4th Generation iPods?

[MacRumors]

Appleinsider cites "reliable" sources (http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=393) and reports that Apple is readying the 4th Generation iPods.

The upcoming iPods reportedly sport a max capacity of 50GB of storage, 2 inch color LCDs, video out, photo display capabilities, and revised (Mini-like) navigation wheel.

No release date is provided.

[nuckinfutz]

Appleinsider cites "reliable" sources (http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=393) and reports that Apple is readying the 4th Generation iPods.

The upcoming iPods reportedly sport a max capacity of 50GB of storage, 2 inch color LCDs, video out, photo display capabilities, and revised (Mini-like) navigation wheel.

No release date is provided.

OMG 50GB of music and video out? Where do I sign?

[DTphonehome]

Sounds exciting! Finally, a way upgraded Pod!

[proglife]

I'll take mine in Powerbook G5 flavor :)

It never gets old, does it?

[1macker1]

umm, maybe they'll drop the price on the lower end ones **hehe** i'm so cheap **hehe**

[stoid]

I wonder if it'll go to aluminum enclosure as well?

[madrobby]

[url="http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=393"]2 inch color LCDs

Cant wait to watch LOTR on it...

[BenDalton]

forgive me if I'm a little less than optimistic about this rumor. not that information like this that has come down the pipe before hasn't been accurate or anything like that . ;)

just my 2 cents

[Kingsnapped]

I hope they don't use the mini-like scroll wheel. I didn't like the idea when I saw it, and I like it less after playing with it. Physical buttons are a no-no for iPods.

On the other hand, I'm excited for the 4th generation of iPods being near. I've outgrown my 10gig iPod and I want more room. 3rd gen iPods will be going like hotcakes on eBay once the new ones are out.

[Bunzi2k4]

that would be nice... although i like the ipod buttons more than the ipod mini's... but mayb that means more room for different buttons?

[Wonder Boy]

I'll take mine in Powerbook G5 flavor :)

It never gets old, does it?

actually, it does.

[Grimace]

a video out is useless unless the "color screen" plays movies too. Why would you want to store photos on your ipod....and then also look at them on a tv. Big deal.

[DreaminDirector]

video out? Does that mean there could be a chance to load VOB files and do playback on a TV? Whatever it is, sounds cool to me!

[xtbfx]

If these are announced soon, anyone wanna buy my 30GB iPod? Original box and everything. woo-hoo!

[briankonar]

ooh time for a new ipod :D

and i just got my 5gb replaced :(

video output may mean it's time to convert all my Video_TS folders into MP4's, which would be great because my 200 gb are full (does anyone have/use LaCie's big disk, is it worth the storage/performance trade off?).

i hope it has a sleek aluminum enclosure like the upcoming apple displays...i'm having wet dreams over my next set up (dual 30 inchers!!!).

[proglife]

actually, it does.

:rolleyes: Should I have included the ultra-lame </sarcasm> ?

I like the video out idea. That makes a video iPod much more interesting now; I always thought it was a pretty weak concept, but Apple doesn't really put out weak products, do they?

I LOVE the mini controls. This sounds like a pretty reasonable rumor to me!

[dynamicd]

If this is true, I would definitely purchase one, however, with all the success that the mini is having I'm not so sure Apple will release something like this anytime soon.

[Gimzotoy]

Not to sound overly pessimistic... but the iPod's battery life is already on the short side of the spectrum. A color screen and likely faster processor to handle it (and maybe movies?) aren't going to help...

I think I'd prefer a plain brushed-aluminum greyscale iPod with the mini's click-wheel and some sort of bluetooth streaming option. That would be pretty near perfect. I can dream...

[daytona63]

These specs, if true, are perfect. It sounds like it would display pics on the unit, while video would be displayed on a TV screen or something. I just hope it isn't any bigger than the present iPod, and the battery life doesn't suffer. As for the Mini-style buttons, I like them quite a lot. I have a 30GB iPod with all touch, and I prefer the sensation of feeling buttons depressed. A touch-sensative scrollwheel combined with push buttons like on the Mini is genius, IMHO.

[NP3]

Video Out? Color Screen?

No mention of "Great new long lasting battery" to not piss everyone off about battery life even further?

Seriously, i think they should skip all the color/video stuff until the next revision, give it a superior battery, bigger hard drives, and lower the ipod mini's price.

Just my $.02

[xtekdiver]

But is the screen 16x9? Squares are so...square.

[ColoJohnBoy]

a video out is useless unless the "color screen" plays movies too. Why would you want to store photos on your ipod....and then also look at them on a tv. Big deal.

I'd imagine if it has video out then it would be capable of playing video oon both a second screen and its own little two incher. I think it's a great idea - download hours of music videos, stick them on the iPod, then go to a party and hook it up to the television....

iPod.... the ultimate party accessory. :p

[proglife]

iPod.... the ultimate party accessory. :p

Hell yes...it already is. I get great satisfaction by loading up a playlist before hitting a party and playing it over the house stereo. A video out would be ridiculous.

[carbonmotion]

bs...nobody can fit a video player and a large hardcore battery pack inside an enclosure remotely close in size to the current iPods. As much as i'd like to be proven wrong, i don't think i will be. I mean, unless apple high jacked Area 51 Alien nano technology , it impossible ...ah though it is woely possibly that apple has made a deal with the us government to liscence to production of....... anyways, like i said, in 3-4 years maybe, this year -noway.

[the_mole1314]

Dosn't this seem a little fast for a new iPod? I'm thinking earliest 2005 MWSF.

[Le Big Mac]

OMG 50GB of music and video out? Where do I sign?

On the bottom line of the home-equity loan you'll need to pay for it.

[proglife]

Dosn't this seem a little fast for a new iPod? I'm thinking earliest 2005 MWSF.

I don't think so. It's nice to be the leader. They probably want to keep that nice feeling and stay ahead of the game (like they should be doing all along...we are used to slow updates in Macdom).

[Foxer]

Dosn't this seem a little fast for a new iPod? I'm thinking earliest 2005 MWSF.

It's been almost a year. I didn't realize it had been that long, but it was last April.

[MacRumorSkeptic]

Thank God their changing the scrollwheel/button configuration to the one used on the Mini's! I hope there will also be AM/FM radio capabilities as well as internal mic.

[Stella]

If the next gen iPod can display photos, then I'll definitely get one. I have a G2 iPod and never saw enough benefits in the G3 to buy one.

iPhoto capability is a natural progression - more integration with the iApps.

A while back, there was also a job position in apple linking video integration and iPod together - so even better would be a video capable iPod.

[carbonmotion]

I don't think so. It's nice to be the leader. They probably want to keep that nice feeling and stay ahead of the game (like they should be doing all along...we are used to slow updates in Macdom).

dude, as cool as it would be to have a "video pod"... its just not feasible they'll maybe change the design to aluminum... or maybe make it look sweeter or restyle it or make it lighter or even smaller..... or, give it a long ass battery life. but there is no way theyre going to add all those features and still maintain current size/batt life/and weight. Maybe in a few years, but not this year , no way. Hate to burst you bubble, but its not going to happen. an in the unlikly event that it does happen (it wont), i promise you will sell my pod on ebay and go buy a new one....even though mine is only 3 month old. thats how sure im am that its not going to happen.

[the_mole1314]

Thank God their changing the scrollwheel/button configuration to the one used on the Mini's! I hope there will also be AM/FM radio capabilities as well as internal mic.

I doubt an internal mic, that won't register very high with Belkin and Griff since they sell tons of those. If they do the mini-scroll wheel, I hope they make the wheel bigger. Also, wouldn't it be nice to have the icons have a backlight on the scroll wheel, like they do on the 3G?

[mrsebastian]

if this is true, does anyone wanna buy a slightly used ipod ;)

[SiliconAddict]

See that money in my hand? Apple meet money. Money...Apple.

Goodbye money. It was nice knowing you.


Bring it on. I would prefer 60GB but 50 is close enough for now.

[singletrack]

If they are going to the trouble of adding photo display, I hope they add an easy method of getting photos on there from cameras other than the Belkin reader or attached to a Mac. The iPod would be a great place to store photos downloaded directly from the USB/Firewire port of a digital camera, missing out the card reader. It'd need an iPhoto equivalent app for the iPod.

Also, AM/FM? I can't say I'd be so bothered about that but add Digital Radio (DAB) and then we're talking. AM/FM is sooo third world. ;-)

[Stella]

Mini ipod is aimed at a different market than the other iPods... some ppl do not want to spend $$$ on a iPod, so the minis fit their budget. Likewise, not everyone want a video screen on their mp3 player...


If this is true, I would definitely purchase one, however, with all the success that the mini is having I'm not so sure Apple will release something like this anytime soon.

[proglife]

but there is no way theyre going to add all those features and still maintain current size/batt life/and weight. Maybe in a few years, but not this year , no way. Hate to burst you bubble, but its not going to happen.

