Archive for Gadgets

AppleTV Take 2

Well Apple have officially released their latest update to the AppleTV dubbed “Take 2″. This update brings a heap of new features and an updated user interface. Of the new features we can expect movie rentals, and… my favourite, the ability to now use the AppleTV as an airtunes device from your Mac using iTunes (cool).

Of course, if your in Australia, you won’t get movie rentals, infact the AU Apple website doesn’t really show anything new at all. We don’t even have the guided tour:

http://www.apple.com/appletv/guidedtour/

Compare the AU and US ATV sites:
http://www.apple.com/appletv/
http://www.apple.com/au/appletv/

WHEN Apple, WHEN will we get Movies and TV shows from iTunes, and rentals? sheesh!

The AppleTV hacker community is already buzzing with the new software update, with enthusiasts already cracking the update open to have a look inside at the new changes. Some of the questions floating around include “will my plugins still work?, what about my external hard disk?” etc.

I strongly advise that you do not update if you have “enhanced” your ATV with plugins and hacks until further notice, please keep your eyes peeled to www.awkwardtv.org

more on this subject soon!

Wow this is cool. I just found this with a but of Apple TV searching. You can use your iPhone or iPod touch (or any web browser device) as an Apple TV remote control! Why you would want to I do not know, but here’s the link anyway:

http://www.picpoc.ro/static.php?page=staticATViPhoneRemote

Apple TV Updates

No this isn’t a post about Apple releasing updates to the Apple TV. It’s me asking you guys what you’ve been doing with your ATV lately!?

A lot of you have emailed me or posted questions and comments on the site regarding ATV.

Did you get your unit patched/hacked? Did you get that application running? Can you plug in a USB hard disk, or stream content from your other machines?

Drop me a comment and let me know how your going!

Please sir, hack my AppleTV

I’ve been getting comments/emails from people asking for help on hacking their AppleTV. I’m not going to advertise ‘hack services’ on my site as I’m not sure of the legality of such activities!

Maybe we should change the term from ‘hack’ to ‘enable’. Thats just nice.

I will offer advice, consultation if you please, on how to ‘enable’ your AppleTV. This will be particularly useful for those that do not have an Intel Mac which is required to carry out ‘enabling’ of your AppleTV.

I’m happy to assist where I can, and answer questions, and ‘point you in the right direction’. You will need to email me directly with your issues or requirements. Perhaps my services would be worthy of a donation via paypal.

Skype on AppleTV

Thats right, I just installed and can use Skype on my AppleTV. I’ve not tested voice (audio) as yet, but it’s installed and I can text chat to my mates. It was damn easy.

First, I followed the “firefox” install from awkwardtv.org

Then applied the same concept/steps to the Skype.app! I grabbed Skype_2.6.0.151.dmg which i had on my fileserver, mounted it on my macbook pro, then copied the contents to the AppleTV:

scp Skype.app frontrow@appletv.local:/Users/frontrow (enter)

open Skype.app (enter)

hey presto, it beachballs for a sec, opens, and asks for licence agreement then login credentials! TRY IT !

img_0263.JPGimg_0264.JPGimg_0267.JPGimg_0268.JPG

sorry for strange pics. my ATV is on a widescreen CRT so there’s some flicker captured