Upgrade turns Apple TV into giant iPad - but there's a catch

News.com.au

THE latest upgrade to Apple TV lets users stream full HD films and TV shows straight from iTunes but there's a catch.

Existing Apple TV owners can download the latest software today, which turns the box from a simple streaming device, into a gigantic iPad that amazes at every turn, but new customers will have to wait until Friday 16 for the upgraded device.

The TV will be available for $109 - $20 less than the model it replaces - and it introduces high definition at 1080p for movies and TV shows downloaded from iTunes.

If consumers have iCloud enabled on their iTunes account, they can download HD movies and watch them on the HD TVs and it’s almost instantaneous.

The software upgrade is available now and loads in minutes. Once downloaded to the Apple TV, it changes the interface so the screen looks like an enormous iPad. The labels are changed into icons, and music cover art streaming, that users are familiar with through iTunes, now displays on the TV set like it does for films, TV shows, music and computer games.

Apple TV was easy to operate before but this new interface is even more intuitive. Users can access all their purchased movies, TV episodes, and music provided they have iTunes Match and iCloud.

AirPlay lets users with the iPad and iPhone 4S stream or mirror content to the Apple TV and the free app Remote (available in the App store) lets users operate the Apple TV with their iPad or iPhone.

Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing Philip Schiller said: “People are going to love streaming movies and TV shows in 1080p with the new Apple TV, and photos look beautiful displayed at the maximum resolution of your TV.”

Its upgrade will make purchasing movies on iTunes even more compelling and will remove one of the most significant reasons to trek to the DVD store - to get HD movies.

Blu-ray and 3D content are now the only reasons to venture out into the rain to rent movies and TV shows, as streamed or downloaded HD content from the iTunes store is likely to satisfy most Australian TV viewers. Or at least it should prompt the 70 per cent of Australians who own smart TVs to hook them up to the internet.

For music lovers, the latest version of Apple TV allows iTunes Match subscribers to play their entire music library (including tracks purchased outside of the iTunes store) on their Apple TV complete with cover art.

To update your Apple TV software, go to “settings”, “general” and then “update software”. This is the same procedure to update to iOS 5.1 on your iPhone or iPad. Go to the “settings” icon, then to “general” and then to “update software”.

Apple suggests plugging your iPad and iPhone into power while the software is downloaded to save battery life. Then go make a cup of tea, walk the dog and start writing that novel - the Apple TV update takes about five minutes but the iPad and iPhone updates could take you quite a while.