With that stipulation, I agree 100%.

[3-22]

On the bottom line of the home-equity loan you'll need to pay for it.

Ha.

That's what I was thinking when they listed all those features, sounds great but can anyone afford it? Hmm, I can buy a Powerbook or an iPod 4th Gen...

[gwuMACaddict]

interesting... i wouldn't doubt that features listed, i just wouldn't expect a release date of anytime soon... sounds neat though :D i still need to get myself a mini :D

[Photorun]

"Appleinsider" and "reliable" in the same sentence... what a hoot!

IF it's true [pauses to chuckle again], AND they don't want my first born in return for it's price tag, count me in! My 2nd gen 10 GB's seams are bursting.

[ccuilla]

a video out is useless unless the "color screen" plays movies too. Why would you want to store photos on your ipod....and then also look at them on a tv. Big deal.

Because a 2" color screen would no fun to watch video on, but handy for showing off the pictures of your kids to the guy sitting next to you on the plane. While video out would be handy for showing the pictures to the whole family (that you are visiting on vacation in Florida), or playing video.

Those are my guesses. If this is real. Probably is. If so, it needs tighter integration and syncing (a la iTunes) with iPhoto.

[SeaFox]

Hmmm, no mention of stereo recording with line-in.
No mention of improved battery life, in fact battery life should go down thanks to the color screen. I really thought they were going to use OLED screens when they went to color.
Few details on this video out/photo display thing. Could be a simple slide show thing like PhotoCD players, could be something more, it seems to be focused on having a TV nearby though, nice feature for a personal digital device.

Looks likr Apple has caved to industry norm: promoting whiz-bang sexy features instead of improving basic functionality, just like the cell phone industry.

[leenoble]

You may not have a use for it. I may not have a use for it but this os only going to be for displaying photographs.
Digital Cameras already have video out functionality for displaying on TVs.
The iPod can already grab photos from digital cameras with the adaptor.
iPhoto syncs with iPod (doesn't it?).
There is no VIDEO iApp which is used for storing/transferring movies so this would have to be forthcoming too. And seriously how many films are you going to fit in 50Gb. Heck even Macs don't come with HDs big enough to store multiple movies in an iApp type library.
This is NOT FOR MOVIES.
The digital camera's weakness is it's storage capacity. Now you'll be able to snap away as much as you like, transfer all your photos to the iPod and display them on TV when you get home without transferring to computer or back on to flash cards, perhaps they'll even integrate printing software so you can get them out the other end on one of those direct from camera printers.

[Mr.Hey]

I leave for a moment to nourish my weakening body and rumors about a 4G iPod were posted.....aaarrrrggghhh. :p I thought toshiba md were up to 120 Gb?.....where's my iPod 4G 120 Gb...... I want my iPod 4G 120 Gb and I want it now. :rolleyes: :D

[NNO-Stephen]

you plan on watching video on an iPod... and getting half way through it before your battery dies?

seriously, I dont think photo integration or even video (which there is no mention of) is a good idea at this time, especially when all they get with AUDIO is 8 hours now. that's with grayscale screen, slower processor, et cetera. I do not think going to video or even pictures is a good idea... the resolution on a 2 inch screen would be high as hell and that simply won't happen.

the iPod mini like scroll wheel and buttons is great though, I like that tons better than the current 3G iPods. sometimes the buttons just aren't that responsive because they are touch and not press.

[tmornini]

[url="http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=393"]The upcoming iPods reportedly sport a max capacity of 50GB of storage, 2 inch color LCDs, video out, photo display capabilities, and revised (Mini-like) navigation wheel.

How about music videos downloaded with songs from iTMS?

They play while you listen, on LCD and external video out as well.

And, iPhoto integration of course.

This would be killer. People going to be sorry when they ask if
I have pictures of my son and wife! :-)

[JFreak]

if the next ipods have colour screen it is probably for showing the album pictures encoded into sound files. maybe nothing more.

[Jackk]

If the next gen iPod can display photos, then I'll definitely get one. I have a G2 iPod and never saw enough benefits in the G3 to buy one.

iPhoto capability is a natural progression - more integration with the iApps.


Could this mean iPhoto for Windows?

[elgruga]

A more reasonable approach would be to make the batteries in iPod USER REPLACEABLE, like a little door on the back type of thing, with a screw to open it.
But that would take away from the cool factor of a seamless case.
Cool isnt much good for anything, and why am I suddenly thinking that Apple needs to make sure that cool doesnt take precendence over practicality and good sense.

12000 songs? thats a lot of music - most people dont have that much, at least not that they would need or want to carry around with them.

Video? I cant wait to look at anything but text on a 2" screen.

Just drop the price on the Mini, sign up some record companies in Europe and Canada, fix networking on Panther, and maybe not worry too much about adding sequins and pearls to the iPod.

[mstecker]

I hope they don't use the mini-like scroll wheel. I didn't like the idea when I saw it, and I like it less after playing with it. Physical buttons are a no-no for iPods

I need to disagree on that one. I have a 3G iPod, and I think that there's not enough tactile feedback with the "buttons". Did I push it enough? Did i just brush it? Do I need to push it again?

I wouldn't need to ask myself any of these things if the thing were to give me even the slightest little bit of tactile feedback.

[0 and A ai]

Not to sound overly pessimistic... but the iPod's battery life is already on the short side of the spectrum. A color screen and likely faster processor to handle it (and maybe movies?) aren't going to help...

I think I'd prefer a plain brushed-aluminum greyscale iPod with the mini's click-wheel and some sort of bluetooth streaming option. That would be pretty near perfect. I can dream...

Battery technology can go a long way in over a year. especially since apple probably saw this problem 2 years ago and have probably had a battery company solving this for them.

if they can have it do video and all that jazz and at the least maintain exceed its current battery life then there should be no problems.

Oh yea i like the ipod buttons just the way they are. the mini buttons are sweet but are necessary. It would be sweet if u could connect this to your DVR via firewire and download ur shows. My dvr has firewire although the cable company won't tell me what its for and its seems the deactivated. hehe that would probably not happen seeing as how hollywood would go nuts.

[kgarner]

This sounds perfect for me. I wanted to get the iPod and the Media Reader. If this has the photo view, that would be absolutely perfect.

[Beowulf]

bs...nobody can fit a video player and a large hardcore battery pack inside an enclosure remotely close in size to the current iPods.

Well, previous MP3 Players were enormous; when the first gen. iPod came out it was tiny compared to the other choices. Creative already has the "Portable Media Center" (http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=3&subcategory=169&product=9882)... although it's not tiny, it does "fit a video player and large battery pack" (doesn't officially state battery life on website, but I assume it's decent)

Who knows, maybe Apple has a few tricks up their sleeve on this one

[JDOG_]

Not to sound overly pessimistic... but the iPod's battery life is already on the short side of the spectrum. A color screen and likely faster processor to handle it (and maybe movies?) aren't going to help...

I bet apple is going to go from back-lit to frontlit like Nintendo did with the Gameboy Advance Sp, the solution let it get 10 hours of battery life off a small li-ion battery and the display still looked great. Now imagine an iPod, supporting about 256 colors (wayyyy less than a gameboy) with no need for any graphics work (just cache & hd stuff) and I think it'll still roll out 8 hours easy.

Lets cross our fingers..I think alternately multi-color backlighting would be a viable option if full color takes up too much battery. Panasonic does that with some of their phones and it looks great.

Edit: Maybe we can look forward to an mini iPod mini (http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/03/16/toshiba.record.reut/index.html) in the future?

[Ja Di ksw]

I thought Jobs said he didn't want to do the video on the screen. maybe they just don't play movies, but its color, use the video out for the movies. I dunno. Has anyone seen the iPod mini in person? I'm really curious about that new scroll wheel. God, I'm going to end up getting a third iPod, aren't I? Sigh.

[soosy]

This is the iPod I've been waiting for. I recently returned from vacation and it was a slight pain figuring out how to best get the photos over to my parent's to show them. Uploading them back to the camera's card was flaky and too slow, plus limited by the size of the card. I ended up putting them on an ipod mini and hooking that to my brother's powerbook. It would have been much simpler to have a video out on the iPod!

I love the mini's control wheel—moving that over is smart. I also love the mini's smudge-free case, though that wasn't mentioned in this rumor.

I'll be first in line to buy one.

[crees!]

Why would you want to store photos on your ipod....and then also look at them on a tv. Big deal.

Obviously someone here can't see over the hill. I can give you one answer right away. You store all your photos on your iPod, then you go on a family vacation to meet relatives. You plug your iPod into a TV then everyone in the family can view your pictures on a big screen large enough even for your visually impaired 90 year old grandmother to see... couple that with iPhoto sideshow technology and you have a monster of a feature.

I've done that a few times with my digital camera and it's not the simplest thing to get rolling. I'm sure Apple can make this a cinch and give it the expected ooohs and ahhhhs as well.

