Apple’s long-rumored television set may soon become a reality, as China Business News reports that Foxconn, Apple’s Chinese manufacturing partner, has already started a pilot production of the new Apple HDTV:

Insider sources told China Business News that a Foxconn factory in Shenzhen has received orders for an Apple “smart TV” and is producing them on a trial basis.

Other Chinese publication, WantChinaTimes, quotes Lao Cha, an industry observer, who said:

The advent of the mobile internet has paved the way for digital convergence, prompting Apple, Samsung and other international brands to branch out into smart TVs. Smart TVs play a critical role in digital convergence. Cloud computing and equipment linkage will be key to the success of equipment suppliers.

According to Xie Qinyi, vice president of Greater China for DisplaySearch, a market consultancy, the Apple’s biggest challenge for Apple will be “to secure high margin in a mature TV market.”

Recently, Cult Of Mac has released some information on the Apple TV set given to them by one of their sources: their source claims to have actually seen a fully functioning version of this mystery machine. The source was quoted as saying,

It resembled an Apple monitor, only much larger.

The source also claims to have witnessed a build in iSight camera installed into the TV allowing full use of FaceTime to make free calls.

According to Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley, Apple will launch a 50-plus inch LCD-TV by the end of the year.

In an interview on Bloomberg Radio, Apple analyst Gene Munster assured that the Apple television is real („we met with some component suppliers at CES“) and said that he thinks Apple TV set „is going to be the biggest thing in consumer electronics since the smartphone came up.“  He was betting that it will be announced later this year, probably for the holiday season.

However, JP Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz claims Apple TV set is unlikely to arrive in 2012.

Back in January Globe and Mail reported that Canada’s largest telecommunications companies – Rogers and Bell – were in talks with Apple to become Canadian launch partners for its Apple HDTV. Another source said Rogers and Bell already had the product in their labs.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on the rumored Apple TV set.

[image: Cult of Mac]

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Seas0nPass jailbreaking tool has been updated today to provide an untethered jailbreak for Apple TV 2 running the latest 5.0.1 (iOS 5.1.1) firmware. All of the most popular Apple TV plugins, like XBMC, Plex, Media Player, nitoTV, Rowmote, Last.fm, Couch Surfer and Weather are currently supported on 5.0.1 (Remote HD and Overflow are not yet working and require an author update for 5.0.1 compatibility). The new Apple TV 2 untethered jailbreak has been successfully tested by nitoTV.

The current version of Seas0nPass doesn’t provide a jailbreak for the Apple TV 3.

Here is a step by step tutorial on how to untether jailbreak Apple TV 2 5.0.1 using Seas0nPass:

Note: If you’re already running a tethered version of 5.0.1 you will need to re-jailbreak using Seas0nPass to take advantage of the new untethered version.

Pre-launch checklist

1. Download and install the latest version of iTunes (check for updates through Software Update located in Apple menu).
2. Download Seas0nPass for Mac [10.6 or later] or Windows [XP or later].
3. A micro USB cable will be required to complete the jailbreak.
4. Disconnect any iPods, iPhones, and iPads from your computer.

Jailbreaking

Step 1: Unzip the ‘Seas0nPass.zip’ file and launch Seas0nPass.

Step 2: Select the ‘Create IPSW’ button to start the jailbreak process.

Step 3: The latest Apple TV software will be downloaded and used to create a custom ‘jailbroken’ software file.

Step 4:When prompted, connect your Apple TV using a micro-USB cable (leave power disconnected).

Once the light on the front of the Apple TV begins to flash rapidly, point the remote at the AppleTV and hold both the MENU and PLAY/PAUSE buttons for 7 seven seconds.

Note: This step will require the silver (aluminum) Apple TV remote that was included with the ATV2. The older, white (plastic) remotes will not work.

Step 5: iTunes will open automatically and start the restore process.

Step 6: iTunes will confirm the restore when complete – your Apple TV is now jailbroken. Please proceed to the ‘tethered boot’ section below.

Note: To confirm the jailbreak was successful a (temporary) red FC logo will appear in the lower right corner of the screen – as shown below.

