

How I know the Apple TV won't succeed - demallien
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/02/apple-asks-apple-tv-users-for-feedback-usage-habits.ars

======
demallien
Just to follow up, all of Apple's big successes have come not from customer
surveys and other standard marketing techniques, but when they step out in a
bold new direction, satisfying the desires of the engineers themselves, as
well as pleasing The Steve.

Apple TV appears to be floundering. It really does give the impression of
being a device that Apple created to sell content on the iTunes Store, rather
than to meet the desires of consumers. This is not how Apple created smash
hits such as the original Apple ][, the Mac, the Laserwriter, the iPod and the
iPhone. I forsee a bad ending for the Apple TV if they don't return to their
strength - innovating to scratch an itch.

Is this a sign of what will come in a post-Jobs era? I hope not! Perhaps the
fact that the survey itself has been taken down so quickly is a good thing.

------
geuis
I use my AppleTV every day. My freaking bill attests to that. I only rent
movies and buy tv shows. I wish the hard drive was bigger. The other big part
of it is the access to podcasts. There are a number that I watch that I
wouldn't otherwise. In most cases the quality of video podcasts is better than
tv shows. I have my xbox360 and while I have used the netflix streaming a
couple times, the quality is horrible compared to ATV. I'm sticking with my
little white box, and may cancel the cable tv completely.