[NNO-Stephen]

I thought Jobs said he didn't want to do the video on the screen. maybe they just don't play movies, but its color, use the video out for the movies. I dunno. Has anyone seen the iPod mini in person? I'm really curious about that new scroll wheel. God, I'm going to end up getting a third iPod, aren't I? Sigh.

lol, same here. I've got two iPods... I dont want to have to get a third.... but oh how I want a third :D

(rather have a PowerBook G5 though.... perhaps next tuesday :D )

[DPazdanISU]

Personally I believe that if this rumor is true then Apple is looking towards fully syncronizing the iPods with their iLife software. I mean think how awsome it would be to be able to edit your movie on iMovie, add your own song to it from GarageBand, and then play it on ur iPod or television throught the video out. I feel even though the battery has been a problem in the past the iPod has made Apple a lot of $$ and they will do quite a bit of R & D to solve that problem and make the 4th Gen. Dominate the market even more! :D

[paulie]

At least for me. It would've let me leave the PowerBook at home on my last trip through Cambodia.

Seriously, if I can take along my camera and an iPod that lets me listen to some music, store some notes, and store my photos in a whopping 50GB of space.. holy cow..

If I go on a trip, my 10GB 2G pod is great.. I never get bored of my 2200 songs (give or take). Hell, my whole collection can fit in 30 GB.

If the new pod has video out, I can take a look at my photos at the end of the day on the TV in the hotel and see which shots I should go out and try again tomorrow. Wonderful!!

Also, take your 4G iPod to friends' houses after family vacations. Your iPhoto slideshow, complete with music from your iTunes playlist will all play out wonderfully through the audio and video outs.

Apple has just reinvented the mind-numbing slide projection evenings of yesteryear.

We'll soon have to understand that the iPod is NOT an MP3 player, it's a personal/portable digital device for all the fun things we do in life that don't require a full computer.

EVENTUALLY, I see it as your portable video player.. not yet.. maybe 6G or 7G.. play your home movies you made on iMovie for your friends without lugging a computer around.

Yeah, I ramble, but this device excites me.. stupid Apple.

[carbonmotion]

i don't know what kind of hullcinagin you're smoking, but certainly not the same as mine. Its hella stronger. Look, if apple could do all that and still maintain the same batter life/case size/case weight all the while keeping it in a marketable price range, then they would surely be getting this technology from black military projects. There is simply no consumer grade technology on the horizon for this year and maybe even next that can produce the results described by the rumor. sides, macrumor makes stuff up all the time. when was the last time a really specific rumor came true? like, never!?

Well, previous MP3 Players were enormous; when the first gen. iPod came out it was tiny compared to the other choices. Creative already has the "Portable Media Center" (http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=3&subcategory=169&product=9882)... although it's not tiny, it does "fit a video player and large battery pack" (doesn't officially state battery life on website, but I assume it's decent)

Who knows, maybe Apple has a few tricks up their sleeve on this one

[technocoy]

apparently you naysayers have not seen the lyra from RCA or the portable media player from sony. close to the same form factor and plays video and mp3s. my clie can play an entire movie on it's screen without going dead from battery drain.

I also imagine that if you are going to sit still long enough to watch movies from it on your tv, that you surely could manage to plug it in.

I agree that it would be nice to have the CF reader capability built in. It would be nice to use with my canon.

naysayers also obviously have no marketing savvy, and don't realize how large the market is for this (or you are just old) a toy manufacturer is selling this crappy little BW video player that has like a 1.5 inch screen and it is flying off the shelves. Kids and teenagers are gadget lovers and like to sneak things in during school. kids parents pay for iPods. If it still plays music and also has the aforementioned capabilities you don't think it will sell? hmmm... more features in the same form factor, for about the same cash... no way would i buy that!!

also the lcds we use to review footage shot on our dv cams are about the same form factor as an iPod. how nice would that be?

not to mention the upteen thousands of portable tvs sold every year with 2.5 inch screens or less.

damn... open your eyes and minds a little people.

don't make devils advocate a career choice.

the marketing is there trust me. the kids my friend teaches sneak their ps1s into class connected to a 2.5in protable tv so they can play it from their backpack, and they all talk about the rumors here of video iPod.

just my two cents...

PEACE,
technocoy

[afields]

I hope its able to record live audio, ala minidisc. It would be great to record concerts, or a school lecture, anything. That is the only reason why I still have a minidisc. If ipod were able to record audio that would be the ultimate for me.

[scotty321]

Apple really needs to include an FM Radio tuner into the iPod. Many gyms have closed-circuit televisions that you can only listen to by tuning in your portable FM radio into the appropriate FM station. And even people like myself with 12,000 songs in iTunes STILL like listening to the radio on a regular basis. I CERTAINLY hope that Apple adds an FM radio to the 4th generation of the iPod; otherwise, I will yet again not be buying an iPod. Apple hasn't gotten me to buy one yet, and I certainly won't be buying one until an FM radio tuner is added.

[Stella]

Apple could implement wireless networking on the iPod and then you could, transfer your iTMS login data into your iPod, and then using the colour LCD, go to the iTMS and buy and download your music to iPod.

Purchase music on the go!

[raiderz182]

WELL THAT SUCKS, i just bought one earlier today :(

[agentmouthwash]

so who is going to buy a 3g HP ipod when the 4g Apple ipods are available?

[adamberti]

Apple has just reinvented the mind-numbing slide projection evenings of yesteryear.

I think you might be onto something Paulie. My father just mentioned to me the other day how they were going to have a 'slide' party and bring out all their old slides, each couple gets a carousel to show off, and they're all going to dress up like it's the 70's again....

I know at my last Christmas, I had the digicam and at the end of the day would load the pics onto the powerbook, hook it up to the TV, and we would all sit around and watch the slideshow.

Slideshows are coming back - before, everyone used to shoot slide film, it gave the best colour and image, and then everyone could see them on screen. When we moved to 35mm negative film, we just couldnt do that anymore, you have to sit around and look at an album. Now that we've gone digital, the oppotunitiy is there to have slideshows again.

I think this device may be a little early for it's time, if it's aimed at a slideshow market. Give it a few more years, a little more digial camera penetration, with 30-40 year olds being more accustomed to all of today's technology, and they'll love it. I don't think you'll see the under 30 market being the ones to want to show off the slideshow, it's an 'older' (no offense to anyone :D) person's activity in my opinion.

[atari1356]

There is no VIDEO iApp which is used for storing/transferring movies so this would have to be forthcoming too. And seriously how many films are you going to fit in 50Gb. Heck even Macs don't come with HDs big enough to store multiple movies in an iApp type library.
This is NOT FOR MOVIES.

:rolleyes:

Well... it might not be used for the types of movies you're thinking of (films copied from DVD's). But Apple does have this little program called iMovie, and with their "digital lifestyle" I could certainly see them making an iPod where you could store a Quicktime movie that you built using iMovie (or Final Cut Express/Pro).

Then you could go to grandma's house, hook your iPod to her TV and show her the video you made of her granddaughter...

[johnnyjibbs]

I think we could see 50GB models but I'm not sure about other stuff. Then we'd end up with Apple having to develop 4 different software versions (ok so 2 may become obsolete).

This sounds like everything Jobs said they wouldn't do. Colour screens and video out? Battery life?

And why would they go back to the old style button layout? While the doubling up of buttons is cool and it is nice to have consistency between regular and mini iPods, this was done on the mini mainly due to space restrictions. A change to that style on the regular iPod would be like admitting defeat on the 3rd gen button placement, which is bad marketing.

Just my 2p but I say there's some BS to this story.

[sinisterdesign]

I'll take mine in Powerbook G5 flavor :)

It never gets old, does it?

i'm holding out for the DUAL G5 iPod myself...

no, this would be GREAT news. my 20GB is full & i've been waiting paitiently for a new rev. two features that i have really wanted have been a color LCD (album art, anyone?) and the new click-wheel (improvement on an already great interface).

bring it...

[adamberti]

so who is going to buy a 3g HP ipod when the 4g Apple ipods are available?

Someone who doesn't have iPhoto and any other associated apps that will use the features of the new iPod. It'll be just like when the iPod first came out, Mac only. I think Apple needs to have a better model available once the HP iPod is released, then they can still look better and have the best thing on the market.

The release of the iPod mini was a way for Apple to advance the current iPod with all new features, while keeping all those happy that just wanted a music device. Reposition the iPod mini into the iPod's place (and continually increase hard drive size) while advancing the features of the iPod - possible with an increase in physical size. I think that keeps everyone happy.

[MattG]

Sweet. I just put my 30gb up on eBay. That's what I did last time around the time when they were going to announce the 3g iPods...when I read on Macrumors that they were probably going to be coming out in a week, I sold my 2g when they were still getting top dollar. Then the next week, sure enough...new iPods :)

[Chaszmyr]

Dosn't this seem a little fast for a new iPod? I'm thinking earliest 2005 MWSF.

