone 5 and iOS 5:

• TUAW: Orange CEO suggests iPhone 5 to launch in France on Oct. 15

• iPhoners: 30 million iPhone 5 to be manufactured, 512MB RAM

• Ars Technica: Sprint expected to entice iPhone 5 users with unlimited data

• Mac Rumors: iOS 5 Streams Track/Artist Information to Bluetooth Audio Devices

You may also want to read:
Apple TV News from the Web: Edition 1
Apple TV News from the Web: Edition 2

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Hungry for a new Apple TV rumors? Sure you are! So, there is no other thing to do for you right now than dig deeply into the bunch of Apple hardware-related rumors Taiwanese DigiTimes brought to the Mac world today. The most interesting part for us says:

Apple is set to launch a new Apple TV using AMD’s Fusion solution and will not include a hard drive. The new device will adopt a user interface similar to the iPhone with support for social networking websites, network multimedia and the App Store. Mass production of the device will start in December.

Well, Engadget’s findings that came earlier this year seem to be (almost) fully confirmed: no HD (cloud storage instead), iOS, App Store. Ok, there will be no A4 CPU, but, hey, AMD Fusion knows how to do the job well. According to AMD, the chip offers the following:

CPU and GPU capabilities for HD, 3D and data-intensive workloads in a single-die processor called an APU. APUs combine high-performance serial and parallel processing cores with other special-purpose hardware accelerators, enabling breakthroughs in visual computing, security, performance-per-watt and device form factor. Software developers, utilizing AMD drivers, libraries and either the ATI Stream SDK2 or the Microsoft DirectCompute API, can enhance the user experience and speed application performance by developing applications that fully utilize the unique computer power of the AMD Fusion™ Family of APUs and AMD discrete GPUs.

Already started to look for a buyer for your old device? If only someone could confirm the rumored $99 price.

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!