I want my iTV!

Apple on Sunday announced updates to three of its high-end video tools. (See below.) The press event took place in Las Vegas on the eve of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention, the self-described "world's largest electronic media show," where hardware and software tools for professionals share the floor with consumer-oriented gadgets and devices.

While Apple's new products will surely be boons for Mac videographers and DV enthusiasts, I, as a dabbler and a consumer, am more intrigued by some non-NAB media-related announcements earlier in the week from Sony. That company released in Japan the first of its Wega-branded LCD televisions, which receive both live TV programming and DVD-video via an 802.11a-enabled Sony wireless base-station, and three models of its CoCoon line of DVRs, which integrate broadband connections and a Web browser.

The networking capability that lies at the heart of Sony's RoomLink encompassing-media strategy will enable users to stream data to all manner of digital audio-video components, with "TV...reborn as an always-on interactive device," according to the company's Chief Executive Kunitake Ando.

Sony's approach appears to put it at odds with strategies enunciated by Microsoft and Apple, both of which feature the computer as the most important element of an infotainment and productivity environment. Indeed, Apple CEO Steve Jobs is on record as dismissing any value for TV as a component of an Apple system,

The oft-repeated "500 channels and nothing on" complaint may capture the futility of dumbed-down TV programming, but there's no denying the value of the medium when one wishes to stay abreast of timely news and analysis, or college basketball's season-ending tournament, or—God forbid—mindless entertainment, while still remaining productive at work.

Apple ships Shake 3

Shake 3, the new version of the compositing and visual effects software from Apple, is now available.

Apple previewed the update of high-speed compositing software that's optimized for high resolution visual effects on April 6 at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show. Shake 3 includes such Mac OS X only features as Shake Qmaster network render management software that allows visual effects artists to distribute rendering tasks across a cluster of Apple's Xserve 1U rack servers or desktop Power Mac G4 systems. What's more, Mac OS X users of Shake receive unlimited network render licenses at no extra cost.

Apple to introduce new Mac OS X Server at WWDC

Microsoft drops development of Internet Explorer for Mac

802.11g standard approved

QuarkXPress 6 for Mac OS X to ship next week

Final Cut Pro 4 to be released June 14

Apple ships Shake 3

Shake 3, the new version of the compositing and visual effects software from Apple, is now available.

Apple previewed the update of high-speed compositing software that's optimized for high resolution visual effects on April 6 at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show. Shake 3 includes such Mac OS X only features as Shake Qmaster network render management software that allows visual effects artists to distribute rendering tasks across a cluster of Apple's Xserve 1U rack servers or desktop Power Mac G4 systems. What's more, Mac OS X users of Shake receive unlimited network render licenses at no extra cost.

Apple to introduce new Mac OS X Server at WWDC

Microsoft drops development of Internet Explorer for Mac

802.11g standard approved

QuarkXPress 6 for Mac OS X to ship next week

Final Cut Pro 4 to be released June 14

Apple ships Shake 3

Shake 3, the new version of the compositing and visual effects software from Apple, is now available.

Apple previewed the update of high-speed compositing software that's optimized for high resolution visual effects on April 6 at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show. Shake 3 includes such Mac OS X only features as Shake Qmaster network render management software that allows visual effects artists to distribute rendering tasks across a cluster of Apple's Xserve 1U rack servers or desktop Power Mac G4 systems. What's more, Mac OS X users of Shake receive unlimited network render licenses at no extra cost.

Apple to introduce new Mac OS X Server at WWDC

Microsoft drops development of Internet Explorer for Mac

802.11g standard approved

QuarkXPress 6 for Mac OS X to ship next week

Final Cut Pro 4 to be released June 14

Apple ships Shake 3

Shake 3, the new version of the compositing and visual effects software from Apple, is now available.

Apple previewed the update of high-speed compositing software that's optimized for high resolution visual effects on April 6 at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show. Shake 3 includes such Mac OS X only features as Shake Qmaster network render management software that allows visual effects artists to distribute rendering tasks across a cluster of Apple's Xserve 1U rack servers or desktop Power Mac G4 systems. What's more, Mac OS X users of Shake receive unlimited network render licenses at no extra cost.

Apple to introduce new Mac OS X Server at WWDC

Microsoft drops development of Internet Explorer for Mac

802.11g standard approved

QuarkXPress 6 for Mac OS X to ship next week

Final Cut Pro 4 to be released June 14

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Microsoft drops development of Internet Explorer for Mac

802.11g standard approved

QuarkXPress 6 for Mac OS X to ship next week

Final Cut Pro 4 to be released June 14

Apple confirms meeting with indie record companies