No one said it's gonna be tomorrow

[Borg3of5]

Last year (Feb 03) after vacation in San Francisco, I noticed the amount of people riding Muni and Bart with iPods. This year's trip (Feb '04) to SF, showed EVEN more people, a 2x-fold growth, in the number of iPod users. Although I enjoy taking my iBook with me on trips, it can be somewhat unwieldy. I only used it this February to upload my pics from my Canon Powershot G5 and make room on the CF-Card for more pics the following day.

It would be so refreshing not to have to lug my iBook around the airport, exposing it to ignorant security personnel, and theft.

The expected 4G iPod rumor is a breath of fresh air. It would be great to leave the iBook behind, and use the huge 50 gig HD on the iPod to upload pics. Even better, rip 'Alien' and 'Aliens', and possibly "Big Momma's House' DVDs to the iPod, while still having room for my 1000+ mp3 collection. Sounds like a great revision to the iPod line.

I REALLY do hope that Mr. Jobs has in fact been lurking around these forums, and has heard the clamor for AM/FM tuning.

I bought my 2G iPod in March 2003, and was wise to wait until the 4G iPod's introduction to trade up. Will probably sell my current iPod to a good friend for $50-$75, and use that money for the 4G iPod.

This is going to be an interesting year with:
Rev. B PowerMac G5, G5-based PBs, and the 4G iPod.

[SiliconAddict]

Not to sound overly pessimistic... but the iPod's battery life is already on the short side of the spectrum. A color screen and likely faster processor to handle it (and maybe movies?) aren't going to help...

I think I'd prefer a plain brushed-aluminum greyscale iPod with the mini's click-wheel and some sort of bluetooth streaming option. That would be pretty near perfect. I can dream...


Insert a big o' Depends http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/deal.gif

If Apple uses a transreflective display with side lighting it would cut down on the juice also there is always the possibility of them using the big O. OLEDS have been rumored to be in Apple devices for a while now. Even though, obviously, they haven't actually shipped with anything yet. OLEDS use much less power then traditional LCD screens.
As for video. If we are only talking about playing it on an iPod obviously you wouldn't need some high res 800 x 600 video file. Can you say overkill? Smaller video files are easier for a CPU to handle. My 200Mhz ARM iPaq Pocket PC has been doing movies on its 3" screen since 2000. Such ARM CPU's have become much more efficient since that time. They scale up to 400Mhz. Since the iPod doesn't need such power they could underclock it to 200Mhz and probably get some nice battery life off of the system.
That being said. If it does indeed have video out it could possibly mean one of 2 things.
The first. That its intended for still picture video out. Movies aren't in the plan at all. If this is the case then CPU speed is a moot point.
Second. That its intended for video and still pictures. In which case where I mentioned a low resolution video file would er suck on any external display. So a higher end CPU would almost be a mandate.
At this point there isn't enough info to make even a remotely educated guess. Suffice it to say Apple isn't going to do anything that would jeopardize the battery life of the iPod to the point that its useless. There is no real reason to drop a video player on us at this point. Heck its still illegal to rip DVD's so there is that whole legal aspect of it. At this point Apple's just trying to stay ahead of the pack in terms of features. They aren't stupid enough to make the video component of an iPod more important then the audio or battery life.

[Demon]

i doubt that it will be anytime soon. Mini's just came out. but the features sound DOPE!

[Mainyehc]

Well, one thing I'd like to see was the ability of opting out of the "auto-charging" feature of the iPod, even in the 1-2-3G (maybe through a software upgrade)... I'd like to be able to plug in my iPod to the power adapter or even the dock without having it charging up the battery automatically! Seriously, that was something I used to do with my Sony Minidisc player/recorder, I plugged it to my stereo or used it while in bed (sometimes it's really easier to fall asleep while listening to some nice and soft tunes), and in that case, I plugged it to its power adapter... If I needed to recharge it's battery, I'd just press "Stop". There was no need to recharge it every time I plugged it to the power adapter!
If I had that choice, I'd buy an extra firewire cable and would keep the power adapter in my room (I'd turn the volume all the way up and connect the iPod to the stereo with an RCA adapter), next to my stereo, and the dock connected to my iMac... Ohh, and wait! Even cooler would be having all of my tunes in the iPod, and none in my iMac's HD, so I could play them from the iPod's disk (thus saving some precious GB's in my iMac's HD...)! Of course, if my iPod had some severe accident I'd probably lost all my tunes, but heck, I have a Superdrive, I suppose I'm going to burn a few backups one of these days... ;)
Just dreaming... :D
As for the method of manually starting a battery charge... It'd be very easy! When connected, the iPod could simply have a "Charge" option in the main menu, perhaps in the topmost slot to make it easier for people with some extra menus enabled in the main menu...
I guess I'm probably over-concerned with my iPod's battery life... But I've read in some reliable articles that an easy way to extend an iPod's battery life is to recharge it when the battery reaches 40% of it's full capacity, and to make a full discharge/charge cycle, every 30 cycles. So, I'm not looking forward to recharge my iPod when it's, say, at 70% of it's capacity. Same for 100% capacity, as the iPod will take further charging cycles even if it's already charged. I'd just like, at that time, to have it working from a power source, leaving the battery alone. Is this asking too much? :p
Oh, and another thing... I have this strange bug in my iPod: when it finishes charging, and I turn it on, it'll show like 10 or 20% capacity in the battery indicator, but it'll slowly go up, and up, and up for the next 30-60 seconds until it reaches full capacity. It works just fine, anyway... Not that it bothers me much, but it's weird, no? Anyone else here experiencing the same problem? (it's a <1 month old 3G 20GB) :confused:

[Gimzotoy]

Battery technology can go a long way in over a year. especially since apple probably saw this problem 2 years ago and have probably had a battery company solving this for them.

Battery technology moves slowly. That is why there is tons of research going on right now using alternative fuels such as butane or methane to power electrical gadgets. Computer Technology evolves rapidly, along with its power demands, and battery development companies are struggling to keep up. My 3 year old laptop has a similar Lithium-based battery to that of my new PowerBook.

For example... does every new laptop version get better battery life? No. In fact, when new processor revisions come out, battery life is often worse than the generation before it until optimizations are worked out.

Anyway, back on topic, my point is that battery technology does NOT go a long way in a year, and it will be a struggle to provide power to the color screen and the faster processor color graphics, and possibly video, require. The only solution I see is making the device larger physically.

[snahabed]

This supposed 4G iPod is really quite a different machine than the 3G iPod. Even more different than the 3G is from the Mini. This leads me to believe that maybe Apple is fleshing out its iPod line to

iPod mini
iPod
iPod extreme

Personally, I would have gone with ePod, iPod, and pPod, but that's just me.

There is NO way in hell that a machine described here would fit in the 3G price range, so it clearly must be a higher priced range.

This is, of course, if such a machine is even going to happen. By the way, if it does, count me in with the people happy that Apple might incorporate the mini clickwheel across the line. Positively. Hate. 3G. Buttons. Big reason I have not upgraded from my 2G. I boycott those buttons. Awful. The mini clickwheel is pure genius.

[SiliconAddict]

Battery technology can go a long way in over a year. especially since apple probably saw this problem 2 years ago and have probably had a battery company solving this for them.


Hate to burst your bubble but battery tech, at least traditional battery tech, has pretty much hit the wall in terms of density and capacity. Li-ion /polymer is pretty much IT.
At this point fuel cells are what we are going to be dealing with to get better battery life and it’s a pretty good bet that at least the 4th gen iPod isn't going to have that. Maybe 6th or 7th :confused:

[superfunkomatic]

i think this sounds like a lark. forgive my lack of excitement, but why would you want to carry around videos on an ipod like device? seems like such an odd thing to do watch videos on the bus, at such a small resolution. plus, the battery life of the ipod is like 4 hours tops with a device like a iTrip, so unless they have a new battery technology and a quicker software package is the ipod really a good candidate for video.

it's like having a full colour calculator. my two cents.

[SiliconAddict]

i doubt that it will be anytime soon. Mini's just came out. but the features sound DOPE!

Doubtful. Mini's primary intention was to give consumers a cheaper and smaller option. You will note that the only forward momentum they've had in the larger iPods has been in a price restructure.

[diesel machine]

Is it possible to look though the .3.3 update and find an Icon that graphically represents this new configuration. I doubt it would be there yet, but osx does use a diff. graphic for each type of ipod attached to a computer.

[vitaboy]

I'd imagine if it has video out then it would be capable of playing video oon both a second screen and its own little two incher. I think it's a great idea - download hours of music videos, stick them on the iPod, then go to a party and hook it up to the television....


Actually, my guess is that the 4th gen iPod will have the ability to display photos, but it won't be able to play video. The "video out" port will simply allow you to display your photos on a TV screen.

