iPod Peripherals - Mic and Image Card Reader?

[MacRumors]

ThinkSecret posts (http://www.thinksecret.com/news/ipodperipherals.html) some last minute "reliable" confirmation of the long rumored iPod peripherals (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/08/20030824044627.shtml), which are potentially to be announced alongside iTunes for Windows today.

ThinkSecret confirms that the upcoming iPod peripherals will include a microphone and an image card reader.

A recent MacRumors Page 2 report previously detailed (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/10/20031009151815.shtml) that one upcoming iPod peripheral would be an SD/CF memory card adapter for photos, while multiple reports have labeled the other peripheral as a microphone.

ThinkSecret also mentions an iPod Software update which will provided improved features and a new iPod game.

[shadowfax]

the best part of this, potentially, is that i just got a digital camera with a CF card. too bad i'll never take 128 MB of pictures at a go....

[voyagerd]

Wonder what the game will be...

I'm going to need the card reader for dig photo

[mustang_dvs]

What time is the Apple Event expected?

10am EDT?
10am PDT?

I can't wait...

[baby duck monge]

bring on the recording feature! i will certainly get a mic for mine if they can record more than a few mins at a time.

[bennok]

This is very exciting!

[dho]

hmmm If the card reader is true, that could open up a whole new type of POD-ipherals(though I'd give it a try)
still camera anyone?????

[Ja Di ksw]

I would LOVE the mic, it would come in so handy, but I have a 1st gen iPod. The thing is, it holds all the songs I have, and more. Only 2.71 GB, and to be honest, I don't think I'll ever need more than 5 simply because there are songs on there already that I could delete and not care in the least. Though I could use it as an external HD more to back up all my pictures, movies, etc. Sigh. Anyone want to trade a Dock iPod for a 1st gen? (ha)

[dho]

How about a video camera attachment that records to the hard drive, I would use it:D

what kind of design or just fundamental issues could that present?

[technocoy]

i hope this one is true... I would love to carry my iPod with me to load my photos from my new canon digital eos!!! that will be so much easier than carrying the powerbook... Awesome. Although i do wish they were making an AV dock, it seems unlikely.:D

[azdude]

I'll be taking a trip to the Apple Store as soon as a mic is available, for recording college lectures.

I'll buy it either way, but here's what I'd REALLY like to see:

1) Form factor of the Navman GPS for Palm devices:
http://www.marcosoft.com/gps/Navman500/images/Navman_m500.jpg Replace the GPS antenna with a nice directional mic, using the iSight's patented 'noise reduction' technology.

2) The 'sled' would contain it's own extra Li-ion battery which basically operates like a belkin power pack (powers iPod)... I can't imagine how short the iPod battery life will be recording... it's barely acceptable just for playback.

3) Pass-through dock connector, for charging both the sled and ipod internal batteries without removing the 'sled.'

4) Not necessary -- But i'd like it to be a slim-enough sled that I can squeeze it into my Booq PodPaq014 along with my 15GB-er.

Lets hope, but I'm not expecting all 4!

[tizza]

cool!!, both the mic feature and image storage features would be very useful for me. Certainly a lot cheaper to use my iPod to backup photos from my camera than go out and buy a stack of memory cards. The mic could help turn the iPod into a more useful PDA too - simply say someone's new address when out and about, and then enter it into address-book when you get a chance.:)

[jimthorn]

About this whole iPod recording thing...

I just hope the quality isn't restricted to bitrates appropriate for a "voice memo". Recording lectures or "notes to self" are fine and all, but I'd also like to do some high-quality sampling and recording if I want.

[sososowhat]

I've been asking for & posting for these two features since I got my iPod.

This last summer I took a trip to Thailand & found myself hunting all over for places to burn CD's of photos to free up & back up my memory card - all the while with my iPod on my hip.

The mic's a no brainer too. I don't know about compression, but if it were as good as mp3's, then 10,000 songs is about, what, 1,000 lectures or meetings? More than I'm going to listen to. Making it easy to get these things onto the Mac - and use iTunes to sort my lecture library. That rocks!

Now: let's hope it's true.

