Apple TV

Since Apple made the Apple TV iOS 4.1 firmware available on their website, developers and hackers alike have been scouring through with a fine toothed comb. What they have found so far is quite interesting - Facetime may be coming to Apple TV via your iPhone 4 using AirPlay, there could be DVD remote support, and the device does contain bluetooth code.

Apple has finally updated their Remote app to version 2.0, and included support for iPad 4 and iPod touch 4 Retina Display, and for the iPad. It will also support shared libraries for iTunes and, of course, the new Apple TV (2010) that's just started to hit the streets. AirPlay is also supported, currently for what was previously AirTunes, and no doubt for full on iOS 4.2 video goodness when that's released as well.

Using a publicly released version of the Apple TV iOS 4.1 firmware, the Dev-Team has decrypted its keys, the first step necessary to a Jailbreak, which could very well be on its way. That's less than 24 hours after the iPod Touch 4G fell victim to the same SHAtter exploit.

UPDATE #1: It’s looking like SHAtter is going to be the gift that keeps on giving. Even though the new AppleTV isn’t yet in people’s homes, the firmware is available on Apple’s normal public distribution servers and SHAtter has been used to decrypt its keys!

Cydia apps? 1080p output? At this point anything seems possible.

The new, 2010 Apple TV is starting to ship. TiPb readers, along with readers of other sites are all getting their notification emails from Apple. We've only seen "prepared to ship" notices, but *MacRumors" is starting to see actual shipment notifications as well.

That might be US-only for now, however, as mine and a few others internationally are still seeing "ships in September" on our orders with nary an email in site. Here's hoping Apple's production machine is in full swing and Apple TV makes its global debut this week.

Apple has an Apple TV apps engineer, if LinkedIn is to be believed. What that means exactly is unknown -- maybe they simply engineered the built-in Netflix and YouTube apps -- but as MacRumors points out:

the internal view that the Apple TV is simply a collection of apps seems to be in line with future third-party expansion.

Since Apple TV (2010) is running iOS, it's probably not a question of whether or not it can run 3rd party apps, but whether or not Apple will open it up to running them.

Doesn't look like NBC will be joining iTunes' $0.99 TV show rental service anytime soon, as CEO Jeff Zucker thinks it's not enough to charge for 22-44 min. of... whatever soon to be cancelled sitcom they've shoved up against that inane reality show on that other network:

We do not think 99 cents is the right price point for our content. ... We thought it would devalue our content," Zucker said at a Goldman Sachs investor conference. He pointed to the fact NBC shows are already available for $1.99 for download on Apple's iTunes service.

On Monday Fortune brought word that Apple had entered into a multiyear licensing deal with Rovi, which could cover everything from TV guides to DRM. But what could Apple want with this tech?

Gene Munster, of course, still thinks Apple will build their own TV. I still think that's a leftover rumor from when they were readying the 27" iMac. With a $99 Apple TV on the way, Apple doesn't have to worry about competing with Sony or Samsung in the lower-margin, high cost, premium TV market but can simply piggy back onto any existing panel in the living room.

Netflix has made its very first foreign expansion by introducing their service of streaming video content into Canada. The service is now available and will cost you $7.99 per month.

This is great news for those of you in Canada as you will not be left out in the cold when Apple TV starts to ship (any day now). The company confirmed that not only will it support Apple TV but Apple's iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch will also be compatible with the streaming service in conjunction with the appropriate Netflix application.

Is AirView going to be Apple's go-to-marketed strategy, using an iOS 4.2 iPad or iPhone and Apple TV one-two punch combo get around tradition media? Following up on the discovery that iPad Netflix will stream to Apple TV, Seth Weintraub figures out the following:

Apple TV is indeed running iOS according to a TUAW tipster whose confirmed the 2010 model is the iprod2 previously seen in code strings.

So... Jailbreak and run apps? How would that boost sales?

[TUAW]