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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Feb. 22, 2008
/ 16 Adar I 5768
Apple changes entertainment, again
By
Mark Kellner
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Starting at $229, the new-and-truly-improved Apple TV, re-released
last month, is a device that could change the entertainment world,
again.
Apple TV's first incarnation, as a wireless entertainment system tied
to Apple's iTunes software and a computer running same, drew some
interest, but also a lot of yawns. People didn't want their computers
doing double duty as entertainment servers. Instead, they wanted to be
able to download music, pictures, video and movies to the device and
work with them directly. Apple changed the product to do this, and the
result is stunning.
I have a 42-inch Sony high-definition LCD television set with an HDMI
(High-Definition Multimedia Interface) interface, in fact two of them.
That's the type of television for which Apple TV is designed:
widescreen, with HDMI. The prices of such sets is dropping in advance
of the 2009 jump to digital over-the-air broadcasting, so it's likely
you'll have such a set someday soon.
Apple kindly sent along the 160 Gigabyte hard disk version of Apple
TV, which retails for $329; spend $100 less and you get a 50 Gigabyte
hard drive. On the larger model, the cost-per-gigabyte of storage
drops from $4.58 on the 50 GB model to $2.05 on the larger drive.
Using an iTunes-equipped computer, you can select the media, including
photos from Apple's iPhoto application, a Windows-based PC, or from
online photo-sharing services such as Flickr and Apple's .Mac
(STET) Web Galleries.
Right now, I've filled up approximately 20 Gigabytes with my own
content, and could easily add a lot more. But the storage is also
meant to handle TV episodes and movies that you buy or rent online
using an iTunes account. This, along with connections to your computer
for multimedia transfers, require that you have wireless networking at
home, or an Ethernet network. Movie purchases and rentals work best
via a high-speed Internet connection.
With everything in place, my wife and I decided to rent the
high-definition version of "Live Free or Die Hard." You do this by
logging in to an iTunes account and browsing through the available
films; searching is also possible using the tiny, functional remote
that comes with the unit.
Thanks to our Verizon FiOS connection and a wireless router, the
rental downloaded in under five minutes and played in perfect HD, with
very good sound, Dolby Digital 5.1, to be precise. Rentals of "new
releases" generally cost $4.99 for the high-def version, $3.99 for
standard definition. So-called "library" films cost $1 less in each
format to rent. All rentals are available for viewing for 24 hours
after download. Many movies can be purchased for $14.99 and stored on
the hard drive.
I also transferred a bunch of photos and a shelf-load of music to the
device. It's neat - there's no other word for it - to see sharp,
stunning digital images on a huge screen, in a slideshow that includes
all sorts of transitions and can be accompanied by the music you
select. Travelogues will never be the same.
Also available is the popular YouTube video library, which is
searchable via the Apple TC device. It's an incredible time waster.
You can also access all sorts of video podcasts for free, including
the National Geographic "Atmospheres" series, via iTunes.
I'm told that the unit is always "on" to allow it to "talk" to the
wireless network and receive software updates. My "inner BGE
customer," however, would like to see a power off switch somewhere.
But that's my only quibble: setup, wireless networking and usage are
all flawless.
Using Apple TV makes me very glad I don't own stock in a video rental
chain. This is the beginning of a great new future for entertainment
at home, and is worth investigating.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Mark Kellner has reported on technology for industry newspapers and magazines since 1983, and has been the computer columnist for The Washington Times since 1991.Comment by clicking here.
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© 2008, News World Communications, Inc. Reprinted with permission of The Washington Times. Visit the paper at http://www.washingtontimes.com
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