[xtekdiver]

With a little tweaking, the iPod may eventually become an iPhone. We might even add a camera. Hmm, what else can we stuff in there? Sort of tickles the imagination.

[Xero]

Originally posted by jimthorn
About this whole iPod recording thing...

I just hope the quality isn't restricted to bitrates appropriate for a "voice memo". Recording lectures or "notes to self" are fine and all, but I'd also like to do some high-quality sampling and recording if I want.

this is EXACTLY what im thinking! if it ends up just being a simple mono microphone attachment with no possible line in/mic in, im going to be so let down. even if the quality is high, if theyre going to add recording options they mine as well let us hook up a real nice microphone for sampling. please please please oh please!:eek: heres to hoping. :rolleyes:

[reyesmac]

Use the technology they are using for cellphones to make quicktime movies appear on the screen.

Anyone seen that video now product that is a video disc player for under $50? Why cant Apple put animation on its iPod LCD?

Heres a picture of the Video Now player.
http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/07/69/30/73/0007693073122_500X500.jpg

[Xero]

remember people, that this is an audio device first and foremost. theres a lot of greatthings they could do for the iPod before they start trying to turn it into some overpriced all in one video-player or camera phone... that wouldnt make sense, and itd be a waste of a good product. besides, i dont think theyd be able to add video playback or phone components with just a peripheral. :rolleyes:

[SeaFox]

Originally posted by reyesmac
Why cant Apple put animation on its iPod LCD?

Calling Dr. Obvious.

The iPod is supposed to be a portable music player. Ya'know, listen to music while you're doing other things. The point of the iPod's screen is information. Not to give you something to start at while you're stoned.

Don't you think you would look silly jogging through Central Park staring intently at the screen of the iPod in your hand? You would be worse then those folks who walk down the street carrying their Discmans in their hand horizontally, Their wrist raised halfway between their elbow and shoulder because they have lame anti-skip.

Also, what about folks driving?

A color screen wouldn't be a bad add-on accessory if the iPod had some video playback functions. But that's a tall order for a device meant to be a music player primarily.

[lazyrighteye]

Ahoy fellow Mac dorks.
Seriously, do we REALLY need (or even remotely want) a dictaphone with a 40G HD? Ok... why (and I'm not buying the "lectures" angle)?

While adding mic capabilities to the iPod would be a step in the right direction, it feels like a baby step... at best. Quite limiting. I'm more interested in a perf. that will offer some different audio I/O options... not just a mic. So that one could record audio from any number of sources (RCA, 1/8", S/PDIF, Optical, etc.). I also think it is key to be able to record uncompressed, stereo .aif files. If we see these capabilities in an iPod, it would instantly replace my Tascam DA-P1 as this field recordists' tool of choice.

[soosy]

I agree that the iPod could use video/picture display. Ever since it first came out, people pointed out that "Pod" doesn't limit the device to music.

An image card reader would be cool especially when traveling, though a little bit clunky compared to a straight usb connection (I've never had to take the memory card out of my camera). USB straight to cameras would probably require all kinds of crazy drivers though.

the big question is... will it DISPLAY pictures? For true integration there should really be an iPhoto update, so I'm thinking this is unlikely.

for the ultimate of what iPod could be, check out this product:
http://www.smartdisk.com/Products/DigitalMultimedia/FlashTrax.asp

it can view pictures/video/text files. even has a remote and video out to tv.
...

Tomorrow will still be a lot of fun though!

[Nebrie]

Originally posted by reyesmac
Use the technology they are using for cellphones to make quicktime movies appear on the screen.

Anyone seen that video now product that is a video disc player for under $50? Why cant Apple put animation on its iPod LCD?

Heres a picture of the Video Now player.
http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/07/69/30/73/0007693073122_500X500.jpg


The ipod is a great music player, let's keep it that way. The minute you start adding video to it, you start to make sacrifices technologically (iPod's battery wasn't designed for constant power drain from the disk. The device size would have to double for starters). Nothing else in tech history has lost so much money as convergence devices, not even the internet. You can choose to have a great music player or a video and music device that's not great at either.

