Handhelds (and handsets, in particular) have long since been used as tools for home automation, but the forthcoming App Store is likely to bring a niche concept to the masses... or some of them, at least. Beginning on July 11th (that's the iPhone 3G launch day, you know), a Crestron interface titled iLoveControl will be available for download; during the first 30 days of launch, said app will "offer a one-room Crestron solution free of charge, configured for the control of lights, drapes, HVAC, audio and video." If you're looking to control more than that, it'll cost you $250 per configuration. This is just one example of what's likely to fill the App Store, and quite frankly, we're pretty excited about the possibilities.

MCE is at it again providing the wares that Apple simply won't. After offering up a 2x Blu-ray burner for the Mac Pro and Power Mac G5 last year, the company is keeping up with the industry by introducing a 6x variant for the very same machines. You'll also find compatibility with BD-RE (2x), DVD±R (16x), DVD±RW (6x - 8x), DVD±RW DL (4x), CD-R (40x) and CD-RW (24x). The drive itself is available as we speak for $499, while a bundle with Roxio Toast 9 Titanium goes for $599 and an external version runs $749.

[Via The Mac Observer]

Well, it had to happen eventually: someone cracked open their Apple TV and transplanted the 2.5-inch drive with a 32GB SSD by Transcend. That's pretty much it -- just a bit of hacking, partitioning, re-imaging, and off you go. Do you really even have to ask if putting an SSD in something was worth it?

In case you hadn't heard, Apple finally got around to bringing movie rentals to folks camped out in Canada and the UK. Flicks from 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, MGM, Sony and Lionsgate are now available on the iTunes store, with Maple Pictures thrown in for Canadians. Of course, any HD rentals will require an Apple TV set-top-box, but you totally expected that anyway, right? As for pricing, Canucks will be asked to hand over CAN$9.99 for catalog title purchases, CAN$14.99 for recent releases and CAN$19.99 for new releases, while rentals run CAN$3.99 for library titles and CAN$4.99 for new releases, with high-definition rentals priced one dollar more. UKers can purchase titles for £6.99 (library) / £10.99 (new release) or rent 'em for £2.49 (library) / £3.49 (new release), with HD versions costing one pound more. Let us know how things look, won't you?

Read - Apple brings movies to Canada
Read - Apple brings movies to UK

With Roku's Netflix Player all out in the open and an LG box just around the bend, Chuck's question is particularly timely. There are already quite a few choices out there for folks looking to snag a dedicated movie set-top-box, but has the best one even arrived?

"I pretty much stick with OTA reception when I watch TV, and while Netflix / Blockbuster is fine, I've recently been considering a standalone movie set-top-box for instant gratification purposes. With the Apple TV, VUDU and Roku Netflix Player already out, which one would be best to pick up? I realize more units are expected, but I'm particularly fond of models that support HD films. Really, I'm just looking for user opinions on each, especially if they already own one or have used one."

We'd also like to point out that Netflix's "Watch Now" feature can be piped to your TV fairly easily if you have a nearby HTPC or Xbox 360, but alas, you won't be seeing any material in high-def from there. Here's your shot at defending (or lambasting) your own movie STB -- and... go!

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Ah, bugger. Just days after Apple Core began offering its aTV Flash on a foolproof USB stick, the outfit has officially pulled the software. Apparently there have been a few "questions arising regarding the fair use of a particular file present on the aTV Flash, and conflicting opinions as to whether or not it falls under the fair use category." In order to keep itself off of the hot seat, it has "proactively" (and voluntarily) discontinued offering the product "until further notice." Not all hope is lost, however, as Apple Core is currently working with the party in question to resolve the dilemma, and it should be keeping us all in the loop as discussions progress. Oh, and in case you're curious -- all current orders were canceled and refunded.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Engineering souls have been hacking up the Apple TV for a good while now, but those too scared of completely ruining their box have had to sit patiently on the sidelines waiting for someone else to do their dirty work. Enter aTV Flash, a USB flash drive which enables your Apple TV (Take 2 included) to do all sorts of fancy new tricks without any fuss. Those with the drive simply plug it in and watch as new file formats become supported, UPnP media streaming opens up and Safari-based web browsing becomes a reality (among other things). Granted, the convenience will cost you $59.95, but that's the price you pay for making your life easier (and your Apple TV a little more useful).

