Bowling Central is one of those few games on the App Store which makes best use of Apple TV’s dual screen mirroring feature. AirPlay the game and your TV screen becomes the bowling lane while your iPhone tracks your movements to deliver the perfect spin (like the Nintendo Wii).

Rolocule Games has recently pushed out the major 2.0 update to Bowling Central, which pushes further what was probably the most realistic Bowling experience on iOS and Apple TV. The update adds 45 new challenging levels and for the first time, drops the price tag to zero!

More importantly for Apple TV users, the update brings local multiplayer mode, which makes Bowling Central a perfect party game. Up to four friends can hook up their iOS devices to the Apple TV and broadcast them to the television. Now take turns and compete against each other just like with the original game.

Along with the update, Rolocule made an exciting announcement: the game will receive Apple Watch support as soon as watchOS 2 firmware gets dropped to the public. Meaning you won’t even need to hold an iPhone to play the game. As long as you have your Apple Watch on the wrist, they can track its accelerometer to create the same magic as before, delivering the most authentic gameplay experience ever.

The announcement is very significant as we are now sure that we will be seeing more games and apps making use of the Apple Watch – Apple TV combo. Read on what Apple Watch means for Apple TV users.

Get Bowling Central for free from the App Store.

Check out our coverage on other dual screen AirPlay mirroring games: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

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Couple of days back, Apple seeded the second beta to their latest Mac operating system, OSX 10.11 El Capitan (read more). And as usual, developers tore it down in an attempt to track down Apple’s upcoming products. One of the results turned out to be a new Bluetooth remote control, most probably designed for the Apple TV 4.

9to5Mac came across a file inside El Capitan named AppleBluetoothRemote.kext, which wasn’t there on previous builds nor on Yosemite. 9to5Mac’s editors scanned the file and extracted some useful details about the remote.

The new remote will pair with devices over bluetooth and control them with infrared bursts, just like the current remotes.

But what is interesting is that the mentioned remote will have a multi-touch trackpad, which supports inertial scrolling like what we’ve seen with the Remote app for Apple TV. Developers also found references to Apple’s latest force-touch technology in the file but aren’t sure if it will make way to the final product.

It could also be made out that the new remote control will support audio interface, which seems to be an input for Siri voice commands rather than for a speaker.

Unfortunately, they haven’t found any direct mentions of Apple TV 4 in the file. However, this remote uses the same technology as the current Apple TV remotes and is packing touch-pad and Siri input which have previously been rumoured about the Apple TV 4 remote. Hence, we believe that the file references the same and that Apple is planning to launch the revamped Apple TV by the time El Capitan becomes available to the public.

Read more on Apple TV 4.
Check out:Apple TV Remote troubleshooting guide

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If you own a Windows PC and an Apple TV, you are not making full use of the duo unless you start AirPlaying from the computer. AirMyPC can help you with just this.

AirMyPC is pretty powerful bringing almost every feature we have seen with other big players, like AirParrot 2. Download a 4 megabyte file and you are ready to get started in under two minutes.

In addition to the usual complete mirroring, AirMyPC also has options to send just the audio or only the video to your Apple TV.

It can also mirror the computer webcam and microphone – no other software can do that.

AirMyPC also brings specific-app mirroring, which means you will be able to send just one window to Apple TV in the background, while doing something else on your PC. El Capitan is bringing a similar feature with web videos in Safari for Mac (AirParrot 2 has this feature, too).

AirMyPC allows you to connect and manage AirPlay to multiple Apple TV devices. It also has a innovative new tool called Education Interactive Tools Suite (optional add-on), designed specifically for the modern classrooms. It lets you to draw, write, type and annotate directly on any open window on your desktop and of course, it gets mirrored to your TV or white screen.

With the Interactive Tools Suite add-on to Draw on your computer screen using the Pen Tool or using one of the the other Shapes Tools (as Circle, Rectangle, Arrows, Chats, Etc.) with opaque or transparent Colors. You will be able to use the Eraser tool, the Color Picker tool, the Opaque tool, Undo tool etc.