[soosy]

one more thought...

It would be totally sweet if the iPod displayed the currently playing album art.

yes useless... but cool.:D

[ColoJohnBoy]

Originally posted by lazyrighteye
Ahoy fellow Mac dorks.
Seriously, do we REALLY need (or even remotely want) a dictaphone with a 40G HD? Ok... why (and I'm not buying the "lectures" angle)?

While adding mic capabilities to the iPod would be a step in the right direction, it feels like a baby step... at best. Quite limiting. I'm more interested in a perf. that will offer some different audio I/O options... not just a mic. So that one could record audio from any number of sources (RCA, 1/8", S/PDIF, Optical, etc.). I also think it is key to be able to record uncompressed, stereo .aif files. If we see these capabilities in an iPod, it would instantly replace my Tascam DA-P1 as this field recordists' tool of choice.

Your ideas are really great, but since they'd be such a niche product, it really wouldn't be feasible just yet. For now, iPods are just high-quality, high-style MP3 player.

Besides,are you really going to be doing a whole lot of high-quality professional recording on the go?

That's not a rhetorical question, by the way. Would it really be that much use?

[reyesmac]

Well, I for one hope that Apple uses the technology from the iPod to create the next iGadget. There is so much potential when you can carry that much info in that small size, they just need processors and batteries that can handle more powerful functions. I hope Apple eventually evolves the technology into a bigger range of iPod like devices that can be used for each of their iApps. Basically a device that is between a laptop and a portable hard drive that is priced more than a hard drive but less than a portable.

[Dahl]

Originally posted by dho
hmmm If the card reader is true, that could open up a whole new type of POD-ipherals(though I'd give it a try)
still camera anyone?????
Please no camera... Not unless it's really good. :)
I would rather have 2-3 strong gadgets than one not so good. But it might turn out good, it's Apple after all.

Anyway, the future of the iPod is open ended, who knows if it ends up being the ultimate PDA. ( or are PDA's dead ? )

[gola]

Originally posted by ColoJohnBoy
Your ideas are really great, but since they'd be such a niche product, it really wouldn't be feasible just yet. For now, iPods are just high-quality, high-style MP3 player.

It would be a niche product yes, but this can easily be manufactured by a third party. As long as Apple adds the possibility of recording - and recording in highest quality possible.

[baby duck monge]

Originally posted by tizza
The mic could help turn the iPod into a more useful PDA too - simply say someone's new address when out and about, and then enter it into address-book when you get a chance.:)

or it could feature apple's incredible, new, enhanced voice recognition software so it would enter the information all on its own. oh baby.

[lmalave]

Originally posted by Dahl
Please no camera... Not unless it's really good. :)
I would rather have 2-3 strong gadgets than one not so good. But it might turn out good, it's Apple after all.

Anyway, the future of the iPod is open ended, who knows if it ends up being the ultimate PDA. ( or are PDA's dead ? )

Yes, PDAs are dead. Most people can fulfill all their PDA needs with an iSync-compatible phone (like my SonyEricsson T610).

The major advantage the iPod has, which won't make its way into phones anytime soon, is that it's hard-drive based so it has many times the capacity of even the phones with built-in card readers (like the SonyEricsson P800).

So if the iPod started adding peripherals to extend the functionality, they should be things that capitalize on the hard drive advantage. An SD/CF card reader is actually a great idea from that perspective.

A camera attachment for the iPod actually isn't a bad idea, since the main constraint with the camera phones is the limited capacity. Apple shouldn't do that unless they put a color screen on the iPod, though. Imagine a modified iSight that plugged in to the iPod's dock port. I wouldn't be surprised at all if we saw that capability in the next generation of iPods

[fpnc]

I think the audio recording feature is pretty much a given. However, I don't think we will see an "image card reader." The problem is that the 3rd-generation iPod has no hard attachment point and therefore a card reader would have to be attached via a cable and that would make it somewhat ungainly and inconvenient to use as a "mobile" device. Sure, they could use a cable but I think that would indicate that the card reader was an afterthought (i.e. meaning that the iPod wasn't originally designed to accept a peripheral like this).

