XBMC on AppleTV

[Chris Gohlke]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/20/xbmc-comes-to-the-new-apple-tv/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/20/...e-new-apple-tv/</a><br /><br /></div><p><object width="437" height="266" data="http://www.viddler.com/simple/64dfd264/" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="viddler"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="fake=1" /><param name="src" value="http://www.viddler.com/simple/64dfd264/" /><param name="name" value="viddler" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /></object></p><p>So, it looks like the folks over Engadget got their hands on an AppleTV that has been upgraded with XBMC, giving it all sorts of tricks not supported by the standard configuration. &nbsp;Betting the folks over at Apple, not to mention their competitors aren't too happy if this $99 box has a chance of becoming a new toy that with a little secret sauce will do a lot more than these companies pricier offerings. &nbsp;But for now the good news for them (bad for us) is that the install is only&nbsp;feasible&nbsp;for the true alpha geek, but I'm sure that problem will be rectified in short order.</p>

[ptyork]

To me, this is an exciting prospect. I'd really like to see what can be done with this kind of hardware. Immediately, I'd like to see them install this in lieu of the Apple TV interface entirely (i.e., not an "App", but the actual boot-up interface). Much better for the wife and kids, no?

But longer term, the ability to take a $99 "PC" and turn it into a passable wife/kid computer would be nice. I can imagine a customized 1920x1080, KB+mouse-driven iOS interface attached to a big monitor/small TV on a desk that would allow me to dump the klunky old PC that I currently have attached to just such a monitor/TV. Cheap. Basically no power consumption. Easy to use. Tons of apps. PC appliance nirvana. Well, if you add in Flash support, of course. :)

Regardless, I think Microsoft got it right in wanting to port Windows 8 to ARM. This really is the future of the mainstream PC. Along with other form-factors, of course, and alongside "real" PC's for some enthusiasts (like all of us). Exciting times.