Click wheel vs. touch screen

[drugs!]

If the new revisions do infact still utilize the click wheel, will you be bummed?

I think i'll go with yes

[zap2]

Hmm....I'm hoping touch screen....it would really make the iPod something new. Click Wheel is great, but the touch screen opens up a lot more things that the iPod can do.



But then that leaves games, and how and if they would work on the new iPod.

[WillJS]

I won't be disappointed, I like the clickwheel as well as a touch screen.

[applecrag]

i dont see how apple could put in a touch screen and provide tactile feedback at the same time...i love the click wheel for that reason. maybe they could make part of the touch screen rougher so you can know when youre touching the wheel and it would be clear at the same time for viewing movies full screen. i just hope they come up with something to please everyone.

[LeviG]

Personally I want touchscreen and bigger screen, already got a small size iPod Nano which has touchwheel and to be honest as easy as it is to use, I prefer a simple button approach

[LinuXtreme]

Personally I could live with either design. It'd be nice to have a nice large widescreen to watch movies on. Yet, I leave my iPod on my belt alot of the time and therefore depend on the tactile feedback that only a physical click-wheel can provide. All in all, I suppose that I value a large screen over being able to operate the iPod without looking at it.

[zioxide]

I really hope it still has the click wheel. I want a 120GB one with the same main design as the 5.5G, with a FM/AM radio, and an updated UI. Coverflow would work fine on the current screen and would look nice. They could also increase the resolution of the screen to make the GUI even prettier.

I don't really use my current 5G for movies because the battery life for video is ****. Unless they can make it have at least 10 hours of real-world video playback, I don't care about video.

I like being able to operate the click wheel easily without looking at it. Plus the click wheel is now iconic of an iPod.

[drugs!]

honestly, i need some real innovation in order to justify buying a new ipod. Currently im on 30 gb 3rd gen (predating the click wheel) and although the space is lacking, the only way im going to shell out 350-400 is for some real breakthrough hardware. As cool as those gui vids looked, i dont think it would make the purchase worthwhile for me.

[iToaster]

I'd love a multitouch iPod, I never use it in my pocket so much, and tend to look at it a lot when using it. Multitouch would be great, and a camera, and wifi too... doubt it. The click wheel is great, but it has been surpassed. Also, whoever though of the touchscreen click wheel, not pointing fingers, but why would one use a fraction of the whole screen just for old times sake?

[MacBass]

If the next iPod has a click wheel and the same price, I will be incredibly disappointed. I'm holding out for a touchscreen iPod otherwise I'll just get a 5G or 5.5G.

[deanage]

the touchscreen is way better since u can actually see what u r doing
with a clickwheel, the sensitivity changes as it gets older

:apple:

[BiikeMike]

I want the form factor of a 5.5g ipod on one side, and then whammo, flip it over, and there is your wide screen multi-touch ipod video on the other side :D

[iBookG4user]

I don't think I'll be getting the next iPod, I think that I can live with my iPhone alone. But both the click wheel and the touch screen have their pros and cons. A touch screen iPod would be cool, but then like the iPhone you have to look at it to operate it. You loose the ability to use it in your pocket. I think that a combination of the click wheel and the touch screen would be cool if Apple could pull it off.

[Shotgun OS]

I'll be kinda bummed if it's a touch screen. I use my iPod in my pocket and like to use it while not looking at it, usually when I'm busy with other things.

If its a touch screen, I sure to god hope for an option between regular touch and then a virtual click wheel-type thing.

[dominatrix]

I don't think I'll be getting the next iPod, I think that I can live with my iPhone alone. But both the click wheel and the touch screen have their pros and cons. A touch screen iPod would be cool, but then like the iPhone you have to look at it to operate it. You loose the ability to use it in your pocket. I think that a combination of the click wheel and the touch screen would be cool if Apple could pull it off.

touchscreen and clickwheel ? i dont think so. one or another. if have touchscreen why clickwheel ? you steel need to look to it to do anything.

