iPod Mini - 5 or 6 GB & Color Screen?

[MacRumors]

According to sources close to ThinkSecret (http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0502ipodmini.html), Apple is expected to upgrade the line of iPod minis to include a larger 5 or 6 GB hard drive, and include a color screen.
Highly reliable sources have confirmed that the next iPod mini will gain a full-color active-matrix TFT screen while the form factor will remain largely unchanged. The color screen will be able to display colors clearly and brightly regardless of ambient lighting, even outdoors in direct sunlight. The new screen will be about the same size as the current iPod mini display and will sport a 176x132 resolution.

Apple's move to a color screen on the iPod mini is part of the company's shift away from monochrome displays, sources said. Standard iPods will also gain color screens across the board with the next update later this year. The move toward color screens is part of an effort by Apple to keep its industry-leading iPod looking new and fresh. In the last 6-8 months, prices on small active matrix TFT screens have dropped sharply and several Apple competitors are already using them, including Rio, iRiver, Creative, Gateway, and Samsung.

The next iPod mini will also pack a higher capacity Seagate drive. Sources hinted at a 6GB drive, but Seagate currently only offers its 1-inch hard drive the iPod mini would use in a 5GB capacity. The possibility always remains that for a customer as large as Apple, Seagate may quietly roll-out a 6GB version of its ST1 Series hard drive alongside the new iPod mini.

Pricing is expected to stay at the current $249.

[SteveC]

Nice. This could be the big announcement for next week. I wonder if we will also get an iMac announcement.

[xtanium]

nice. its great that apple is moving away from B&W. niiice :)

[WildCowboy]

Verrryy interesting...looks like I may need a mini to go along with my shuffle. Color screen is a big bonus. I almost bought a mini several months ago, but balked because the monochrome paled (no pun intended) in comparison to the color screen on the photos.

[Littleodie914]

Awesome! I might consider getting one if the price stays at $249...

[LimeiBook86]

This might push me to get a new iPod, same price but COLOR!? Yay!

:D

[TMA]

I wonder if Apple have made some breakthroughs in extending battery life? The current iPod Mini gives a just-about-bearable 8 hours maximum play time. With a newer HD and a colour screen this would place more demands on it, I just wonder what they've done to help it.

[Mudbug]

makes me wonder if they'll offer the same photo support as in the iPod photo.

[TheMasin9]

looks like ill have to tell my gf to hold on the purchase. haha

[sasza]

I hope it will have 6 Gb capacity :)

[bdkennedy1]

Nice. This could be the big announcement for next week. I wonder if we will also get an iMac announcement.

Yeah! iMac with a color screen!

[kidtronix]

would be a rather hard hit at everyone who coughed up the dough for an ipod photo. but it seems like the only direction to go, with color displays that is.

[mxpiazza]

if the price stays the same, i am more than there... i have been in the market for a mini, but this makes it more than worth it to grab a new one.

[rtdgoldfish]

I figured this would happen. I waited and waited to buy my girlfriend her iPod mini and finally got it for Valentine's Day. Now they are going to be updated. I wouldn't have been too upset if it was just a 5 gig HD instead of 4 but now we are looking at possible color screens and 6 gigs! Guess I will have to give Apple a call and see if they will send us a new one.

[Lacero]

How about mini with no color screen, but 6GB harddrive, 20 hours battery life, and $199 price point? I really don't see the need for a color screen.

[LaMerVipere]

Colour screen? I'll order it the same day it's released.

[davey-nb]

According to sources close to ThinkSecret (http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0502ipodmini.html), Apple is expected to upgrade the line of iPod minis to include a larger 5 or 6 GB hard drive, and include a color screen.

Pricing is expected to stay at the current $249.

Way to go Nick de Plume, what amazing sources you have, and sticking with you through lawsuits and plague and locusts. Awesome karma, it seems moles really, really like you!
Deep Throat lives on in Cupertino.

[ipacmm]

Cool...I will be ordering one if they come out next week.

[iJaz]

How about mini with no color screen, but 6GB harddrive, 20 hours battery life, and $199 price point? I really don't see the need for a color screen.
You can get a Shuffle if you don't like screens... ;)

[WildCowboy]

Yeah! iMac with a color screen!

Yeah, I'm really sick of monochrome iMacs too...come into the '80s, Apple! ;)

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Hmmm... I can barely squeeze 9 hrs battery life from my year old mini. Hopefully Apple has improved the battery if they're really putting a colour screen on the next rev. A decrease in battery life would NOT be a good move...

[Roz]

anyone want to buy a slightly used ipod mini? :rolleyes:

[cmx08]

what will happend to the iPod photo?

i was hoping to see a capacity increase and a price decrease only, along with some design changes like a solid wheel like in the 3G and mic.

something that ppl will like more, more affordable.

why not radio? well the metal case of the ipods will weaken the RF, and besides, who will listen to the radio when they have 4-60GB of music

mic in HD based devices, even in flash based 64MB had have it as a handy recorder.
will it kill iMic or whatever the 3rd party mics are? no because they have more features and better quality.

well again, why not, apple had been killing competition with the apps like safari vs ie, mail vs outlook, shake and motion vs Adobe's, and last but not least, office vs iWork

like i read it somewhere, "...if the big companies can give it all to you, they can also take it away from you..." (this was refering to microsoft office at the time)

[paulg]

i dont see the point in a color screen either. graphically the monchrome screens look great. sticking with my 2ndGen ipod for now....we i'm broke so...

[Thataboy]

How about mini with no color screen, but 6GB harddrive, 20 hours battery life, and $199 price point? I really don't see the need for a color screen.

And I really don't see the need for 20 hours of battery life. Why do you people need ANY more than 8... hell any more than 6??

Morning commute + Evening commute + Gym Time.. that's gotta max out at about 4 hours. Then you go home and dock it. Done. What kind of lives do you people lead where you need it non-stop, away from a socket, for 20 hours??

[Lord Blackadder]

I for one am not worried about feature content on the iPod. Don't get me wrong, adding functionality is good, but I hope that Apple never loses sight of the key attributes of the iPod: excellent ergonomics, capacity and stylishness. Not to mention iTunes.

Competitiors have the edge in feature content in some cases but they are never as ergonomically or stylistically attractive as the iPod. THAT is why it sells. Apple is being careful in adding features so that theny don't cramp the iPod's style, and so far so good.

[johnbro23]

And I really don't see the need for 20 hours of battery life. Why do you people need ANY more than 8... hell any more than 6??

Morning commute + Evening commute + Gym Time.. that's gotta max out at about 4 hours. Then you go home and dock it. Done. What kind of lives do you people lead where you need it non-stop, away from a socket, for 20 hours??


I fully agree 100% totally all the way.

[FightTheFuture]

i've been waiting for a mini the size of my 1st gen ipod. old 5gigger starting to show its age. a colorful color mini with my home folder backed up to it! perfect for the mac user & not so hardcore music listener.

[gallivant]

I go on 6+ hour bus trips all the time with my iPod, often with a couple extra hours hanging around bus stations, plus another half hour to hour of bus transit, plus... et cetera. In day to day use you might only use a few hours, but those times when you want more, it's beautiful to have.

[BornAgainMac]

Cool, my prediction was correct. Except for the 6 GB part. They had to do color and it probably will still remain around $250.

[jer446]

will it be able to display photos? That would be a great thing.. if not, then the color screen is pointless..

[paco taco mike]

I fully agree 100% totally all the way.
i use mine all daywhile at work (8-10 hours) Fixing broken PC's while listening and using my great Mac.

-mike

[klaus]

will it be able to display photos? That would be a great thing.. if not, then the color screen is pointless..

