Portable Apple TV = Archos Internet Media Tablet?
By Ben Robinson on Saturday, September 12th, 2009 at 4:49 PM PST In Apple, Multimedia
Well, probably not. But this is proof positive that IntoMobile staffers read the comments left on their articles. NickDoucet commented on my article requesting a portable Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) TV (here), and said that the new Archos Internet Media Tablet might fulfill my needs….
… well it certainly seems like that could be the case on the face of things – the device is well-loaded with (apparently):
- 500GB hard drive
- 7 hr battery
- Flash support
- 10mm thick
- Android O/S with customisations
- HD playback TBC
But I think the key thing here is connection in to the Apple Content Delivery ecosystem, which this device won’t have. And that’s really the big thing with Apple’s e2e approach – if you own the content delivery servers, and the end-user device, plus you license the content – then you have a very compelling offer.
Granted, you want a portable Apple TV – but it doesn’t exist isolation – Apple’s strength is as much as software and services, as it is in the hardware.
The Achos IS nice though ….. 
[Via: Engadget via: Archos Lounge]
Apple’s “ecosystem” is evil, proprietary and actually it sucks. Archos instead streams any podcast file, from any RSS, using any codec, including Flash video, DivX, WMV, Ogg Theora, H264, Mpeg2, any web video streams work. Thousands of live WMV or Real video streams work fine on Archos players, streamed over WiFi or HSDPA 3G networks. It’s much better to make a device like Archos that is compatible with all the open standards, all codecs and streaming sources of the web, instead of trying to enforce a proprietary closed new podcast distribution and itunes locked-down system for products by apple.
This is definitely a step in the right direction. The internet will soon be delivering the major portion of media that consumers use. The ability to watch TV on your PC is a must.
Apple’s “ecosystem” is precisely why I wish I hadnt gone apple (ipod). You have to convert all of your movies (or buy from their store) – incredibly annoying. Who in their right mind would prefer a closed system over an open one?;) I really dont understand the defence of the seemingly undefendable.
Defence: it just works
Sorry to say Ben, youre readers have their thoughts put together much better than you on this issue. At least say, its more convenient.
But what it (Apple) isnt:
cheaper
controllable
free(dom)
essentially its Apple.
Also, this device will allow you to connect to your (what I assume you dont have, and unfortunate since youre a tech blogger and not experiencing issues that enhance the functionality of this device) home server. So, you can record, edit, etc. live tv, put it onto your home-server and (think personal cloud) and access that content anywhere on or off your network with an internet connection. Thats how its better than portable Apple TV.
Apple has something similar, but not in as nice a form (size for portability and/or viewing) or as good of a price point and requiring 3rd party apps. But it doesnt seem that you have either side of this, really, truly understood.