There’s a new Apple TV out, which forced my hand to buy my first ever TV. I hooked it up and started the inevitable gauntlet of endlessly typing passwords to set up services. Apparently Apple lets you set up your networks and iCloud accounts just by waving your phone nearby, which would be great if it worked (it didn’t for me).
Having to type passwords over and over using the remote (no support for the Remote app or BT keyboards like the previous generation) is a terrible out of the box experience, and it is even more baffling that is a problem Apple has already solved: TouchID and iCloud Keychain.
But with those version 1.0 nitpicks out of the way, how does it stack up as a TV and gaming console? Pretty good. The UI is fluid and easily controlled with the new glass touchpad remote, or you can search across services using Siri with commands like “Show me the worst movies of 1993” in case you feel like watching Robocop 3. In Australia that’s Netflix and iTunes, although a universal search API will open up to every developer soon.
One of those will be Plex, whose client is finally on AppleTV in its most beautiful and functional version yet. In a nice touch, if what you are searching for is available to stream for free, Apple will prioritise that over their own iTunes rental or purchases. And you can even move Apple’s offerings out of the top shelf and put whatever app you prefer there yourself (like the dock in iOS, and unlike previous generation AppleTV).
Speaking of apps, there are a whole bunch at launch, mostly in the categories of video entertainment and games as you’d expect. But there’s also fitness, real estate, shopping and other oddities like a calculator and Tinykitten, which lets you stream live videos from rescue catteries around the world.
And that brings us to games. Alto’s Adventure on an enormous screen is as soothing and relaxing as it was on the iPad. Asphalt 8 boasts console quality graphic, and Wii Beat Sports lets you use the accelerometer to swing bats in time with the beat. Of course it’s no competition for the latest generation consoles (not counting the Wii U), but it will definitely keep you entertained between your Netflix and chill binges.