The reason?

iTunes = jukebox for music
iPhoto = jukebox for photos
iMovie = NOT a jukebox for movies

While it's possible for the iPod to simply be able to read and play whatever QuickTime or MPEG movie might be in a "Movie" folder on the iPod's drag, this is not the Apple way because there is no movie jukebox application for iPod to autosync with. Autosyncing is an integral part of the iPod experience and brand.

Also, as Steve Jobs has noted, you already have portable DVD players that handle video much better than an iPod could. You have players with widescreen 7" screens that play DVDs great. Also, you might watch a favorite movie a half a dozen times at most, but you'll listen to your favorite songs over and over again. Same with pictures. Watching movies is not nearly as important as being able to carry your thousands of your songs and photos with you.

So I think the 4th gen iPods will allow you to autosync with iTunes and iPhoto, and maybe output iPhoto to your TV screen, but that's probably it. It would be a fantastic leap in functionality, though, but evolutionary in nature. :-)

P.S. The one thing I would love to see for the 4th gen iPod is a dock-to-mini-USB connector for digital cameras that allow you to quickly and easily dump photos from your camera into the iPod. Why is there a need for a bulky and slow media reader like the Belkin? You should be able to plug a camera directly to the iPod and voila, automatic downloads. When you later sync to your Mac, iPhoto should suck up the new pictures from the iPod's drive as well as being smart enough to load pictures onto the iPod that had been grabbed from another camera.....

[vpalvarez]

Could this mean iPhoto for Windows?

This is similar to what I was thinking. They will nevr have photo viewing for the ipod becasue there is no dominant app for viewing photos on Windows, this would be a major trade off for windows users. They won't justify spendin the money on a devoce they can't use. Apple would have three options:

1) Release iPhoto for Windows (and maybe include it w/ the 4G ipod)
2) Make the 4G ipod sync-able with almost every photo app on windows
3) Not release an ipod capable of viewing photos.

I think option three is the most likely which is fine with me.
Maybe they will release it at the same time that Hp releases theirs.

[e-coli]

Optical out, damnit!!

How long do we have to wait? What's the point of having a digital player if it interfaces with other audio equipment as an analog signal?

:rolleyes:

[Gimzotoy]

If Apple uses a transreflective display with side lighting it would cut down on the juice also there is always the possibility of them using the big O. OLEDS have been rumored to be in Apple devices for a while now. Even though, obviously, they haven't actually shipped with anything yet. OLEDS use much less power then traditional LCD screens.

They could achieve the power savings using some sort of alternative display. Although I'd shudder to think how much such a device would cost given that current greyscales top out at $500. A front-lit solution such as a previous poster mentioned in the Gamboy Advance SP would be a possibility. They'd see some power savings there. However, you might notice that the SP uses a 1,000mAh LiIon battery... almost 50% more power than the current 3G battery (630mAh), which is also smaller. It also runs at 240x160, which you'd need to double for TV output, but I have no idea how that would affect battery life. It's also thicker. (And as an aside, despite popular belief, underclocking does not save you a worthwhile amount of power.)

It would be a significant challenge, disregarding all monetary issues, to pack all of this into a device the size of an iPod with similar battery life, is all I'm saying.

Look at it's competitors! The Windows MCE-based devices are HUGE!

[vpalvarez]

I bet apple is going to go from back-lit to frontlit like Nintendo did with the Gameboy Advance Sp, the solution let it get 10 hours of battery life off a small li-ion battery and the display still looked great. Now imagine an iPod, supporting about 256 colors (wayyyy less than a gameboy) with no need for any graphics work (just cache & hd stuff) and I think it'll still roll out 8 hours easy.

Lets cross our fingers..I think alternately multi-color backlighting would be a viable option if full color takes up too much battery. Panasonic does that with some of their phones and it looks great.

Edit: Maybe we can look forward to an mini iPod mini (http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/03/16/toshiba.record.reut/index.html) in the future?


Apple would have to have 65,000 colors to do photos. Apple would never sacrifice having poor quality photos just to have the extra feature. They either do it right or don't do it at all. Which is another reason why I think that this won't happen, at least in a hyprid player.

[vitaboy]

This is similar to what I was thinking. They will nevr have photo viewing for the ipod becasue there is no dominant app for viewing photos on Windows, this would be a major trade off for windows users. They won't justify spendin the money on a devoce they can't use. Apple would have three options:

1) Release iPhoto for Windows (and maybe include it w/ the 4G ipod)
2) Make the 4G ipod sync-able with almost every photo app on windows
3) Not release an ipod capable of viewing photos.

I think option three is the most likely which is fine with me.
Maybe they will release it at the same time that Hp releases theirs.

Yeah, I think Apple will release iPhoto for Windows. I have no doubt this will cause iPod sales to double, as iPhoto is another killer app whose only real competitor is the for-pay Adobe Album software. Apple can still encourage people to switch with iMovie, iDVD, and GarageBand, so I'd say it's pretty safe to release iPhoto for Windows now. In fact, the more Windows users play with iTunes and iPhoto, the more likely they will consider switching when they really how sucky the Windows experience really is.

This is great. Apple preserves their profit margins on the 4th gen iPods due to the extra functionality, and HP continues to sell 3rd gen iPods for less to the crowd that doesn't want to pay the Apple premium. It's great because Apple's revenue from the 3rd gen design would normally go from something to nothing the day the 4th gen is introduced, but with HP in the mix, Apple gets to make tons of money on an outdated design!

[Penman]

i think this sounds like a lark. forgive my lack of excitement, but why would you want to carry around videos on an ipod like device? seems like such an odd thing to do watch videos on the bus, at such a small resolution. plus, the battery life of the ipod is like 4 hours tops with a device like a iTrip, so unless they have a new battery technology and a quicker software package is the ipod really a good candidate for video.

it's like having a full colour calculator. my two cents.

That's a good analogy. Color calculators are big business. I studied Physics and in science they're extrememely useful. Not of reveryone but a strong niche product.

I'm gratified to see this 'rumor' - I was on a thread about this a while back being shot at for mentioning video. It will be the killer portable app.

1) The mini-iPod will be the music iPod, the big iPods will be multimedia devices.

2) iPods are an extension of iLife. They will eventually be able to carry any media/data produced by the iLife suite - video, stills and audio. It'll be native - not dependant on 3rd party plug-ins.

3) As far as battery life goes they can do a couple of things. Give us a cool way to recharge anywhere (where's my solar panel guys?) - this is unlikely. Give us an easy way to change the battery and low cost/standard form factor battery packs - this is more likely but less able to put money in Apple's pockets. Give us additional battery options in proprietary factors for additional cost - I think that's almost a lock. The battery life on iPods is ridiculous given it's mobile designation. I think Apple know that.

4) They'll probably all play quicktime encodes of videos that are available for download from the iTMS. Launching the iPod now (with the cover story of it being a still photo player) allows them to seed the market with video capable download devices and then roll out iTMS with video later this year with an inbuilt audience. It makes it easier for the record companies to risk the encoding hassle.
5) Telling people that they don't need things doesn't work. That's why 'the iPod's great for music - leave it' is the kiss of death. Apple aren't that dumb. A lot of readers here are American - we're behind the curve on portables because we don't have 3G phone networks. Worldwide the coolest mobile platforms are cutting edge, broadband capable phones. The only edge the iPod has on them now is storage capacity and ease-of-use/interface. That's not enough. The iPod is going to have to take on internet capability (everyone know's Apple's frantically working on this) and video.

I also think 50 GB is likely wrong. They gave us 40Gb for music and many people (like me) need more. 60-80Gb for video seems like a sane minimum. If they come out at 50 Gb first I'll wait.

iPods run Toshiba drives. Look at what Toshiba's doing and see a little of what the iPod has to/wants to compete with.

http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/4725.html

Penman

[hob]

I'm troubled. I mean - wow! A new gadget from Apple, always an exciting time, but I'm still troubled. I don't really think there's much of a market for this device (though I guess this was said of the iPod at the time). This is no longer an iPod - the iPod is a MUSIC player (which some of us use as hard drives as well) but I think it's revolutionised the music listening experience as much as anyone wants it to, and I don't think being able to look at your photos on a 2-inch colour screen is going to be all that great... And I doubt the battery life will be too hot either - if they're using the same batteries, then a colour screen would drain it pretty quick methinks, especially as some of you are already mentioning using it to play movies... that's just full on - backlight, screen usage, and hd usage all the time...

Sorry, that's just my thoughts!

[vpalvarez]

so who is going to buy a 3g HP ipod when the 4g Apple ipods are available?

I read somewhere that the Hp would be different in appearance but the same internals. Plus they are going to bundle these things with PCs. And depending on the price point people would be likely to buy them

[Moxiemike]

Wide screen ipod?

