iPod LCD Remote?

[MacRumors]

iPodLounge reports (http://www.ipodlounge.com/ipodnews_comments.php?id=1778_0_7_0_M) that an Apple iPod presentation on the Apple Sales Web contains a picture of an iPod with an LCD remote control as well as a Radio Tuner.

The slide also lists the recently released Photo card reader and Voice microphone, suggesting the other items are also likely to become reality.

[jrv3034]

Awesome! The iPod marketshare is only going to get bigger! Go Apple!!!

[idkew]

Sounds cool, but for me an LCD remote would be a waste of money. Mine is rarely in view of my eyes, I just control it by touch.

Maybe Apple could make the control a little less symmetrical so I can tell which is pause and which is volume, as well as which button is forward and reverse.

But, I do think Apple should give you the option to get an LCD remote if you so choose.

Just looked at the supposed image. Looks a bit iffy to me. Very weird compression on the iPod itself. Also does not look like Apple's style, if you catch my drift. The icons just seem "wrong".

[kylos]

Sweet.That will help the ipod keep up with the iRiver if it pans out. Now if only some of these goodies came standard (or they at least lower the base price).

[Tiauguinho]

Apple is leaking things like hell! I would love a LCD remote, but i wonder if this will be developed by Apple or a 3rd party vendor. That remote looks a bit non-Apple. I guess that time will tell.

[tychay]

Originally posted by idkew
Sounds cool, but for me an LCD remote would be a waste of money. Mine is rarely in view of my eyes, I just control it by touch.[/edit]

The picture shows this to be a wireless (not a wired) remote.

Take care,

[baby duck monge]

remember that these are mockups for product ideas, not products themselves (look at the mic). whatever is eventually produced (if anything) could easily look nothing like this remote.

[greenstork]

Don't get me wrong, the LCD remote looks really cool but the last thing I need is another electronic doohickie to carry around with me. The beauty of the iPod is it's all-in-one design.

Many savvy business people that I have talked to all live by the same slogan - "You gotta keep the main thing, the main thing."

[Macmaniac]

I like the FM tuner look I think that would work well, I hope they release it, I love listening to NPR when I get bored of my songs so that would be cool. The LCD remote would be cool, because its just another thing the iPod can check off as having, which is always good against competition.

[applekid]

Originally posted by baby duck monge
remember that these are mockups for product ideas, not products themselves (look at the mic). whatever is eventually produced (if anything) could easily look nothing like this remote.

Exactly what I wanted to say. Those seem more like concept ideas than anything tangible. These accessories seemed like an obvious step, IMHO.

But if Apple really does make a FM Tuner, they better keep the interface based in the iPod. I want everything to show up on the screen and controlled by what's already on the iPod, not some extra buttons on a large extension of the iPod.

[idkew]

Originally posted by applekid
But if Apple really does make a FM Tuner, they better keep the interface based in the iPod. I want everything to show up on the screen and controlled by what's already on the iPod, not some extra buttons on a large extension of the iPod.

Agreed. Plus, I would love it if Apple could *somehow* make the reception better. Right now, in big cities, reception is a bit lacking due to congested airwaves.

[iJon]

hmm very interesting. this is the only thing that will complete my setup of my ipod in my car via blitzsafe adapter.

iJon

[chazmox]

I wouldn't put much faith into this...

This slide is meant to internally promote and educate on the iPod Accessory Protocol. The devices are meant to be speculative and not necessarily meant to be anything real. Look at the mic, it is obviously a "stylized" version. Looks like a sales guy just trying to think of something else to use as an example...

Not to say it couldn't happen, I just would't bet on something that looks like it was made to fill out a slide.

[Jerry Spoon]

Please make an FM tuner for the iPod. It's one of the big things it's missing.

[iJon]

Originally posted by chazmox
I wouldn't put much faith into this...

This slide is meant to internally promote and educate on the iPod Accessory Protocol. The devices are meant to be speculative and not necessarily meant to be anything real. Look at the mic, it is obviously a "stylized" version. Looks like a sales guy just trying to think of something else to use as an example...

Not to say it couldn't happen, I just would't bet on something that looks like it was made to fill out a slide.
sales guy...that slide was on asw, which is all apple, not some salesman.

iJon

[phillymjs]

Maybe this will be out by the time Engineered Audio gets around to shipping the Remote Remote RF remote control I ordered from them a month of doomsdays ago.

