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Apple TV update delayed 1-2 weeks

updated 02:15 pm EST, Wed January 30, 2008

Apple TV update delayed

Apple today announced that its new Apple TV software update, which allows users to rent high definition movies directly from the living room, is "not quite finished." The company says it plans to make the free software download -- which CEO Steve Jobs unveiled during his keynote speech at Macworld in San Francisco earlier this month -- available to existing Apple TV customers in "another week or two."

DVD-quality iTunes Movie Rentals are priced at $2.99 for library titles and $3.99 for new releases, with high definition versions available for one dollar more. Purchases downloaded to Apple TV are automatically synced back to iTunes, and are transferable to iPods as well as iPhones.

Apple TV connects to a wide array of widescreen TVs and home theater systems. The device ships standard with HDMI, component video as well as analog, and optical audio ports. Apple TV, which includes the Apple Remote, is available via the Apple Store for $230 (40GB) or $330 (160GB).

by MacNN Staff

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bloggerblog
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2007

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01/30, 02:42pm | report spam | close Reply |
i'm not surprised.

what a shocker! This is typical from any software developer. The project manager builds his schedule on employees answers to questions asked during a meeting. The Project Manager tags to the timeline about 20% as an error margin. However, the programmer may hit a snag where now it would take him days to figure-out a solution, adding over 300% over the original time-frame.

bloggerblog
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Joined: Aug 2007

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01/30, 02:43pm | report spam | close Reply |
sucks!

Yeah but it does suck, I was soo looking forward for that update :(

doctor9
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Joined: Aug 2001

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01/30, 02:51pm | report spam | close Reply |
better to get it right

On such an initiative as this, it's best to ship as close to perfect as solution as possible. If people have problems using this new rental solution from the get go, they'll be hard pressed to want to try again...and of course the press will skewer Apple!

/

iChick
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01/30, 02:52pm | report spam | close Reply |
ditto on get it right

The more bug-free this release is, the better. Leopard has had a few too many issues.....

russellb
Junior Member

Joined: Sep 2001

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01/30, 03:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
Apple TV

But I wonder ...

Are they delaying the release due to the Apple TV software or it is something else.

They seem to be very slow to add new movies to Itunes ... not that many "new release" blockbusters have been added. How long can it take to convert these movies.

So is it actually Apple TV software or something else slowing the release ?

dogzilla
Grizzled Veteran

Joined: Sep 1999

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01/30, 03:06pm | report spam | close Reply |
Front Row?

Anyone know if there's a parallel Front Row update in the works? I've never understood the AppleTV, but my Mini is an excellent little workhorse connected to my 42"

testudo
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01/30, 03:10pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: I'm not surprised

I'm not surprised, either, but isn't that why the manager put the extra 20% time in there, for the desnaggling?

And if someone's hit a snag to add 300% to the original time frame, someone deserves to be fired, because they obviously don't know either how to program or how to evaluate a project.

Although, I guess considering past history, the surprise would be that a problem arose and someone caught it before it left the building. Maybe they've actually restored the QA department?

climacs
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01/30, 03:29pm | report spam | close Reply |
have you ever actually

programmed, testudo?

If not, then you have no business calling for anyone to be canned, unless you know what you're talking about.

Which, you usually don't.

milkmage
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Joined: Jul 2003

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01/30, 03:40pm | report spam | close Reply |
@russellb

I don't think Apple converts anything. I think the studios provide the digital "master" or whatever you want to call it. I'm 99% certain any delays in content are for business (legal) reasons, not technology.

@climacs - yeah, testudo sounds like he's from marketing (I work for a software dev company). they just don't get it.

bennco
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01/30, 03:45pm | report spam | close Reply |
I have programmed

... and if I give a deadline to my superiors as to when I am to be finished with a particular project - or segment of a project, then I personally pad it by 25% - and If I am wrong by a margin of some 300%, then I would no be surprised if I did not keep my job very long.. -

In fact, If one of my subordinates gave me some BS story about being late on a project some 300% overdue - the I would seriously reconsider their position within my department..

