Are Apple TV 2.0 and The Wave Interactive Mileposts?

In the case of Apple TV version 20 of the settop box first introduced as Steve Jobs39 quothobbyquot back in 2007 it was the longanticipated conversion from alternative program delivery to smart TVmaking mechanism Before 7000plus people filling an auditorium in San Francisco last Wednesday Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook pictured at top ended the upgrade wait with two sentences quotHere39s the new Apple TVamp160 We believe it is the future of televisionquotAlthough modified iPhone iPad and Apple Watch products also were unveiled over the twohour presentation Apple TV 20 was the clear headline attraction that afternoon and the object of much debate since There is lots of speculation over whether the current universe of 25 million 10 users will switch what they have now for a model on sale late next month for 149 or 199 depending on how much processing power they desire Similarly there is much talk about Apple39s decision to convert Siri from a voice control to a search engineWhen you add everything up the fortune of 20 in a marketplace already bunched with smart TV set makers Samsung LG Vizio etc and smart accessory providers Roku Chromecast Amazon Fire TV Shield etc rests on the answers to two questionsFirst will the hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs behind applications for the iPhone and iPad rally to adopt their current offerings to TV and set off a bonfire of imagination for Apple 20 apps Cook took that bet when he said TV quotneeds a new foundation the future of TV is appsquot As in going way past streamed video or multiplayer games As in services like AirBNB and Zillow interactive shopping from organizations like Gilt Group or augmented reality destinations like FoursquareSecond how far Apple goes to position Apple 20 as a musthave from the start both among the current faithful and newcomers Between now and late October from this vantage Apple must stage demonstrations and extensive debriefing with the press and public in New York Los Angeles Silicon Valley Chicago and anywhere else possible and do so with both company executives and app developers on hand I recommend Cook Eddy Cue the executive managing Apple TV or other senior officers book face time and panel time at the collection of TV industry events ahead Diversity Week the New York Media Festival NYC Television Week andor the New York TV Festival Google TV fumbled its first time out several years ago in part because its management decided to lay back and sleepwalk through its rollout while partners Sony and Logitech ran with the ballAs Apple 20 sets up its public push independentlyowned Touchjet is gaining momentum and solid reviews for both its product and how it came to users The product is Wave an infraredpowered device which converts TV sets into touchscreens capable of displaying smartphone or tablet apps then using them by tapping oneamp8217s fingers against the set or playing with a smartphone or tablet keyboard The process also can display apps created directly for TVIn order to build a base of users Touchjet and chief executive Helen Thomas turned to Indiegogo for a monthlong crowdfunding drive Donors pledging 149 would get Wave ready to deploy once installed in the home The aim was to raise 100000 With two weeks left in the campaign more than 500000 was raised and by then wordofmouth about both Wave and how well donors liked it caught the attention of Fast Company Techcrunch other print and online journals and disclosure time yours truly who ended up interviewing Thomas on my Tomorrow Will Be Televised program week before last available at wwwblogtalkradiocomtelevised and iTunesThe result provoked Touchjet to continue the Indiegogo campaign into early October with more than 590000 raised as of early Tuesday morning And at that 149 level donors now get an upgraded quotPlusquot version of Wave with added processing power and Skype using a Webcammicrophone hookup at the top of their TVJust like Apple TV 20 Touchjet probably will have to expand its marketing strategy to elevate into the arena of major players in this evolving smartinteractive TV world Apple and Touchjet both had better move quickly because it doesn39t look like the rest of the field will stand still There39s already buzz that Amazon Fire 20 will be released soon and travel booker Orbitz is among the current Fire TV39s newest attractions As for the smart TV makers with International CES 2016 four months off early hints about what will be new with their models should arrive soonUntil the next time stay well and stay tunedThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageMyersBizNet management or associated bloggers

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Are Apple TV 2.0 and The Wave Interactive Mileposts?

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