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Friday, January 11, 2013, 12:41 pm
Apple TV gains access to Watchever in Germany
The Apple TV set-top box was updated in Germany on Friday to add support for streaming service Watchever.
Users found the Watchever icon appeared on their Apple TV home screen on Friday without the need to download a software update, according to Macerkopf.de. Apple has done similar silent updates in the U.S. to add new content options.
Users can subscribe to Watchever for a monthly fee of 8.99 euros. The service provides access to nearly 2,000 films and 6,000 television episodes.
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Previous Comments View All
Again, this just bothers me. I don't like it.
You don't like getting new features without hassles? I think I'm not following you.
You don't like getting new features without hassles? I think I'm not following you.
I don't like the "oh, hey, you no longer get to have access to this service and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it" system.
They can add and remove things without our say-so. Happily iOS (proper) and OS X don't work like that. Makes me think that the Apple TV doesn't really run a true iOS, you know? More like a "website", like within the iTunes Store app. I don't like that either, but that's a different topic.
You don't like getting new features without hassles? I think I'm not following you.
I'll interject here on TS' behalf.
It's a double-edged sword. On one hand you may get new features without hassles, on the other hand, it means that you have literally zero control of what features you do have. You can't stay on an old version and keep old features like you can with a "real" computer, and channels, shows, apps, anything they want to remove in the future is just gone. Instantly, and potentially without any warning.
You think you "bought" some moves, but all you really did is set some temporary bits in a database somewhere that say you currently have permission to watch a movie. And that's only IF you use a particular version of a particular service provided by a particular vendor.
It's not to say there isn't any value there at all; heck, people have watched live TV for decades with various restrictions, but you could always easily tape a show and keep it to do as you liked at any time thereafter. Not so much anymore. Personally, if I can't own the optical media or create a copy that I can store on my own media in some way, I'm not interested at all. Not everyone agrees, but thought I'd try to help explain one philosophy.
I don't like the "oh, hey, you no longer get to have access to this service and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it" system.
They can add and remove things without our say-so. Happily iOS (proper) and OS X don't work like that. Makes me think that the Apple TV doesn't really run a true iOS, you know? More like a "website", like within the iTunes Store app. I don't like that either, but that's a different topic.
I'm in general agreement with you on the overall philosophy. I'm not interested in an Apple TV in its current state (except possibly if it was jailbroken and used merely as part of a convenient conduit to send media I own to the big screen from other devices that I own). The thing is, people need to not think of it as a device, but as part of a service. Just like the Kindle Fire, which isn't really a tablet you own as much as it's a conduit to purchase and use Amazon data/apps. I'm interested in buying and owning stuff, not paying for services.
In any case, I'm not as pleased with iOS as you are because it has a lot of the "absolutely nothing you can do about it" symptoms as well. With a "real" computer you can install firewalls to block unwanted activity (phoning home is rampant on iOS), but iOS doesn't allow it. Firewall.IP does this, but you need to jailbreak and it's actually cumbersome to purchase even if you want to. I feel somewhat helpless when using iOS and need to resort to harsh behavioral protocol just to maintain the tiniest bit of control (airplane mode often, WiFi only when necessary, etc.).
Even MacOSX itself it trending this direction with the Mac App Store. It's not there yet, and it does bring some benefits, but over time we are losing control of our devices.
Can we have BBC iPlayer support now, please?
I don't like the "oh, hey, you no longer get to have access to this service and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it" system.
They can add and remove things without our say-so. Happily iOS (proper) and OS X don't work like that. Makes me think that the Apple TV doesn't really run a true iOS, you know? More like a "website", like within the iTunes Store app. I don't like that either, but that's a different topic.
If they ever removed Netflix I would certainly be a very unhappy camper. Now back to Season 2 of Alias ....
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Users found the Watchever icon appeared on their Apple TV home screen on Friday without the need to download a software update...
Again, this just bothers me. I don't like it.