I don't see it being pointless, hell, my mobile phone has a color screen as well, but I don't display photos on it, it's just the next logical step.

If it would display photos, it would be taking away from the iPod Photo

[cxny]

Sign Me UP!
But how come the stock dropped today?

[Inkmonkey]

makes me wonder if they'll offer the same photo support as in the iPod photo.

Great Color Capuchins! Was wondering the same thing. Especially if they incorporate color screens into regular iPods as well. What does that do to the iPod photo line?

[swissmann]

I'd be more tempted to buy one if it kept a monocrome screen and dropped $50 in price. Not much of an upgrade in capicity either. I know that 6 GB is a 50% increase but 2 GB just isn't much space when it comes to music.

[Reeves]

And I really don't see the need for 20 hours of battery life. Why do you people need ANY more than 8... hell any more than 6??

20 hours would be great because I have to go on 14 hour+ trips twice a month every few months. I'm sure many people do need 20 hour battery, although I'm not sure that is achiveable yet.

Reeves

[Lacero]

And I really don't see the need for 20 hours of battery life. Why do you people need ANY more than 8... hell any more than 6??


Do you feel this same way with your cell phone? Probably not. For some people, their music player is just as essential as their mobile phones.

[Jovian9]

And I really don't see the need for 20 hours of battery life. Why do you people need ANY more than 8... hell any more than 6??

Morning commute + Evening commute + Gym Time.. that's gotta max out at about 4 hours. Then you go home and dock it. Done. What kind of lives do you people lead where you need it non-stop, away from a socket, for 20 hours??

B/C battery life is determined by what the settings are on the iPod and whether or not the file size is the 'Apple Recommended' 128AAC. Some of us use larger files that eat more battery life. Changing songs, using playlists, etc. use more battery life......so you will not get the max 8 hours out of the mini. My wife and I get about 6 on ours (average)......and about 14 on the iPod Photo.....HUGE difference! Also, not everyone lives 9-5 and can be at home the same time everyday to plug in their iPods. I'd rather live my day-to-day life and plug in the iPod when convenient than worry about my iPod dieing and schedule around the next time I can charge it.....b/c I can't live without it so it has to always have juice:)

The upgraded iPod Minis definitely need better battery life. If they do have a color screen I doubt they will support all the photos, like the iPod Photo.....maybe album artwork.

New Colors?! Please Orange!

[r6girl]

this is excellent - i've been waiting for this. i have a 30gb, but i've found that i'd really just like something smaller for working out and snowboarding (with a screen), so i've been eyeing a mini for some time now. i know it will be hard to go from the 30gb to a mini, but i'll take all the extra gb i can get and a color screen. i'm ordering on the day they're available and my 30gb will go on ebay right after that!

marianne

[DrEwe]

i dont see the point in a color screen either. graphically the monchrome screens look great.

I have an iPod Photo - and the album art feature is way cool. If it was enhanced so that I could browse albums by art, or the art was the default screen it would be great. I think it will look good on the mini.

btw - I remember the 1st color screen laptops, thinking "who in the hell needs a color laptop screen?"!!!! :o

[feakbeak]

And I really don't see the need for 20 hours of battery life. Why do you people need ANY more than 8... hell any more than 6??

Morning commute + Evening commute + Gym Time.. that's gotta max out at about 4 hours. Then you go home and dock it. Done. What kind of lives do you people lead where you need it non-stop, away from a socket, for 20 hours??

I don't need 20 hours of battery life. But I do need more than 6 and sometimes more than 8. I'm a programmer, so I use my iPod almost the entire workday, plus my commutes and at the gym. I have a 4G iPod with the 12h battery spec, but I've never run out of juice during the day. I dock it each night and forget about it, never had a problem. So I hear your argument.

Still, longer battery life is always nice in case you forget to charge overnight. Another good benefit is that rechargable batteries lose capacity with age, so longer battery life will give the iPod more longevity without having to replace the battery after a couple of years. However, I don't see why people completely flip out about a battery life of only 12 hours though.

If this rumor is true the mini's will be quite popular again. I also just bought the gf a mini about a month ago (after passing on it for xmas thinking we'd have updates at MWSF). But since last month, we split up, so I'm not too upset if she'll now have an out-dated model. :)

If the 5G models get a color screen, I'll be very tempted to sell/give my 4G to a friend or family member and pick up a 5G. I'd love to see album art in color while playing music and I could load my digital photos, plus it just makes the iPods look so much sharper. I didn't think a color screen would be that big of a deal, until I saw the iPod photo in person and used the interface in color, a much more polished feel.

[ziwi]

Same price point is great - larger drive - color screen, what is not to like here? Question is will they be able to match the demand and avoid the shipping delay's?

[themacman]

the shipping dates changed today for the date of Guess what? Tusday it is the same for the imac

[runninmac]

Sounds Awsome and possible. This is PERFECT! my mini olny has 400 mb left so now is the time to update for me!

[BornAgainMac]

btw - I remember the 1st color screen laptops, thinking "who in the hell needs a color laptop screen?"!!!! :o

I remember that. People laughed at that idea of having color on a laptop. I wish I could go back in time with a Powerbook and really show off why you need color running OS X. I probably would be thrown in jail for witchcraft.

[crees!]

I figured this would happen. I waited and waited to buy my girlfriend her iPod mini and finally got it for Valentine's Day. Now they are going to be updated. I wouldn't have been too upset if it was just a 5 gig HD instead of 4 but now we are looking at possible color screens and 6 gigs! Guess I will have to give Apple a call and see if they will send us a new one. Same here but picked up one for my Mother. Go figure.. though it doesn't matter. She loves it and I'm the only one in the family that keeps up on all this crap.

[kuyu]

Seagate drives.... Called it (sort of)

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=1196633&postcount=46

[Loge]

I like the suggestion the new drives will have technology (RunOn) to ensure consistent playback in a high-motion environment, such as working out. I had considered the shuffle for the gym, but the single playlist really puts me off. I would consider something like this update.

I expect the battery to go to 12 hours, like the regular iPods. The color screen is a good idea, the mini's screen is smaller to begin with and if they use the myriad font like the photo, they can get more text on the screen.

No word about possible exterior colors. I expect they'll keep at least silver and pink, but I reckon the others are up for grabs.

[dongmin]

I wonder if Apple have made some breakthroughs in extending battery life? The current iPod Mini gives a just-about-bearable 8 hours maximum play time. With a newer HD and a colour screen this would place more demands on it, I just wonder what they've done to help it.Hah, you'd be hard pressed to get more than 7 hours on the Mini (even with all the settings turned down). The battery is the single biggest flaw in the Minis.

[mxpiazza]

the whole color argument, as most people have pointed out, is just relative... 5 years ago, everyone had a monochrome nokia cell phone and thought they couldnt get any smaller or sharper... i highly, highly doubt that the new mini will have any photo capability, *maybe* be able to display album art, but definitley not be able to sort photos and stuff, that would just severley undercut the iPod Photo sales.

more battery life would be nice... but with a color screen at the same price point, and if it keeps the same dimensions, i think we would be lucky, and i would be happy, to see it at the same battery life.

[dongmin]

Could Apple be moving to add photo capabilities across the entire line? Ok, maybe not photos, but at least album art!

Current mini resolution: 138 x 111
Rumored color screen: 176 x 132

[tomjleeds]

And I really don't see the need for 20 hours of battery life. Why do you people need ANY more than 8... hell any more than 6??

Morning commute + Evening commute + Gym Time.. that's gotta max out at about 4 hours. Then you go home and dock it. Done. What kind of lives do you people lead where you need it non-stop, away from a socket, for 20 hours??

