Why I’ve Given Up Hope for Apple, Google, Microsoft to Deliver Better TV

Last week, all eyes incited to Redmond as
Microsoft

(
MSFT

) denounced a arriving eighth-generation console, a Xbox One.
Although full diversion demos were conspicuously missing, Microsoft paid
a good understanding of courtesy to one of a facilities that has done the
Xbox 360 such a strike with users: a media core capabilities.

The Xbox One touts live TV facilities like a voice hunt for
programs, a Web browser than can snap to a side while watching
broadcast television, and a ability to automatically refurbish your
fantasy football joining any time a member of your group scores a
touchdown. In fact, vocalization of voice search, Microsoft has
basically injected
Google

(
GOOG

) Now commands into a Xbox One‘s means of interactivity. While it
might not be as in-depth and interpretive of “fuzzy language,”
being means to contend “Xbox, watch TV” and have it switch to a live
broadcast of
Breaking Bad

is flattering cool.

The usually problem with this “ultimate all-in-one entertainment
system,” as Microsoft called it: We’ve listened that before, and we’ve
been let down. Time and time again.

Sure, there’s always a possibility that a Xbox One will revolutionize
the approach we watch TV and lead a approach in building an
all-too-important customary in that all other media centers can
follow, though there’ve been clearly hundreds of these forms of
devices given WebTV came on a scene, and their success is
measured in how good they can stream
Netflix

(
NFLX

).

Take, for example, the
Apple

(
AAPL

) TV.

I bought a first-generation Apple TV years ago in a hopes that it
could broach a on-demand, entirely interactive radio that I
dreamed about when we was a TV addict youth. The thought of scrolling
through total programs with a remote and carrying a module or
film play automatically whenever we wanted was such a fantastical
vision.

And in terms of a high-quality, non-stuttering module or film, it
still is.

Admittedly, a Apple TV has always been dubbed a “hobby” by
Cupertino, and man, did it show. The underpowered, overpriced
device could hardly broach 720p party and crashed so often
that we wondered if that “hobby” was like someone observant their
pastime was wind-surfing when they’ve usually left twice.

The Apple TV was sole already stunted: Its USB pier in a back
couldn’t be used though jailbreaking a device. In other words,
you indeed had to
hack

the Apple TV so it could duty like a normal media actor and
access internal files. we purchased a device on a condition that I
could penetrate it — that a series of sites pronounced was a zephyr — and
use it in that matter.

Well, penetrate or not, a first-generation Apple TV was a terrible,
glitchy product. One of a misfortune we ever bought.

But afterwards we bought a Boxee Box, that redefined a definition of
“worst.”

Touted as an open source device that, again, would be a ultimate
all-in-one set-top box, a Boxee Box was introduced with a very
popular Boxee program built in. It had dual USB ports that you
didn’t have to penetrate in sequence to use, 1040p video capabilities,
hundreds of streaming apps, a Web browser with
Adobe

(
ADBE

) Flash support, and a remote with a QWERTY keyboard on a back.

The thing was, many — if not all — of those facilities were
continually damaged via a lifespan of this device.

The Boxee Box never worked right for many users. A discerning search
through a support forums, a Facebook page, or @Boxee mentions
on Twitter uncover a multitude of discontented users who, like me, tried
in vain to get an unsociable association to residence — let alone
fix — a problems we’ve continued to have with this bug-ridden
device. (A device that Boxee has given unceremoniously abandoned,
leaving a many consistent users in a surge before debuting a new and
equally cart set-top box. How’s that for patron appreciation?)

Users were forced to keep old-fashioned firmware installed on their
machines — given each sparse refurbish from Boxee would break
something else — and find their possess workarounds to get things
running for some-more than a day. (A flashback to a “if we wish it to
work, we have to penetrate it” days of Apple TV.)

Between consistent crashes, a serious memory leak, damaged Flash
support, an obsolete Web browser, non-working apps, and an
underpowered processor that could hardly even start a 1040p stream
let alone play it in a entirety, a Boxee Box is by distant the
biggest sentimental squeeze I’ve ever made.

And that’s entrance from someone who owned a Droid Bionic.

But a Apple TV and Boxee Box aren’t a usually disappointing
entries into a media core arena. Google TV has all though been
considered a wave given it was introduced in 2010. Yet again,
touted as a car that will redefine a approach we watch
television, Google TV strike one obstacle after another — a bad UI,
questionable production partners, disinclined studios, low
developer support — before it seemed to be a shambling corpse
still fighting for relevance. A destiny ascent to Jelly Bean may
inject some life into it, though a predestine looks to be already sealed.

That isn’t to contend it’s all a error of a manufacturer. The
aforementioned “uncooperative studios” play a vital purpose in denying
the open a TV-watching revolution. The
NBCs

(CMCSA), the
ABCs

(DIS), the
Foxes

(NWS), and the
CBSs

(CBS) all cite a undisturbed and superannuated promote indication and, like
the edition industry, will eventually go down with a boat as
the normal user starts to cite a cut cord to a $100+ monthly
bill.

After all, you’ve seen a approach they’ve run Hulu into a ground.

However, even in 2013 when Netflix and Wi-Fi everywhere (mostly), these
studios and wire companies are still kicking around due to their
massive control and energy over a media. Despite an contentment of
streaming and mostly giveaway party options, they still reason all
the cards when it comes to pacifist radio examination for the
average viewer.

And, many importantly, they are positively essential for the
success of any of these media centers. Want live TV interactivity?
You improved have a wire subscription and a protected wire box —
the kind with a additional monthly assign to operate. If not, well,
they’ll see we in justice — a dear hiccup that a over-the-air
television outfit
Aereo

knows all too well. (We still have to wait and see if a justice win
does anything for a success and adoption.)

So, what are we left with? Like we pronounced before, saved Netflix
streamers. Even now, to get many of a options we all wish and
have them work consistently, well, your best choice is building
your possess home museum PC, slapping a duplicate of XBMC on it, and
sitting behind with a Bluetooth keyboard remote.

In other words, another hack.

See also:

Forget Apple TV or iWatch: Apple’s Next Trump
Card Is Mobile Payments

Google Looks Ahead to Its Next Billion
Customers

Xbox One and PS4: New Consoles Are Nice, though New
Gamers Would Be Even Better