Apple TV 2.4 update

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Apple has quietly released their 2.4 update for the Apple TV, which brings some interesting and handy new functionality, providing you own an iPhone or iPod touch. Let's have a quick look and see what new fixes and features have been brought to Apple's media device.

The first and most interesting feature is that the Apple TV can now be controlled using gestures; if you go ahead and install the Remote application for your iPhone or iPod touch, you'll see a pane where you can use touch controls to tell the media player what to do. You can do all the obvious things, like changing tracks, movies, and volume, so don't expect anything mind-blowing there. We've included a screenshot of these features at the bottom of this article.

Here's the list of new features, as reported by the official Apple TV update article:

Remote app directional control: Control your Apple TV with simple finger gestures via the Remote app. This feature requires Remote 1.3 running on an iPhone or iPod touch with iPhone OS 3.0.
Flickr Search: Search Flickr photo tags to find recently updated photos of interest. Save searches to quickly find new photos or use as a screen saver for Apple TV.
New view options: View movies By Genre, By Movie, or Unwatched. View TV Shows and Podcasts By Date, By Show, or Unwatched.

Updated transport and chapter modes: During video playback, click right or left to fast forward or rewind. Additional clicks increase the speed. Click down to show chapter markers.

If you want to get a hold of these new features, fire up your Apple TV now and check for updates. Be sure to let us know if you find any other changes, too.

Image courtesy of MacRumors.

#1 Tanshin on 24 Jun 2009 - 23:11

I'm still waiting for them to add keyboard input with Remote similar to how Boxee works with the Boxee Remote app.

(3 replies) #2 bradsday on 24 Jun 2009 - 23:27

Uh, okay, so they basically just added gesture controls to the iPhone or iTouch "Remote" application for the iTV. What a genuine waste of time, effort, and energy. The iTV has the potential to be ground breaking, in much the same way that the iPod and iPhone have impacted their resepective markets, yet Apple continues to "handicap" this product. The business model already exists with direct support through the iTunes "market place," and somehow this product is far, far inferior to its competition.

Why, why I ask? Simply because iTV is the ****** child that Apple has left to wither in a dark closet. Instead of creating more robust hardware, the biggest device currently only has a 160GB (for over $300), or greater content, they instead offer a way to use a finger wave as remote control. Innovative, real innovative.

#2.1 Shunik Jan on 24 Jun 2009 - 23:45

You hit the nail on the head. It has great potential but they like to tie it down for no apparent reason. Go the iPhone way and free it up some more.

#2.2 Meconio on 25 Jun 2009 - 03:05

Actually is the way apple handles all the hardware, just look at the iphone/ipod touch, both are capable of wayy more stuff than the ones currently offered yeth they try to control everything so we end up with a nice product but with serious limitations...just by trying one jailbreaked device you start to ask why dont i have this or that by default on the ipod.

#2.3 Xero on 25 Jun 2009 - 13:54

It's been several years since its refresh. I think the next update will be a big one and answer a lot of our hate with it currently. Let's just hope thats this September alongside the iPods.

#3 simon360 on 24 Jun 2009 - 23:41

Gestures look cool, hopefully it works in much the same way as Boxee does. I wish Apple would really try and do something really groundbreaking with the AppleTV, though. I can honestly say I never see anything "new" on it, especially lately. The interface is OK-ish, but it simply doesn't seem practical.

#4 McoreD on 25 Jun 2009 - 04:12

AppleTV still doesn't have a TV Tuner. I can't really think of buying one if it doesn't have an integrated TV Tuner.

(2 replies) #5 Quikboy on 25 Jun 2009 - 04:41

I"m still surprised people bought this. WMC seems much better with more plug-ins.

#5.1 Ambroos on 25 Jun 2009 - 07:54

Quikboy said,

Even just for the TV support many many people would take WMC over Apple TV any time.

#5.2 REM2000 on 25 Jun 2009 - 09:27

i brought one as i have a lot of content in itunes. I used to own a WMC XP 2005 edition, however for my tv needs, i have a freeview recorder, a lot of my friends have SKY+ which has a inbuilt recorder.

However i do agree that the apple tv could do with me functionaility. I would love to able to record a program on my Apple TV and then have it sync'd back and playable on my iPhone or laptop, of course if the tv people got shirty with the licence / recording then i wouldn't mind something similar to the BBC iPlayer where the recordings only have a months use or something before deleting themselves.

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