I was lucky enough to snag one of the new Apple TVs before I took the long drive down here to the Keys and I had a chance to set it up and start playing and watching this week. My first priority was to get the NBA Team Pass set up so that I could watch the Celtics’ opening game. With the old Apple TV all the Apps or Channels were present unless you made them go away. The default with the new Apple TV is that only the basics are present when you first plug it in, i.e. Apple’s apps like iTunes Movies, iTunes TV Shows, Music, Photos, Computer, Settings and the App Store.
I went to the App store and after signing in with my Apple ID I was able to easily locate the NBA App and download it. Once I signed in with my NBA Team Pass credentials I was able to watch the game. During time-outs I downloaded a bunch of other apps, too. Some of them you are familiar with if you have used an Apple TV in the past, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, Showtime anytime as well as CNN, CBS, ABC and others. The App store, for now, shows only featured apps so if you really want to explore you need to use the search function. There are a bunch of new apps out there especially games and for some reason a ton of “fireplace” apps. I know, you want a nice crackling fire so you can imagine you are cuddled up in Vermont. Somehow a 1080p fireplace just ain’t the same.
With all of the new apps sorting them is the same as the old Apple TV. If you select and hold the remote button down, they will start to wiggle and you can move them around. One of the first improvements I would recommend to Apple for the tvOS is to allow iOS-type folders so that you can clean up the screen and more easily find what you are looking for. Games are fun but I think Grace is getting tired of all the car crashes and casino-like sounds coming out of the Sonos set-up on my TV. I do think that this new Apple TV is going to be a great gaming platform, especially with apps that take advantage of the internet connection so you can play against people all over the world.
The new AppleTV remote is fantastic. The top third is a touch sensitive trackpad and while it took a little getting used to, navigation is much easier. The motion sensor on the trackpad allows game action and I have gotten pretty good at one of the bowling games, although I did knock over my iced tea with one twist of my wrist. If you get enthusiastic with the remote, I do recommend that you invest in one of Apple’s remote loops that plugs into the lightning port and holds the remote to your wrist. Siri on the remote works for some functions and is especially useful in searching for content. I asked it to find all the David Lynch movies and within seconds Eraserhead, Wild at Heart, Dune and Twin Peaks popped up.
It would be nice if Apple had a new Remote App for your iPhone and Apple Watch that could control the new Apple TV but I guess that is coming sometime later. The new search text entry is a bit laborious. Instead of the grid keyboard that we are all used to, letters are strung out in a single line and you swipe back and forth to enter text. It is not very user friendly. I’ll have to see how Siri does in searching for stuff so maybe I will only need that to enter my Apple ID every now and then.
I have really just scratched the surface but I am a fan. I know it is a “first release” of the tvOS and there is a lot of room for improvement and enhancement but I do think the new Apple TV is a game changer and will lead to cable cutting as Apple makes deals for more content. In my very limited sampling, we are using Apple TV for content about 70% of the time and cable about 30%.