You will be able to type text using the Text Tool. You will also be able to save your work to files.

I had a quick hands-on with AirMyPC and found it to be really effective. It had some stutters while AirPlaying HD YouTube videos, but was snappy and responsive for everything else.

AirMyPC is available with a free 7-day trial. Go here to check it out and if you like the experience, you can purchase a license for $14.99.

If you are looking for an alternative app for Windows or Mac, check out AirParrot 2.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Last Monday at the WWDC, Apple previewed the next major software update for Mac, the OS X 10.11 El Capitan (check out the major highlights). Safari on El Capitan brings a wonderful new feature for Apple TV users: the ability to AirPlay web videos to the Apple TV without sharing your whole screen and in the background.

In Yosemite, you can of course AirPlay your entire browser screen to Apple TV and whenever a web video is played, it will show up in full screen on your television. But as soon as you stop playing video on the Mac, the view on the TV goes back to a pure mirror of your screen.

In El Capitan, you will be able to broadcast a separate web video to the Apple TV. It continues to play while you open new tabs on Safari or multitask with different apps – only the video and nothing else is mirrored to the TV.

Use AirPlay to share web video without sharing your whole screen.
Play video from a web page to your TV with Apple TV — without showing everything else on your desktop. Just click the AirPlay icon that appears on compatible web videos and you can watch your video on the big screen.

If you can’t wait till this fall for El Capitan to get this feature, or you have an unsupported Mac you can check out AirParrot 2 for Mac that features media streaming and specific app mirroring.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Slides is Google’s answer to MS PowerPoint and Apple’s Keynote. It is cloud based and let’s you create presentations on the go, to be accessed from anywhere on any device. The Slides app for iOS just got updated with AirPlay support, making it more appealing to Apple TV users.

Once you start the slideshow over AirPlay, your iPhone or iPad screen turns into presenter’s best assistant. It shows a preview of your current slide on top and below that, you can have your notes for the presentation. You can also place a timer for each slide to make sure you stay within the allotted time limit.

When you’re up on the big screen, you can use your smaller screen to advance slides, view speaker notes and stay on track with a built-in timer. This way you can focus more on telling your story and engaging your audience…instead of on logistics.

The update also adds Google Cast support, which means you will be able to broadcast to Chromecast and Android TV as well, from the iOS app.

So if you are an avid Google user or would like to make use of Google Doc’s free 15 GB document storage, you can get the Google Slides app for iPhone and iPad from the App Store for free.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Last week’s WWDC keynote turned out to be disappointing for us since Apple TV 4 failed to make the stage. It was initially expected that the new Apple TV 4 with slimmer profile, its own SDK, new Xcode based firmware, support for Siri and more, would be announced at the WWDC. But just few days before the event NYT, BuzzFeed and Re/Code reported that the Apple TV had been cut off from the keynote and that turned out to be true.

Three days before WWDC 2015 keynote, in a podcast interview with John Gruber [episode 122, 13-19 mins], Mark Gurman, who earlier vouched for Apple TV 4’s WWDC announcement, said that the Apple TV SDK has already been cooked into iOS 9 and that even with Apple’s maximum efforts, we could pick up some references in the firmware:

I even spoke to someone very reliable after those reports came out, who said that the SDK ‘n all that they are preparing for Monday still has (or as of that day, still had) the TV Kit stuff intertwined in there. So when the developers pull this thing apart, I won’t be surprised to see some references to that on Monday afternoon or whenever people get their hands on it.

Either Apple has released an earlier version of iOS 9 as the first beta or they have done an excellent job of cleaning it up, because no reports of references to the Apple TV SDK has been made till now. However, it seems Apple left one clue in the new developer program which indicates third-party app support on Apple TV.

