Most know I am a mac convert and I have been impressed with their line of products. As is known in the mac rumor community, 3 or 4 times a year, lots of rumors start spreading on the next product that apple will release. It heats up a few weeks before their scheduled product launch timeline and the persistent rumors are currently in relation to Apple working on a touch enabled handheld (a la tablet) that is being called the iSlate.

Well that speculation is for professional rumor generators. I am interested instead on the directions that Apple might take on convergence via software.

Here is one.

Apple has a couple of product lines that do not get very much air time. The Mac Mini which is a compact desktop computer that runs Mac OSX and the other mysterious product being Apple TV.For all the amount pur on developing and marketing the AppleTV, it is intriguing that the box is simply a console to stream content (from your iTunes or Audio / Video streamed through the internet. You can also watch You Tube content, but really, who the hell wants to watch silly YouTube videos on their living room TV. The idea of Integrating YouTube is simply a way of saying, “there, we can do it too”. So I am thinking, what is possible to do with AppleTV, something that will turn into a straightforward revenue stream for Apple instead of a protracted negotiation with Broadcasters on TV rights and a piecemeal bite into the home entertainment pie.

Firstly, AppleTV is a console. A console that has a capable CPU, memory, storage and GPU that can push HD content to your TV. It is a sizable box that, with the help of hardware engineers can be easily upgraded to a mid-high end computing machine. Note, the software is ready to access your iTunes account and make purchases (even without using a PC or Mac). It works wirelessly (adding bluetooth is a matter of 5$ hardware upgrade). Now the controller for this console is a simplistic Apple Remote that is (almost too simplistic). However the Apple TV can also be controlled via your iPhone or iPod Touch.

That is the second part of the puzzle. The iPhone (and iPodTouch) can control your AppleTV. The iPhone is an absolutely stunning device that has brilliant controls with its neat touch screen and accelerometers. Tons of extremely innovative games and control schemes have been developed in the last couple of years that has shown the ingenuity of game developers and the platform.

It seems logical in my mind that it is time for AppleTV to take centre stage. Not as a movie streaming box but, you heard it first here, as a Gaming console. Imagine the possibilities. The apple TV takes centre stage in the Living room plugged to a large screen TV with tons of CPU resources. Now, if game developers start developing games that can play on the AppleTV, all we need is good game controllers. There is the iPhone in your pocket. Whip it out, connect with the AppleTV, start the specific game ‘map’ and the controls magically appear on the phone, joysticks, tilt controls, multi touch controls, all in the palm of your hand. It gets better, sync 2 or more iPhones and you have multi player gaming in your living room. Even better, the in thing in gaming is online games and Apple need not be left out of this either. The AppleTV is always online. Hah, I might have cracked a long standing enigma that is AppleTV and potentially, cracked open a new revenue stream and industry for Apple to butt their nose into and make billions in revenue (remember iTunes music sales crossed a Billion $ mark in its first year).

It gets even better, you need not have to purchase the controller ‘map’, AppleTV can stream the game controls to your iPhone when you are connected and the controls disappear when you log out. Just run over to your friends house to play a game you do not own but the controls are beamed by the Local console and you need not be left out of the gaming fun during the next party.

Sell the games via iTunes / app store and the circle is complete. Apple being Apple, will keep the games playable on AppleTV alone and not on all macs (including Mini). Well that means Mini has a different product strategy planned out. And that is ok in my book.

Now, whip out your wallets and be ready for picking up the Next Gen souped up AppleTV when it comes out.

Well if anyone in apple wants more ideas, there is lots more where this comes from, I would gladly be an advisor for product development

Now, that is fresh speculation! he heh.

A nice way to round up a long weekend. A bunch of travel plans went down the drain but in the end, the weekend turned out to be much fun.

Myself and my brother decided to do a quick loop around the island and though it could have been longer, we stopped short to avoid some night riding. Me on my NWT and my brother on his Tikit. 85 Km of very pleasant weather punctuated with muted sunshine and light showers.

It all started with a quickly decided ride to the Zoo via Mandai Road. We looped in through the Upper Seletar, a nice winding, traffic free route that by passes the more congested Upp Thomson Road. Once at Mandai, we decided to continue on to Sungei Buloh and down to Jurong east. The Kranji Road was not much fun with too many trucks kicking up dust and sand but that lasted just for a few Km’s.

A pitstop at Sungei Buloh and we continued on to Jurong to head towards Clementi. Well, after about 40 km we decided to get something to eat and we found a good place in Jurong East, under the MRT line (with the noise of trains screaming past at regular intervals). Post Clementi, we took Pasir Panjang Rd to town (bypassing West Coast Highway) and from town it is my regular commute home.

We debated on whether we should continue on along east coast, head to changi village and return via Lornie rd. In the end, we decided to take it easy and headed home to clock 85Km. A very easy ride to top up a relaxing weekend.

If it is not the movie, it is the theater that screws the experience.

As I have mentioned, I am cautious about the local ‘film festivals’ as the movie experience is usually a gamble but when I read about Cathay screening some Ghibli classics, I jumped in on the opportunity to see some good shows on the big screen. I also coaxed some of my friends to join in.

I managed to get tickets only for ‘Laputa’ and I was pleased as it fit my schedule.

My expectations were very high, I was expecting to see the animation in high res, beautiful colors and great details. The show is from the late 80′s but given Cathay promoted it as a Ghibli festial and a one screen only event, I was pretty much looking forward to a well remastered show.

My enthusiasm was crushed when the show started. Booming audio and pretty low res video is what was shown. Damn, I felt like watching my DVD on mega screen. When the end credits rolled, the cast mentioned ‘Anna Paquain’. I thought, when did she start speaking Japanese…

A quick search later I realized Anna Paquain voiced over in the Disney dub of the film. So essentially what I paid money to watch was a japanese soundtracked Disney dub of the film.

Not that I care, but when I Cathay promotes one screen only shows I expect better control over the quality of the audience experience. The so called festival seems like a schedule filler and a pretence to make a quick buck.

I am saddened by the lack of quality cinema experience and needless to say, the next time I checkout picturehouse it will be with a due sense of caution.