It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything about AppleTV. Or Boxee. When Boxee came out for OS X, it took the desire (or need) out of wanting to get a dedicated AppleTV for the purpose of using Boxee. And, to be honest, while the form-factor is intriguing, I can’t see it in my entertainment center and I have little desire to purchase a Boxee Box. We’ve settled into a comfortable routine with our Netflix queue and Netflix instant watch offerings for watching movies that we didn’t want to wait for in the queue and especially to catch up on past episodes of Lost or 24 without commercial interruption (which is essential when you’re trying to catch up on multiple seasons before series finales). Hulu and Boxee apps for OS X, or even surprisingly, the network sites like FOX and ABC, have been sufficient to watch any current season episodes of anything. Of course, now that Lost and 24 are finished, there’s only an occasional Lie To Me or Kitchen Nightmares that I care to watch. And if we really like something, like BBC’s Elizabeth Gaskell Collection box set (don’t look at me like that), we’ll invest in the DVDs. As for gaming, we’re still using our almost 10-year old GameCube! So, admittedly, we are not the ideal demographic in this space—or, are we? Now, with all the new rumors surrounding AppleTV’s change back to iTV and being brought over to the iOS platform with the promise of apps similar to iPad and iPhone—will the game be changed? Will we finally take the plunge? That all depends…

Of course, one of the things that it really depends on is us taking the plunge on a real HDTV set. We have a 24″ monitor that suits our purposes but its not the ideal. We’re still as committed (even more so) to keeping our family time not focused on entertainment but quality time spent together with games (of the board or card variety) or reading good and edifying books or just plain old, good conversations. So its always a battle to not let the “ooh, shiny” side of technology get the better of my judgement. Of course, financial verities are a good way to keep things in check too.

Another thing that it would depend on, is if Apple is able to offer a subscription model that is compelling enough to replace our Netflix subscription or at least low enough to augment it. And what might make that whole point moot is if, by virtue of embracing the iOS platform, that Netflix and/or Hulu iPad apps will be able to be easily modified to run on iTV similar to Wii, PS3 and Xbox if they chose. I’d much rather buy a device at the rumored $99 price point than $199 or $299-$399. Of all the rumored specs, thats the one I’m hoping is most accurate.

And as I’ve already mentioned, the gaming aspect is not as big of an incentive as it would be to many, but I can definitely see the logic and appeal now that Apple has some serious gaming momentum going for them for the first time in a long time. It only makes sense to capitalize on the lower cost of iOS games and I think iTV has the serious potential to break out of the hobby stage and into the same stratosphere currently enjoyed by the iPad and iPhone 4.

And the big fuss over 1080p being downgraded to 720p is in reality, not a big deal. However, I do think Apple is going to have a challenge overcoming the market perception after so much has been invested by BestBuy and other retailers to “educate” customers to the “benefits” of buying the best 55″ LED 240MHz 1080p behemoth that money can buy. Of course the biggest benefit is more money in their pockets.

Well, until Apple makes any announcement, I’m perfectly content with our current Netflix arrangement. To be honest, I’d be more excited if Apple announced the iPhone was available on T-Mobile—but alas, it looks like I will be having to choose whether to switch over to AT&T (which I’ve successfully resisted for three years) or Verizon (another rumor). Until then, back to werk!

Just a few days ago I wrote an earlier post about my Wait for Obsolescence regarding Apple’s impending (at the time) announcement of new MacBooks and MacBook Pros. I knew it was inevitable that the machine I am currently typing on, would one day (all too soon I might add) be consigned to a growing pile of aging machines that once sat atop another heap with a much prouder, King of the Hill stance. The only thing I didn’t count on was that after Apple’s announcement last Tuesday, I found myself (or my MBP) still atop that hill as my current configuration matches the “refreshed” 17″. The situation is obviously tenuous, because Apple also announced that they were still planning on adding the same updates that graced the new 13″ and 15″ MacBook and MacBook Pro to the 17″. Then any remaining bragging rights will finally come to an end–with one exception: my MBP has a MATTE screen. We’ll see, but I believe that will allow my MBP to retain at least a bit of a premium for awhile as it will become harder and harder to get your hands on a matte screen MacBook Pro–specially with a 17″ HD screen.