Apple TV apps are coming pic.twitter.com/wOR98JOY6e

— Ouriel Ohayon (@OurielOhayon) June 9, 2015

At WWDC, Apple announced that they are merging the Developer Programs for watchOS, Mac OS X and iOS, so that a single subscription of $99 allows developers to make apps for all Apple devices. And as a part of the merging process, Apple reallotted the maximum number of devices that can be registered for beta testing of apps. Consequently, Apple TV picked up a massive 100 device limit on par with that of iPhones and iPads, for beta testing of app.

This might be reserved for the mere testing of Apple TV beta softwares, but 100 seems to be a bit overdo for such a purpose. And that is why, analysts think that Apple TV apps are coming soon, meaning Apple TV 4 is coming sooner.

The Verge’s Chris Welch:

What’s notable about these latest changes is that Apple TV is being mentioned more explicitly, and not only that, it’s receiving the same number of test slots that developers get for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch — all products that run thousands of third-party applications.

In the interview, Gurman also says that he now expects the Apple TV 4 to be launched in September, along with the next iPhones.

Read more on the next Apple TV.

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Well, yesterday’s WWDC keynote turned out to be a disappointment for Apple TV fans. After years of rumours and speculations, we thought we would be finally seeing the Apple TV 4 launch, but it din’t happen (like NYT reported). The only Apple TV-related news was the Apple Music.

If you haven’t heard already, Apple announced their own music streaming service yesterday, called the Apple Music. It is tagged “All the ways you love music. All in one place.” and is exactly that.

In the present scenario, music fans have to use multiple services to follow what they love – iTunes to purchase music, Pandora-like internet radio services, Spotify to stream music, Twitter to follow artists, Instagram for their photos and more. And each of them have their own fees and ads. Apple created Apple Music as a new Music app which will bring all these features into a single app.

The My Music tab harbours all your purchased songs and For You makes recommendations based on your tastes. You can also view the top charts and latest trending music right within the app.

Beats 1 will be a 24/7 radio station that broadcasts globally and lives right within your Music app.

Connect will let artists share videos, photos, ‘behind the scenes’, statuses and more within the app while users can comment, like and share them, adding high level of interaction between them.

Apple Music will be ad-free and cost $9.99/month, or you can subscribe to the family package of $14.99/month, which can be shared by 6 users. You can also avail a free trial of 3 months before committing to the subscription.

The service will launch on iOS, WatchOS, OS X and Windows on June 30. However, a quick glance through the subsite (and through the press release) confirms that the Apple Music will launch on Apple TV this fall.

We don’t have any more details at this point, but we believe a new Music channel will pop up on Apple TV and carry the same features. This might coincide with the Apple TV 4 launch.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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The first batch of HomeKit enabled smart devices went up for order yesterday. Correspondingly, Apple released a support document to help early users get started with HomeKit. And thanks to the document, we now know more about Apple TV’s role in HomeKit.

Like we reported earlier, an Apple TV will be integral to your smart home setup, if you need to control devices while away from home. Here is what Apple says:

“Control your accessories away from home
If you have an Apple TV (3rd generation or later) with software version 7.0 or later, you can control your HomeKit-enabled accessories when you’re away from home using your iOS device.

Sign in with the same Apple ID on your iOS device and Apple TV, and you’ll be able to use Siri commands to remotely control your accessories.“

You will be able to control your HomeKit-enabled accessories remotely via their apps itself. However, if you need to use Siri to control them while away, then an Apple TV is a must. Once you sign into your Apple TV and the iOS device using the same Apple ID, you can start commanding your digital minions, wherever you are.

It is also clear now that you can create groups within the HomeKit setup, like lights, fans, thermostat etc. and also based on rooms and areas, so that commands like “Hey Siri, turn down the heat in the living room” does what is expected.

We earlier believed that only the refreshed version of Apple TV 3 (A1469) would be compatible with the new OS and carry HomeKit, but Apple confirms that any Apple TV 3 running software version 7.0 or above are capable. Any iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch with iOS 8.1 or later will be able to take smart-home commands as well.

Apple mentions the compatible Apple TV as “3rd gen or above” which seems to be a cheeky hint to the Apple TV 4 which is expected to be announced next week.

