what should apple do next with their iPod??

[hob]

Me and a mate were talking about iPod's the other day. He's had one for several months and I just got one.

We came up with several suggestions.

1) Make it a bit smaller - obviously, with the new mini-ipods this has been achieved...

2) Add some kind of bluetooth and/or AirPort capacity - this would allow easy sharing of music over a wireless network, or even internet access for the ipod, so you could browse the iTunes Music Store from the iPod!!

3) Add the ability to play/watch video - with a larger, colour screen!

I pointed out that iPods probably wouldn't get much smaller due to the battery, but if they could get the HDD size down (real size, not capacity) then they could pack more stuff in!

What do you guys think? What would you like to see?

[ShadowHunter]

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[mms]

Built-in voice recorder, color screen, more battery life, maybe more games.

I don't think Bluetooth would work. Bluetooth is good because it takes little energy but it would probably be too slow to transfer audio files. I'm not an expert at this, but it took my friend about five seconds to transfer a 15k image from his Sony Ericsson cell phone to his Rev. A 12'' PowerBook. It would take way too long to transfer a couple megabytes.

I don't know about AirPort because although it would be fast enough, it would drain the battery life quickly, and having to plug it in for power during transfer defeats the whole purpose.

[mms]

I wouldn't bet on it but they might offer the higher end model with an aluminum casing like the PowerBooks. Looking at the PowerMac, PowerBook, and metal windows in Panther, it seems that Steve likes metal, so it is certainly possible. It'd look really good with a PowerBook too.

[grapes911]

How about make it cheaper so we college students that pay for our own eduaction can afford one?

[scem0]

Originally posted by grapes911
How about make it cheaper so we college students that pay for our own eduaction can afford one?

Thats what I vote for.

If apple needs to work on one thing throughout all their products it is pricing.

scem0

[gwuMACaddict]

battery life, price drop, make them all the mini-size

[DangerDiabolik]

Add the itunes cross fade effect.

I NEED THAT!

[Waluigi]

1. Battery replacement (18 month life, then you are forced to pay $100 to get a new one...pissing off a lot of people)
2. Increase Battery Life
3. Increase Capacity (15/30/60)
4. Add Wireless support (basically an airport card and antenna, but built in) so when you bring an iPod near an airport equipped mac, your play list shows up, just like it would if you had a powerbook in your hand (not going to happen for a while)
5. NO VIDEO FEATURES!! Keep the iPod a music player until it is ready for the video components. If Apple is to start a digital video revolution, they should do it right, and now is not the time.
6. Color Options...A lot of people I know would love to have colored iPods, but have too much music for the iPod mini.
7. NO WMA SUPPORT! Apple has to win the format war with AAC, or Microsoft will control us all yet again. By adding WMA, they are handing Microsoft a victory. Do not add support for WMA.
8. Ability to put the right tags on your current music collection without having to do it manually.... something friends of mine are upset to do when they have to rename all 5000 of their mp3's.
9. Integration with iPhoto, iMovie and iDVD so you can put your photos, your current movie project or your DVD project on the iPod (as a file!)with one button from each app (basically improve it's ease of use as a external HD)
10. Make iTunes faster on windows (a big complaint about the whole iPod experience from my windows using friends)
11. Do something about making it easier to decide which iPod to buy (now there are too many choices with the addition of the mini, and it is really confusing buyers)
12. A price cut would be nice, apple has yet to touch the sweet spot of $199. Also, an additional EDU discount would put thousands more into the hands of students who are still at an age where they are forming their opinions about which brands they use (which is why beer commercials are marketed to college kids, once you choose coors, rolling rock, etc, you drink that for life)
13. Firewire 800 with free external Firewire 400 adapter to keep up with the latest and greatest transfer methods.
14. Faster HD's with more improved skip protection (when the technology becomes available)
15. The only dimension that should be shrunk is the depth. I have big hands, and it is already a bit small for my thumb to use the scroll wheel. But thinner is always welcome, as long as it is still sturdy
16. Make the aesthetics of it match the ibook/iMac/eMac line once their enclosures are updated
17. Continue to sell iPods undercover a la HP. This guarantees more people use iTunes, and sells millions of iPods to people apple may not have previously reached, and promotes AAC as THE standard.
18. Improve the touch sensitive wheel to have more response
19. Start up time could also be improved slightly.
20. Sell more so more people can enjoy the privilege owning an apple product, and maybe their next computer will be a Mac!