Heard of travelling? In summer I'll be going on a 6-hour coach ride, a 6-hour ferry trip then another 6-hour coach ride. If my music runs out after 8 hours, what am I supposed to do for the next 10?!

The Mini wouldn't need that big a battery...if only it was removeable. Unfortunately, it's not, so I'm dearly hoping the updated Mini will at least keep up with the standard iPod with 12 hours - 16 hours would be brilliant. Unforunately, that's not going to happen.

I was planning on grabbing a Zen Micro this weekend...looks like I'll have to cancel that little outing!

[yg17]

As long as they're adding a color screen, how difficult could it be for them to add photo capabilities to the mini, especially when the firmware for a photo iPod already exists.

Plus, I doubt it would undercut iPod photo sales. Figure a mini with 5 gigs and photo capabilities is released. Thats 5 gigs (actually more like 4.7ish if you want to be technical about it) for music and photos....that's not going to hold a whole lot. People with large music and/or photo libraries are still going to get the iPod photo since it holds a lot more. Plus, the iPod mini screen is smaller, making it rather useless for photos anyways. But the words "photo viewing capabilities" on the box of the mini will still be a selling point for people looking for a small capacity MP3 player and have to choose between an iPod mini or a Rio.

If the regular iPods are updated with color screens down the line, I would imagine all of the iPods having photo capabilities and Apple just dropping the iPod photo line, since those iPods wouldn't have anything special over the other ones.

[mxpiazza]

then what is the point of having an ipod *photo*?? if all of the iPods had the capabilities, there would be no point to having a different product line for it. i'm guessing all of the 5th gen ipods will have the capabilities for photo, but as for now, why would apple give photo capabilities on a $250 player (with a screen that is too tiny to manage photos effectivley) when they have a photo player that starts at double that price??? it WOULD cut into the photo sales... hey, i hope i'm wrong, because i'll be buying the new mini as soon as its announced, but i just dont see them offering photo capabilities.

[yg17]

then what is the point of having an ipod *photo*?? if all of the iPods had the capabilities, there would be no point to having a different product line for it. i'm guessing all of the 5th gen ipods will have the capabilities for photo, but as for now, why would apple give photo capabilities on a $250 player (with a screen that is too tiny to manage photos effectivley) when they have a photo player that starts at double that price??? it WOULD cut into the photo sales... hey, i hope i'm wrong, because i'll be buying the new mini as soon as its announced, but i just dont see them offering photo capabilities.

Exactly, the screen is too tiny to manage photos effectivley. People who are really going to take advantage of the photo features will go for an iPod photo. The fact that the mini has photo capabilities will just be an additional selling point for people looking for a small, cheap HD mp3 player and are deciding between the mini and others. Even if teh screen is too small, people will see that the mini has the photo capabilities, and say, the zen micro doesn't and might choose the mini.

[Thataboy]

As far as battery life:

1. If you are using it throughout the workday, and battery life is running out, then I would keep it plugged in to a power socket so it doesn't drain batteries at all.

2. If you are travelling with it, then it is likely that at some point you will be near an outlet or laptop to recharge... if not, then bloody read a book for an hour or two :) After 8 hours of continuous playback, don't you get cauliflower ear?? After a 2 hour plane ride, I am ready for those earbuds to be OUT.

I can envision situations where once in a great while, there are situations where one isn't near a power socket or laptop. But these are rare, odd, and infrequent circumstances... and the benefits of a high resolution color screen (which nearly everyone would prefer) outweighs these unique and infrequent situations, in my opinion.

:)

[Surreal]

Standard iPods will also gain color screens across the board with the next update later this year. .


oh for the love of all that is right and true NO!!

[LaMerVipere]

oh for the love of all that is right and true NO!!

Why not?

Colour is always better. :)

[DickArmAndHarT]

And I really don't see the need for 20 hours of battery life. Why do you people need ANY more than 8... hell any more than 6??

Morning commute + Evening commute + Gym Time.. that's gotta max out at about 4 hours. Then you go home and dock it. Done. What kind of lives do you people lead where you need it non-stop, away from a socket, for 20 hours??

The more battery life the better, what about long trips, flights, all day at work and not wanting to carry anything extra that neccisary with you.

Althought 20 hours..really getting up there

[blacktoned]

I don't quite get the statement by TS. Are the new iPod minis only being announced within 2 weeks or being released?

[nagusjim]

If the regular iPods are updated with color screens down the line, I would imagine all of the iPods having photo capabilities and Apple just dropping the iPod photo line, since those iPods wouldn't have anything special over the other ones.

I agree. I know I've read that the iPod Photo sales haven't been great. They're awefully expensive. I'm always one of the people pushing the "macs aren't as expensive as you think they are" philosophy, and I bought the 30GB 3G for $500. I'd love to have a photo, but I just can't do it. And now, the top of the line iPod is $100 MORE than a Mac computer.

I think that when they give the iPod line all color screens, we'll see photo capabilities everywhere, and the lineup will be 20GB, 40GB, and 60GB at the old $300, $400, $500 price levels. The special photo line will just go away.

[dotnina]

I don't quite get the statement by TS. Are the new iPod minis only being announced within 2 weeks or being released?

They must be released at the same time they are announced. If they just announce the new Mini, people will stop buying the Mini that's currently on the market.

[liketom]

good , i went all the way to paris expo to pick up my 1st gen mini and i will be ordering my new 5/6gb colour screen mini on tuesday :)

wonder what this will do for the 4th gen ipod range ? well until they update it.

opps it seems i'm spending too much money again on Apple :rolleyes:

[PlaceofDis]

and here i was considering a shuffle, i MAY have to rethink that one, who knows though, depends on whats released and when and how apealing these new minis look to be

[DickArmAndHarT]

this is excellent - i've been waiting for this. i have a 30gb, but i've found that i'd really just like something smaller for working out and snowboarding (with a screen), so i've been eyeing a mini for some time now. i know it will be hard to go from the 30gb to a mini, but i'll take all the extra gb i can get and a color screen. i'm ordering on the day they're available and my 30gb will go on ebay right after that!

marianne

I just busted my my 4g 20 gig iPod last week snowboarding. Some little little kid decided to hit me while i was hitting a kicker (right before take off sending me spinning through the air.. Broken leg...broken iPod.. Damn litle kit....

[Surreal]

Why not?

Colour is always better. :)

cause if they can gain a high enough battery life they might add the freakin line in and recording capabilities i lust after. i don't even want it to encode to anything special. aiff is fine. why apple...why? if i could record stereo into the ipod...i would pony up the 500 dollars for a 60 gig and i would like it.

[maya]

Oh the colours, the psychedelic colours. Since when was a colour display a bad thing, if the iPod Photo can have a colour display and an increase in battery life, then the iPod mini and also have it as so. Apple just has to put a better battery that is all. They tend to get cheap when it comes to the iPod family in regards to batteries. :p ;) :)


iPod miniNow in even MORE colours



:)

[Bob Knob]

I just got back from my local Apple Store (I was picking a spare battery for my PowerBook) and while in line to pay I overheard a sales guy tell a woman who wanted a pink mini that they only had silver minis in stock and weren't expecting any Minis till early next week. Since he didn't even go to check the stock it makes me think that they didn't "just run out" of the other minis.

[BWhaler]

I'm probably going to sit out this generation update. All I really need is longer battery life. If it's 12 hours, I'll wait, 15 hours, and I'll fold. (I take a lot of international flights.)

Color screens are cool. Another gig or two is nice. But gen 3 will have the 10 gig drives, and that is worth the extra money in my opinion.

With all of that said, and all the logic in the world, I'd give myself a week until I buy a new one. I am so weak with Apple.

