Apple is taking online orders (http://tinyurl.com/n9q22vc) for the fourth generation Apple TV. It costs US$149.99 for the 32GB model or $199 for the 64GB version.
Order today and it delivers Nov. 2-4 with free shipping. Or you can pay $17-$19 for next day shipping (it ships Oct. 30).
The all-new Apple TV is built from the ground up with a new generation of high-performance hardware and introduces an “intuitive and fun user interface using the Siri Remote,” according to Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. Apple TV runs the all-new tvOS operating system, based on Apple’s iOS, enabling iOS developers to create new apps and games specifically for the set-top box for delivery via the new Apple TV App Store.
The new Siri Remote is designed to simplify how you select, scroll and navigate through your content by using a glass touch surface that, according to Apple, handles both small, accurate movements as well as big, sweeping ones. Developers can take advantage of the built-in accelerometer and gyroscope, and the touch surface on the Siri Remote to create games and other apps.
With Siri, you can use your voice to search TV shows and movies by title, genre, cast, crew, rating or popularity, making it easy to say things like “Show me New Girl,” “Find the best funny movies from the ‘80s,” “Find movies with Jason Bateman” and “Find popular TV shows for kids.” Apple TV will search iTunes and popular apps from Netflix, Hulu, HBO and Showtime, displaying all the ways the resulting TV shows and movies can be played. Siri also offers playback control and on-screen navigation, as well as access to sports, stock and weather information.
The fourth gen Apple TV features the Apple-designed A8 chip. tvOS supports key iOS technologies including Metal, for detailed graphics, complex visual effects and Game Center, to play and share games with friends.