[Jackk]

Yeah, I think Apple will release iPhoto for Windows. I have no doubt this will cause iPod sales to double, as iPhoto is another killer app whose only real competitor is the for-pay Adobe Album software. Apple can still encourage people to switch with iMovie, iDVD, and GarageBand, so I'd say it's pretty safe to release iPhoto for Windows now. In fact, the more Windows users play with iTunes and iPhoto, the more likely they will consider switching when they really how sucky the Windows experience really is.

This is great. Apple preserves their profit margins on the 4th gen iPods due to the extra functionality, and HP continues to sell 3rd gen iPods for less to the crowd that doesn't want to pay the Apple premium. It's great because Apple's revenue from the 3rd gen design would normally go from something to nothing the day the 4th gen is introduced, but with HP in the mix, Apple gets to make tons of money on an outdated design!

Just to continue my original speculation.. Could this mean iPhoto for HP computers preinstalled if HP continues to rebrand iPods in the future?
:D

[vpalvarez]

This supposed 4G iPod is really quite a different machine than the 3G iPod. Even more different than the 3G is from the Mini. This leads me to believe that maybe Apple is fleshing out its iPod line to

iPod mini
iPod
iPod extreme

Personally, I would have gone with ePod, iPod, and pPod, but that's just me.

There is NO way in hell that a machine described here would fit in the 3G price range, so it clearly must be a higher priced range.

This is, of course, if such a machine is even going to happen. By the way, if it does, count me in with the people happy that Apple might incorporate the mini clickwheel across the line. Positively. Hate. 3G. Buttons. Big reason I have not upgraded from my 2G. I boycott those buttons. Awful. The mini clickwheel is pure genius.

I was thinking something similar, with a few exceptions. Forst I think it would fit with in a similar price range, becasue it is no secret that Apple is trying to s\cut cost on the ipods including that they a willing to take a hit with their profit margin. That said it will be:

iPod mini -- Small Fitness Player
HP ipod --- just music and 3G technology
Aple ipod -- photos ect (if true) that will keep it the premium but still a leader.

[Sabbath]

Woot new apple stuff ^_^

Oh damn that means all my current stuff is going out of date. Seriously though video sounds cool, but a little unecessary at present I think. If we do get video like this though we're gonna need a new iapp for ripping our movies on, and maybe even a movie store?

Personally theres no way I could justify one of these new iPods by there will be people selling kidneys for them. I guess they could have a third iPod kind of like the powerbook range. iPod mini, iPod, iPod something :confused:

[Llywelyn]

Video just isn't going to happen. The people who want the ability to play movies on such a small screen are a niche market in the extreme, there is no good way to transfer movies from a DVD to a computer (and I don't anticipate Apple making it any easier--it's a really niche market) and it takes a really long time to re-encode, and I don't think there would be much of a demand for a "movie jukebox"--again, not much demand (outside of anime types). Most people sit down at a given movie for several hours and only watch one at a time--not exactly a lot of demand for a switching app or appliance.

More likely is something to interface with a digital camera and maybe display pictures. Apple already has iPhoto and there is ready demand for the ability to store more photos. Something you could offload your digital camera to would be very useful for many more people than the ability to play video would be.

So I would anticipate something that doesn't even necessarily have a video-in/video-out, but rather a cable or a port to attach a USB camera to.

[ianion]

[QUOTE=Gimzotoy]Not to sound overly pessimistic... but the iPod's battery life is already on the short side of the spectrum. A color screen and likely faster processor to handle it (and maybe movies?) aren't going to help...

i agree.... but have any of you looked at the gameboy advance sp?? it has a really good reflective display and the batteries last for about 10 hrs.... so i really see no reason why this set up couldn't be integrated into the ipod... it's a frontlit reflective display.

~ianion

[mrkstu]

This could be the killer app for those little wearable displays/glasses. They've been around forever awaiting the introduction of something like this. Just stick an s-video out on the v-pod and plug in!

Apple should also talk to the studio's about wrapping Fairplay onto DVD's so that they can sell movies that are downloadable via ITunes. I wouldn't mind paying separately for movies I already own if they are optimised for the format.

[Mord]

nope it's a newton relanch that was misinterprited as the 4g ipod

just my £.02

[mraudet]

how about some xm radio? is this even doable? that would be treeeeemendous.

[vpalvarez]

how about some xm radio? is this even doable? that would be treeeeemendous.

It would be cool but I'm afraid that the ipod would be about the size of a small football. The antenna that XM requires is too big to make it into a portable device not even including the circuitry that takes up alot of room as well

[pianoman181]

...of course i bought my 3G iPod last week...

[david_r_p]

I wonder if it'll go to aluminum enclosure as well?

I like the look of the aluminum. Plus I'm sure it's more practical.

[Gimzotoy]

i agree.... but have any of you looked at the gameboy advance sp?? it has a really good reflective display and the batteries last for about 10 hrs.... so i really see no reason why this set up couldn't be integrated into the ipod... it's a frontlit reflective display.
~ianion

Actually, I already addressed that very issue. The problem with it being that the Gameboy has a large 1000mAh battery, which is larger both physically and power-wise. By comparison, the 3G iPods have a 630mAh battery. So using front-lit technology, the best the SP can do with the backlight on is 9-10 hours. You may be forgetting that the SP using game cartridges. Add a constantly spinning hard drive (video), or even occasionally spinning hard drive (pictures/music), to the mix and you've just killed your battery life. That 9-10 hours has just become 4-5 if you're lucky. Hard drives use A LOT of juice. They're second only to the CPU in sheer power used (unless you have a high-power video card).

The front-lit display would certainly help, but they'll need significant power-savings elsewhere to keep the iPod a similar size.

[fabsgwu]

Thank God their changing the scrollwheel/button configuration to the one used on the Mini's!

I agree--the touch scroll wheel works great, but the touch buttons are hit or miss sometimes; ESPECAILLY when making an "On-the-go" playlist.

[Gimzotoy]

It would be cool but I'm afraid that the ipod would be about the size of a small football. The antenna that XM requires is too big to make it into a portable device not even including the circuitry that takes up alot of room as well

Actually, this in entirely possible to fit into a small device. Not iPod small, but perhaps Archos Jukebox small. The newest XM antennas are approximately the size of 5 quarters stacked on top of one another. The XM Roadie, one of the newer receivers, is about the size of the newer "candybar" cell phones. Its definately possible. Worthwhile? Probably not. It'd be cool, though.

[lookmark]

Even if Apple uses a fairly power-savvy color transflexive screen (like the current crop of iPaqs), I just can't see them endangering their most popular product in years by cutting the battery life in half -- yes, half -- for some neat photo features.

At the same time, Apple has to innovate, try new things, and keep the iPod ahead of its competitors.

What to do, then...?

My guess is three categories of iPod, announced on April 18:

iPod mini - same as currently being offered (no way there'll be a price break, with the minis selling so well; we'll just have to wait on that one)
4G iPod - with iPod mini click-wheel, recording built-in, optical in/out, possibly FM
4G iPod plus - all above and as AI rumored; color screen, photo features, $599

Unless there's some breakthrough technology nobody knows about, that's the only way I can see Apple doing the color screen thing...

[stingerman]

Mini ipod is aimed at a different market than the other iPods... some ppl do not want to spend $$$ on a iPod, so the minis fit their budget. Likewise, not everyone want a video screen on their mp3 player...


Couple this rumor with the fact that IBM stated that a big shipment of SOC ASICs were being shipped to Apple, could mean that this is not the 4G iPod but rather a new device, an "iPalm". Basically, an OS X based palm computer with a small 65K color display and new UI similar to the iPod to allow for easy use of the wheel. I envision Apple will allow it to dock to a station where it will become a full blown OS X PC, so that means that Apple will also release new displays with "iPalm" docks. These display station docks can have a optical drive, bluetooth and airport wireless to allow for use with wireless keyboards, mice and printers. The can also dock with other Mac PCs for iSynching, and acting as a remote desktop.

[blybug]

a video out is useless unless the "color screen" plays movies too. Why would you want to store photos on your ipod....and then also look at them on a tv. Big deal.

This is a big deal. I really don't see why anyone would want to watch movies or even look at their photos on a 2" screen, but the ability to load up the iPod with all this media and take it (or copy it) wherever you want is the next obvious evolutionary step for the iPod. A simple video out on the iPod combined with an advanced dock with a remote makes this the ultimate portable media device. The FireWire connection already has the ability to carry video...

Anyone who has used the iPod to its full potential as a replacement for CDs can see the paradigm shift and the analogous situation for other types of media. Create your iMovies and instead of burning a bunch of iDVDs, just "Share" them (can't you see the extra icon in iMovie) with your iPod and then hook it up to your TV. Ripped commercial DVDs surely would work as well, and who knows, this may come in conjuction with some sort of legit mp4 video store. All those meticulously organized digital photos trapped in your computer...no more! They will be freed from your hard drive to be easily shown on the big screen in the living room in a 21st century slide show. Watch it at home, take it to Grandma's, make a duplicate iPod with their life's story for the kids as they go off to college. And all the while the iPod continues to act as a backup hard drive for all this precious data.

