I have a pretty clear idea of how I’d like the rumors I’ve heard to coalesce. My little hypothetical braid combines three things:

• A new iOS-based Apple TV (iTV?) that gets content by streaming and omits a hard drive altogether;
• A music streaming service that leverages Apple’s purchase of Lala, enabling your iTunes Library to exist in the cloud and be broadly accessible;
• and, outside of the rumor mill, the increasing ubiquity (and usefulness) of iTunes (with an expanded request/streaming system for the iTunes DJ feature, which is quite cool but hasn’t yet gelled) and the iOS devices, ie. iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad (as an aside, the last two of these will certainly see FaceTime at some point soon - I’d say iPod Touch at this event and iPad at an update at Macworld 2011 in January).

Here is my vision:

• Apple TV becomes iTV, a substantially smaller and very portable iOS-based unit that answers the call about the lack of video streaming output in the wonderful but limited Airport Express and fully realizes the power of the included audio streaming output capabilities of that device (which do exist in the current Apple TV to some degree);
• An enhanced Remote Control app for anyone that has an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad for iPod/Video functionality that is optimized for the Apple TV and includes an expanded iTunes DJ service (from what now exists in the current iTunes) - note that people also carry a lot of music on these devices themselves;
• An iTunes Library in the cloud for everyone, or at least some subset of one’s Library (and note that this requirement can be fulfilled simply by streaming the libraries on anyone’s iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad, as well);
• Now here’s the magic: assuming that streaming (and I’m talking music streaming more than anything here) is fully integrated throughout the iTunes/iOS ecosystem (and assuming that the rights can be managed - this is a far bigger IF than any technical hurdles), you now have…
• a portable device (the iTV and perhaps subsequent third party docks, etc.) that you can take with you anywhere and hook up to speakers…
• through which you can stream music from the cloud or any of your iOS devices…
• with an integrated iTunes DJ request/cueing system (with restrictions to limit musical choices as desired by the system owner, e.g. no explicit, no country, etc.) that allows for anyone on the network to vote music up and down the next played list and contribute musical choices from their own iOS device (or even cloud-based iTunes Libary)…
• enabling a live, local social network of people DJing music through their iOS devices and associated infrastructure (iTV, speakers, etc.) at parties, events, dances, and other gatherings.

While I’m exited about the new technologies, hardware, and software features that will inevitably be announced, I see the above as something bigger in a way. There are few things that hold such a special relationship with the human experience as music does. Yet music still tends to be something dictated by one person (the DJ, the party host, the driver, etc.) to a larger group of people, many of whom are perfectly capable of sharing great music that others would like.

When I build a playlist, I’m always thinking of “music that others will like that I also like” so that the most people can enjoy it without my own enjoyment suffering (hence being able to put restrictions on some choices, as above) - but I’m always getting great new music from friends that I haven’t heard and spend lots of time hunting for new music on my own. Why not combine the two ideas in a wireless DJ iTunes/iOS ecosystem and bring music sharing to a new level for the enjoyment of all.

I’m even fine if a “Buy from iTunes” button needs to appear next to each entry in the DJ playlist, too . (As an aside, some of the above would work spectacularly well for Music Videos as well - and a portable Apple TV would be great for streaming those potential 99 cent TV rentals wherever you’d like, too)

What do you guys think? What would you like to see happen? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

• 30 days to watch from download time;
• 24 hours to watch from start of viewing (can watch multiple times);
• Can move between devices but only play on one at a tiime;
• and more.

The rules are actually pretty simple if you can sort out the difference between when you have 30 days (before you start watching) and when you have 24 hours (as soon as you’ve hit “Play”).

Strangely enough, it seems that in Canada, Australia/New Zealand, Germany, and the UK, you actually have 48 hours to watch from the start of viewing, which is great and a much more reasonable timeframe. So there’s one (and only one) way that some of the international iTunes Stores are better than the US one (with the biggest negative for me still being that the US has reams of free content that you just don’t get from other stores - maybe 1/week in Canada vs. 5-10/week in the States).

“Text” Podcasts

One thing that I haven’t heard much buzz about, but which is fairly obvious to me (especially in light of all the talk about newspapers and magazines to be delivered onto the Tablet, and Apple’s central role in the development of podcasting), is that the embracing of text-based content by the iTunes ecosystem will almost certainly lead to the very creator-advantageous development of text-based podcasts.

Sure, we have RSS feeds now, but these don’t get delivered (at least not very elegantly) to any non-desktop/laptop Apple devices and they aren’t really meant for long form/one-off content like fictional works. Just as with podcasts and video podcasts, Apple would almost certainly welcome the hoards of independent producers who would eagerly bolster any old media text-based content to the iTunes Store. This means…

• Rebirth of the Zine - indy magazines with ancestors that were abandoned last century will now have a home.
• Comics - and not just traditional comics but also works that evolve to include more motion and sound (the roots of which can be seen in the iTunes Store today) - this will be a change to the entire medium that is even more dramatic than what newspapers and magazines will experience.
• Indy Novels & Short Stories - do you know how hard it is to get published nowadays? An iTunes Store with reasonably-priced independent writing would keep longer written works from either enduring the awkward contraints of the blog or languishing in a text document somewhere without ever being read.