[dotnina]

I've been wanting a Mini w/color screen forever; however, it has nothing to do with photo capability. I just want to be able to clearly read calendar info and notes. It would also be nice to be able to read a Mini’s screen in the dark, without having to fiddle with a backlight.

I’m kinda bummed the update took so long … I was hoping for a new Mini for a while, when I finally caved and bought a Shuffle about 3 weeks ago. I guess Shuffie's gonna have to go now. :o

[Porchland]

makes me wonder if they'll offer the same photo support as in the iPod photo.

I wondered the same thing.

From reading the Think Secret story, I'm thinking this will be the new lineup:

iPods (color screen)
60GB iPod $499 (same as current 60GB iPod photo, $599)
40GB iPod $399 (same as current 40GB iPod photo, $499)
20GB iPod $299 (same as current 20GB iPod, $299)

iPod mini (color screen)
6 GB iPod mini $249

Maybe time to do another special edition, too. I keep expecting any day now to hear that Radiohead, Dave Matthews Band or (gulp) The Beatles are finally on board.

[Chimera]

I imagine they'll keep one monochrome display iPod at a reduced price for the many entry level buyers, but color screens at cheaper prices across the line seems very cool, especially in the mini. Will give the growing number of iPod flamers (Which have increased dramatically recently at my college) a couple less things to complain about and more reasons for existing people to upgrade or for new buyers.

[mxpiazza]

gotta love ipod flamers... especially the ones who have no clue what they are complaining about. its about time that the iPod line moves to all-color, all the players that offer more options for the same/lower price (although also offer less functionality and style) have a color screen... gotta keep the masses happy, the stock prices rising, and more of a reason to keep the iPod the cultural icon that it is.

I imagine they'll keep one monochrome display iPod at a reduced price for the many entry level buyers, but color screens at cheaper prices across the line seems very cool, especially in the mini. Will give the growing number of iPod flamers (Which have increased dramatically recently at my college) a couple less things to complain about and more reasons for existing people to upgrade or for new buyers.

[narco]

I predict that you will see a ton of used iPod minis on eBay within the next couple hours. I did the same thing when the last iPod upgrades were announced, and was able to sell my "old" iPod for a brand new one without forking out a dime.

Gotta love macrumors.

Fishes,
narco.

[feakbeak]

Great Color Capuchins! Was wondering the same thing. Especially if they incorporate color screens into regular iPods as well. What does that do to the iPod photo line?

All iPods become iPod photo, the product lines merge. Why differentiate product lines when the only difference is software. Give the software away, make the product more attractive and gain/keep more market.

[ClarkeB]

As long as they ditch those childish buttons on the mini, I'll definitely be purchasing one (or two, or...)

[oingoboingo]

As far as battery life:

1. If you are using it throughout the workday, and battery life is running out, then I would keep it plugged in to a power socket so it doesn't drain batteries at all.

2. If you are travelling with it, then it is likely that at some point you will be near an outlet or laptop to recharge... if not, then bloody read a book for an hour or two :) After 8 hours of continuous playback, don't you get cauliflower ear?? After a 2 hour plane ride, I am ready for those earbuds to be OUT.

I can envision situations where once in a great while, there are situations where one isn't near a power socket or laptop. But these are rare, odd, and infrequent circumstances... and the benefits of a high resolution color screen (which nearly everyone would prefer) outweighs these unique and infrequent situations, in my opinion.

:)

I admire the quality of your iPod mini trolling. In addition to the "why does anyone need more than 4 hours of battery life" angle you are taking (and the truly inspired follow-on "if that's not enough then just listen to it while plugged into an AC outlet"), might I also suggest:

- "5 GB of hard drive space? This seems like a waste. I only have 12 songs that I like to listen to. I would like to see a mini released with a 16MB flash RAM chip, and the production cost savings ploughed back into providing free Justin Timberlake singles from the iTMS, or maybe some of William Shatner's spoken word stuff. I really can't understand why anyone would want a collection of more than a dozen songs. "

- "Something as small as the mini? Concentrate less on the portable form factor, and more on a laptop-style LCD display so that track info can be more easily read by the optically-challenged. Honestly, I don't know why people get obsessed with the smaller size of the mini. I would happily carry my MP3 player around in a backpack. Or if that was too big and heavy, I would only listen to it seated at my desk."

- "The scroll wheel interface seems silly. I prefer to use an external mouse or joystick to navigate my playlists. Ditch the scroll wheel (I mean, who actually likes this?) and allow a mouse to be used via the USB port. Or add a PS/2 port for wider compatibility. If an external pointing device is too cumbersome to be used on the road, just use it at your desk...preferably plugged into AC power"

- "USB2 and FireWire is overkill. I mean really...who needs to have their music collection sync that fast? After listening to my iPod for 7 minutes I re-dock it and then leave it overnight...at my desk. The original AppleTalk serial interface would be plenty fast enough for an overnight sync period and would add a certain retro charm."

Those are just some suggestions, but maybe together we can workshop this and come up with something really polished. Until then though...a fine effort for a newbie. Keep up the good work!

[LaMerVipere]

As long as they ditch those childish buttons on the mini, I'll definitely be purchasing one (or two, or...)

What "childish buttons" do you speak of?

[mxpiazza]

you mean the "childish", critically acclaimed buttons that are now the standard across the entire ipod line...?

As long as they ditch those childish buttons on the mini, I'll definitely be purchasing one (or two, or...)

[DickArmAndHarT]

you mean the "childish", critically acclaimed buttons that are now the standard across the entire ipod line...?


How is a functional, easy to use click wheel childish..I think its a very awsome idea. Whats arguments are there against it?

[MhzDoesMatter]

I admire the quality of your iPod mini trolling. In addition to the "why does anyone need more than 4 hours of battery life" angle you are taking (and the truly inspired follow-on "if that's not enough then just listen to it while plugged into an AC outlet"), might I also suggest:
....
Those are just some suggestions, but maybe together we can workshop this and come up with something really polished. Until then though...a fine effort for a newbie. Keep up the good work!

This didn't seem like trolling to me. If anything, since he's looking over the current faults of an apple product, than that would make him a zealot, and yo the troll for having the gall to complain about an Apple product. And honestly I just think this was simply a decent conversation until you got tired of rational discussion and decided to play the "troll" card.


-Hertz

[intlplby]

i for one still cannot believe that color screens are becoming the norm before adding stereo 44k recording.....

in the name of all things holy and sacred can we please get line in recording and be able to control the recording level with the scroll wheel

[r6girl]

I just busted my my 4g 20 gig iPod last week snowboarding. Some little little kid decided to hit me while i was hitting a kicker (right before take off sending me spinning through the air.. Broken leg...broken iPod.. Damn litle kit....

that sucks! did the kid stop and at least help out or something? a co-worker of mine is a skier and he was run down a few years ago by a snowboarder and his leg was broken in the collision. he was actually knocked unconscious for a little while, but his wife was there and saw everything - apparently the snowboarder yelled and cursed at him while he was out cold, and then just took off without helping or anything. i hate it when people don't take responsibility for their own actions. accidents happen, i know, but if someone is careless, they could at least own up to it. i hope you heal well and that kid faces karma soon (if he didn't do the right thing by you at the time). oh, and i hope you get a great new ipod to replace your 20gb that never breaks and brings you extra good luck every time you use it! :)

heading to the mountains (lake tahoe) this weekend to board. i hate holiday weekends (too crowded), but the snow should be good at least...

marianne

[billystlyes]

color screen .....sweet!

[roadapple]

GDit, i just got my sister to buy a mini...

[ClarkeB]

How is a functional, easy to use click wheel childish..I think its a very awsome idea. Whats arguments are there against it?