What someone really needs to make is a wireless LCD meant to be mounted somewhere on the console in a car, and large enough to be easily read at a glance.

~Philly

[chazmox]

Originally posted by iJon
sales guy...that slide was on asw, which is all apple, not some salesman.

iJon

I did mean that it was some Apple Sales guy ( or Marketing ). My point is still the same...

[idkew]

nevermind

[Freg3000]

I suppose if it were to be wireless, it would be necessary to have an LCD in order to display what song is currently being played.

However, I have no use for it.

[iJon]

wow, a wireless lcd remote would be oh so wonderful. i could keep my ipod in the center console and control all the songs while i drive down the road. i hope apple finds a neat solution for this.

iJon

[ITR 81]

I know I would buy those. Now only if it had colour LCD display so I can see it in lowlight without having to turn on the backlight which eats up the battery.

[jaw04005]

How many people would love to have bluetooth built-in the iPod not for syncing (way 2 slow) but for WIRELESS headphones. That would be awesome. I figure Apple will at some point integrate this. Cords are a problem, I accidentaly jerk my headphones out while im jogging all the time.

[rtdunham]

wouldn't it be nice to have software on your desktop/PB that remotely controlled the iPod? You get to work--or to home--put your iPod in the dock, maybe near your stereo, maybe at your desk, and you open a little software window in a corner of your desktop, and control the iPod from there? THAT seems more useful than another little piece of hardware to carry with the really neat little piece of hardware. imho.
terry

[spankalee]

Originally posted by iJon
sales guy...that slide was on asw, which is all apple, not some salesman.

iJon

What chazmox is saying, and quite correctly, is that some sales guy at Apple is promoting the iPod Accessory Protocol, not the accessories. The products on the slide are simply examples of what could be done.

Apple is actually making a very smart move here. Accessories are a risky business because some may not sell well and they probably require a larger R&D to potential revenue/profit ratio than the iPod. But accessories greatly increase the value of the iPod. So Apple is putting the risk on third party vendors by opening up the iPod and making it a 'platform'. Belkin won't be the only company with a Mic or a memory card reader... or a remote, or a tuner. This will make the iPod much more attractive than simple MP3 players lie the Dell or Napster.

[ZildjianKX]

After the last peripherals came out, I'm already disinterested because I know these will be expensive.

Let me start the bidding at $50 each.

[Xero]

no one has said anyhting about this yet, but the fact that the graphic says "Mono Microphones for voice recording" scares me. it scares me to think that a high quality line-in and/or mic/in isnt even POSSIBLE. i realize that many people feel this is a niche market, but honestly practically the only reason Minidisc is still surviving in the States, is because it widely supports mic/line in on the walkman recorders. i think a lot of people would be ecstatic to see a quality recording device for the iPod. id be willing to pay GOOD money for something like this too...

[Awimoway]

That radio looks retarded. I don't want to have to carry a pocketful of accessories for my iPod. The radio should be built in. If a radio add-on looked anything like that, wouldn't it be large enough to serve as a radio independent of the iPod? Just plug your headphones into the radio and leave the iPod at home, in your car, your pocket, or whatever. Silly.

[spankalee]

Originally posted by Xero
no one has said anyhting about this yet, but the fact that the graphic says "Mono Microphones for voice recording" scares me. it scares me to think that a high quality line-in and/or mic/in isnt even POSSIBLE. i realize that many people feel this is a niche market, but honestly practically the only reason Minidisc is still surviving in the States, is because it widely supports mic/line in on the walkman recorders. i think a lot of people would be ecstatic to see a quality recording device for the iPod. id be willing to pay GOOD money for something like this too...

I wonder about the same thing. There's only one reason why recording wouldn't be possible though - the processor isn't fast enough to do real time encoding. Even then it's hard to believe that there isn't someway to do it, given that the iPod is essentially a FireWire hard drive with an MP3 player attached to it. (in that sense I've already recorded live audio on to my iPod, through my PowerBook though). Since the memory card reader accesses the hard drive, I don't see why an audio in device couldn't.

Somehow I wouldn't be suprised if Apple made the audio in accessory itself. It's probably the most sought after add on, with the highest price and margin and it needs to be good quality. Maybe their not letting Belkin at el in on how to implement it.

[chazmox]

Originally posted by spankalee
What chazmox is saying, and quite correctly, is that some sales guy at Apple is promoting the iPod Accessory Protocol, not the accessories. The products on the slide are simply examples of what could be done.

