Apple TV 2.4 update

Apple has quietly released their 2.4 update for the Apple TV, which brings some interesting and handy new functionality, providing you own an iPhone or iPod touch. Let's have a quick look and see what new fixes and features have been brought to Apple's media device.

The first and most interesting feature is that the Apple TV can now be controlled using gestures; if you go ahead and install the Remote application for your iPhone or iPod touch, you'll see a pane where you can use touch controls to tell the media player what to do. You can do all the obvious things, like changing tracks, movies, and volume, so don't expect anything mind-blowing there. We've included a screenshot of these features at the bottom of this article.

Here's the list of new features, as reported by the official Apple TV update article:

• Remote app directional control: Control your Apple TV with simple finger gestures via the Remote app. This feature requires Remote 1.3 running on an iPhone or iPod touch with iPhone OS 3.0.
• Flickr Search: Search Flickr photo tags to find recently updated photos of interest. Save searches to quickly find new photos or use as a screen saver for Apple TV.
• New view options: View movies By Genre, By Movie, or Unwatched. View TV Shows and Podcasts By Date, By Show, or Unwatched.
• Updated transport and chapter modes: During video playback, click right or left to fast forward or rewind. Additional clicks increase the speed. Click down to show chapter markers.

If you want to get a hold of these new features, fire up your Apple TV now and check for updates. Be sure to let us know if you find any other changes, too.