My new Apple TV arrived today and so far I’m liking it.
I purchased the 32GB model as I didn’t think my usage habits would require the 64GB one, but who knows. It replaced the 2nd-gen model I’ve had for a few years and that makes me happy. It hadn’t been able to accept any of the latest software updates for some time and some of the newer channels, most notably HBO Now, would sometimes flake out on me. It wasn’t reproducible but always seemed to happen when I was changing some menu option, pausing, or backing out of a selection. Annoying, but not enough to make me give it up.
So, the setup went well with some minor annoyances and some excellent options. On the excellent side at one point when it asks to join your home network, you can use another iOS device to enable it to match the wireless options on your iOS device. Very quick and nice.
OTOH, whoever thought that single line alphabet to enter email addresses and passwords needs to be taken out back and made to play with Windows XP until they break down into tears. And unlike previous versions, you can’t use a Bluetooth keyboard or the Remote app to easily enter your data. Nope, those options are missing. I can’t for the life of me think of why they would offer a painless networking setup and then have you enter Dante’s inferno of point and click to type. I think that qualifies as cruel and unusual punishment.
Downloading apps was easy as well. Every channel is now an app you can add to your list or not. I grabbed my favorites; HBO Now, Netflix, PBS, and Movie Trailers, as well as some others I don’t view as often. Lot’s of the previous channels haven’t made the switch yet but I expect we’ll see a deluge over the next few months as companies retool their channels into apps.
The remote with its track pad will take some practice to get used to it. I’m having problems finding the sweet spot to have it stop on my exact choice. More often then not it ends up on the item just past the one I want, or several items earlier in the list. Probably need to play with its pref settings which allow you to control its sensitivity.
I didn’t download any games as none of the ones listed called to me, but I’m sure that will change one day. If I disappear from this blog for too long, send rescuers as I’m probably trapped playing Desert Golfing (should it make the transition).
So far, I’m excited to have it and look forward to seeing where it goes in the future.
