Brent Schlenker on the Corporate eLearning Strategies and Development blog generated some interesting ideas for using AppleTV. For years now the Apple Airport Express has been a must have gadget in my travel bag. It has so many uses from creating an instant network, to stream audio to a hi-fi system, to freeing you from the 3 foot long ethernet cable in your hotel room.
Now that Apple has shrunk the Apple TV to a quarter the size and added an upgrade to AirTunes - AirPlay. This might become the next must have addition to my travel bag. The thing to check out when the AppleTV arrives next month, or when iOS4.2 arrives next week, is this: Does everything have to be delivered via iTunes? I am hoping not. If we gain the ability to stream a Keynote presentation directly from Keynote to an AppleTV that will be a major win for Apple. It will help boost sales of the iPad and the AppleTV.
If we find out that the implementation depends upon iTunes then all is not lost. Rogue Amoeba produce some great audio software. I have used their AirFoil software on my Macs for a long time. Their software allows you to re-route audio to another machine. I use it to send music to the old powerbook connected to my hi-fi. They also provide a video player that allows you to play video and syncs the audio to allow for the transmission lag. I am wondering if Rogue Amoeba will upgrade their software to interface with Apple's AirPlay.