Well the big "upgrade" from 3G to 2.5G iPod was pretty much annoying clicking sounds that you can now hear in your earphones and are turned on automatically when you restart your iPod, and the push buttons. The tactile buttons were so much nicer and gave the entire iPod a cleaner and more sophisticated look. Then they slapped on the big gray ClickWheel (sans backlight, if I may add) and it was a sudden "improvement". Well, my iPod has about six more months left in it and if a (really) improved iPod (improved on the 3G) doesn't come along before then, I'll have to go hunt down a good ol' 3G.

[Yonizzle]

It seems plausible that after going all-color, they could still keep the iPod Photo (dammit, the capital P just looks right..) by integrating a card reader into it, so you can back up your camera's card, erase it, and keep shooting in the field. The other attempts at providing this functionality are reputed to be, um, bad. Seems to me that it should be feasible to do this with a decent transfer rate and not too much battery drain.

Of course, an iPod as digital wallet might not be the holy grail any more with high-capacity flash cards getting cheaper. Not to mention that there are just way too many flash formats out there.

But whatever. If they build this, I'll buy one, and I bet a lot of other digicam enthusiasts will, too.

[GFLPraxis]

Sign Me UP!
But how come the stock dropped today?

Bonjour.

[GFLPraxis]

the whole color argument, as most people have pointed out, is just relative... 5 years ago, everyone had a monochrome nokia cell phone and thought they couldnt get any smaller or sharper... i highly, highly doubt that the new mini will have any photo capability, *maybe* be able to display album art, but definitley not be able to sort photos and stuff, that would just severley undercut the iPod Photo sales.

more battery life would be nice... but with a color screen at the same price point, and if it keeps the same dimensions, i think we would be lucky, and i would be happy, to see it at the same battery life.

I disagree. They'd be completely different markets. An iPod Mini with Photo capability would have only 5-6 GB of space. It'd be for people who want photo capabilities but can't afford an iPod Photo. The Photo would be for people who want many gigs of photos.

When the 5th gen iPods with color screens come the iPod Photo may very well disappear. Or be replaced with an iPod Video witha faster processor.

[Phat_Pat]

Wicked.... need color.... ;)

[DickArmAndHarT]

Well the big "upgrade" from 3G to 2.5G iPod was pretty much annoying clicking sounds that you can now hear in your earphones and are turned on automatically when you restart your iPod, and the push buttons. The tactile buttons were so much nicer and gave the entire iPod a cleaner and more sophisticated look. Then they slapped on the big gray ClickWheel (sans backlight, if I may add) and it was a sudden "improvement". Well, my iPod has about six more months left in it and if a (really) improved iPod (improved on the 3G) doesn't come along before then, I'll have to go hunt down a good ol' 3G.

I find the clicking songs useful when traveling or walking (help me count and such where i am when searching for anything) but ill turn it off if i want to do some concentrated music listening. I find the astetics of the 3gens were much nicer than the ugle gray wheel, but i think the clickwheel is much more functional and saves some time. form over function. an on going debate

[dejo]

in the name of all things holy and sacred can we please get line in recording and be able to control the recording level with the scroll wheel

No.

[DickArmAndHarT]

Bonjour.


Yeah..and i thought..just turned fourteen.maby invest in apple a learn about the stock market..but after these names theyve been whipping out..seems unstable...

Graphulator..what a joke

[mxpiazza]

that was my point, the clickwheel is awesome... sarcasm, my friend, sarcasm!

How is a functional, easy to use click wheel childish..I think its a very awsome idea. Whats arguments are there against it?

[Cfly]

And I really don't see the need for 20 hours of battery life. Why do you people need ANY more than 8... hell any more than 6??

Morning commute + Evening commute + Gym Time.. that's gotta max out at about 4 hours. Then you go home and dock it. Done. What kind of lives do you people lead where you need it non-stop, away from a socket, for 20 hours??

i have a 24 hour bus ride to florida tommorow, which 20 hours of battery life would be useful for.

[dontmatter]

Awesome.

Now, about that color screen, that even works on a sunny day.... why can't they put that on a freakin' laptop, already! Backlit diplays work so well in the dark, indoors... but the whole beauty of a laptop is that it moves! So why is it impossible to use my PB in a park on a sunny day? I mean, I understand it, technologically-the ammount of backlight it can provide is nowhere near the power of the sun, and we just don't notice quite how vast this diffrenece is, because our eyes are so good at adjusting.

But, for a long, long time now, I've been looking for apple to introduce a display that's both backlit, and returns light from the front. It's pretty sad that I can read a book outside and in, but not a screen on a three thousand dollar computer. I was thinking, you just put a mirror in back, except that then light coming in at an angle would be colored by the pixel it came from, and then by the pixel it went to. Instead you would need to make a mirror of a bunch of tiny conic sections, so the light went in and out the same pixel.

But that shouldn't be so hard?

Anyway, I highly approve of a color screen and bigger HD, though it should be interesting what they do with that color screen. Not allowing photos seems silly, since it would just be a software issue, but then it would mess up the whole ipod line. Maybe they'll show album art, and introduce photo capabilities later. And then the'll smack a screen on the shuffle, too. heh.

[dontmatter]

Awesome.

Now, about that color screen, that even works on a sunny day.... why can't they put that on a freakin' laptop, already! Backlit diplays work so well in the dark, indoors... but the whole beauty of a laptop is that it moves! So why is it impossible to use my PB in a park on a sunny day? I mean, I understand it, technologically-the ammount of backlight it can provide is nowhere near the power of the sun, and we just don't notice quite how vast this diffrenece is, because our eyes are so good at adjusting.

But, for a long, long time now, I've been looking for apple to introduce a display that's both backlit, and returns light from the front. It's pretty sad that I can read a book outside and in, but not a screen on a three thousand dollar computer. I was thinking, you just put a mirror in back, except that then light coming in at an angle would be colored by the pixel it came from, and then by the pixel it went to. Instead you would need to make a mirror of a bunch of tiny conic sections, so the light went in and out the same pixel.

But that shouldn't be so hard?

Anyway, I highly approve of a color screen and bigger HD, though it should be interesting what they do with that color screen. Not allowing photos seems silly, since it would just be a software issue, but then it would mess up the whole ipod line. Maybe they'll show album art, and introduce photo capabilities later. And then the'll smack a screen on the shuffle, too. heh.

[manosira]

This is like a slap in the face to my PC user roomate who just finally gave in and bought an ipod mini last week and received it today when this rumor was posted. I was laughing so hard but I also bought a shuffle at MacWorld and are now contemplating upgrading it to the new ipod minis. I use the shuffle everyday at the gym and can't imagine having something stuck on my arm vs around my neck, it's been working out great! (no pun intended). However I do miss having a screen - especially if it's going to be color, multiple playlist, and having my whole collection on me, since I only have 5 gigs worth of songs anyways.

Should I eBay the shuffle.. or would it be ridiculous to have both a shuffle and a color ipod mini? I know my roomate is going to eat the restocking fee and send his ipod mini back. Dam you Apple for updating the ipod mini's so close to the ipod shuffle.

[Trekridr]

But gen 3 will have the 10 gig drives, and that is worth the extra money in my opinion.

Exactly what I am waiting for. My brother got a mini, and i think its the coolest thing I have seen. I just cant give up the 20GB on my 3G. 10GB I can manage to deal with I think.

I also think, that the longer they can make battery life the better. Even if some of you don't think you'll use it, there are people who will find some way to.

[cmvsm]

Color Screen, 5 or 6 GB of Disk space, and new colors?? S..W..E..E..T !!!!

I'll be waiting in line to order with money in hand!!

[Lacero]

I'm not buy a mini or any iPod until Apple wises up and adds built-in laser pointer capability.