I'd like to see a card reader because I do a lot of digital photography and let's face it, a few gigabytes of compact mobile photo storage runs more than the cost of the current iPod alone. In any case, if they do introduce such a device and it has a nice industrial design then the value of an iPod has been increased substantially for a good number of users. I don't see how it could display photos however, it only has a one-bit monochrome display and the resolution is too low to do any decent dithering to simulate a grayscale image.

So, I'm guessing audio recording for certain, but I doubt we'll see any card reader or camera functions.

[DangerDiabolik]

Introduce a 199.99 dollar 10 gig model and you'll sell a bazillion.

BAZILLION !

:D

and a cool recording device that I can sneak into shows :)

[NicoMan]

Somebody (an Apple Store website's administrator...) is gonna get some stick: if you go check the Apple Store (I only checked the UK one) there is already an iPod feature that says:
iPod: Hot Accessories!
Now records your voice and stores more than tunes.

The link is dead, unfortunately.

Check this out:
Apple Store UK (http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore/)

[bidge]

here's an image

[evilfunkgenius]

Predictions:

1. recording (lets hope it won't be low fi)
2. wi-fi (no more firewire plugs or dock needed)
3. larger battery/longer play time (say it with me... double time)
4. blue tooth (wireless headphones and sync, play games against other 'pods)
5. Software pitch control (and iPod becomes the ultimate DJ accessory)
6. Opening up the source code!! (or at least some programmers tools)

[evilfunkgenius]

Originally posted by NicoMan
Now records your voice and stores more than tunes.


I guess that answers that... low-fi voice recording and photo storage it is then, check.

[Squire]

Yeah, I hope they don't turn it into an amusement park-on-the-go. The mic feature would be nice if it didn't add any bulk to the machine. (Can't the iPod already record? So, are we talking about an official announcement and an Apple branded microphone? Maybe they'd use the same technology as in iSight.)

Card reader? Wicked idea, as others have already mentioned, especially for travelers.

Question: Could the iPod work as a HD for a super-small mini laptop? A wafer-thin notebook marketed as a Sony Vaio basher?

Just curious.

Squire

[jettredmont]

Originally posted by lazyrighteye
Ahoy fellow Mac dorks.
Seriously, do we REALLY need (or even remotely want) a dictaphone with a 40G HD? Ok... why (and I'm not buying the "lectures" angle)?


Why not? I know that when I was going to college, I would have absolutely killed for a device that would have let me record lectures into a random-access format/media with full indexing and archival capabilities. As it was, I muttered through with a half-dozen mini-cassettes that got recorded over so many times that they were practically nonunderstandable, with at least three or four at a time that I thought had something important on them so I didn't want to record over them but I never had the time to sit down and listen to them all the way through to determine just what it was that they held ...

Even today, a good voice recorder in meetings would help out ... not as useful as such a device would have been in college, but close ...


While adding mic capabilities to the iPod would be a step in the right direction, it feels like a baby step... at best. Quite limiting. I'm more interested in a perf. that will offer some different audio I/O options... not just a mic. So that one could record audio from any number of sources (RCA, 1/8", S/PDIF, Optical, etc.). I also think it is key to be able to record uncompressed, stereo .aif files. If we see these capabilities in an iPod, it would instantly replace my Tascam DA-P1 as this field recordists' tool of choice.

You can do all this today, for the most part, except for one thing: the iPod software doesn't allow it. The key to tomorrow's announcement isn't the specifics of the mic/line-in peripheral, but the specifics of the iPod supporting software.

What bit rate will it handle?

Can it record for more than 30-seconds at a time ("voice note" sounds a bit limiting, and a far cry from the dreamed-of lecture center device)?

Everything else is just a matter of putting together the hardware yourself: the "line-in" wires have been identified on the Dock last I heard, so you just need to use basic electronics skills to put together an RCA, 1/8", or mini-jack set; Digital audio would of course be more difficult, but I think you'd find some reasonable how-tos floating around on the 'Net if you really needed to.