[Via TUAW]

We can't say we're too terribly fond of purchasing movies on a proprietary set-top-box (à la VUDU), but for those with no real attachment to physical media, Apple's looking to hook you up. Aside from announcing that day-and-date DVD releases were coming to iTunes, Cupertino has also enabled its Apple TV to purchase full-length films; prior to today, users could only rent them for a window of time. Details are pretty scant at the moment, and we're not even sure if HD films can be purchased (or if a premium is added on), but feel free to fire up your box and let us know how it goes in comments below.

Hollywood Reporter says that Apple is expected to announce today an across-the-board deal to sell new release films at its iTunes Store. The deal is said to allow Apple to offer a "broad slate of top-shelf films" day-and-date with home video releases -- a long time sticking point with brick-and-mortar interests who want to keep their early-release edge on digital downloads. The deal includes Fox, Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal, Sony Pictures, Lionsgate, New Line and more -- all of which are currently inked to deliver rentals through iTunes. MGM is not part of the deal. That puts Apple in direct competition with Wal-Mart's DVD empire after having pushed Wal-Mart from the top spot in music sales for the first two months of the year.

Update: It's official. New releases will cost $15 and catalog titles will cost $10 -- US only for now. Full press release after the break.

Apparently a number of Canadians who have purchased Juno in hopes of downloading a Digital Copy and hauling it around on the go are coming up empty handed. We're seeing reports of failed attempts to redeem the packaged code, resulting in error messages indicating that "This product is not available in the Canadian store." Initially, users were generally assuming the blame needed to be placed on Fox, but according to an e-mail reply from the Fox Digital Copy Support team, it indicated that "Apple [was] working" to fix the problem as quickly as possible. Any of you in the Great North dealing with the same issue? Have you seen this on more than just one occasion?

[Thanks, Nick]

NetBlender is preparing to reveal new technology aimed squarely at connecting Blu-ray content to Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch, called BD Touch. Designed to "leverage network capabilities of Blu-ray players" Macworld UK surmises it could lead to possible use of those devices as a remote control for Blu-ray players, but given NetBlender's history of authoring tools we see the potential for an add-on that easily helps developers implement features like Digital Copy or BD-Live enabled ringtone purchases. Remote control -- or better yet Remote Play style -- apps could be interesting however, so we'll keep an eye out for the official announcement, expected April 10.

While VUDU has unleashed a couple of updates for its movie STB of late, Apple has just let slip the first point update since the Take 2 upgrade. Dubbed version 2.0.1, the update adds a "Genres" tab in the My Movies list among other small tweaks. Anything particularly useful added here? Toss in your input below.

[Via TUAW, thanks Ryan]

Another year, another update to Miglia's TVMini. This iteration, which honestly looks no different than past versions, does precisely what you'd expect and little more. The "Mac-only" TVMini HD Express boasts a built-in ATSC tuner and gets all the power it needs from a spare USB 2.0 port. You'll get the obligatory watch / pause / rewind functionality and the outfit's own The Tube software with an integrated EPG and a one-click solution for exporting programming to iPods. Granted, this critter isn't nearly as road-friendly as those USB tuners, but if you're just totally seduced by those sexy curves, you can hand over your $99 and stop drooling.

Hot on the heels of that Apple TV patent which included broadcast viewing functions, we're getting a peek at a new application which suggests a possible DVR future for the folks from Cupertino. The concept breaks from standard TiVo-like solutions by making extensive use of a handheld component, which would be used to program and control the recordings, and could periodically download batches of shows for iPod-esque portability. On the set-top side, the box would function largely the way most DVRs do now, though Apple seems to be interested in infusing the process with its typical gloss, and part of the application is concerned with the possibility of gesture-based control for the unit (no surprise there). Of course, this isn't the freshest patent filing in the world, and it's possible Steve has already moved on to a more intuitive, telepathically controlled system by now.


[Via AppleInsider]

About 48 milliseconds after the format war was officially over, rumors started running rampant (again) about Blu-ray making its way over to Microsoft's latest console. Now, however, those rumors actually have some legs -- well, at least a leg. According to Stan Glasgow, Sony Electronics US president, "Sony is in talks with console rival Microsoft about offering a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox 360." For whatever it's worth, the exec also noted that it was having similar discussions with Apple, which has yet to even offer a Blu-ray option on any of its machines. Unfortunately, not a peep was uttered about potential launch dates and the like, but you can rest assured that we'll be keeping an ear dangerously close to the ground.

[Thanks, Andy]