Apple HomeKit support document is an interesting read. And if you are planning to buy some HomeKit devices, check out the first ones or the Apple’s dedicated sub site.

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Apple TV, as reported earlier, will most probably perform a central role in integrating Apple’s HomeKit “Internet of Things” platform, especially while using remote commands via Siri. Owners of compatible Apple TVs would be happy to learn that they will soon be able to turn their homes smart, thanks to the first wave of smart devices announced yesterday.

It seems that Apple had placed some sort of restriction on companies to withhold their products till June 2, since five companies announced HomeKit devices yesterday simultaneously. This date would be perfect since the new Apple TV 4, its new operating system and new HomeKit features are expected to be announced on Monday, at the WWD 2015.

Here are all the HomeKit accessories that are available now:

1. Caseta Wireless Lighting Starter Kit from Lutron

It includes the Caseta Wireless Smart Bridge, 2 dimmers, 2 remotes and 2 pedestals. The Smart Bridge which could earlier be only controlled via their app, got a refresh to add HomeKit support. Now you can directly use Siri to turn off or dim the Lutron lights, wherever you are.

The kit is available on Amazon for $229.95 or you can get the Smart Bridge only for $119.95

2. Elgato Eve

Eve is a series of devices packed with sensors to monitor the quality of your home environment. Eve Weather checks for the temperature and pressure, while the Eve Door and Windows tells you if they are open or closed. Eve Room is the indoor guy who senses volatile organic compounds to keep track temperature and humidity.

Available on Amazon, starting at $40.

3. ecoBee3 Smart Thermostat

“Ordinary thermostats read the temperature in only one room, but are supposed to deliver comfort in all rooms. ecobee3 remote sensors deliver the right temperature in the rooms that matter most.”

Preorder it now for $229.

4. iHome iSP5 SmartPlug

This is the simplest of all today’s announcements. This is just a smart plug which can toggle on or off based on your needs. So you can connect just about any device to the outlet and remotely control it.

It will be up for preorder from June 15.

5. Insteon Hub

On the more complex side, this one is just a hub for other devices to connect to simplify the process of home automation. You can pair multiple HomeKit devices to it, from various rooms, offices, and houses and control all of them via a single app on your iPhone.

You can order it now for $79.99

Read more on Apple TV’s role in HomeKit and device compatibility.

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It wasn’t just the updated Events channel that Apple TV got today, as Nat Geo TV just joined the channel list on your Apple TV home screen.

National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild have clubbed their content into this channel, creating a blend of nature and science. The channel looks to be similar to the Nat Geo TV iOS app. Here is the description of the app:

Watch your favorite National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD shows the day after they air. Sign in with your TV Provider account and never miss an episode from top shows on the National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD including:

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL: Life Below Zero, Ultimate Survival Alaska, Wicked Tuna, Brain Games, Live Free or Die

NAT GEO WILD: The Incredible Dr. Pol, Dr. Oakley Yukon Vet, Dr. K’s Exotic Animal E.R., Big Cat Week, Pond Stars

The channel comes in three different sections – Featured tab, with curated picks for shows, episodes and clips; Shows tab with full episodes of National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild station TV shows, added the day after they are aired and Categories tab which includes Animals, People, History, Travel, Adventure, Science, Technology and more.

Like many others, the Nat Geo TV does require you to sign in with a supported cable operator account, if you’ve to enjoy full length episodes. Without a cable subscription, users can access some free clips.

NAT GEO TV currently supports many TV providers including Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, AT&T U-Verse, Optimum, Suddenlink, Mediacom, WOW! and many more. Visit natgeotv.com/TVEverywhere for our full list of supported TV Service Providers.

Hopefully, we will be able to cut the cord completely when Apple comes up with their rumoured TV subscription service, which will include both online content and local cable stations.

If you are not into the Nat Geo TV stuff, you can hide the icon and organize your Apple TV home screen by following our guide on How to easily hide unwanted channel icons on Apple TV.

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