Classic AppleTV (160GB)

The new AppleTV also looks pretty cool, and at $99 it will likely be a market success, but it does not do 1080p; and I have concerns about it picking up all the internet media that I want.

The real media center is probably a Mac Mini, but it’s a lot more expensive.

Old AppleTV: 720p, 160GB drive, Mac OS X 10.4 with some bits stripped out $149
New AppleTV: 720p, no drive, iOS under the hood $99
Mac Mini: 1080p, bigger drive, full Mac OS X 10.6 upgradable, can work as a DVR with EyeTV $699

Let’s be comprehensive, and compare:
AppleTV (new $99) stream Netflix, iTunes, Flickr, YouTube, Internet Radio, MobileMe, etc
AppleTV (old $149) stream iTunes, Flickr, YouTube, Internet Radio, MobileMe, hack to play Boxee, XBMC, etc
Roku ($59, $69, or $99) stream Netflix, Amazon, Pandora…
Boxee Box (coming in November), plays Boxee content
GoogleTV software coming soon, on which media boxes?
Popcorn Hour ($179 – $361), plays many media formats, can even add a DVD or Blu-Ray drive
Sony Netbox ($130) streams Sony Bravia services (encapsulated Netflix, YouTube, etc)

One of my friends aptly calls the whole fiasco horseshit… and he’s correct… but I think it is manufactured horseshit.

I don’t think people are really all that offended by any new house of worship, or religiously sponsored community centers… I think this is a very carefully targeted and manufactured wedge issue meant to simultaneously depress mainstream American voters so they have lower voter turnout numbers this November 2nd while exciting the lunatic fringe haters so they are encouraged to vote because they are angry about something.

If everyone votes, it completely diffuses this sort of insanity.

Just like many other manufactured distractions, the facts don’t support the claims and assertions of the talking heads.

It’s not a mosque. It’s not that close to the former world trade center. Sufis (the sponsors for this community center) are generally not terrorists. Americans largely don’t really care in any case. Most of the blowhards talking loudest about this have the least facts (which is typical also for these manufactured wedge issues). Move on America… and remember to vote in November, when you don’t vote you let the most politically motivated on all sides have their say unchallenged. Be the voice of moderation and speak your mind.

Update: turns out I am not the only one who finds all this hoopla suspect, a friend pointed this out: Salon article “How the “ground zero mosque” fear mongering began”

Update 2: on a more humorous note: Outrage Over Plans To Build Library Next To Sarah Palin

Media Matters “Worst chart I’ve seen all day”

The Republicans have Fox and the Soviets have Pravda.

Apple has graciously made it possible to do from anyone else’s iPhone or iPad (and probably iPod touch too), by launching the “Find My iPhone” apps for iPad/iPhone. They are free.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/18/apple-launches-find-my-iphone-app/

Snag the apps in the iTunes Music Store.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/111965?RS_show_page=0

Hat tip to “The Richmonder” on Blue Virginia for pointing the excellent article out.

http://www.bluevirginia.us/diary/844/required-reading-the-spill-the-scandal-and-the-president

http://daringfireball.net/2010/06/good_and_bad_regarding_att_data_plans

AT&T’s decision to charge more for tethering without giving more bandwidth is unsustainable and it should be called a “$20 bullshit fee” just as Gruber suggests. The market will demand a fix to the $20 bullshit fee by hacking tethering in like they do already or going to a different vendor. MiFi from Sprint or Verizon is attractive though it costs more because it can be used on multiple devices. Data is data, and charging more for using more makes sense; giving a discount to those who use less makes sense; charging for the ability to do something we can already do makes no sense and is unforgivable.

Lower prices for a little less data usage will be attractive to many customers, and should be attractive to most except that many just don’t want to think about it.

For me, this will likely save money (still doing the analysis of data usage habits).

AT&T and all the other providers are still evil, but the market is slowly forcing them to be a little less evil each day.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126480169&ft=1&f=1057

Thanks Andrei for keeping things in perspective.

This weekend’s weather forecast for most of the Mississippi and Ohio river watershed areas (huge part of the United States) calls for severe storms with a counter-rotating wind pattern that looks a lot like the historic one of April 3rd, 1974. I think it is very important for you to keep an eye on the weather this weekend and review your drills today (before the weekend) if you live anywhere between Texas and Ohio, Alabama and Minnesota.

I am having trouble verifying what I saw on television earlier, but it is always safe to be prepared and run through your drills regularly.

Be safe people.

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/