Maybe reading won’t be dead after all. Of course, that’s not (for better or for worse) where our hearts really lie…

Apple TV Connection

I think there is a lot of content for the Tablet that will work just great for the Apple TV, too. Games are an obvious addition that can benefit from the big screen (and surround sound - see also iPhone controller note below) but as, for example, those comic books evolve into richer media, there will be the opportunity to open ourselves to experience entirely different kinds of entertainment in the cozy confines of the giant screens in our living rooms.

My suspicion is that the reason the Apple TV has been somewhat languishing is precisely because there is a boatload of synchronicities between the Tablet and Apple TV that will serve as a major catalyst for buyers (and which Apple would be loathe to release without new hardware to capitalize on). And the reason it’s gone on so long? Steve’s liver transplant delayed work on the tablet, so the Apple TV came off as a product with no future vision as it awaited its master’s command.

Obviously the potential of video content subscriptions works just as well (or better) for the Apple TV as it does for the Tablet, and all that other content is totally repurposable as well. The clearest view I have of this is that Apple has been vigorously developing a very robust online market for visual, audio, and textual content, along with millions of customers with credit card accounts already attached, so that they can use…

• the iPhone/iPod Touch as the portable, go everywhere, in-your-pocket personal hardware destination.
• the Tablet as the bulkier but still very portable “reasonable” screen size destination for one or more users.
• the Apple TV as the “big screen” destination in the family room.

Of course, laptops and desktops fit in there as well, but the three devices above are all very media/web-oriented, whereas that’s not necessarily the case with laptops and desktops (that will still perform the heavy lifting in creating content, for example). Furthermore, the development of a variety of great iPhone/iPod Touch apps that allow you to control a computer (including the Apple TV) remotely has effectively removed the weaknesses of Apple’s diminutive remote, as well as entrenching the iPhone/iPod Touch as not just a hardware destination for content, but as a robust and usable controller for other devices (which, I expect, will include Tablets that are mounted for extended viewing, for example).

This is a very exciting time and I can’t wait to see what gets released tomorrow. The nay-sayers don’t want to see the light, and a lot of people are legitimately exhausted by all the speculation, but the fact remains that we are about to be delivered the household-use equivalent of the historic and pocketable iPhone, but with more content than ever and an evolving eco-system that provides even further advantages. So maybe I’ll be wrong in my predictions - but I’ll still be excited at the possibilities.

Let everyone know your thoughts in the comments thread below.

Below is a video from the great Apple TV Junkie site, where they got to check out an early release of Boxee Beta.

PS: Can’t wait to check out the Boxee Box by D-Link - anyone used one of these?

Boxee Beta Preview from Brian Erdelyi on Vimeo.

“MacHEADS is an in-depth examination of what makes the Mac, the iPhone, and all Apple products in general a cultural phenomena rather than just consumer electronics, and explores the extraordinary loyalty to Apple products by their followers, as well as their obsession with those products.”

In their recent ”Dell’s ‘TorrentBox’ takes on Apple TV, Mac mini“, 9to5Mac writes: “While we wait for Apple to add HDMI outputs to the Mac mini, or shake things up with the new-breed of Apple TV, it may be worth taking a look at Dell’s Inspiron Zino HD, which we here at 9to5Mac towers are dubbing the ‘TorrentBox’…”

The Dell Inspiron Zino HD set top box they’re discussing is an interesting and very customizable (including external colors) Windows-based addition to the race and has some great specs (from the Dell site)…

“Introducing the new InspironTM Zino HD mini desktop computer. You’ll be amazed by how many powerful features are inside such a perfectly small 8″ by 8″ square.

• Personalize with 10 optional interchangeable colors and designs
• Its small form factor conveniently fits just about anywhere
• Watch movies with HDMI and optional Blu-ray DiscTM Drive
• Optional discrete graphics, up to 8GB memory1 and up to 1TB2 hard drive for amazing performance
• Meets Energy Star 5.0 Standards”

Base unit price is $229, with a variety of options (including DVD or Blu-ray drive) bringing the price for a fully-loaded model to several times this amount. In any case, looks like something worth checking out and you gotta like the Blu-ray drive option (only $100 more). Anyone seen or used one of these? Let us know your thoughts.

“Our goal has been to make the Xbox 360 console your one-stop place for all your entertainment needs,” explained Glenn Purkis, Project Manager at Xbox Live Canada, during a recent phone conversation.

“Our focus has been bringing entertainment to the Xbox console. It’s a one-stop entertainment console for all your games, music, and movies. Xbox 360 is all your entertainment in one box.”