You are correct Testudo.

bloggerblog
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01/30, 03:57pm | report spam | close Reply |
dag!

testudo "Although, I guess considering past history, the surprise would be that a problem arose and someone caught it before it left the building. Maybe they've actually restored the QA department?"

Isn't "problem arose" the same as "hitting a snag" !!?!

Sheesh!

doctor9
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01/30, 04:53pm | report spam | close Reply |
300%?

300%? WTF?

Who knows what the entire development time for this 2.0 update required, but it certainly didn't start on Jan. 15, 2008. So to imply they missed their deadline by 300% means you obviously don't know math or you don't project management. The schedule is made at the beginning and adjusted as time goes. With the exposure of MacWorld, it's not hard to see why Apple would want to seize the moment, even if their final delivery date was still uncertain.

What a silly assertion!

/

UpQuark
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Joined: May 2005

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01/30, 06:25pm | report spam | close Reply |
Coding...

The issue isn't the code itself.. I am sure it works fine.. the problem is the installation of the update and what happens to the existing data etc. Recall that the AppleTV doesn't store the data by the original file name but uses XML docs to keep track of the renaming of those files. (I upgraded mine from a 40 to a 200Gig - pretty easy actually)

I bet the file permissions/and XML issues are keeping them back. They have probably discovered update issues and are resolving those. I would much rater be delayed than have c*** to work with and then hope for a update soon.

OR,

10.5.2 is taking more time than they anticipated and they need engineers from the appletv group to help work on it.

testudo
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01/30, 10:42pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: coding

I would actually think that the XML/data wouldn't be a big problem, since, as you say, it's not the starting point for the data. Worst case scenario would be to just wipe the drive and resync.

testudo
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01/30, 10:47pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: have you ever

programmed, testudo?

If not, then you have no business calling for anyone to be canned, unless you know what you're talking about.

Which, you usually don't.

It is my chosen profession. And I'm actually good at it. And I know my bosses would not be pleased if a two week project took 2 months, just as I wouldn't be pleased if one of my team took 4 days for something they said they'd have done in 1.

But besides all of that, one thing not taken into account in this delay is wondering what Apple wanted to throw in at the end that possibly could've caused the delay. You know how those marketing people are, always changing the functionality to meet with what they want to do.

tindrum
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01/31, 11:30am | report spam | close Reply |
troll - see "testudo"

testudo is a troll. First, he completely buys into a 300% increase in programming time that someone else just threw out there as an example. then he says he is a programmer. Well, he should not be so gullible if he's gonna take a pie-in-the-sky number and comment upon it as though it were gospel.

testudo
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01/31, 05:36pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: troll

testudo is a troll. First, he completely buys into a 300% increase in programming time that someone else just threw out there as an example.

Well, I don't recall actually believing or buying that number. I was just making a comment that if someone was off by 300%, that person should be fired. Which is, still, true.

But then someone would also have to be stupid enough to think that the AppleTV software is basically being handled by one guy, as the example that was posted said as well, and that would be just plain nuts, considering Apple's intense need for this device.

captain_snuggles
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Joined: Jan 2008

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02/12, 07:58pm | report spam | close Reply |
testudo et al

all of you are 300% c*** sucking f**** gargling faggots

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Apple TV update delayed 1-2 weeks

updated 02:15 pm EST, Wed January 30, 2008

Apple TV update delayed

i'm not surprised.

sucks!

better to get it right

ditto on get it right

Apple TV

Front Row?

Re: I'm not surprised

have you ever actually

@russellb

I have programmed

dag!

300%?

Coding...

Re: coding

Re: have you ever

troll - see "testudo"

Re: troll

testudo et al

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Apple TV update delayed 1-2 weeks

updated 02:15 pm EST, Wed January 30, 2008

Apple TV update delayed

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i'm not surprised.

sucks!

better to get it right

ditto on get it right

Apple TV

Front Row?

Re: I'm not surprised

have you ever actually

@russellb

I have programmed

dag!

300%?

Coding...

Re: coding

Re: have you ever

troll - see "testudo"

Re: troll

testudo et al

Login Here

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