---
layout: post
title: apple front row
created: 1129588774
permalink: blog/walkah/apple-front-row/
tags:
- mac os x
- gadgets
- apple
- front row
- mac mini
---
<p>i was too busy to blog it last week, but the most interesting thing <em>for me</em> from last week's big apple media event was not the <a href="http://www.apple.com/ipod/ipod.html">video ipod</a>, <a href="http://www.apple.com/itunes/overview/">itunes 6</a> (now with more video), or the <a href="http://www.apple.com/imac/">new imac</a> (with built-in isight). I think the coolest announcement was <a href="http://www.apple.com/imac/frontrow.html">front row</a> - apple's "10ft interface" including the adorable little shuffle-like remote. now *this* is exactly the kind of thing i want from apple. I want to stick my mac mini in my living room, and have an interface to play all my songs through itunes, watch movies (downloaded or otherwise), and maybe even do the odd photo slideshow for guests (or not). I've long thought about building a <a href="http://www.mythtv.org/">mythtv</a> box for the purpose but the main limiting factor (aside from the boring old lack of time and money) is aesthetics. anything that goes in the living room has to be "wife approved" - i.e. it needs to not be a big, ugly beige box (with associated fan noise), and it needs to have a simple, elegant interface so that I'm not required to work it. front row sure looks like it fits the bill.</p>

<p>but WAIT! front row is apparently *only* available with a new iMac. WHAT?? that doesn't make any sense. As far as I can tell, the remote is bluetooth (which my mini supports) and the software is just software, no? Dear apple, I'd buy this today if I saw it on apple.com!</p>

<p>it appears i'm <a href="http://macslash.org/article.pl?sid=05/10/14/0940246" title="macslash thread">not</a> the <a href="http://www.tuaw.com/2005/10/12/new-imac-g5-with-frontrow-and-remote/" title="TUAW thread">only one</a> who <a href="http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/editors/2005/10/macminimedia/index.php" title="macworld">thinks so</a>. in fact, there's even an <a href="http://www.petitiononline.com/frontrow/petition.html">online petition</a> - which i signed. please tell me there is a good reason for this besides pushing imac sales?</p>

<p><strong>UPDATE:</strong> apparently, according to <a href="http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=MA128G/A">this page</a> the remote, while available is IR *not* Bluetooth. *sigh*</p>
