Apple Finally Has An Answer to Media Center with Front Row

[Jeremy Charette]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://blog.retrosight.com/PermaLink,guid,610ec599-f85e-4618-968c-140d3092fc8a.aspx' target='_blank'>http://blog.retrosight.com/PermaLink,guid,610ec599-f85e-4618-968c-140d3092fc8a.aspx</a><br /><br /></div><i>'Frankly, I'm underwhelmed -- I really expected Apple to have much more to brag about, especially given their momentum with iPod over the last couple of years. Based on everything I'm seeing, Front Row doesn't even have feature parity with the first version of Media Center released back in October 2002. No hint of a developer platform either -- that's a shame -- I was really looking forward to dusting off my Mac coding skills again. But don't get me wrong -- I do think this is a good thing. The halls here in Building 50 are buzzing with excitement (and yes, it's positive excitement -- we love this stuff). It's classic Microsoft vs. Apple, and we haven't really had that for a lonnnnnng time, and some of us miss that competition. So, welcome back Apple, it's good to see you again!"</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/frontrowquicktimerequired20051012.jpg" /> <br /><br />Since it's release, a lot of people have been lauding Front Row for what it isn't, or for what it doesn't do. Frankly, I don't mind that it doesn't do TV, or FM radio, or transcoding, or any of a million other things. It does a few things incredibly well. The interface is quick, intuitive, and easy to use. Apple is doing the same thing with Front Row that they did with the iPod: do one set of things extremely well, test the waters with it, and build on the product and the brand later in the life cycle. If they fail, they've lost very little. If they succeed, they could be a real threat to the integrated digital entertainment marketplace. Windows Media Center Edition could face some stiff competition.

[Felix Torres]

To be totally honest, Apple's Front Row is an answer to Dells's Media Experience...
http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/dell_media_experience.asp

...two years late...

Its a media player, not a software development environment.
No real comparison to MCE.

Still, it's probably the best they can come up with and, realistically, with MCE PC's making up 27-40% of retail desktop PC sales, Apple needed to field *something* to buy time and mindshare until they can actual build a real media center app.

[Macguy59]

Though limited I like this app. The problem for me is the machine they chose to put it on. Who wants to place their G5 iMac next to the TV? Would have made more sense to debut it on an updated version of the Mac mini.

[klinux]

To be totally honest, Apple's Front Row is an answer to Dells's Media Experience...
http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/dell_media_experience.asp

...two years late...

Its [sic] a media player, not a software development environment.
No real comparison to MCE.

Still, it's probably the best they can come up with and, realistically, with MCE PC's making up 27-40% of retail desktop PC sales, Apple needed to field *something* to buy time and mindshare until they can actual build a real media center app.

Yeah yeah, iPod is Apple's answer to Nomad, x years late. Or iTunes is Apple's answer to winamp, x years late. So on and so forth. As others (and you) have said this is not meant to be MCE - Apple choose to do a few things and do it right.

[Felix Torres]

As others (and you) have said this is not meant to be MCE - Apple choose to do a few things and do it right.

Then why hype it as such?

Do they think (all) consumers are too stupid to tell the difference?
And doing "a few things right" only works if you are providing the features consumers actually use. Otherwise what you are shipping is a crippled product.

The issue here isn't the product, whether its good or crap; its the hype which distorts the market for your *own* products.

A little truth in advertising and honesty wouldn't hurt.

If its not a full app Media Center like MCE, or Sage, or Beyond TV or what-not, don't lie and pretend it is. It only confuses the market and makes you appear as either clueless or a huckster.

Honestly: if Front row didn't have an Apple logo, would it get even a tenth of the praise it gets? Or the media attention?
Its really just a re-skinned Media player.
Whoop-de-doo!

Fans don't do Apple any favors by giving them uncritical support or free passes on clearly incomplete, flawed products in a market they are seriously lagging in.

