More talk of the set-top box, a look at Apple and your fingers, and a sizable screw-up at Apple

retail.

It's Friday, August 17, 2012. I'm Ken Ray and this is news from Maco S. Can.

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Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal ran a piece saying that Apple was talking

with television service providers about some sort of set top box deal. Now called to

Max as Thursday, the journal fleshed out a few details.

According to the report, Apple's vision for a new device that can be used as a set-top box includes features designed to simplify accessing and viewing programming and erase the distinction between live and on-demand content, people briefed on

Apple's plans said.

The Cupertino California-based company proposes giving viewers the ability to start any shows at any time through a digital

video recorder that would store TV shows on the internet.

Viewers even could start a show minutes after it has begun, which I thought we already had the ability to do.

So the thinking was that Apple was going to reinvent television, but now people are supposed to get excited that they're just maybe doing some of what's already

being done in television with a bit of an apple sheen. Analysts are of course

kicking around the idea. Bernstein research analyst Tony Sakanagi's not

surprised that Apple's thinking about a set-top box,

except for the part where he is.

Baron says he and some of the other Bernstein Bears put together a group report yesterday,

wherein they say,

...