[LaMerVipere]

I'm not buy a mini or any iPod until Apple wises up and adds built-in laser pointer capability.

And a Cell Processor! :cool:

[GFLPraxis]

I'm not buy a mini or any iPod until Apple wises up and adds built-in laser pointer capability.

Built in, no (they're illegal in some places, how'd you like your iPod confiscated when you walk in a theater or some schools?).

As an addon, cool.

[fisious]

This might push me to get a new iPod, same price but COLOR!? Yay!

:D

Really! What am I missing? What is the big deal about having a colour screen. Someone else wrote in about the asthetics and how they wouldn't buy one that was monocrome? Doesn't this thing sit in your pocket for 95% of it's use?

Please tell me what's wrong with me!

[aswitcher]

Could Apple be moving to add photo capabilities across the entire line? Ok, maybe not photos, but at least album art!

Current mini resolution: 138 x 111
Rumored color screen: 176 x 132


At least Album art...

Res could do thumbnails, say iPhoto like of your whole or selected parts of your library just for the iPod Mini. I would like that.

[dejo]

Best reason for a color screen: Solitaire! :D

[aswitcher]

I really hope they add into iTunes the compression for the iPod mini to automatically reduce your library from its current sample rate to 128 when putting it on the ipod mini (aka the shuffle tech). That would make me a very happy customer.

Album art...

I also hope like the shuffle it comes formatted for windows rather than just for Mac, so I dont have to reformat it to be able to use it for file transfering...

Better battery life must surely be going to happen...

I also hope to see some 5th gen technology...whatever that might be...

[dejo]

I also hope like the shuffle it comes formatted for windows rather than just for Mac, so I dont have to reformat it to be able to use it for file transfering...

I believe all iPods now come formatted for Windows out of the box, since so many are being used with Windows. My iPod photo was. Also, being able to use it for file transfering (at least on a Mac) has nothing to do with how it's formatted, AFAIK. It has to do with whatever preference in that department you have setup in iTune for that iPod.

[BWhaler]

I'm not buy a mini or any iPod until Apple wises up and adds built-in laser pointer capability.

I think this is a joke, and if so, it's funny. If not, my apologies, and this may be the oddest post of all time.

[BWhaler]

And I really don't see the need for 20 hours of battery life. Why do you people need ANY more than 8... hell any more than 6??

Morning commute + Evening commute + Gym Time.. that's gotta max out at about 4 hours. Then you go home and dock it. Done. What kind of lives do you people lead where you need it non-stop, away from a socket, for 20 hours??

That's your routine.

I fly internationally twice a month, with 15-22 hours of travel on a single day. So yes, I need a battery life of longer than 6 hours. I will go days abroad without power.

Plus, if you have a 20 hour battery, even with your routine, you can go 3 days without charging it. That means your battery is going to last longer since you use fewer charge and drain cycles.

[EssentialParado]

I was thinking, you just put a mirror in back...
But that shouldn't be so hard?

Actually, I took apart an LCD screen once before and found they already have mirrors: sticky mirror paper stuck on the back of the LCD. However, this was a cell phone and I don't know about the PowerBooks. And I'm not willing to find out, Lol!

But DAMN am I excited about the new Mini's!! :D :D :D :D

I finally got enough people to sign up for my freeipod and it's perfect timing!! :D :D :D YAY!!! :D I love you guys!! :D \0/\0/\0/

-Luke

[aswitcher]

I believe all iPods now come formatted for Windows out of the box, since so many are being used with Windows. My iPod photo was. Also, being able to use it for file transfering (at least on a Mac) has nothing to do with how it's formatted, AFAIK. It has to do with whatever preference in that department you have setup in iTune for that iPod.

Thats not what I read on ipodlounge...it needs to be FAT32 to work with a PC as a firewire drive...

[iGary]

I hope this happens, even if it only serves to bring the the iPod Photo down to realistic price levels, which is also in the rumor mill.

I just can't justify buying a 40GB iPod Photo (which I would like to use to have my portfolio on) for more than a Mac mini costs... :)

[NovacaineX]

Heard of travelling? In summer I'll be going on a 6-hour coach ride, a 6-hour ferry trip then another 6-hour coach ride. If my music runs out after 8 hours, what am I supposed to do for the next 10?!

I dunno, maybe communicate with other people and stop living in your little music filled world.

[Daveway]

6GB Orange Mini with color screen, your money is waiting. I'm buying ASAP :) You know those wait times can be long.
I don't understand something. I know Gateway and other companies have made 5GB players with color screens, but people were yelling about seeing pics on the ipods 2". How many people are going to bit*h now?

[iPodMechanic]

iPod mini - Color 5gb (no photo capabilities yet)

~4 months from now

iPod 5G - Color (no photo capabilities yet) 30gb single platter, 60gb double platter (possible addition of bluetooth)

iPod Photo 60gb only - Price drop to 499 (possible addition of bluetooth, perhaps a little larger screen)

~6 months from now

iPod mini - Color 5gb + bluetooth
iPod 5g + bluetooth, same prices
iPod photo suddenly changes to iPod VIDEO + bluetooth, price stays at $499 (possible $599 for 80-100 gb hard drive)

AIM me at TontoA4 to talk about it. It's headed in this direction.

Also check out my website:

http://www.iPodMechanic.com

[tomjleeds]

I dunno, maybe communicate with other people and stop living in your little music filled world.

Yeah, OK, so maybe I was a bit extreme. But lots of people are in situations where they can't charge their 'Pod every day - the original post I replied to was kinda unrealistic the other way.

[-=MaC-FiNdEr=-]

Putting a color screen across the line might give Apple the chance to introduce some new features on the ipod photo eventually - video perhaps?

I found this interesting: www.archos.com

Their players are just as big as ipods, could play videos, have deatchable batteries, and they work on macs.


Color screen ipods would make Linux on an ipod so much sweeter... hmm :rolleyes:

www.ipodlinux.org

[Yvan256]

Don't know if this has been mentionned before, but the iPod mini AND the regular iPod are both priced lower at FutureShop (compared to their MSRP/Apple prices).

[mxpiazza]

Yeah, OK, so maybe I was a bit extreme. But lots of people are in situations where they can't charge their 'Pod every day - the original post I replied to was kinda unrealistic the other way.

well, regardless whether or not you are going to use it for 20 hours straight, the chemicals in batteries only have a life of so many recharge cycles; the longer a battery can go without having to go through one of those recharge cycles, the less cycles are used, the longer the battery lasts. that's why i would like to see a larger battery in these things..

[dorqiekat]

crap, I was going to buy a mini this weekend. I can totally wait. If the rumors are true, how long would it take for the stores to be stocked with the new minis?

[EssentialParado]

Color screen ipods would make Linux on an ipod so much sweeter... hmm :rolleyes:

www.ipodlinux.org
Gasp! :eek:

crap, I was going to buy a mini this weekend. I can totally wait. If the rumors are true, how long would it take for the stores to be stocked with the new minis?
Within 10 days at most.

-Luke

[dorqiekat]

Gasp! :eek:


Within 10 days at most.

-Luke

I'm soooo there. *crosses fingers* this is karma, I mean, what are the chances that I'd read this thread before going over to the apple store on Sunday to buy my ipod? (very high, actually....) OKay, so this is my reward for missing the latest pb update and lowered price by buying it too early. I could have waited... (okay, so I probably couldn't) Well, this is just really cool then. :D
... I feel really lame for this reply.
I should just delete it........ :o

[oingoboingo]

I dunno, maybe communicate with other people and stop living in your little music filled world.

Can't. They're all listening to their higher battery capacity MP3 players.

