Streaming Media is Fun, but Where's My Damn RSS Reader?
Media devices like Apple TV, Slingbox and TiVo get pub because the prospect of having all your digital media available anywhere, anytime and through any device is a digital nirvana we'd all like to reach. But there's an aspect to these devices no one is talking about: plain old Web content.For example: Why is it I can stream movies and music from my ever-growing iTunes database, but I can't access a decent RSS reader through my TV? And why can I port gigabyte upon gigabyte of movies and music to mobile devices, but I can't get a robust Web browser on my set-top boxes? I don't understand why the Web's simplest forms of content -- text and pictures -- can't get in on this action.
Toward that end, these are the specs I'd like to see in my convergence dream machine:
Hardware
- 42-inch 1080p flat-panel LCD display.
- iSight camera built into the display's frame.
- 802.11n wireless connectivity.
- 500GB hard drive that shows up on my home network.
- Connectivity for external storage.
- 1 Ethernet jack.
- 4 HDMI ports.
- 3 component ports.
- 2 composite ports.
- 2 TOSLINK ports.
- 1 coax port.
- 2 CableCARD ports (and I want two-way connectivity).
- DVD player/burner with upscaling.
- 2 built-in HD tuners.
- TiVo remote.
- Wireless keyboard with integrated trackpad and microphone.
Software
- Mac OS (likely a beefed up version of Apple TV).
- Standards-compliant Web browser that provides access to regular versions of all Web sites and applications (GMail, Google Reader, Web 2.0 stuff).
- Integrated TiVo software (HD).
- Integrated Slingbox software that can send HD television feeds to computers, portable devices and other networked TVs.
- Ability to access, edit and save documents to networked computers and drives (Google Docs interface would work).
- Ability to remotely control networked computers via VNC.
- Ability to access and display movies, music and photos from networked computers and drives with no DRM restrictions.
- Ability to send saved digital entertainment to computers and televisions on my home network.
- Ability to access, rent or purchase digital media from any online merchant.
Engineering and business limitations will prevent this device from ever coming to market, but I would gladly invest in a product that incorporates 60%-75% of my listed functionality. I would also gladly invest in a solar-powered flying car. We'll see which product comes along first ...
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