Of course, I don't expect you to do this, but given that the issue is hobby-hardware solvable, I would expect a product from Belkin or Griffen or the likes soon enough assuming there really is demand for it.

[hermes369]

I would like to use an iPod as a teaching companion for my ballet classes. As it is, I have to use the pitch control on a CD player. So, what I really want is tempo control, I really couldn't care less about the pitch.

[Xero]

Originally posted by ColoJohnBoy
Besides,are you really going to be doing a whole lot of high-quality professional recording on the go?

Yes.

[LoopHoles]

Originally posted by dho
How about a video camera attachment that records to the hard drive, I would use it:D

what kind of design or just fundamental issues could that present?

too much battery drain. i just posted this, but i'm no ipod engineer:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=535101#post535101

[Gorbag]

I'm certain there was a hack around a while back, that would allow recording on the iPod. But I think it was, as we suspect, only allowing lo-fi recording. Can't find a place to check this out though , after a quick google search.

And in answer to the question, would I want high quality recording?? Most certainly.
At a nearby jazz club where a bunch of my friends sing,they often want a recording of their performance. HQ recording iPod, perfect!

Oh yes, as a backup audio recorder for my DV camera.

Oh yes, for those moments like when I was on holiday recently, I was standing on the shore of a small harbour in Cornwall (UK) at night, with the most perfect sea atmos I've ever heard. If I'd had this, I would have recorded that sound, just for the beauty of it.

Perfect device for collecting sound effects for Film/video, music samples. etc. etc.

ANy further ideas?

Come on Apple, give us HQ recording! You know it makes sense!

[djdarlek]

Originally posted by soosy
one more thought...

It would be totally sweet if the iPod displayed the currently playing album art.

yes useless... but cool.:D

I'm with Soosy on this one.. I have spent an awful long time making my iTunes collection complete with tags and artwork.. if the iPod could display the artwork (presumable the artwork is imbedded into the mp3 file?), even in black and white, then i would be the happiest bunny in the world.

Speaking of which, if there's one thing I love about Apple, its how when you buy one of their products, even a whole year later you get all excited all over again as Apple unleash some new 'feature' your gadget has. Its like buying a Porche, driving it, and then a year later Porche announcing that if you press the B button on your dashboard you can now fly. You gotta love it. :)

[yamabushi]

Under the "more than just music" section of the description of the iPod on the US Apple site it reads the following:
More than just music
The iPod lets you do a whole lot more in addition to maintaining your contacts, calendar and to- do lists. iPod includes Solitaire, Brick and Parachute, three great games you can play anywhere.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?family=iPod

[diniscorreia]

Originally posted by baby duck monge
or it could feature apple's incredible, new, enhanced voice recognition software so it would enter the information all on its own. oh baby.

YES! Please let it be true :D

[macMaestro]

That game sounds really cool. I bet it will play you like the first 10 secs of one of your songs and ask you to name the tune. That sounds like a cool thing when you have about 5,000 songs on your iPod. :D Can't wait!

[Blackcat]

Remember, if the recording quality is hifi Apple won't say so beyond touting its voice recording abilities.

Why?

The same reason they don't say you can copy audio CDs or DVD Videos.

[crees!]

Originally posted by reyesmac
Why cant Apple put animation on its iPod LCD?

There is animation. It has a scrolling marquee of song titles :eek:

[magikminotaur]

Who says Apple doesn't innovate, who says Apple doesn't create excitement?
This is very exciting news, this will make the news tonight for sure. If the other PC manufactuers are so innovative, or great when have any of them caused this kind of excitement. Jobs is the man! Imagine, during tough times when companies are laying people off that a company posts such a strong balance sheet to boot. Sheesh, then Apple stock goes down and the negative Apple press plugs on, let them all have a steak made of Gateway cow show em who eats whom.

Let the windows people talk about centrino, or other such old tech that Apple had last year. Hey yesterdays news is almost as exciting, when you compare it to what Apple is able to produce, and design.

This is great news, we should all give Steve a high 5, the others won't know what hit them for months. When they do get it, the latest greatest will be different, and playing catchup or eatting crow is something they do well.

Right On!

