[macvoiceover] Re: Apple Adds VoiceOver to ITV Receiver

  • From: Bryan Smart <bryansmart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:19:23 -0500

The deal is that lots of sighted people seem pretty disappointed in the Apple 
TV. As set-top boxes go, it's really weak. If you live with sighted people, and 
are thinking about the Apple TV as a way to get something that they can use, 
too, you will probably find that they'd prefer a set-top box with more 
features. Just try to talk them in to getting rid of their DVR for an Apple TV.

I realize that, for all practical purposes, it's the only one that blind people 
really have access to at the moment. Good on Apple for caring to put in 
VoiceOver. Still, I want a set-top box so that I can enjoy most of the 
activities that my sighted friends enjoy with theirs. What good is a box if it 
doesn't do anything, though? The access to the Apple TV is probably good, but 
the question is/was, what can we do with it that gives it value? Sighted people 
watch TV with theirs, while we can't. They record TV for later viewing, which 
we can't. They watch their DVDs and Blue Ray disks on their boxes, which we 
can't. They watch lots of on-demand video, including from their cable/satellite 
provider, Netflix, Hulu, etc, which, other than paying piece-meal for the 
limited stuff on iTunes, we can't. Some set-top boxes include other features, 
like digital radio, but none of that is in Apple TV, either. Seems like the 
only thing that we really can do is watch online video from YouTube, which is a 
by-the-way after-thought on most boxes, as in "here is the whole list of 
must-have features that are on our box, and, oh yeah, we stream YouTube, also".

This isn't a bash Apple thread. I own lots of Apple stuff. I love gadgets, and 
have a lot of disposable income. If this was a legit set-top box, I'd be 
ordering tonight. I just wonder what the Apple TV is good for doing? Maybe, if 
we could use Hulu and Netflix, then there would be some obvious uses, even if 
other set-top boxes do much more. We can't use those apps, though, so what is 
left to do? Yet another MP3/music player? Yet another device to listen to 
streaming radio with, assuming our PCs, phone/note taker, and, possibly, iPad 
aren't available for some reason? Do people really need a 3rd, 4th, or even 5th 
device for doing that stuff? What is there to do with it?

I don't know. Maybe if I didn't have an iPhone, wasn't interested in an iPad, 
didn't live with sighted people that would insist on a better box, and didn't 
plan on using a home theater PC, then the Apple TV would be an inexpensive way 
to run some of the iPhone media and radio apps. Then again, so would an iPod 
Touch.

For people that plan to order, why does it make sense for you? Do you just not 
own many other devices that do this stuff? Do you just love to buy Apple 
devices to see what's cool/new? Do you know of some app or function available 
for it that has passed me by? I really would like to hear about that. Maybe I'm 
missing out, and have no clue.

Bryan

-----Original Message-----
From: macvoiceover-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:macvoiceover-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Laura
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 8:21 PM
To: macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [macvoiceover] Re: Apple Adds VoiceOver to ITV Receiver

Meh. I generally think any question that starts, "Why should blind people...?" 
is kind of limiting. Like, you might not be interested in Apple tv, and I'm 
certainly on the fence about it, but any number of blind people might have good 
reasons for wanting it. Just off the top of my head, some people might want it 
for sharing purposes. A good stereo is awesome for streaming the audio of a 
video, but if you're watching with sighted people, it's not nearly so useful. 
If you're going to spend money on something that lets you stream all audio 
output from your computer/phone, then why not get something that's going to be 
more useful to the other people in your life? (or do both, of course.)

On 23 Nov 2010, at 00:27, Bryan Smart wrote:

> Hmmm. It's cool that they care to add VoiceOver and all, but I have a hard 
> time caring about Apple TV. It doesn't view regular TV, integrate with your 
> existing service through a program guide interface, nor does it include DVR 
> functionality. It seems only useful if you want to buy movies and TV shows 
> off of iTunes, which is an expensive waste of money, when there are cheaper 
> alternatives. We can't use Hulu, and Netflix is still pretty broken, so those 
> are out on Apple TV, too. For most other streaming media uses, Internet 
> Radio, playing music, etc, that I can imagine, an iPhone will work just fine.
> 
> Maybe I'm missing something important. Why should blind people be excited 
> about Apple TV? Why is it different than plugging your iPhone in to a great 
> stereo receiver?
> 
> Bryan
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: macvoiceover-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:macvoiceover-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ashley
> Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 12:42 PM
> To: macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [macvoiceover] Re: Apple Adds VoiceOver to ITV Receiver
> 
> SO do I...
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "heather kd5cbl" <kd5cbl@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 5:22 PM
> Subject: [macvoiceover] Re: Apple Adds VoiceOver to ITV Receiver
> 
> 
>> So cool!  I want one now for sure!  Heather
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