I will grant that nine times out of ten, when you sit someone down, especially in a nice retail environment, and have them compare a glossy screen next to a matte screen, they will naturally gravitate to the rich blacks and saturated colors and declare the contest a no-brainer. Almost every time, glossy will win that contest hands-down. I know that. I myself like glossy screens better than matte for the pure pleasure of viewing photos and movies and all the iLife-goodness that make people want to put their old Dells and HPs out on the driveway for next week’s garage sale items (a week before the sale even starts) and enter into the Mac good life. But those people are not the ones who use their Macs to choose accurate colors for their print or video projects, nor work in environments with glare issues. We simply will have no choice other than to buy third-party monitors or keep our older Cinema Displays and MB and MBPs.

I’m ranting and raving, but this really isn’t quite a hill to die on, even for me, because as I pointed out above, those of us who need the matte option, will just go the third-party route, or hope that our existing matte-equipped rigs won’t look too out-of-date (like the original plexi Cinema Displays) next to the newer gear. And I know very well the human capacity to “just get used to these things”. But it was one of those things where I felt that I had to get my curmudgeon on and let loose if nothing other than to jack up the potential resale value of my MATTE MBP when and if the time finally comes to succumb to Teh Glossy. But for now, I am still enjoying the King of the Hill status while I can.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a true videophile. We do not have a monumental HD altar dedicated to the pantheon of gods emanating from Hollywood. We have consciously downplayed the role of the television in our household to focus on more profitable, mind-challenging activity such as; conversation (how novel!), reading and game playing (physical games like cards and board games — not Wii, PS3 or Xbox). In fact, with the exception of a couple of 20″ and 24″ computer LCDs, we don’t even own an HD set.

To be honest, we have been known to go on Netflix binges and start ordering only movies that star Cary Grant, or Gary Cooper or Clark Gable or Gregory Peck (of course, Peck went and spoiled that whole CG/GC leading man name paradigm), or I’ll order the whole Band of Brothers series along with the documentaries on the Battle of the Bulge and others for background. My wife and daughters likewise will go on a Jane Austen or Elizabeth Gaskell or Charles Dickens BBC binge (although I’ve also become quite a fan), but overall, we try to keep the TV off as much as possible.

In addition to our Netflix indulgences, I have slowly started perusing the iTunes movie and TV sections more and now occasionally add interesting TV shows as well as a movie here or there. Rentals are still iffy because I have a 5G Video iPod that doesn’t handle the rentals so I can only watch them on my computer. It isn’t bad if I’m on the road with my laptop, but the office isn’t the best place to gather the family ’round to watch a 2-hour movie. So, we’ve used teh iPod (I love teh the) to connect through our Costco-special TEAC stereo with video out from the iPod dock to watch on our TV. But with the lack of ability to navigate the menus on screen, coupled with TEAC’s horrid remote for basic controls, it is a less-than-desirable experience but not bad enough for me to run out and buy an AppleTV.

Until reading about Boxee, I’ve spent little thought wondering if it would be worth it to take the AppleTV plunge. But I have to say, that for the first time, it is intriguing enough to start counting pennies toward an AppleTV. Last night, while working I saw a tweet from Arnold Kim of MacRumors fame offering invites for Boxee and wanted to look into it some more. I checked out the site and while my curiosity was piqued, it wasn’t until this morning that the initial reports came out and I started looking into it a little more seriously. Wish I could have taken up on Arnold’s invite offer, but I don’t have an AppleTV…yet.

I think what intrigues me the most is the combination of open source, social networking, and custom channels that breaks out of Apple’s controlled environment. If you want to call it a downside, Boxee is unable to play any DRM content from iTunes so you’ll have to switch to Apple’s interface for that, but it really opens up the world of content on demand so that you can take control over what you want to watch, when you want, and help friends with recommendations (although you can’t always trust friend’s recommendations — but that’s another story). The whole open source aspect is encouraging in that it may open up a whole world to “hobbyist” developers to add to the platform and likewise establish the AppleTV even more as the media hub of choice for techies.

My biggest concern is if you will have the ability to filter content and craft your own UI preferences so you’re not constantly visually assaulted by all the garbage (for me, but specially for the kids) that is out there even on the cover artwork (can I say how tired of seeing “Saw” covers I am?). But I guess I will have to wait until I can actually join as an alpha or beta tester — or more likely “early adopter” by the time I’m really ready to make the plunge — to be able to make realistic recommendations. But I can safely say that I am honestly “intrigued” and that is half the marketer’s battle right there.

If you’re looking for an invite to Boxee, in addition to applying directly to Boxee, a good place to go is this thread in the MacRumors forum.