--Waluigi

[gotohamish]

Originally posted by DangerDiabolik
Add the itunes cross fade effect.

I NEED THAT!

I hear that. I'd like image previews too for memory stored photos... but I'm happy as it is otherwise.

[djbombjack]

• Crossfades are definitely a great idea.
• Being able to skip playlists the same way you can just skip a track.
• A model for DJs that enables you to preview another track whilst the other is playing.
• Break that $199 price barrier!

[CrackedButter]

Rather than use BT for transfering music why not include it for transfering updates to playlists, iCal updates and so forth?

Thats what I think it could be used for.

[sahnert]

Originally posted by ShadowHunter
Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life Battery life

add to that:
Line-in Line-in Line-in Line-in Line-in Line-in Line-in Line-in...... you get the picture.

[toughboy]

1. battery power is the first need of mine... it says 8 hours, but no way, thats not true.. I want a real 15 hours of music pleasure with the upcoming iPod.

2. no colored screen.. that would kill the battery life, and increase the prices.

3. lower pricing.. as a friend said, 200 USD level would be pleasing for the consumers. (+edu disc. for students is even better!)

4. thinner iPods without loosing battery power and capacity.. I've got 15gb, and it is already full.. so next time I'll buy twice of what I need :)

5. I dont know how (via bt or airport or something else) but wireless solution would go good with iPod.. looking for cables is annoying when the dock station is connected to home stereo and a bit away from you...

[hob]

We'd said bluetooth so that people with camera phones could backup their photos etc... (a bit like the belkin card reader)

AND how about a bluetooth remote??

Hob

[jxyama]

i'll chip in...

i'm definitely against a color screen - it will make iPod more expensive, battery life shorter and add very little to its functionality as a music player.

there are obvious improvements: increased capacity, decreased size, longer battery life, cheaper prices. i am not sure if all of these are compatible, though. and i predict it will happen in the order i listed. price will be last thing to come down - if iPods are selling to apple's liking, i see no reason for them to lower the bottom line price.

*Al casing - more scratch resistant.

*on-the-iPod playlist edting

*back to standardized FW connector

*increase the RAM - this will automatically increase the battery life and RAM has gotten cheap enough that this can be done without adding to the price.

*cross-fade, this is a must...

*wireless/BT capabilities would be neat - to stream music to other iPods? how about direct to iPod iTMS?

*lastly, apple should stop skimping on accessories for the lowest model (i know it's a strategy for them to get people to buy the middle model but...), dock and remote should be standard for all iPods.

[virividox]

cross fade and battery...and price...or give the new model to me to test i dont mind

[benixau]

Originally posted by jxyama
lastly, apple should stop skimping on accessories for the lowest model (i know it's a strategy for them to get people to buy the middle model but...), dock and remote should be standard for all iPods.

no.
this means that people who dont want these (laptop only people) or people who only use the belkin/griffin mic+speaker devices dont have to get charged for extra accessories.

And those of us who do want the extras can buy them.

Cost: I buy an ipod for a present - i get the lowest model (unless for a techno-iliterate person who I live with meaning that I get to use it all the time anyway) with no accessories.

If you want accessories, all of them, it is cheaper to get the next model up.

Is apple pricing+marketing dumb? Yes. But not in this case.

[srobert]

I like the concept of "home on iPod". I already use home on idisk and I could'nt live without it anymore.