Apple is actually making a very smart move here. Accessories are a risky business because some may not sell well and they probably require a larger R&D to potential revenue/profit ratio than the iPod. But accessories greatly increase the value of the iPod. So Apple is putting the risk on third party vendors by opening up the iPod and making it a 'platform'. Belkin won't be the only company with a Mic or a memory card reader... or a remote, or a tuner. This will make the iPod much more attractive than simple MP3 players lie the Dell or Napster.

Thanks! and that was what I was saying - just wish I'd gotten my point across better!

[MikeL]

Some of you guys don't seem to get what a wireless LCD remote would be for. It's tough to easily use an iPod with a home stereo. Who wants to get up and walk across the room to change something?

These are just concepts for possible products, to get a marketing person's mind going.

I'm pretty disappointed in the first round of peripherals. They're way over-priced for that they do. The odds of anyone buying them who doesn't really need them just aren't great at the prices they're charging. $100 for a media card reader?

I'd buy peripherals that cost between $20 and $50, depending on their function.

[sanford]

Originally posted by idkew
But, I do think Apple should give you the option to get an LCD remote if you so choose.

Just looked at the supposed image. Looks a bit iffy to me. Very weird compression on the iPod itself. Also does not look like Apple's style, if you catch my drift. The icons just seem "wrong".

If this is real, I think it is intended only to show the extensibility of iPod, not an indication that Apple-branded peripherals of this nature are forthcoming. Both the recently announced microphone and memory-card reader are third-party (Belkin) products.

Indeed, I know many were upset that iPod software 2.0 was not available for older iPods; but perhaps 2.0 just won't run on older iPods, as the new hardware was developed to the purpose of providing an architecture to promote easy creation of peripherals by developers.

Apples seems fixed at cradle/basic remote/basic case/basic earbuds; and the same case can be made as they make with the one-button mouse: want two buttons (or an LCD remote or an FM tuner), buy from a third party. Third-party peripherals cost extra, of course, but nurturing a robust third-party developer community is great for Apple.

[damax452]

I agree with you all in that plugging some clunky device onto the ipod is not much of a solution as far as adding features goes. I bought an ipod becuase it was small, sleek, and all-in-one. I refuse to plug in an FM tuner or big microphone device. If Apple wants to add useful features to the pod, they need to be intgrated into it, but while keeping the unit small. I do like the idea of a wireless remote though, that would be great to be able to change songs (and see the display!) with the ipod still in your pocket or backpack. However, for this to be totally sweet, the IR port would need to be integrated, which means it would have to be in the 4g ipod. Oh well, we shall see what Apple decides on.

[new user]

i agree with mikel.

the lcd is especially useful for home use. even if one was willing to walk across the room to reach the ipod, a lcd makes it much easier to manipulate the ipod. and if you don't want to walk across the room, the lcd is even better.

i assume it will work well in cars as well.

i like to see it, even if i cannot afford it.

[idkew]

have any of you thought about how an lcd display would be updated if the remote is talking via IR?

sounds like you would have to have a perfectly clear line of sight, all the time.

not a very good solution in my mind, not to mention it would be very expensive since it would be a 2-way remote. $100 is not worth my lazyness.

[sanford]

Originally posted by damax452
...with the ipod still in your pocket or backpack. However, for this to be totally sweet, the IR port would need to be integrated, which means it would have to be in the [40GB] ipod. Oh well, we shall see what Apple decides on.

For this to be really sweet it would have to be Bluetooth or 802.11b integrated or as a plug-in peripheral (personally I wouldn't mind a small Bluetooth peripheral that plugs in to, preferably, the headphone/remote jack, although I don't know if BT can draw enough power through the headphone/remote jack). Forget 802.11b: overkill, mucho power drain.

I'm not one of these big Bluetooth iPod cheerleaders, but it's the only way a wireless remote would be efficient on the go. You forget that IR is directional and will not penetrate some fabrics. So to use your wireless remote, you'd likely have to pull your iPod out of your pocket and point your remote at it; might as well use a wired remote; indeed a wired remote is easier than that.

Nifty dream peripheral: wireless Bluetooth remote with LCD display and Bluetooth module that attaches to headphone/remote jack or dock connector. Chiefly because I hate the extra wire length added by the wired remote; and also my wired remote cable has frayed at the base *again* and I have to go the Apple Store for another warranty replacement; and I treat the remote very delicately.

Minimum price: $150; not likely to see the light of day at that cost.

