If there’s one universal truth, it’s this: updates are nifty.
Per Macworld, Apple on Monday released iOS 4.3.3 for its second-generation Apple TV set top device. Up until now, you could stream any TV shows purchased from the iTunes Store housed on a computer using Apple’s Home Sharing feature or via AirPlay. Both, however, require that the computer be turned on and accessible on your network—and that the files themselves are still on your hard drive. With this latest update, any TV shows you’ve purchased (or downloaded, in the case of free TV show episodes) are instantly available to stream over the Internet as what appears to be an extension of Apple’s iTunes in the Cloud functionality.
Under the TV Shows menu on the Apple TV’s home screen, you’ll now find a Purchased item at the top.
The update also adds support for playing videos from Vimeo, a popular video-sharing website that offers HD hosting.
Apple now includes directly Vimeo upload support in both its iMovie and Final Cut Pro X video-editing applications, so including a viewing option on the Apple TV is both natural and welcome.
To update your Apple TV to the latest software, go to Settings -> General -> Update Software and follow the directions.
At the same time, Apple added the ability to re-download TV shows in iTunes and on iOS devices, as it already does with music, books, and apps.
If you’ve tried the new update on your second-generation Apple TV, let us know what you make of it in the comments.