Enjoy!

Now you can:

• install XBMC 11.0 Eden and all the great XBMC addons
• watch Hulu
• install IceFilms
• install aTV Flash (black) and Media Player
• and much, much more!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on Apple TV 3 jailbreak status.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

FireCore has just released a new version of Seas0nPass that provides an untethered jailbreak for Apple TV 2 5.0.1 (iOS) 5.0.1. The new Seas0nPass uses pod2g‘s untethered exploit and has been successfully tested by nitoTV. Most of the plugins, like XBMC, Plex, Media Player, nitoTV, Rowmote, Last.fm, Couch Surfer and Weather are currently supported on 5.0.1. Only Remote HD and Overflow are not yet working and require an author update for 5.0.1 compatibility.

Released two weeks ago, Apple TV 5.0.1 (9B206f) adds HD previews for TV shows and movies in the iTunes store and brings fixes to Netflix, AirPlay and Home Sharing.

Here is what’s new in Apple TV 5.0.1:

• iTunes previews: Previews for movies and TV shows from the iTunes Store can now be viewed in HD.
• AirPlay: Fixes an issue that caused some iOS apps to have trouble connecting via AirPlay.
• Home Sharing: Improves the reliability of Home Sharing connections.
• Netflix: Addresses an issue affecting Netflix login and navigation.
• Stability and performance: Includes fixes for issues affecting stability and performance.

You can jailbreak your Apple TV 2 running the latest 5.0.1 firmware by following this tutorial.

FireCore also said on its blog that the 3rd gen Apple TV is not supported in this release:

Unfortunately Seas0nPass is not yet compatible with the new ATV3. Work is still ongoing and we’ll be sure to announce any and all news as soon as it becomes available.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on Apple TV 3 jailbreak status.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

UPDATE: It’s out! You can jailbreak your Apple TV 2 running the latest 5.0.1 firmware by following this tutorial.

Finally, we have some good news for you. Although there is still no sign of Apple TV 3 jailbreak, it seems that Apple TV 2 owners will soon be getting an untethered jailbreak for their black boxes updated to the latest Apple TV 5.0.1 firmware.

nitoTV tweeted that he had successfully tested pod2g’s untethered jailbreak for Apple TV 2,1 5.0.1 (4224)/5.1.1(9B206f). He didn’t give any ETA but he is working hard to release it as soon as possible.

w00t @pod2g untether for AppleTV 2,1 5.0.1 (4224)/5.1.1(9B206f) tested and working! NO ETA ON RELEASE, PLEASE DONT ASK ATV2 ONLY!!!!!

— kb (@nitoTV) May 23, 2012

In case you don’t want to wait until the untethered jailbreak is out, you can tether jailbreak your Apple TV 2 running the latest firmware using FireCore’s Seas0nPass 0.8.4 right now by following this tutorial.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on Apple TV 2 untethered jailbreak and Apple TV 3 jailbreak status.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

iOS hacker pod2g has posted on his blog a list of tested devices for the upcoming 5.1.1 untethered jailbreak. While it’s still uncertain if Apple TV 2 will be supported in this jailbreak, pod2g has no doubts that the jailbreak won’t be compatible with the Apple TV 3.

In this way the hacker confirmed what he said on the blog earlier this week. pod2g said on Monday that we should expect the 5.1.x untethered jailbreak „in a couple of weeks“ and he added:

It will be compatible with any device running iOS 5.1.1 except iPod 3G, iPhone 3Gs and ATV3 (right now, may change in a near future, nobody knows).

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on Apple TV 3 jailbreak status.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

FireCore’s Seas0nPass has been updated to provide a tethered jailbreak for Apple TV 2 5.0.1 (iOS 5.1.1). Tethered jailbreak means that every time there is a need to reboot your Apple TV, you will have to connect it to a computer. Functionally, both tethered and untethered jailbreak are identical.

Plex and Remote HD plugins are not yet working on Apple TV 5.0.1. XBMC, Media Player, Couch Surfer, nitoTV, Rowmote, Last.fm, Weather, RSS Feeds and Maintenance are already supported. Non-working items require an author update for 5.0 compatibility.

