If you have an Apple TV or even some remote speakers connected to your iTunes application on your Mac, then you will know that it is quite tricky trying to control it to get the content you really want. Apple have developed an iPhone application to overcome some of those limitations: Remote. Apple Remote connects [...]
Apple Remote
If you have an Apple TV or even some remote speakers connected to your iTunes application on your Mac, then you will know that it is quite tricky trying to control it to get the content you really want.
Apple have developed an iPhone application to overcome some of those limitations: Remote.
Apple TV remote
Apple Remote connects to either your Apple TV or iTunes using WiFi. This then allows your iPhone to act as a remote controller for your device.
You can connect to a number of devices or iTunes Libraries, but only one is active at any one time. To make the initial connection you need to authorise the iPhone on the Apple TV of iTunes library so you cant just find Apple TVs around you and start to control them…
Once connected you have pretty much full functionality for an iTunes library, being able to browse by playlist, artist or album. You can also tap on the search to find the particular item you want.
Apple Remote more options
Tapping on the more icon presents the menu shown to the left. This provides control of some of the lesser used features of the iTunes library. From here you can gain access to your video collection, podcasts and TV shows.
In fact this just about mirrors the functionality that you can find in iTunes, and this is great for controlling the iTunes on your computer, but less so for the Apple TV.
In fact for the Apple TV the whole application is really back to front. The controls for movies are hidden behind a couple of taps. That is not to say that Remote is not useful, more that is it not as useful as it could be.
The Apple TV has many more functions than the iTunes Library on your computer, and none of these are catered for. Remote cannot be used as a substitute for the little remote control provided with your Apple TV. Even the very basic minimum of adding a dial control and text entry would make this a far better application.
Available from the Apple Appstore as a free application
Today Apple released iTunes 8.2 and Quicktime 7.6.2 on general release. This is the version of the music, video and application manager from Apple that is compatible with the new version 3.0 operating system currently in beta testing. The timing of this release is interesting just before the Apple WWDC where we expect at [...]
iTunes 8.2 available for download
Today Apple released iTunes 8.2 and Quicktime 7.6.2 on general release. This is the version of the music, video and application manager from Apple that is compatible with the new version 3.0 operating system currently in beta testing.
The timing of this release is interesting just before the Apple WWDC where we expect at least one new iPhone hardware platform to be released. The implication is that Apple are preparing the groundwork for a release of the new version 3.0 software in the near future, possibly even to coincide with the Developers Conference in San Francisco.
The quickTime update includes some security fixes and also support for iTunes 8.2
Click here for more information on Apple iTunes version 8.