[ultrafiel]

OK, I have two jobs, and these add-ons to the iPod would be great for both. First I work at a university newspaper. While I only do the online portion of it, I know that the reporters there would love the recording feature of the iPod for interview. Record an interview and easily forward or rewind to the part you need to quote, etc.

My second job is doing photoshop retouching for a photography studio. They have some very high end digital cameras there which eat card space quickly. Sure, they have laptops, but if they went out on a shoot, having an iPod with them for extra storage would be great. Especially considering the prices of high end CF or SD cards, an iPod is a steal for the space it offers. It easily pays for itself in that respect.

So I expect these add-ons to helps sell a lot more iPods in certain markets. Not just trendy music players, but occupational necessities. If the price drops a bit even better.

[dongmin]

Originally posted by magikminotaur
Who says Apple doesn't innovate, who says Apple doesn't create excitement?
This is very exciting news, this will make the news tonight for sure. If the other PC manufactuers are so innovative, or great when have any of them caused this kind of excitement. Jobs is the man! Imagine, during tough times when companies are laying people off that a company posts such a strong balance sheet to boot. Sheesh, then Apple stock goes down and the negative Apple press plugs on, let them all have a steak made of Gateway cow show em who eats whom.

Let the windows people talk about centrino, or other such old tech that Apple had last year. Hey yesterdays news is almost as exciting, when you compare it to what Apple is able to produce, and design.

This is great news, we should all give Steve a high 5, the others won't know what hit them for months. When they do get it, the latest greatest will be different, and playing catchup or eatting crow is something they do well.

Right On!

while this is good news, indeed, adding microphone and CF card reader attachments are hardly earth-shaking stuff. Certain MP3 players already have had the recording feature. And Archos, I believe, makes an all-in-one gadget that handles digital photos as well as music. Of course Archos' gadget sucks big time, but they still had the features long before the iPod.

As others have said, what'd be really amazing is if Apple incorporated a good voice recognition program, either into the iPod or OS X. So that when I get home with my iPod, OS X will automatically transcribe all my dictations. OK, so it's a bit of a pipe dream...

[fpnc]

Just so my earlier predictions don't get lost in the recent "crush" of expectations, here is what I expect -- audio recording yes, but no image card reader or camera features.

As for displaying the cover art, no that won't happen either. Please remember that the iPod has a monochrome, one-bit display. It can't display grayscale and a black (only) and white (only) image at the iPod's low resolution won't be able to display anything that looks like a real picture.

As for Apple's innovation. Yes, it's true that the iTunes Music Store and the iPod, taken together, offer the best digital music download and portable music player experience. But, Apple didn't make the first MP3 player and audio recording is a feature that many MP3 players already offer. So, on that feature the iPod is actually very late to the "game."

Frankly, although I own an iPod (and like it very much) I'd have to say that the glory days of the iPod are about over. The competition is getting very stiff and without a significant feature upgrade and/or price reduction the iPod is going to start to lose market share. If Apple wants to maintain a strong presence in the MP3 player field it needs offerings at lower price points. What they need is a less expensive version of the current product (hard drive based, with about 5 gigabytes of storage) and a $100 to $200 (U.S.) product that is based upon flash memory (several hours of playback with a very small form factor).

[azdude]

I've seen a million-and-a-half people claim the iPod's screen is 1-bit. I don't buy it. It's at least got 4 grays...

...Look at the Clock app (antialiased) or the Solitaire game.

[fpnc]

Originally posted by azdude
I've seen a million-and-a-half people claim the iPod's screen is 1-bit. I don't buy it. It's at least got 4 grays...

...Look at the Clock app (antialiased) or the Solitaire game.

You seem to be correct (and I was wrong). However, it's a pretty poor four levels of gray (if even that). So, I'm fairly certain that a picture would still look bad (maybe not even recognizable).

As a further follow up, the new iPod features and Belkin accessories that were announced today are okay, but they really aren't that great. I was disappointed in the hardware related improvements. However, the new iTunes Music Store is a definite improvement. In fact, I think Apple may have just "killed" the competition in on-line music sales.