One of the most interesting add-ons to Xbox Live will be the introduction of the new 1080p instant on-demand streaming service released under the new Zune Video Marketplace (which will be replacing the current Xbox 360 Video Marketplace).

Many HD enthusiasts have been wondering how a such a service can be possible under today’s current broadband infrastructure. Purkis revealed that this is all possible due to a proprietary adaptive technology developed by the Zune team which scales itself in accordance to the user’s broadband connection.

“You will be able to enjoy content directly from your console. No disk, no download, and no delay.”

So, how will the Zune Video Marketplace actually differ from the current Video Marketplace? Purkis indicated that the main difference will be the way the content will be delivered. He noted that the current offering is more or less download-based, while the Zune Video Marketplace will offer an instant on-demand stream.

Like the current video selection, the content on the Zune Video Marketplace will be made available on a rental basis. Purkis added that they hope to eventually be able to add TV content to the service and that they are constantly working on getting new studios on board.

For the time being, the Zune Video Marketplace will launch as a service on the Xbox 360 and won’t offer interactivity with Zune portable media players.

Last fall, Microsoft launched the Photo Party application which enabled you to share photos with your friends through Xbox Live. Purkis indicated that they will be expanding on that idea with the introduction of the Xbox Movie Party application.

“You will now be able to view a movie with up to eight of your Xbox Live friends. Your avatar will be displayed on screen giving you the opportunity to interact with your friends as if they were in the same room with you.”

Purkis added that Microsoft will be the first to bring the world’s top two social media networks, Twitter and Facebook, to your TV through the Xbox.

“We’re adding the two biggest social networks to Xbox Live, which is the world’s biggest television social network. We’re bringing it all in one place so that you can stay connected with all of your friends,” explained Purkis.

Purkis also revealed that developers will be able to add Facebook Connect to their titles, giving gamers the opportunity to upload screenshots or movies from their gameplay sessions.

Canadian Xbox Live subscribers will also be treated to the Last.fm music streaming service at no extra charge. According to Purkis, Xbox Live Gold members will be able to stream all of the music they want without any limitations, while Silver account holders will have timed playback sessions on a monthly basis. It is not currently known how long these timed sessions will be.

Another interesting addition to the Xbox Live Marketplace will be the ability for console owners to purchase Xbox 360 titles directly from their unit.

“In August, gamers will be able to purchase titles such as Mass Effect, Assassin’s Creed and Bioshock directly from the Marketplace,” explained Purkis. “The nice thing about the way the marketplace works is that all transactions are tied in with your gamertag. If, for some reason, you need to delete a game you’ve purchased, you will be able to download it again later on.”

All Xbox 360 titles available for purchase through the marketplace will have a monetary value (instead of using the Microsoft Points system), and users will be able to purchase these games using a credit card. Purkis indicated that the games will be comparatively priced to their retail counterparts.

Purkis added that there are currently no plans to forgo the Microsoft Points system as consumers will still be required to use the said currency for Zune Marketplace transactions.

Ed: Readers, is this something that would make you consider buying an Xbox or is this just great news for those who already have one?

Thanks again to decabled.com contributor, Andre Barriault from GamingCult.com, for the story! If you’re interested in contributing to decabled.com, please email…

jeff INSERT_THE_AT_SIGN_HERE commandn.tv

This gives some more evidence of the momentum towards a decabled world and an embracing of the web as a legitimate source of video content, which is great. The survey also showed the switch being party due to more content choices online - hopefully that includes a lot of the great independent productions for which there is no expsoure on television, but who knows. Just good to know there’s going to be more of us

As noted in the Microsoft press release: “Starting this fall, a broad selection of movies and TV shows from Zune video on Xbox 360 will be available to start and stream instantly, in the highest video quality and at the push of a button. No discs, no waiting for downloads, and no delays. Get the selection of a video mega store, the best video clarity available, and the convenience of on-demand, only on Xbox 360”.

The current Canadian Xbox Live Marketplace lets Silver and Gold Xbox Live subscribers download older titles, also known as Library titles, in SD (standard definition) and HD (high definition) formats for 300 (~$4.80 ) and 440 (~$7.04 ) MS Points, respectively. Current SD releases (recent movies) go for 440 MS Points (~$7.04), while HD movies will set subscribers back 580 MS Points (~$9.27).

After the initial download, consumers have 14 days to view their content before it expires, and they have 24 hours to complete their viewing after they’ve started playing the media (Ed: note that the expiry is less than half of what Apple TV debuted with and the 24 hours after you’ve started viewing was doubled by Apple after lots of user complaints, so hopefully these numbers will change for Microsoft as well).

The Zune Marketplace is scheduled to launch this Fall in North America. No word yet on how many movies will be available at launch and what will be the cost for the content.

Ed: So what do people think - is this going to be a major competitor in the space or just an also-ran?

     jeff INSERT_THE_AT_SIGN_HERE commandn.tv

What do you think it’ll take to get around these crazy media “borders” and why are they there in the first place? You’d think we’d be beyond that, given that the internet is essentially borderless.