Waiting for Apple?
Hi,
I'm not an Apple user at the moment, but all my tech is coming to an upgrade point in the near future, and so it seems like a good time to decide whether to jump on the Apple bandwagon, or keep my liberty. Since Apple products would appear to be designed to force you in to using nothing but other Apple products, I feel like a decision to go for, say, an iPhone over an Andoid device will clearly lead to an Apple cascade in my house.
For example, next time I buy some audio hardware for my kitchen, it would probably make sense to go for something with Airplay rather than apt-x in terms of wireless.
All this is fine if the upgrade path is phone>dock>TV, say, because the Android vs IOS battle can then set the trend for the rest of the house. In reality however, my TV upgrade is a more pressing problem, and I don't know whether to go for a mainstream smartTV, or wait on Apple for the rumoured iTV.
All the rumours and hysteria about the iTV sounds fun, but it's not clear to me whether it would contain any kind of tuner or 'live' TV option, or purely be a streaming device for online content. Has anyone got any ideas? I still want a 'live' tv option for sure, so if the iTV doesn't offer this, there's no point waiting around for it, regardless of what else I decide to do in the smartphone/dock arenas.
One more ancillary point: why don't more docks have both apt-x and airplay together? I want a dock for the kitchen, but don't know which way to jump as I won't be upgrading my phone for a little while, and haven't decided on Android vs Apple in that department yet. I guess one advantage in the wireless streaming arena is that Airplay doesn't require a fiddly dongle like apt-x seems to in quite a few cases.
Any thoughts welcome. Cheers.
A grand for a 42" TV? Not in 2012.
And that's coming from an iPad and iPhone user.
Yeah I saw that report, but I'm guessing the 42" won't be the only size. there's been a lot of talk about a smaller option. Then again, if the 42" is that much, any smaller set would still cost a comparative arm+leg.
Some of the high-end TVs - e.g. Philips ones with full LED backlighting are close to a grand, so it wouldn't surprise me if the Apple product was more. I bet they'll sell a load as well.
For someone who keeps things for a long time, it's relatively easy to justify a high initial outlay if you think that you're going to keep it for x years. It has to be leading quality/functionality for that to be valid tho.
I wonder if Apple will source their panels from Samsung ?
Anything Apple do you can do better or cheaper elsewhere...in some cases both.
dont become an iSheep - and pay through the nose...
The ONLY bit of Apple kit I like is the Airport express - where you can add streaming ability to an old bit of kit that doesnt have it. But even here I would just replace that old bit of kit to have dlna.
Todays Quote: (Big Bang Theory)
Sheldon Cooper: You're my 15th favorite technological visionary.
Steve Wozniak
nly 15th?
Sheldon Cooper: It's still 6 spots above Steve Jobs. I care neither for turtlenecks nor showmanship.
Apple?
Overrated and over priced. They also use factories in China that pay slave wages.
Since Apple products would appear to be designed to force you in to using nothing but other Apple products
To be honest, if you really think that's the main design decision behind Apple's products, you're probably best off avoiding as you'll likely only be looking to find faults in any Apple product you buy and therefore probably won't be satisfied. Do Apple products work best together? Of course - it would be pretty stupid to design their products not to work well together (though that certainly doesn't stop some companies doing it - yes Sony, I'm looking at you).
Apple?
Overrated and over priced. They also use factories in China that pay slave wages.
Your shiny new Galaxy was made by Foxcon too.
At least it was free to me, unlike Iphones which are nearly £500.
I wouldn't bother waiting for a rumoured product. I'd go and look at the market and buy something you want. For me, the new panel technology is the only thing worth waiting for at the moment....OLED = yes please,
In response to those who abuse Apple (not quite sure why, you dont need to buy Apple??). Apple product are well designed and built, incredibly well integrated and very easy to use. They are good quality pieces of industrial design - almost every product. They're not the be-all and end-all, but anyone who says otherwise (to the design point I just made), is being ridiculous.
We're all consumers here and we have choice, so instead if banging on about how much you hate Apple, just buy other brands? No-one is stopping you!
Ive got an AppleTv and it's fantastic for what it does, but my ps3 is a better overall product, albeit more expensive. The ATV integrates brilliantly with my other Apple devices (as well as iCloud). The PS3 is more difficult to set up but also does the job and does it brilliantly whilst also being a blu-ray player and games console.
Anything Apple do you can do better or cheaper elsewhere...in some cases both.
dont become an iSheep - and pay through the nose...
The ONLY bit of Apple kit I like is the Airport express - where you can add streaming ability to an old bit of kit that doesnt have it. But even here I would just replace that old bit of kit to have dlna.
YAAAWWNNNN.......
Your shiny new Galaxy was made by Foxcon too.
Foxconn does not make the Samsung Galaxy. The Galaxy is made inhouse. Foxconn assemble tvs,fridges and other white goods for Samsung - I'm not aware of them being involved in Samsungs phone assembly.
I'm sure Samsung use a completely different company for slave labour.
Todays Quote: (Big Bang Theory)
Sheldon Cooper: You're my 15th favorite technological visionary.
Steve Wozniaknly 15th?
Sheldon Cooper: It's still 6 spots above Steve Jobs. I care neither for turtlenecks nor showmanship.
I earlier read that foxconn were a supplier of Samsung and wrongly assumed that they 'assembled' everything in the same way that Foxconn do the last 10% on the iPhone and iPad. Egg on my face.
My point to Chudleighpaul still stands though, that critisizing one maker of consumer electronics whilst buying another is a bit foolish, as they are all as bad as each other.
Apple?
Overrated and over priced. They also use factories in China that pay slave wages.
Your shiny new Galaxy was made by Foxcon too.
And Foxconn pay far more than most Chinese workers earn and actually have a lower rate of suicide than the Chinese national average AND have a lower rate of death "at work" than the USA does.
And they make Dell equipment and Sony and...
I would imagine that any iTV even without a tv tuner will have inputs of some kind, HDMI at the very least, allowing you to plug in various sources - Freeview HD, SKy HD etc.