Again: something like 40% of the desktops selling at retail these days are MCE boxes and a lot of folks that don't have the MCE functionality are asking for it. Apple needs an answer or the gains from the iPod halo, limited though they've been, will start to fade.

Apple has, at most, a one-year Window of opportunity to get into the Media Center business before Vista turns all home PCs into Media Center PCs and the XBOX360 installed base starts its own halo effect.

Hype gets you mindshare but it is functionality that delivers market share.

If they are really serious about the Mac playing in this market they need to deliver a little more substance with the style. They need a credible, competitive product. Here we are, complaining about MCE PCs lag in supporting HD and Cablecard and Apple doesn't even deliver NTSC capabilities!

Slide-shows and DVD playback are way last-century. ;-)

[Jeremy Charette]

The numbers are skewed, and I think Apple's Front Row is more competitive than it appears at first glance. Yes, 46% of new PC sales are Media Center PCs (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20051018PR208.html), but only 27% of those Media Center PCs have TV tuner capability. I don't think the lack of a DVR functionality will hinder Front Row in the near term, as it doesn't seem to hinder sales of non-DVR MCE PCs. Sure, it's just a fancy front end for a music, video, and DVD player; with a photo slideshow thrown in...but that's how they started with the iPod. "It's too big. It doesn't have an FM tuner. It's too expensive." they all compained. Look at it now.

MCE is a really great software package, just now reaching full maturity. Apple has a lot of catching up to do. But if history is any indication, they'll catch up in a hurry and capitalize on early successes.

At this point in the game though, it's too early to tell. Could be anyone's ballgame.

[Damion Chaplin]

Windows Media Center Edition could face some stiff competition.

IMHO, nothing that Apple will put out in this arena will actually compete with MCE or BTV or some such program until they allow us to do one thing: Build Our Own.

Right now, I can go to Newegg, and with $400 build myself a very nice, very functional MCE machine. BTV is even cheaper. Until Apple allows me to build my own media computer, they won't get my money.

Granted, I'm not talking about whole PC sales or anything. However, I don't know a single person who bought a MCE machine whole. All of the media PCs I've ever met were home-built. My MCE is actually my old P4 1.7Ghz machine with a few tweaks to help make it boot-up and shut down superfast. It would take very little money for me to re-create it at today's prices...

[Macguy59]

Granted, I'm not talking about whole PC sales or anything.

And what % of the total PC's in use today are self built? I would be surprised if it was more than 0.5%. Sorry but I think it's a non factor.

[Jeremy Charette]

I'm inclined to agree. I know very few people who have built their own PCs, and I have no idea what percentage of those with MCE PCs have built those boxes themselves. I do know that only about 10% of all consumer PCs sold in the last year had a TV tuner installed, so the lack of DVR capability in Front Row is really a non-issue for 90% of the populus. There isn't much else that MCE does that Front Row doesn't do.

MCE does have its advantages (FM radio, DVD changer control, public SDK, DVR functionality), but at it's core, it serves the same purposes as Front Row. It plays DVDs, shows photos, plays videos, and plays music. Given time, I have to believe that Apple will incorporate some or all of those features in future releases.

MCE has the trump card of the Xbox 360, and various Media Center Extenders. It's also simpler and easier to hook up to your TV. It's designed to be a networked product, whereas Front Row is a single client application. Different strokes for different folks. It really boils down to how much functionality the consumer is looking for, and how tech savvy they are (when it comes to hooking it all up).

Competition improves the breed. I'm sure Microsoft will work hard to distance MCE from Front Row.

[Damion Chaplin]

Competition improves the breed. I'm sure Microsoft will work hard to distance MCE from Front Row.

Well, that much is certain. :D

I suppose you're right. In general these things aren't targeted at power users. I guess what I'm looking for is the XPS of MCEs. Much like the gaming segment, hopefully soon they'll realize there's a market for high-end entertainment PCs (and I don't mean it's $2000 because it includes the LCD TV). We're talking an HTPC meant for people who already have primary computers. I have no interest in composing emails on my TV.