Audio Video News

Apple has a new trick, one all but overlooked in its recent announcement of the second-generation iPad. Devices running iOS 4.3 now do Home Sharing of iTunes 10.2 library content via wi-fi.

So if you have an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch running iOS 4.3, you can stream movies, music, and other stuff from your PC or Mac running iTunes 10.2. This does not include the streaming and transfer of movie rentals.

Here's Apple's description of Home Sharing: "Share over the air. Now you can play your entire iTunes library from anywhere in the house. If it's on your Mac or PC, you can play it on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch over a shared wi-fi network. And not just music. Watch a movie or TV show. Play a podcast. Or listen to an audiobook. On whichever device you want—without having to download or sync."

While Home Sharing does some of what Apple AirPlay has been doing for some time, the latter has not become irrelevant. It now supports video from third-party apps and websites.

Here's Apple's description of the latest AirPlay enhancements: "More ways to AirPlay. Get even more out of AirPlay—the wireless technology that lets you stream content from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your HDTV via APple TV. In addition to music, movies, and photos, AirPlay now streams video from your Photos app. So you can shoot a home video and instantly share it with everyone in the room. Even AirPlay-enabled apps and websites get the big-screen treatment with iOS 4.3. And if your photos are the feature presentation, you can play a slideshow with all the stunning themes available on Apple TV."

iOS 4.3 will become available on Friday, March 11.

For details, see Apple iOS page and eHome Upgrade. Pic and instructions: Cult of Mac.