I've been using the Elgato EyeHome (http://www.elgato.com) for about a month now and it's fantastic, streaming iTunes (protected AACs included), iPhotos, video, and the web over the network to my home entertainment center. But home networks and streaming media are clearly for the overly geeky crowd...the average-Joe consumer would more easily accept and understand an iPod that syncs music, photos, and video then "plugs in" to any TV or stereo. By the time this iPodAV is available everybody and their brother will already understand how the iPod works for music, this is just the next step.

I have long believed that this is the direction that the iPod (which is NOT called the iMusicPlayer...I think for a reason) will take, and that the also oft-rumored Apple set-top box will never materialize. An advanced iPod could do everything such a box could do but portably in the palm of your hand, with an already established "usability" as it relates to music. Who knows if this latest "reliable" rumor is true, and if it will happen any time soon, but mark this thread, it WILL happen someday...

[stingerman]

I agree--the touch scroll wheel works great, but the touch buttons are hit or miss sometimes; ESPECAILLY when making an "On-the-go" playlist.

The iPod Mini wheel is better also from a realestate perspective. It will give apple more room for a larger display, maybe even a touch display, like palms and pocketpc's.

[vitaboy]

I don't really think there's much of a market for this device (though I guess this was said of the iPod at the time). This is no longer an iPod - the iPod is a MUSIC player (which some of us use as hard drives as well) but I think it's revolutionised the music listening experience as much as anyone wants it to, and I don't think being able to look at your photos on a 2-inch colour screen is going to be all that great...

Actually, the iPod has always been more than a music player. That's why Apple chose to name it "iPod" and not "iMusic" or even something like "iTunes DJ." So far, the focus has been squarely set on music, but clearly the iPod name allows it to evolve into something more.

And on the contrary, I think being able to take along your collection of favorite photos and view them anytime, anywhere is a really compelling feature. When I took a 2000-mile road trip last summer, we were taking photos all day, every day. Guess what my friends and I did ever day after we returned to the hotel? We dumped the photos onto my PowerBook and we spent at least an hour each day just looking through all the photos we had taken. The girls in the group couldn't stop looking at them - they'd look at the same photos over and over again, set to a different song from my iTunes library. Every day.

(Also, I find that women are much more into photos than men. Women like the idea of capturing memories and being able to access them in any easy fashion - a generalization, but mostly true in my experience.)

The trick is for Apple to keep the iPod simple while adding new features. If Apple can make iPhoto more like iTunes in terms of photo management and syncing, then I think a lot more people who dismissed the iPod as a "$400 music player" will begin to seriously consider getting one. They'll justify the fact that the iPod is one big storage card for their digital camera. You can pay $100 for a 256 MB MemoryStick Pro (or what, $500+ for a 1 GB camera card?!) or pay $400 for 40, 50, or 60 GB of photo storage via the iPod.

Fifty times the storage for the same money? A photo-capable iPod will be an absolute steal on those terms!

[Lord Bodak]

Just give me AM/FM and I'll be happy.

Although I think video out-- for photos only-- would be slick. Color screen just doesn't offer enough benefit to outweigh the loss of battery life.

[jsw]

I realize that a full-color display will suck a lot of battery life - if it's on all the time at full color/brightness. That needn't be the case. I'm quite happy with my Nokia 3650:
http://www.nokiausa.com/images/phn/194x320/ph_3650_phd.jpg
which has a nice 176x208, 4096 color display (and I'm sure better displays have come out since). I can see pictures just fine on it, and the video clips look OK as well. Would I want to watch a movie on it? No. But it's great for other things.

I mention this because the phone can go DAYS without needing a recharge. It has a power-saver mode for the screen that doesn't force it to burn full throttle (nothing new there). Now, if I sit around and do nothing except look at picture after picture, or clip after clip, then, well, yes, the battery life dwindles. But no one does that. If it were a movie player, then yes. But, as a picture viewer, it isn't going to be used constantly, as as such I doubt that Apple would require Area 51/black military technology, unless, of course, that's what Nokia, Samsung, Sony/Ericcson, etc. use. ;)

So, really, there's no technical reason why the screen will have to cut battery life substantially. 99% of the time, it can act like a low-contrast B&W screen.

It would be nice if it could output movies (just not show them on screen) so it could be a portable Tivo of sorts, but that's not required.

BTW, I agree strongly with a previous post that digital out would be really, really nice.

[gandalf55]

a video out to ? not a TV... how about an add on device from a 3rd party? I see those portable DVD players all the time... what if you could have a screen that you could plug your ipod into... something like 9" wide or so. A mini LCD screen on your desk. Perhaps something the iPod could dock into to. sounds pretty cool to me. i imagine the display would NEED to have its own power supply (a FW rechargable or plug it into the wall with a brick) :p

[Sheebahawk]

Video Out? Color Screen?

No mention of "Great new long lasting battery" to not piss everyone off about battery life even further?

Seriously, i think they should skip all the color/video stuff until the next revision, give it a superior battery, bigger hard drives, and lower the ipod mini's price.

Just my $.02

hear hear!

I just bought one anyway, so Im not in the market, but yeah the only big improvement needs to be made in battery

[ccuilla]

This is similar to what I was thinking. They will nevr have photo viewing for the ipod becasue there is no dominant app for viewing photos on Windows, this would be a major trade off for windows users. They won't justify spendin the money on a devoce they can't use. Apple would have three options:

1) Release iPhoto for Windows (and maybe include it w/ the 4G ipod)
2) Make the 4G ipod sync-able with almost every photo app on windows
3) Not release an ipod capable of viewing photos.

I think option three is the most likely which is fine with me.
Maybe they will release it at the same time that Hp releases theirs.

I am guessing #1.

Remember, they are trying to drive more and more iPod sales. This would help that. One of the things you try to do here is "comoditize your complements"...that is what Apple appears to be doing. It works this way:

1. Every product has "complements"...products that go along with it. Currently the "complements" to the iPod are iTunes and music from the iTMS. Apple has effectively "commoditized" these...driven the cost so low that there is really no money to be made off of them. This (can) increases demand for them, which then has the effect of creating more demand for iPod.

2. Because of #1, it is in your interest to drive the cost of your product/service's complements as low as possible with the idea that demand for them will increase, and then demand for your main product will also increase (though, obviously, not always in the same proportion).

3. Because of #1 and #2...it makes sense for Apple to create more complementary products for iPod. iPhoto is well positioned for this. Make iPhoto freely available for people on Windows...get them to use its great features to manage massive photo collections. Next, say, well, gee you can now carry these with you in your 4G iPod...go buy one.

Furthermore, Apple can make money on updates to iPhoto (iLife)...which many people (wrongly) gripe about. By enhancing the application's functionality, they could say, "Hey, this new functionality is worth $X. But you always get a free copy with a new iPod." Something like that.

I can see iCal going this way too.

Think about iPod as the center of your digital life. :-)

[Analog Kid]

Battery technology can go a long way in over a year. especially since apple probably saw this problem 2 years ago and have probably had a battery company solving this for them.

if they can have it do video and all that jazz and at the least maintain exceed its current battery life then there should be no problems.


No, actually battery technology is the single slowest evolving technology in a portable system. Plastic molding technology might evolve slower, but not by much...

Just back of the envelope:
How do you make a portable hard drive low power? You spin down the drive.
Let's say your pictures are about the same file size as a 3 minute song.
You view each picture in your slideshow for 15 seconds.
You now need to pull 12 times as much data off that drive as you had to listening to music.
You've want to see the pictures on the LCD, so double the number of pixels in each dimension.
You want color, so triple the number of pixels again.
You're scanning the LCD 12 times faster.
You want to see the color, so beef up the backlight.
You want clean color, so you need a "white" source--makes LEDs hard.
You're now putting video down the cable, not audio.
The processor load is probably similar to decoding AAC, since it has to scale the images.

All this so you can see a reduced resolution image on a 2" screen?

Yeah, there's a lot of things that might be done to reduce the power consumption, and batteries may have gained a couple percent over the last year, but if battery life is important to you I'd hope for audio only iPods to continue shipping...

[Savage Henry]

It's an extra widget and more storage to show off a few piccies. It's got nothing to do with album covers, nothing to do with displaying videos and nothing to do with DVDs.

It won't be released until the current buyers have got bored with the short life of the iPodmini's market and want to have more.

The iPod buzz is sounding rather dull in my ears now. The sooner the decent Mac hardware lineup is given this sort of attention the better.