One of the problems I often encounter that could be solved with the iPod is:

An application running on iPod, safely. Does this ever happened to you?: You work on that cool photoshop image at work. 5 o'clock, time to go home. You watch TV, them BAM! inspiration strikes! You want to add a cool thingy to your photoshop image... but you don't have photoshop at home... or it's not as recent a version as the one you have at work. If you could run safely photoshop from you iPod, you would never have that problem again.

In fact, this is simply taking the "home on iPod" one step further. You could have all your computer on your iPod (files, preferences and app). Desktop computers could become empty shells... basically, a processor with a screen attached. You just plug in your iPod and BAM! you're at home.

iPod hard drive capacity is slowly getting large enough for such a purpose. I'm only worried with the speed issue of firewire 1 and having the hard drive spin for prolonged periods of time. I'm not sure they could ever fix this without adding a fan or some sort of futuristic cooling system. Then again, maybe I'm just dreaming of a very small high capacity portable hard drive ^_^

Software makers might not like this concept as you would only need 1 copy of each app. No more having to buy one for work and one for home.

[jxyama]

Originally posted by benixau
no.
this means that people who dont want these (laptop only people) or people who only use the belkin/griffin mic+speaker devices dont have to get charged for extra accessories.


i suggested including accessories with the understanding that the price will remain the same...

(yeah, i know, the classic "more stuff for the same price" wishful thinking... :rolleyes: )

[jxyama]

Originally posted by srobert
I like the concept of "home on iPod". I already use home on idisk and I could'nt live without it anymore.

One of the problems I often encounter that could be solved with the iPod is:

An application running on iPod, safely. Does this ever happened to you?: You work on that cool photoshop image at work. 5 o'clock, time to go home. You watch TV, them BAM! inspiration strikes! You want to add a cool thingy to your photoshop image... but you don't have photoshop at home... or it's not as recent a version as the one you have at work. If you could run safely photoshop from you iPod, you would never have that problem again.

In fact, this is simply taking the "home on iPod" one step further. You could have all your computer on your iPod (files, preferences and app). Desktop computers could become empty shells... basically, a processor with a screen attached. You just plug in your iPod and BAM! you're at home.

iPod hard drive capacity is slowly getting large enough for such a purpose. I'm only worried with the speed issue of firewire 1 and having the hard drive spin for prolonged periods of time. I'm not sure they could ever fix this without adding a fan or some sort of futuristic cooling system. Then again, maybe I'm just dreaming of a very small high capacity portable hard drive ^_^

Software makers might not like this concept as you would only need 1 copy of each app. No more having to buy one for work and one for home.

um... you can already run applications off of iPod, simply use it as a harddrive. in fact, if so desired, you can boot off of your iPod. it's just a FW HD afterall...

however, as you had voiced, i'm not sure about the heat issues associated with prolonged use of iPod as the primary HD.

desktop won't be a "shell" though, you still need the bus and RAM, not to mention the CPU to run processes...

[Engagebot]

who in their right mind wants to watch movies on the ipod's screen? besides the mac fanboys on this site, i dont think anyone does.

oh yeah, and
WIRELESS REMOTE, WIRELESS REMOTE, WIRELESS REMOTE, WIRELESS REMOTE, WIRELESS REMOTE, WIRELESS REMOTE, WIRELESS REMOTE, WIRELESS REMOTE....
(just had to keep with the theme)

[hob]

sorry, dumb question - havent got 10.3 yet (it's in the mail!!!)

is 'home on the ipod' available now then? I'd heard it had been taken out of 10.3.0....

Or were you just using it as a concept?

Hob

[mms]

No, home on the iPod is not in Panther.

I agree that the Aluminum casing would be cool but I'm afraid it would make it more costly. But it doesn't need to be much smaller. Too small and it's easy to drop and lose, and would make the controls difficult for those with bigger hands.