The current version of Seas0nPass doesn’t provide a jailbreak for the Apple TV 3. You can learn more on Apple TV 3 jailbreak status here.

Here is a tutorial on how to use Seas0nPass to jailbreak and tether boot your Apple TV 2 on firmware 5.0.1:

Pre-launch checklist

1. Download and install the latest version of iTunes (check for updates through Software Update located in Apple menu).
2. Download Seas0nPass for Mac [10.6 or later] or Windows [XP or later].
3. A micro USB cable will be required to complete the jailbreak.
4. Disconnect any iPods, iPhones, and iPads from your computer.

Jailbreaking

Step 1: Unzip the ‘Seas0nPass.zip’ file and launch Seas0nPass.

Step 2: Select the ‘Create IPSW’ button to start the jailbreak process.

Step 3: The latest Apple TV software will be downloaded and used to create a custom ‘jailbroken’ software file.

Step 4:When prompted, connect your Apple TV using a micro-USB cable (leave power disconnected).

Once the light on the front of the Apple TV begins to flash rapidly, point the remote at the AppleTV and hold both the MENU and PLAY/PAUSE buttons for 7 seven seconds.

Note: This step will require the silver (aluminum) AppleTV remote that was included with the ATV2. The older, white (plastic) remotes will not work.

Step 5: iTunes will open automatically and start the restore process.

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

“The Apple TV 3 has successfully been jailbroken and it is untethered,” is a phrase that we have all been eagerly awaiting for the past month now. Though there is no substantial information leading to any Apple TV 3 jailbreak ETA or even the current status of the jailbreak for Apple’s latest family member. Now, even with the seeming lack of information our there, we felt it would be good to put every in one place for our reader’s convenience.

pod2g, perhaps best know for his role in the 5.0 jailbreaking of the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4S, has been hard at work with the latests series of jailbreaks for the iPad 3 and everything underneath it. Though we have received good news in the form of a video showing his iPad 3 using an untethered jailbreak, he mentioned on Twitter:

For now this leaves us to wonder does “may be out” mean there is no hope or is there still a ray of light coming?

nitoTV, perhaps best known for nitoTV for Apple TV, does not currently sound much more optimistic. Known as a bit of an Apple TV guru, I often [and others] tend to hang on every word nitoTV has to say regarding the Apple TV scene. For this very reason Twitter was a buzz the other days as he mentioned something regarding preferred jailbreaks for the Apple TV. In hopes to squash any unsubstantiated hype nitoTV tweeted:

Though there is no great news on Apple TV 3 jailbreak to reveal today, we will be working hard to make sure you all stay apprised of the latest information.

umOuch (Andrew Brasher)

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Seas0nPass jailbreaking tool for Apple TV has been updated to version 0.8.4 that supports a tethered jailbreak for Apple TV 2 5.0.1 (iOS 5.1.1). Released this Thursday, Apple TV 5.0.1 (9B206f) adds HD previews for TV shows and movies in the iTunes store and brings fixes to Netflix, AirPlay and Home Sharing.

Here is what’s new in Apple TV 5.0.1:

• iTunes previews: Previews for movies and TV shows from the iTunes Store can now be viewed in HD.
• AirPlay: Fixes an issue that caused some iOS apps to have trouble connecting via AirPlay.
• Home Sharing: Improves the reliability of Home Sharing connections.
• Netflix: Addresses an issue affecting Netflix login and navigation.
• Stability and performance: Includes fixes for issues affecting stability and performance.

FireCore, the developer behind Ses0nPass, also said on Twitter that Apple TV 3 jailbreak is still in progress.