[Genghis Khan]

i think the videos confirmed it'll be clickwheel...whether a touchscreen clickwheel which was patented ages ago is another question

[rbroady]

i think the videos confirmed it'll be clickwheel...whether a touchscreen clickwheel which was patented ages ago is another question

its been confirmed that video is for the NANO, so hopefuly we see a touchscreen ipod

maybe they will be releasing just the new nano on aug 7th

[drugs!]

its been confirmed that video is for the NANO, so hopefuly we see a touchscreen ipod

maybe they will be releasing just the new nano on aug 7th

uh source on that confirmation?

[BiikeMike]

uh source on that confirmation?

Your user name?

[rbroady]

uh source on that confirmation?

not a "confirmation" but its been said on other threads that it is very very likely

[drugs!]

Your user name?


guy, you apparently are a fan of dane cook. What are you trying to say?

[aidanpendragon]

I only want an iPod if it's video - that's my main attraction, for commuting + flights. If Apple falls down in that department, I might even (shudder!) consider a PSP. Paying $599 for an iPhone, unlocking it less the phone capacity, and still only having 8GB of memory is not what I want.

Brainstorm: couldn't they just put the click-wheel on the back? If everybody's so big on "it's tactile, you do it by touch," wouldn't it then be irrelevant if it's on the front or the back? Recess it a little so you don't bump it.

[rbroady]

I only want an iPod if it's video - that's my main attraction, for commuting + flights. If Apple falls down in that department, I might even (shudder!) consider a PSP. Paying $599 for an iPhone, unlocking it less the phone capacity, and still only having 8GB of memory is not what I want.

Brainstorm: couldn't they just put the click-wheel on the back? If everybody's so big on "it's tactile, you do it by touch," wouldn't it then be irrelevant if it's on the front or the back? Recess it a little so you don't bump it.


The whole "i want a clickwheel so i can use it without looking" could be solved by a simple controller that would be standard on all headphones. play/puase, FF, RW, Stop, thats all you need.

[drugs!]

having a click wheel and a touch screen is redundant. You can do what the other dude said or have simple touch actions that can be placed anywhere on the screen that would execute a function.... ex. one tap of the screen = skip to the next track

[rbroady]

having a click wheel and a touch screen is redundant. You can do what the other dude said or have simple touch actions that can be placed anywhere on the screen that would execute a function.... ex. one tap of the screen = skip to the next track

yes! or even giving the corners a desirable function to play, FF, RW or w/e you need to do

but as i said i thing this is easiest to solve with a controller on the headphones, it even resists you from digging into your pocket or takign it out of a case or whatnot.

[rockstarjoe]

yes! or even giving the corners a desirable function to play, FF, RW or w/e you need to do

but as i said i thing this is easiest to solve with a controller on the headphones, it even resists you from digging into your pocket or takign it out of a case or whatnot.

Agreed... everyone is going on and on about tactile feedback. Just get the apple remote attachment for your headphones and you have all the tactile feedback you need!

[DeeGee48]

If you will go to the article archive here on MacRumors and bring up the month of May, you will see for May 10th a patent release that Apple is working on for a multi (that is, two) sided widescreen (looks like 'Scope 2.40/1) iPod that can have TACTILE areas on the backside (including a tactile click wheel)....This, if ever released, should solve all the problems you're all speaking of....sort of a universal solution. Let's hope it's coming soon....

[DeeGee48]

In reference to the above, a more complete version of this story is found on Appleinsider (same date). Among other things it talks about the actual control etchings on the backside such as a click wheel....

[MacMan93]

I would like to see the Touch screen and click wheel in future 'Pods. But not on the same model.

What I would hope Apple would do for the 6G (Full Sized iPod replacement) Would be a click wheel based design slightly revamped with maybe Brushed Alum. to match the New (supposedly brushed metal) iMacs and the Mac Pro. With the same basic design as the 5G with some enhancements.(maybe bluetooth for wireless headphones, POSSIBLY wifi for wireless syncing and such...but I'd expect bluetooth before wifi on a click-wheel based iPod)

For the Touch screen design...

A whole new iPod. Loaded. Internet, OS X, ect ect. But more expensive. As in not a replacement for the 5G. Maybe 399, 499? (30GB,80GB+)

I could see myself replacing my 5G with a touch screen pod for 399.