Apple TV - 8GB Local Storage - Oh my!

Well despite Apple not mentioning the amount of local storage on the new Apple TV we know know just what's in this little baby. iFixit have done their usual fabulous job of tearing down the new device and made some interesting discoveries.

What is this? A Samsung K9LCG08U1M 8GB NAND Flash chip?

Why, yes it is. It's the same part we found during the iPad teardown! This is a pretty remarkable amount of storage for a $99 device.

So the Apple TV does have a decent amount of internal storage - a whopping 8GB. Not only that, but it also has an empty memory slot next to the existing 8GB that could indicate an option for a 16GB version of higher.

As the device is intended to be a streaming device only, the local storage must only be for one thing and that that's the local installation of iOS applications.

Not yet, but Apple only have to flip a switch and we could have apps on our Apple TVs

OK, it's probably a bit more than that, including some changes to the iOS SDK, but at least the hardware platform is in place.

The iFixit teardown also brought up some other interesting points:

• It includes the exact same A4 chip as found in the iPad (but not in the iPhone)
• It has 256MB of RAM as found in the iPad
• It has the same 802.11n Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/FM chip as found in the iPad
• It's very power efficient and should run cool to the touch (just like the iPad)
• The logic board appears to have some pin outs on the logic board that matches the size of a dock connector? Something for the future or maybe the logic board is to be used in a different device.

In all, a lot of power for a low price.

It will be interesting to see how Apple ramps up the functionality of the Apple TV over time with the introduction of new features and services.

We've barely seen a fraction of what they have planned for the Apple TV.

By the way, I've revised the results of my predications for the new Apple TV in the blog post I published the day before the announcement.  In it, I said:

8 or 16GB local storage for Apps and Games

I think I'm going to say I nailed that particular prediction ;-)

Why am I not using IWork on the iPad?

A new wordprocessor appeared for the iPad today - IA writer for iPad. It's a very clean, minimalistic writing tool that's meant to just get out of your way and allow you to concentrate on just creating text.

It's very good!

One thing I liked especially was the seamless integration with DropBox. Link the app with your DropBox account, create a new file and it will sync with the cloud. Want to retrieve it on my Mac and it's already there before I lift my fingers from the iPad.

Just how it should be.

This made me think about iWork for iPad.  I just don't use it.

It's not that the applications are in anyway bad (although I have to say, they are prime candidates for a ScreenCastsOnline show) it's just the difficulties of transferring files in and out of the iPad. Horrendously compromised and a huge barrier to using the apps.

Please Apple, when you're adding in AirPrinting functionality to iWork, please add in iDisk sync, or even better, Dropbox sync!

YTC027 - iWork.com Update

Just some thoughts about the recent changes to iWork.Com and just what are Apple up to building that humongous $1 billion datacentre

Itching for an iPad...

Graphic from Panics iPad Countdown pageWell it's almost been 30 days, and we know so much more about the iPad...NOT!

I don't know about you, but I don't think I can go another 31 days and 5 hours without knowing something else.

It's become so bad that people are even speculating about a blank key discovered on the iPad video.  My favourite rumour is that the blank key...

when you push this button it activates the following all at the same time:   front and back cameras, flash, telephone support... and it also changes the name of the device to iSlate.

courtesy of msduncan on the macrumours forum

Ha!

There was an interesting session at Macworld 2010 about the iPad with an esteemed panel (you can see this on YouTube) The hall was packed, and that was even without a live iPad being available. Nothing discussed was actually new (how could it be, Apple aren't telling), interesting, but nothing we hadn't heard before.

The big question though, is whether Apple have shown the finished product? Will there be any last minute surprises in store? - Similar to when they announced the change from a plastic to a glass screen for the iPhone only a week or two before launch.

Personally, I don't think they'll be any major surprises (like the camera) but we might see some new Apple iPad specific applications launched. Fingers crossed the "Remote" application is ported to the iPad rather than just using the iPhone one. A long shot is that we may see some of the iLife suite but I doubt it.

In the meantime, I've been planning just how I'm going to be able to do some screencasts on the iPad when it comes out. I have some ideas, but until I have one in my hot little hands, I can't really try anything.

I've also gone and got me some iPad domains, just in case I need to expand into the iPad arena...

• THEIPADSCREENCASTGUY.COM
• IPADSCREENCASTSONLINE.COM
• ALLABOUTHEIPAD.COM
• IPADTUTORIALSONLINE.COM
• THEIPADSHOW.TV
• IPADTIPSONLINE.COM

All are dormant at the moment, but if and when I get the time, you may see one or two of these become live.

So come on Apple, throw us a bone, or just let us start the pre-orders.

Something!

Does it really matter what it looks like?...

Some interesting comments from my previous blog post about the iPad/iSlate/iThingy.  Looks like most people who responded are in favour of the device being kept a surprise until the event itself.

The problem is, if people do post pics, even blurry, out of focus ones, it's so hard not to click through to the link.

I woke up this morning to find Tweets about yet another "photo" of the device. I managed to resist for all of 10 minutes before clicking on the link to take a look! Well, human nature isn't it.

What I saw was a very passable image of what the device might look like, but it was switched off. 

That's when I realised, it's not really what the device looks like that matters. I can virtually guarantee it's going to be thin, black and with a screen of 10" or so. When switched of, it's going to look like a thin, black slab of glass.

No, what matters is what it does (and looks like) when switched on. How does it function, what are it's core capabilities, how responsive is it, how do you interact with it.

All these can't be conveyed in a single spy shot. 

We'll just have to wait until the special event to get the full picture...

PS Gruber linked to this excellent list of predictions by David Weiss - Prediction Score Card It saves me writting a prediction blog post! If you want, you can see my predictions on this updated card - Dons Take.

I'll give you my score after the event!

Update on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 8:26AM by Don McAllister

Just as a word of warning. I bought the Predictions app to support David after using the PDF. It's crashing like a good un on my iPhone even after a re-install and powering down the iPhone. Might be just me being unlucky but I just wanted to mention it.