[lazyrighteye]

Ok folks... does ANYONE need/want a 40G dictaphone?? I laughed my butt off when that was announced... and spare me the student/lectures angle - whatever. Weak.

An FM trasmitter? Yuk. Besides the fact that radio programming, DJs, and commercials SUK, who here has tried one of the FM transmitters on the market? I have an iTrip and it's headed to eBay as soon as I get to it (if anyone's interested, feel free to email me to cut through all the eBay hub-bub). Anyway, the sound quality, when/if one can get a reception, is unacceptable to my ears. Awfully muddy...

Remotes? I mean, the flippin iPod is the size of a remote. Do we really need/want a remote for a remote?? Redundant?

No, what we really want (and what should be included first and foremost) is full-on, uncompressed stereo audio recording capabilities. You can always down sample. Give us uncompressed, and let the user decide to compress or not to compress.

We'll see...

[sanford]

Originally posted by lazyrighteye
Remotes? I mean, the flippin iPod is the size of a remote. Do we really need/want a remote for a remote?? Redundant?



Hear, hear. My very case against the remote, wired or unwired, in the first place. I could do without altogether, and I do, as the wired remote sees little use.

[tny]

Originally posted by rtdunham
wouldn't it be nice to have software on your desktop/PB that remotely controlled the iPod? You get to work--or to home--put your iPod in the dock, maybe near your stereo, maybe at your desk, and you open a little software window in a corner of your desktop, and control the iPod from there? THAT seems more useful than another little piece of hardware to carry with the really neat little piece of hardware. imho.
terry

Or you could just mount the iPod onto the laptop and play it from iTunes. I've done it (and yes, with a laptop and an iPod which were out of synch, though in all honesty it was the laptop with which I had last synched the iPod - the music library was on a then-absent firewire drive).

[tny]

Since the memory card reader accesses the hard drive, I don't see why an audio in device couldn't.

Do we know what the bandwidth on the memory card reader is? If it's not high enough to support stereo sound, that would be a very good reason why.

[cheesy]

Originally posted by joshuawaire
How many people would love to have bluetooth built-in the iPod not for syncing (way 2 slow) but for WIRELESS headphones. That would be awesome. I figure Apple will at some point integrate this. Cords are a problem, I accidentaly jerk my headphones out while im jogging all the time.

YES, i've been saying this all along. it would be great for syncing everything except music (i.e. contacts, calendars, notes, etc) and a wireless remote (ideally in watch form). you could transfer files/contacts/whatever between PDAs, phones, and other iPods as well.

also, to those saying this could mean nothing because it is merely speculative, if apple is showing that an LCD remote is a possible product then they must have built in support for special remotes, just like they built in support for the card reader and microphone and radio tuner. i think they are expecting to make a LCD remote, or for another company to make one

[sanford]

Originally posted by cheesy
YES, i've been saying this all along.

And as many sources have reported all along: Bluetooth headphones: not enough bandwidth in BT for stereo high-fidelity headphones. It is, as the French say, impossible.

[applekid]

Originally posted by sanford
And as many sources have reported all along: Bluetooth headphones: not enough bandwidth in BT for stereo high-fidelity headphones. It is, as the French say, impossible.

Not to mention we need to place a battery in the headphones which will drag my head down to the ground.

Apple should still make a wireless remote. I really want to sit down and control my playlist from chair. Only question is what kind of batteries: rechargeable or another dock for the remote to charge a battery inside?

[cheesy]

Originally posted by sanford
And as many sources have reported all along: Bluetooth headphones: not enough bandwidth in BT for stereo high-fidelity headphones. It is, as the French say, impossible.

if you had quoted the rest of my post i talked entirely about bluetooth as being used for syncing non-music files and for a wireless remote.

btw there was a post awhile back where someone brought up the bluetooth headphones idea and i did mention that i didn't think there was enough bandwidth for audio. i just think bluetooth on the ipod would be great for syncing files, a bluetooth remote, integration with a cell phone, etc.

i had an idea for a bluetooth wristwatch that would have a small amount of flash memory (like 16-32MB) and LCD screen that would work as a watch, alarm, etc. but then it would also sync with your iPod and Address Book, calendar, etc. You could also store small important documents in the extra flash memory.

