This just in from Engadget, the 2010 Apple TV plays 1080p content but scales it down to 720p. So if Apple or the hardware community can get this thing to output in 1080p will all the naysayers suddenly starting buying it? Probably not. They’ll just find some other reason to hate it.
Author: Dustin Rue
My name is Dustin and I am a lot of things to a number of different people. I am a husband, father and a systems engineer that also knows how to write some code. Here I write about technology.
Xmarks is closing up shop, here’s hoping they’ll open source it
Xmarks has decided to close up shop because it can’t find a way to make any money. Sad to me because it’s a service I use everyday and is honestly something I’d probably pay for because it works across all browsers on all the systems I care about. Although it is possible to use your own server as an xmarks sync server this is really only a stop gap measure because the plugin is going to need to be continuously updated as new browsers are released. The only answer then is for someone (are you listening Google?) to buy it out or for the team to release it as an open source project.
Apple TV 2 units being delivered, reviews are coming in
Apple’s new (2010) Apple TV unit have shipped and some have been delivered. Reviews are starting to pop-up in various places. So far reviews seem positive.
iFixit has done a tear down of the new device revealing 256MB of ram, 8GB of storage and an A4 processor. These specs show that the Apple TV is basically the 8GB iPod touch sans screen. They also find that the board has a spot that is basically ready to accept the 30 pin dock connector. I’m sure it won’t be long before some daring soul manages to get one soldered to it.
One of the bigger complaints, that is if you want to listen to most commenters on Engadget, is the lack of 1080p playback. That the Apple TV is only 720p is a complete non-argument because there simply isn’t a source of real 1080p content other than blu-ray. Stolen stuff doesn’t count. If you record over the air HDTV you’re either going to get 1080i or 720p content and there is basically no reason not to deinterlace the 1080i content into 720p since the vast majority of HDTV sets around today are going to be flat panel based. Netflix and Amazon HD streams are both 720p. In fact, the only 1080p streaming source I’m aware of is Zune marketplace on the Xbox 360 and I’m not aware of any other set top box that is allowed to stream Zune marketplace material and only costs $99.
Warner Bros. execs find Apple’s 99 cent TV show rentals too cheap
TV executives are said to believe that inexpensive episode downloads would break their current economic model.
Just what is their current economic model? If it is like ABC, maybe they just want to avoid the internet and become relics of the past.
iPhone drops to 23.8% smartphone market share, Android jumps to 17%
iPhone drops to 23.8% smartphone market share, Android jumps to 17%: “New data shows Apple, RIM, and Microsoft continue to lose ground to Google in the U.S. smartphone market.
(Via AppleInsider.)
64 bit Coldfusion on Snow Leopard
Ran into an issue while trying to get 64 bit Coldfusion running on Snow Leopard. Somehow Adobe’s installer can’t deal with the fact that the java binaries are symlinked in OS X so you have to manually remove the symlinks and then copy the binaries over. This page documents how to do it. The only thing I did differently is instead of simply deleting the symlinks I created a directory and moved them into that. This way I can restore the system back to normal.
HDCP Master Key Revealed
HDCP Master Key Revealed: “solafide writes ‘The HDCP Master Key has allegedly been revealed. If true, this information will allow anyone to create their own source or sink keys, essentially making HDCP useless for content protection permanently. No word yet on how it was obtained, but if true, this is a great day for content freedom around the world!’
(Via Slashdot.)
Interview with “The Man Who Makes Your iPhone”
Interesting interview with the guy who runs Foxconn, manufacturer of least one part in what ever eletronic device you have in your home. http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/10_38/b4195058423479.htm
Office 2011 for Mac has been released to market as well
Office 2011 is on track for its late October release as the MacBU is reporting they have signed off on final testing.
UPDATE: If Amazon is to be believed then Office 2011 is set to be released on October 26th – Amazon leaks Oct. 26 launch of Mac Office 2011
Microsoft celebrates Windows Phone 7 release to market
Microsoft celebrated the RTM of Windows Phone with an incredibly awkward mock funeral for iPhone and BlackBerry. Apparently Microsoft is either not worried about Android or they don’t think Windows Phone 7 can compete with it. Either way, claiming to have buried the competition before the general public actually has Windows Phone 7 devices is a bit premature and I really hope it doesn’t mean Microsoft thinks it can now just sit back and relax.
http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-workers-celebrated-windows-phone-7-rtm-with-iphone-hearses