You can jailbreak Apple TV 2 5.0.1 with Seas0nPass by following this tutorial.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Apple TV set featuring Siri, FaceTime, Airplay, and a build in iSight camera is more of a reality today than ever before. Though we have had many reports from anonymous insiders, today marks the first public admission of the project by someone within Apple’s product release chain. More than simply admitting the products existence, Foxconn CEO Terry Gou discussed some of the production details. According to China Daily:

Gou said Foxconn is making preparations for iTV, Apple Inc’s rumored upcoming high-definition television, although development or manufacturing has yet to begin.” Apple’s upcoming TV also “reportedly features an aluminum construction, Siri, and FaceTime video calling.

This report goes on to quote Mr. Gou as saying:

Foxconn’s recent 50-50 joint venture factory with Sharp in Japan is one of the preparations made for the new device.

Cleary, Sharp would be a great strategic partner for the production of a new line of TV’s. It is more than encouraging to hear that there is actual movement in this long rumored project. Steve Jobs has been quoted numerous times in regards to his companies “hobby project.” The folks over at TechLand shared one of these infamous quotes where mr. Jobs tells his biographer:

I’d like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use. It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it.

I think it would be fairly easy for us to assume that Jobs was referring to Siri. But we will leave room for more speculation in the months to come.

umOuch (Andrew Brasher)

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

We at Apple TV Hacks have offered many guides that enable you to jailbreak your Apple TV, install XBMC, and even install addons, plugins and extras to your XBMC installation. So, now that we have given you the tools to increase the awesome of your little box, I figured it would only be fair to share with you what addons have proven to be the best of the best. So enough explanation… lets jump in to the good stuff.

Here is the list of 10 best XBMC addons for both 1st and 2nd generation Apple TV.

10.   IceLibrary

• Content Source:
  • Works in conjunction with the IceFilms addon
• Features:
  • Allows users to sync movies and television shows from the IceFilms add-on to their internal library
  • Offers the ability to refresh your library in intervals that you decide.
  • It offers filters so that you can scan for all movies released after a certain date… allowing to you have access to all movies released since 2003, should you desire to.
  • The possibilities are endless, making this one of my favorite add-ons.
• Download & Support:
  • IceLibrary Development and Releases come directly from xbmchub.com, via its development team. This add-ons has gone from a one man team, to a community driven project. You can download IceLibrary addon from here.

9.   HULU

• Content Source:
  • Hulu.com
• Features:
  • Access to all of Hulu’s website content
  • Access to all Hulu + content, for users who have signed up for the service.
  • This add-ons comes with the unique ability to add shows and movies, from Hulu, to your XBMC library. This enables you to do a lot of cool stuff!
  • Allows control of the amount of ads, or pre-roles, displayed.
• Download & Support:
  • HULU ADD-ON Development and Releases come directly from forum.xbmc.org, via its developer bluecop. This developer is known for having some AMAZING addons in his repos! You can download Hulu addon from here.

8.   Fast Pass TV

• Content Source:
  • Fastpasstv.ms.
• Features:
  • Though this add-on offers both television and movies. It is known for its movies.
  • Latest movie release are updated to FastPassTV at a rate that is second to none. If there is something you gotta see NOW(!) FastPassTV is a good way to go.
• Download & Support:
  • FastPassTv’s Development and Releases come directly from xbmchub.com, via its developer, who is also a developer for IceFilms. Its actual creator is always open to help with problems.Fast Pass TV addon from here.

7.   Live TV

• Content Source:
  • Combines live tv streams with a handful of 24 hour streams.
• Features:
  • Combines live tv streams with a handful of 24 hour streams of shows like Friends, King of Queens, and more.
  • 24 movie channels including Starz.
  • Live streaming sports
• Download & Support:
  • LiveTV’s Development and Releases come directly from forum.xbmc.org, via this add-ons developer. Its actual creator is always open to help and can be found either at xbmc.org or xbmchub.com. You can dowlnoad Live TV addon from here.

6.   Super TV

• Content Source:
  • Live TV Streams (think antenna TV)
• Features:
  • View live tv via your APPLE TV 1, 2, or 3
  • You can mark channels as broken so that the developer can fix streams if they go down.
  • Live streaming sports
• Download & Support:
  • SuperTV’s Development and Releases come directly from supercloudtv.com, via this add-ons development team. You can download Super TV addon from here.

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!