Address Book integration would store all your contacts on the watch, and if you have a Bluetooth cellphone when the phone rings you would see the caller ID info on the watch screen and you could either deny the call, silence the ring, or answer the phone (especially if you have a Bluetooth headset) directly from the watch.

iCal integration would simply sync your calendar to your watch and all the alarms would work directly on the watch (how useful are the iCal alarms if you're away from your computer..?)

iPod integration would basically consist of a wireless remote in the watch so you can see what track is playing and possibly have some limited browsing of artists/albums/playlists/etc. And also it would sync with your computer/watch/cellphone/PDA

[Apple][Forever]

if you really want wireless headphones, you can do it now. Pop an iTrip on your iPod, then buy a set of those FM receiver headphones. Problem solved.

[sanford]

Originally posted by cheesy
if you had quoted the rest of my post i talked entirely about bluetooth as being used for syncing non-music files and for a wireless remote.

Cheeseter: I was really trying to quote the guy you quoted by I was in the middle of revising pieces of a manuscript and screwed up the quote. Ergo, I didn't try to make you look like a doofus; I mean to make the guy you quoted look like a doofus. (Not really: no doofus intented to anyone, just reminding all that BT has been discussed for wireless headphones and it's pretty much limited to wireless lo-fi headphones.

[Phil Of Mac]

Originally posted by joshuawaire
How many people would love to have bluetooth built-in the iPod not for syncing (way 2 slow) but for WIRELESS headphones. That would be awesome. I figure Apple will at some point integrate this. Cords are a problem, I accidentaly jerk my headphones out while im jogging all the time.

For the last bloody time, Bluetooth doesn't have the bandwidth for music headphones.

We need to put that in the FAQ.

[phillymjs]

Originally posted by lazyrighteye
Remotes? I mean, the flippin iPod is the size of a remote. Do we really need/want a remote for a remote??

Yes, we do.

I want to be able to connect my iPod into my car stereo and a recharger, and keep it in the armrest or glove box. I don't mind running cables through the car for that.

But to do that, I need a remote display, and remote control. Both need to work via RF, not IR. A remote that fits the bill (http://www.engineeredaudio.com/products/remote.html) is shipping soon.

Someone needs to make a nice, wireless RF alphanumeric display for showing the current track, elapsed time, etc. It needs to be easily mounted/removed on a dashboard or center console, and it needs to be large enough to be easily readable at a glance-- squinting at a small display = not good. Something that is as visible as the display on my current car stereo = good.

Of course, that's what I'll settle for. What I'd really like is a car stereo specifically made to interface with the iPod.

~Philly

[cheesy]

Originally posted by Phil Of Mac
For the last bloody time, Bluetooth doesn't have the bandwidth for music headphones.

We need to put that in the FAQ.

Really? I found this rather interesting: http://www.ipodhacks.com/article.php?sid=415&ipod-accessories

and this:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,1365257,00.asp

and this:
http://www.infiniterange.com/

However, the article states the device is 200 feet away...which is odd because i thought Bluetooth's range was about 30 feet.

[Phil Of Mac]

Originally posted by cheesy
Really? I found this rather interesting: http://www.ipodhacks.com/article.php?sid=415&ipod-accessories

and this:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,1365257,00.asp

and this:
http://www.infiniterange.com/

However, the article states the device is 200 feet away...which is odd because i thought Bluetooth's range was about 30 feet.

That seems to be streaming the AAC or MP3 data, which will not only limit you to low bitrates (128k or so), it will also require separate AAC decoders in your headphones, which defeats the whole point.

[cheesy]

The article says in analog devices (like simply plugging a transmitter into an analog output) it will re-compress the audio digitally, then the receiver must decompress it. OR in the case of digital devices if it is built into the digital audio device it will leave it in digital form (i don't know if it will change compression) until it reaches the receiver.

So yes, the headphones must have a de-compressor, but it would be very hard for any wireless technology to transmit completely uncompressed digital audio.

If the compression scheme is tuned for wireless audio over Bluetooth I'm sure the quality will be fine.

I don't see how compression would defeat the purpose, why can't the receiver chip have the decompression chip built in? It's going to need the receiver anyway.

[Phil Of Mac]

The purpose of an iPod is to be an AAC decoder.

If you're going to have it stream to another AAC decoder in your headphones, you might as well tape your iPod to your head!

[cheesy]

Did you forget that the iPod also contains a hard drive, screen, navigation buttons,

Why the hell does it matter if there's compression (NOT AAC) in the headphones if it is required. Either way its going to have to receive the digital data and convert it to analog, so why not compress and decompress it.

Give technology a ***** chance.

[cheesy]

by the way, we (USC) are going to kick your ass this weekend :D