[EssentialParado]

I'm soooo there. *crosses fingers* this is karma, I mean, what are the chances that I'd read this thread before going over to the apple store on Sunday to buy my ipod? (very high, actually....) OKay, so this is my reward for missing the latest pb update and lowered price by buying it too early. I could have waited... (okay, so I probably couldn't) Well, this is just really cool then. :D
... I feel really lame for this reply.
I should just delete it........ :o
Don't worry man. we're all excited here :D

[tomjleeds]

Can't. They're all listening to their higher battery capacity MP3 players.

Hah! So right! Guess I'd just have to find another Mini user...but that'll probably be some 13 year-old girl who wants to talk about the break-up of Busted...bah.

[ClarkeB]

who wants to talk about the break-up of Busted

*tear*

[iDeclare]

Apple store's delivery times: mini 5-7 business days! The "more reliable" way of checking if a rumor is true,,,, :rolleyes:

In other business this week, the imac's ship date has gone from same business day to 3-5 business days....perhaps another update as well :confused: . Makes sense I guess with the design team being that of the ipod.

In terms of color screen, I use my mini to run with so I hardly look at the screen. But, I'm all for it, so not flaiming here! I dump my wages and salary to apple just as freely as the next guy on here! :cool:

[aswitcher]

Apple store's delivery times: mini 5-7 business days! The "more reliable" way of checking if a rumor is true,,,, :rolleyes:

In terms of color screen, I use my mini to run with so I hardly look at the screen. But, I'm all for it, so not flaiming here! I dump my wages and salary to apple just as freely as the next guy on here! :cool:


This Tuesday or next is likely given TS's predictions...

[Chimera]

This Tuesday or next is likely given TS's predictions...

It's good to see thnk secret still dissing out the Apple secrets despite the pending legal case. It's looking ever more likely for this Tuesday as well due to the increased shipping times and Apple's usual policy of releasing new products on a Tuesday, one thing though the PowerBooks were released on a Monday so do any of you think that the updates may also come tomorrow?

[dorqiekat]

All of a sudden, I'm wishing for tuesday to roll in. Which is strange, considering I have late classes on tuesdays. Yeah, forget monday, a holiday... let's long for tuesday! A day where I can be stuck in class till 6 pm, but hey! thats okay! I get to see if they're updating iPods or not! :p

*bounces*

[tb2me]

Battery life -

If you're going to be traveling or whatnot, in an unusual circumstance where you need more than the standard 6-10 hours (depending on model) of life . . . buy a damned battery pack. They give you a hell of a lot of extra life, and if you're traveling, chances are you have a bag or something, the pack won't be a portability hindrance. (If I'm walking to class, I don't want the extra bulk. If I'm on a plane or train, I don't really care how big the iPod is, as long as it's manageable.)

[ClarkeB]

Remember to order early as there is no bloody way they will still be in stock 12 hours post-release.

[foreverembraced]

If they are in fact to be released on Tuesday...Would they be released at 9:00 a.m east. time you think or like 12:01 tuesday morning? And do you think if I were to order one from apple online when they are that I would actually get one? or am I better off going to an apple store. Im so excited for this...I NEEED one

[aswitcher]

Remember to order early as there is no bloody way they will still be in stock 12 hours post-release.

Thats going to be very true given the shortage of Shuffles, as woulde buyers will in a far number of cases go for a colour iPod mini instead.

[foreverembraced]

I just got back from Circuit City picking something up and decided to check out their ipod mini supply...Empty. They would have to be coming this week because i'm sure they wouldn't keep mini's unstocked for 2-3 weeks.

[Apple //e]

Battery life -

If you're going to be traveling or whatnot, in an unusual circumstance where you need more than the standard 6-10 hours (depending on model) of life . . . buy a damned battery pack. They give you a hell of a lot of extra life, and if you're traveling, chances are you have a bag or something, the pack won't be a portability hindrance. (If I'm walking to class, I don't want the extra bulk. If I'm on a plane or train, I don't really care how big the iPod is, as long as it's manageable.)

yeah, thats great....i mean, why not have a longer lasting battery when you can buy an addon for more money?

battery technolgy advances every day, but why do we need it if i can just buy a lead-acid pack?

any hardcore traveller will tell you that the less you carry, the better off you are.

"...and if you're traveling, chances are you have a bag or something.." absolutely brilliant

[ZildjianKX]

If it is 6 gigs, has a color screen, and 12 hours of battery life, count me in. But then again, I tend to get dissapointed when I want Apple to make new stuff.

[aswitcher]

If it is 6 gigs, has a color screen, and 12 hours of battery life, count me in. But then again, I tend to get dissapointed when I want Apple to make new stuff.

Yeah, I have made a list of stuff I want it to have so when it appears I can quickly check them off to make sure its all I want it to be.

Colour screen... now a must given the clarity and new features colours provides.

5 or 6 gig, I dont really care that much.

More than 8 hours battery life is a pretty important feature. I would like at least 10 solid hours given how long I can play it between recharges. 8 wont be a killer though but may make me blink given they should be pushing the battery life up to where comeditors have gone.

Shuffle like auto reduce music to 128 kbps from my iTunes library where everything is 320 kbps. Not a deal breaker BUT if it does have it then I'll be happier to part with my money.

Detach headphones and auto pauses is a must. If it doesn't have 4G tech like this then I might hold off till June/July when the rumoured new iPods (with colour screens will appear). Its just too handy a feature for me.

Click through headphones...good to have...not sure if its a deal breaker.

Better (as TS predicts) skip resistence. The 20gig I borrow skips a bit when just walking...


And besides this I am really hoping to see new geek features like address book with pictures; optional background colours to match the ipod with black or white type over them; new games; ability to control iTunes playing on my PB with my attached iPod mini; BlueTooth/WiFi; encryption for data section; iPod @ home...that long rumoured synching tech with isynch for important files...

[fossyy]

Recieved a myer catalouge in the weekend papers and they had minis advertised for A$299 but with only limited stock.For those outside australia myer is a department store australia wide, probably australias biggest.
The mini normally sells for A$399

[Porchland]

I keep hoping -- every generation since 1G -- for gapless/crossfade playback on the iPod. Sounds like something more for a major generation iPod release, but in the grand scheme of things it's not really that big a deal. Hopefully iPod mini will get it first this week and -- since firmware almost NEVER wakes up features in an older model -- iPod will get gapless/crossfade playback this summer.

Looks like it's not going to happen today or the store would be down already.

[benpatient]

Didn't want to read every page of this topic just to see if it was mentioned or not, but I would say that they're clearly talking about an OLED screen like the one that Kodak put on one of their digital cameras last year. The "even in direct sunlight" comment, along with the increased battery life, indicate this. OLED screens don't need a backlight to be visible in daylight...they are reflective surfaces more like pigment than like a screen. And they are supposedly much more efficient (battery life) than LCD panels.

Looks like Apple is trying to justify charging 250 dollars for a player with 1/4 the capacity of a 300 dollar player...

[tomjleeds]

Do you know what, I think you're onto something there. No LED screen can be properly viewed in bright sunlight, but an OLED can be perfectly.

That'd be awesome :D

[r6girl]

If they are in fact to be released on Tuesday...Would they be released at 9:00 a.m east. time you think or like 12:01 tuesday morning? And do you think if I were to order one from apple online when they are that I would actually get one? or am I better off going to an apple store. Im so excited for this...I NEEED one

i'm curious about this too. my plan is to check the apple site first thing when i wake up tomorrow (around 6 am pacific time), and if there are new minis announced, i'll order one online. but since i'm horribly impatient when it comes to getting new gadgets, i plan to also go to the apple store closest to my job when it first opens tomorrow morning and see if they have any in stock. if they do, i buy one right then and there and then cancel my online order.

i am way too excited for this. :D

marianne

[aswitcher]

Looks like Apple is trying to justify charging 250 dollars for a player with 1/4 the capacity of a 300 dollar player...