[benixau]

Originally posted by jxyama
(yeah, i know, the classic "more stuff for the same price" wishful thinking... :rolleyes: )

Apple will give you more for free - you just got to sign up to .Mac (sync mac -> mac) and then get panther (iChat AV) and then get iLife '04

Then they may consider it ………

[MacRumorSkeptic]

REASONABLE REQUESTS:
1. Built-in Microphone
2. Built-in AM/FM radio
3. Bluetooth wireless remote
4. More Games (e.g. Tetris)
5. All wrapped up in a smaller body with the same scrollwheel & button arrangement as the Mini's.

CRAZY REQUESTS!:
1. Cellphone capabilities. (Make it a flip phone to preserve small size.)
2. Digital Camera Built-in (4 megapixel Quality at least, and this of course would need a color LCD to preview your pics.)
3. OSX style interface & effects

[TimDaddy]

Originally posted by mms
I wouldn't bet on it but they might offer the higher end model with an aluminum casing like the PowerBooks. Looking at the PowerMac, PowerBook, and metal windows in Panther, it seems that Steve likes metal, so it is certainly possible. It'd look really good with a PowerBook too.

I was kind of thinking PowerPod, to seperate it from the consumer iPod, with much more PDA functionality. And I know, Steve said "blah blah blah"

One thing I would like to see on the iPod is some way to put checklist on it. I sometimes make a shopping list or to do list as a text file so I can read it on my iPod, it would be nice if there were a way to check off the items that I have bought/completed.

[mkrishnan]

Originally posted by hob
We'd said bluetooth so that people with camera phones could backup their photos etc... (a bit like the belkin card reader)

AND how about a bluetooth remote??

Hob

I think it would take a minute or more per song to transfer songs with Bluetooth, even at best. My cell phone takes about 3-4 seconds to transfer 100k.

The bluetooth item I'd like to see is BT streaming audio. 1) would be headphones for the iPod...Xtrememac demonstrated that this kind of tech works, I hope Apple will incorporate it as standard in a year or two. 2) is streaming audio to a car stereo so that you don't need to wire or iTrip the iPod into the car. There are already a handful of cars with built-in BT (Prius, Acura TL, I think something from Chrysler....).

Of course the big nuisance with BT is that even if someone sells a BT iPod tomorrow, it will be half a year before any car has the right profile. :(

[Engagebot]

wireless remote (even if it isnt bluetooth)

just the fact that the ipod now has a dock with a line out implies that its not always in your pocket when its playing. a dock with a line out to my stereo just screams REMOTE

[~Shard~]

I realize everyone has different priorities, but for me, it would be battery life. All of these other features being requested, such as built-in this and built-in that, color screens, etc. would just diminish the battery life even further, so I think that before Apple adds all of these new features, they should look at extending the battery life.

[Nevsan]

I don't think a built in mic would diminish the battery very much. AM/FM radio would be kick-ass and probably won't diminish battery life either. Color screen is a bit iffy, but hey.

Anyway, I think it would be cool if it had an iTunes style visualizer thing. That would be soooo freaking kick-ass. Not sure how it would look on that screen but what the hell.

Just my two cents.

[Thanatoast]

Well, I haven't got my palm to work with my new copy of Panther yet, so I sync'd my calendar on my ipod. But I noticed a few glaring drawbacks.

First, there's no way to check your to-do list. This should be simple enough endable.

Second, some kind of input device. A thumb keyboard or something. I'd be happy to carry around just my ipod instead of my ipod and palm. This keyboard should also work address book entries.

In order to more easily use these new "powerpad" capabilities, a button (perhaps on the keyboard) that takes you back to the first menu, so there's not as much :back, back, back, forward, forward, forward:

I'm all about the pda capabilities that should be available.

[ZildjianKX]

Only improvements I would like are:

1. Improved Battery Life
2. Fix the 2.1 bugs! (Come on Apple, its been 3 months)
3. LCD remote (i.e. minidisc players).
4. Cross-Fading like iTunes.
5. Built in FM Transmitter would be nice.