Below is a list of recently added Apple TV HD or iTunes HD rentals.

Blood and Bone (Apple TV)
Easy Virtue (Apple TV)

Let me preface this artlice by warning everyone upfront not to upgrade to Apple TV 3.0.

I can’t even claim to have used Apple TV 3.0 so why should I be such an alarmist? Not surprisingly, installing any Apple TV update will wipe out non-Apple features you may have installed like Boxee. The Apple TV without Boxee is just pointless. I suspect many Apple TV junkies rely on Boxee for fundamental media player functionality like the ability to stream from ubiquitous network attached storage (NAS) devices (a must for even modest media libraries) or support fo additional video codecs like DivX.

After reading all the underwhelming reviews of Apple TV 3.0 the most visible of changes is in the user interface. According to reports on the Boxee community forum this new UI appears to be causing problems with the Launcher menu items required for Boxee. Until a new ATV patch stick is available, when you upgrade to Apple TV 3.0 you cannot reinstall Boxee.

Its been over 2.5 years and the Apple TV still doesn’t support streaming from a NAS or additional codecs like DivX. Apple, when are you going to open the platform up for third-party developers to fill the gaps? Updates like Apple TV 3.0 only serves to irritate and frustrate Apple TV junkies as their beloved Apple TV suffers a long slow death into obsurity.

We can only hold solice in the fact that Apple TV junkies are a resourceful group of people determined not to give up. They’ll find a way to update Launcher so Boxee can live, yet again, on our Apple TVs. It’s too bad this coincides with the highly anticipated November release of a new version of Boxee. Regardleas, expect Boxee to continue to impress while ressurecting the Apple TV once again.

You can get the official description here at Apple.com, you can get screen shots and reviews here, and here, but at ATVJ you’re going to get one users reaction….mine.

Lets begin with my overall reaction after using the 3.0 update for a few hours, and it’s one of being underwhelmed. Let’s start with the most obvious change, the interface. I feel as though Apple took a step backwards at the very least concerning aesthetics. For a company which prides itself on UI and UX excellence they must of thrown the interns on the Apple TV interface redo project. From a usability standpoint the new UI is probably easier to use, for instance moving the “My” menu selections to the top was a welcomed change, but I think Apple can take a few lessons about creative media player UI design from the creators of Boxee, Flex, and even Microsoft and the Zune Store.

Fine, so the interface isn’t all that, surely the new features make up for that right? Ehh, iTunes LP/Extras and Internet Radio, with Internet Radio not necessarily even being a new feature to the Apple TV. I suppose that if you were one of the lucky ones to have been chosen as iTunes LP/Extra upgrade worthy, or the 3.0 update inspired you to purchase an album or movie with the extra content, then the update was worth it. I on the other hand am still waiting for my notice to upgrade my version of Iron Man to view the extra content on my HD TV, so I will withhold judgement on that upgraded feature. Then there is Internet Radio. As I said before, this was available in the previous version of the Apple TV software by creating a playlist in iTunes, adding radio stations, and then syncing. It’s just a little easier to access now.

That pretty much sums up this 3.0 update for me. As I’ve read throughout the day, 3.0 just doesn’t feel worthy of the point update. Of course we are talking about the Apple TV, where any update is practically worthy of a party. I think Apple has larger plans for the Apple TV in some form or another, but I think their focus is elsewhere right now, which is why they keep the Apple TV limping along. So what do you think? Could Apple have rolled this out with a 2.5 update and left room for something bigger at 3.0? Lets hear what you have to say Apple TV Junkies of the world.

Update – As heard on every other Apple enthusiast and Gadget website, the 3.0 update is now official. You can read all about it from Apple’s official Press Release. For those of you stuck far from your Apple TV you can check out some screen shots over at the official Apple TV web page. ATVJ will have a full review coming.

We can confirm what MacRumors is reporting, that an Apple TV 3.0 software update is coming soon. Apparently anyone making a purchase today is being presented with an update to the Terms and Conditions which lists the 3.0 software update. This 3.0 update looks to be bringing iTunes LP and iTunes Extra functionality to the Apple TV.

Time to fire up those Apple TV’s and repeatedly hit that Software Update!

Below is a list of recently added Apple TV HD or iTunes HD rentals.

Liberty Heights (Apple TV)
Welcome to Macintosh (Apple TV)

This week’s 99p movie is Scary Movie 3 following the Halloween trend. It is not available in HD.