The real kicker here is if the 20gig also gets colour at the same time for the same price point... $50USD for 20 versus 5/6 gig is going to be a tocuh call. I guess for me it might come down to what extra features each has...

[tomjleeds]

i'm curious about this too. my plan is to check the apple site first thing when i wake up tomorrow (around 6 am pacific time), and if there are new minis announced, i'll order one online. but since i'm horribly impatient when it comes to getting new gadgets, i plan to also go to the apple store closest to my job when it first opens tomorrow morning and see if they have any in stock. if they do, i buy one right then and there and then cancel my online order.

i am way too excited for this. :D

marianne

I've been trying to remember from when the 4G iPod was released...I actually stumbled upon it by mistake mere minutes after it was on sale, so I think it must have been 9AM EST.

Judging by the Shuffle, I'd be surprised if there were many in Apple Stores. Damn I wish we had more than one here (UK).

I'm way too excited too, I've been building up for this all weekend ;)

[aswitcher]

I've been trying to remember from when the 4G iPod was released...I actually stumbled upon it by mistake mere minutes after it was on sale, so I think it must have been 9AM EST.

Judging by the Shuffle, I'd be surprised if there were many in Apple Stores. Damn I wish we had more than one here (UK).

I'm way too excited too, I've been building up for this all weekend ;)

I think after last year's bad experience with supply and recent problems withg Shuffle supply, and from what TS said last month, I think they might be decent supplies - well at least for the first few hours of orders :rolleyes:

[Chimera]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this but Samsung today announced a 6gb mini type mp3 player with colour screen:

Link to article (http://engadget.com/entry/1234000567032584/)

Looks like a 6gb drive is very probable now guys!

[kirk26]

Nice to see Apple catching up to the other companies with this. All we need now is a FM radio.

[BigDogg]

It figures that would happen after I finally got a mini! :mad:

[aswitcher]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this but Samsung today announced a 6gb mini type mp3 player with colour screen:

Link to article (http://engadget.com/entry/1234000567032584/)

Looks like a 6gb drive is very probable now guys!

Well thats a pretty clear indication its going to be 6GB :D

Now, I wonder if the battery life will be more than 8.5 hrs.

[Hattig]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this but Samsung today announced a 6gb mini type mp3 player with colour screen:

Link to article (http://engadget.com/entry/1234000567032584/)

Looks like a 6gb drive is very probable now guys!

Yep, that confirms it for me.

Not a bad design from Samsung there though, better than a lot of the other players on the market. The interface looks a bit naff though, but I think that is quite a low resolution display compared to the rumours on the new iPod Mini. Looks like it does lyrics display, as well as recording and FM radio too.

[verozov]

i just got an ipod shuffle but i need one of these as well for my collection...

[tomjleeds]

According to ThinkSecret (http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0502ipods.html), we won't be seeing the new line-up until Wednesday:

One day before Apple is expected to announce new iPod minis, a reliable source has shed light on Apple's Wednesday announcement, suggesting that almost the entire iPod line could see an update then.

Following our Friday report on a color-screen 6GB iPod mini, insider information points to six new colors making their debut. Pricing on the new mini is said to be $199, although this may be for a 4GB model that Apple will continue to produce and not necessarily the new 6GB mini, which we originally reported will sell for $249.

Two new iPods could debut Wednesday for $349 and $449 as well, a source says. Unknown is whether the new price points will represent the fifth-generation of iPods or if they are a sequential update and price cut to the existing iPods; we suspect the latter.

Resellers have recently reported extremely tight stock of the 40GB iPod and iPod photos models, suggesting updates are in store. Unknown at this time is what will become of the $299 20GB iPod.

[dorqiekat]

According to ThinkSecret (http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0502ipods.html), we won't be seeing the new line-up until Wednesday:



Following our Friday report on a color-screen 6GB iPod mini, insider information points to six new colors making their debut. Pricing on the new mini is said to be $199, although this may be for a 4GB model that Apple will continue to produce and not necessarily the new 6GB mini, which we originally reported will sell for $249.

What do you think the new colors would be? Do you think they'll bring in orange? :o I really, really want an orange mini.

[tomjleeds]

I wouldn't be surprised if there was a dark-grey 'Graphite'-style colour, along with Orange and a proper Red.

It makes sense for Apple to continue producing the 4GB alongside the 6GB model I suppose, although I'll definitely be getting a 6GB one if that's the case.

I don't doubt that the iPod line re-shuffling will replace the 40GB with the 40GB iPod Photo in the near future...I wonder if the 20GB will gain a colour screen at the same time? Comments point to it being an OLED, which would be awesome.

Gonna be pretty bummed out if we all have to wait until tomorrow, though ;)

[BWhaler]

I'm probably going to sit out this generation update. All I really need is longer battery life. If it's 12 hours, I'll wait, 15 hours, and I'll fold. (I take a lot of international flights.)

Color screens are cool. Another gig or two is nice. But gen 3 will have the 10 gig drives, and that is worth the extra money in my opinion.

With all of that said, and all the logic in the world, I'd give myself a week until I buy a new one. I am so weak with Apple.

Well, I said I was weak with Apple, but at least this time I was proactive.

I sold my 10 month old mini tonight for $225. Got to use a mini for about a year for 25 bucks...not bad.

So, I am ready for Apple to roll out the next generation this week. It's like getting an upgraded mini for $25...I'm psyched...

[BWhaler]

I predict that you will see a ton of used iPod minis on eBay within the next couple hours. I did the same thing when the last iPod upgrades were announced, and was able to sell my "old" iPod for a brand new one without forking out a dime.

Gotta love macrumors.

Fishes,
narco.

LOL narco...I sold my mini tonight for $225. Nothing is sweeter than timing an upgrade cycle.

Gotta love macrumors indeed.

[BWhaler]

OK, the rumors seem a tad bit off given the shipping dates:

Mini is showing 5-7 days. OK, that makes sense.
Photo 2-4 days. OK, that makes sense, EXCEPT:

The regular iPods are still showing same day ship dates. Wouldn't this negate the rumor that the current line if EOL and the iPod photo's are replacing them?

I think AppleInsider, MacShrine, ThinkSecret are all close, but haven't nailed it. We'll see soon enough--or so I hope.

[EssentialParado]

Damn. I was getting so excited. Counting down the hours (3hrs 15mins..) until 9am EST Tuesday. But if it's gonna be Wednesday then.. grr :mad:

As for the iPod updates as well... hmm, I guess it's possible. But I don't expect it. OH OH! Maybe the rumors about bluetooth won't be going into the mini's but the higher-end iPods (40GB, iPod Photo's) !! :D It would make a lot of sense to go into the iPod photos because you were all thinking of music transferring over BT, but not one person thought about photos ;) I'm so smawt :p

Well.. we'll find out soon. I'm glued to my computer, that's fo sho

[tomjleeds]

Judging by ThinkSecret's latest article and the fact that 9AM EST has passed without event, it looks like we'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what Apple have in store for the iPod line. Bah :p

[BryanSeven]

Im going to a buy a gold one, seems like a neat system to have. Very stylish i might add.Does anyone else think "goldfinger" when they see a iPod mini. :cool:

[aswitcher]

Judging by ThinkSecret's latest article and the fact that 9AM EST has passed without event, it looks like we'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what Apple have in store for the iPod line. Bah :p


Yeah, another day to go... and then, this time nextweek if nothing eventuates...

[dorqiekat]

Yeah, another day to go... and then, this time nextweek if nothing eventuates...

....then everyone goes NUTS!