January 12th, 2007
My questions on AppleTV and iPhone answered
After the AppleTV and iPhone were released, I had some key questions about both which would impact my decision to buy either product. Looks like I may have my answers. I found David Pogue’s iPhone FAQ on his blog (via MacRumors) and it looks like neither product will fill my needs.
Apple TV: It can play MP4/H.264 (protected and unprotected). So it won’t play my other video files. This is a major issue (for me). I would rather pay the extra $$ and just get a Mac Mini.
Apple iPhone: Can it display Flash or Java? No (according to David Pogue). Ack.. That just about kills it for any web page and web app. Hopefully this will be fixed in the future. Will Apple provide a SDK for it or allow 3rd party development? This also looks like a big “no” from Apple. They will provide additional apps (ala iPod games), but not allow us to develop our own stuff. Ugh.. Apple has such a great product and they will kill it (for me and others..) by not allowing us to develop our own apps/widgets.
2 Responses to “My questions on AppleTV and iPhone answered”
I agree. And let me say I just made the switch to Apple two days ago (17″ MBP). I don’t think the iTV will sell ,since its just a slimmed down version of a Mac mini. What they need is iTV to be also a DVR, but then that conflicts with the ITunes busines model. Maybe they are targeting those who don’t have cable? Or hoping people will drop cable and download only the shows they really watch? Wait for iTV II.
Iphone though it is cool…and will sell to diehard Mac fans and a few others…won’t get the majority of a early adopters (techies) until it can run java and flash. I would buy one today (June) if it can run flash 9. The benefits (coolness factor) doesn’t outweigh the switching costs (possible new carrier/contract and cost of Iphone).
I bet they are looking to develop their own apps and sell/distribute via iTunes. Again, I will wait for iPhone II when/if it runs Flash 9/10/n.
By Jason Ervin January 12th, 2007 at 10:39 am
I could have been wrong about that Flash/Java thing, by the way. MacWelt magazine got a different answer from Apple in THEIR interview…
–David Pogue
By david pogue January 12th, 2007 at 11:09 pm