[Lord Bodak]

I mention this because the phone can go DAYS without needing a recharge. It has a power-saver mode for the screen that doesn't force it to burn full throttle (nothing new there). Now, if I sit around and do nothing except look at picture after picture, or clip after clip, then, well, yes, the battery life dwindles. But no one does that. If it were a movie player, then yes. But, as a picture viewer, it isn't going to be used constantly, as as such I doubt that Apple would require Area 51/black military technology, unless, of course, that's what Nokia, Samsung, Sony/Ericcson, etc. use. ;)

So, really, there's no technical reason why the screen will have to cut battery life substantially. 99% of the time, it can act like a low-contrast B&W screen.


The thing you're forgetting is that your cell phone doesn't have a hard drive. Hard drives still use an exceptional amount of power compared to any solid-state electronics. Most of your battery power is going to the hard drive, and anytime another component uses extra power, it leaves less for the hard drive-- thus, shortened battery life.

[The Expatriate]

If Archos, Thomson and Sony can produce portable a/v, PVR, high capacity, audio/video in/out and capture devices right now - why wouldn't Apple do the same? They have too much invested in the portable entertainment market to idly sit by and watch their rivals overtake them by sticking to an audio only product. Why have just music when you can watch the music video. Who would have thought that mobile phones would play mp3s, mp4s, capture video, browse the internet, store all your contact information and even, even... make calls! Apple have got some mental new toys in the works at the moment and they're not going to do things by half!

[sparks9]

Cant wait to watch LOTR on it...


Doesn't say that it will play video, it will display pictures (on tv with the video out OR on iPod screen)

Great for album art too. I can't wait.

[jsw]

The thing you're forgetting is that your cell phone doesn't have a hard drive. Hard drives still use an exceptional amount of power compared to any solid-state electronics. Most of your battery power is going to the hard drive, and anytime another component uses extra power, it leaves less for the hard drive-- thus, shortened battery life.

True, but my point was simply that the color display needn't shorten the battery life by much compared to using a display like those of previous iPods. Gaming devices, TVs, etc., that use color displays and need them on all the time they're in use often have serious battery life issues, but a color iPod needn't - assuming the display isn't fundamental to using the product, as it isn't for an iPod.

I agree that the hard drive is the biggest drain. I just don't think a color screen will make it much worse; I do think, though, that a color screen could provide some nice benefits which, if not used, won't shorten battery life by more than a few minutes per charge.

[ZildjianKX]

I personally won't ever buy another iPod. It's an MP3 player, why do I need another?

Plus the current battery life is really sucky, and I don't see a more feature rich iPod giving it the 12+ hrs of battery life that I'd want.

Add in Apple's 5 month delay (and still counting) to fix the 4.1 iPod software bug problems and how they tend to drop support for the older iPods ASAP, I'm not very impressed.

[vpalvarez]

I am waiting to buy an ipod until the 4Gs came out, i almost bought a mini but considering that it only carried less than 1/3 of my collection and I am the type that will listen to the most random songs I have it wasn't for me. So now by the time that I buy my ipod (summer) there will be three choices HP ipod, the 4G ipod (hope its out by than), and the mini (if they increase the storage by summer I might consider.

Things couldn't be better for anyone that is considering buying an ipod...
Now we just have to wait for the powerbook and display updates

[vpalvarez]

I'm troubled. I mean - wow! A new gadget from Apple, always an exciting time, but I'm still troubled. I don't really think there's much of a market for this device (though I guess this was said of the iPod at the time). This is no longer an iPod - the iPod is a MUSIC player (which some of us use as hard drives as well) but I think it's revolutionised the music listening experience as much as anyone wants it to, and I don't think being able to look at your photos on a 2-inch colour screen is going to be all that great... And I doubt the battery life will be too hot either - if they're using the same batteries, then a colour screen would drain it pretty quick methinks, especially as some of you are already mentioning using it to play movies... that's just full on - backlight, screen usage, and hd usage all the time...

Sorry, that's just my thoughts!

Some used the ipod for just music. But others used it for music, contacts, notes, calendar, games, and (as you mentioned) harddrive.

The point is that whether you take advantage of it or not the ipod is so much more than an MP3 player, which is one of the biggest selling points. And because it is just a matter of software the possibilities are endless.

[pmcaleer]

Here is the thing.

Video out isn't too exciting to me, in and of itself. But what if, instead of pictures, you can put Keynote presentations on the iPod - AND broadcast them using video out? That, I think, would make the iPod more than what it is now. You do the presentation on your Mac, sync it with the iPod, and you have a portable presentation that requires no laptop nor projector. The business world would drool over this (and of course, it'd spark Mac and Keynote sales.)

Plus, weren't rumors of a projector going around a while ago?

This would make more sense to me. Even the most expensive iPod is cheaper than a projector.

[richland]

Cheaper>features

[Bengt77]

I personally won't ever buy another iPod. It's an MP3 player, why do I need another?

My thoughts exactly; I'm with you on that one... :confused:

[Bunzi2k4]

I don't think i'll buy another ipod unless
1. there is a new music format that every1 uses and the 3g ipods don't support it (won't happen for a long time)
2. i can get an ipod for $10 or less

[nagromme]

Three things I for one do QUITE often:

1. Show friends photos on my business-card-sized camera's tiny 1.5" screen

2. Show friends photo slideshows on TV from my camera's video jack

3. Wish I had photos on my camera to show, but my camera's empty :)

So yes, I would use a photo iPod if this turned out to be true. Time will tell.

[micvog]

Obviously someone here can't see over the hill. I can give you one answer right away. You store all your photos on your iPod, then you go on a family vacation to meet relatives. You plug your iPod into a TV then everyone in the family can view your pictures on a big screen large enough even for your visually impaired 90 year old grandmother to see... couple that with iPhoto sideshow technology and you have a monster of a feature.

I've done that a few times with my digital camera and it's not the simplest thing to get rolling. I'm sure Apple can make this a cinch and give it the expected ooohs and ahhhhs as well.

Hmm... Fast User Switching's cube-rotation effect transitioning from picture to picture on Aunt Mary's big screen TV? :cool:

[blybug]

But what if, instead of pictures, you can put Keynote presentations on the iPod - AND broadcast them using video out?
...
This would make more sense to me. Even the most expensive iPod is cheaper than a projector.

That is the innovative kind of thinking I like, and hope (often with hopes fulfilled) that Apple is working on this kind of functionality.

Many people seem to feel that the iPodAV either does not have a use/market or is impossible technologically, mostly because of battery issues. I think even the few dozen messages on this thread demonstrate that people can see the market and use, and I doubt anybody here really knows for sure how technologically possible it would be.

The post about Keynote gave me an idea, though. Maybe the "video" aspect would be truly "video out," not video on screen. Sure, album cover art and optimized picture slide shows could probably be displayed on a small color screen as sort of a digital wallet without too much of a drain on the battery due to the hard drive use and color screen. But I do have my doubts about whether you'd get much battery life out of a device that is grinding away at the hard drive for 2 hours while you watch a movie. And again, who'd really WANT to watch a movie on a 2" screen?

So let's assume that if you are to watch video with an iPodAV that your video display is external, powered, and big. Plug your iPodAV into a power source while your at it since you're sitting there for 2 hours anyhow. TV is an obvious choice. An LCD projector is another, especially if Keynote shows can be played from the iPod (that's a REALLY good idea). But what about the super-device-geek (or frequent commuter) who really wants to go into his own little world and watch a video?

Apple introduces the iGlasses. Sleek looking battery powered (rechargeable) virtual-reality type glasses that plug into the video out of the iPodAV while its own display is dark. Standard iPod earbuds snap into place where the iGlasses curve around the back of your ear. Videos, iTunes visualizers (take your Dramamine), and iPhoto libraries are projected on what appears to be a huge iMax screen before your eyes. Would be typically Apple-overpriced-but-I've-got-to-have-them cool.

Why not? Remember, this is the company that actually sold an iPod ski jacket with control embedded in the sleeve. And who'd have predicted the legions of so-called iPod Zombies roaming the streets? Maybe in a couple years there will be planes, subways, and study halls full of iPodAV video Zombies.

[jsw]

iGlasses

Too cool! Truly an excellent use of the iXxxx naming convention...

[ZildjianKX]

Too cool! Truly an excellent use of the iXxxx naming convention...

Ummm... the name I-glasses has been used for at least the past 6 years...

http://store4.yimg.com/I/i-glassesonline_1782_1078029

[noel4r]

all i gots to say is: i believe it when i see it...

[blybug]

Ummm... the name I-glasses has been used for at least the past 6 years...

http://store4.yimg.com/I/i-glassesonline_1782_1078029

So...Apple sues this company for use of the letter "i" claiming that it has become so inexorably linked to Apple's products that the public would become confused into believing that these oversized black behomeths were somehow associated with Apple Computer, Inc.

Then Apple makes its own iGlasses that are much whiter, thinner, and sleeker looking, look great on silhouettes dancing in front of brightly colored backdrops, and still cost $699 for the base model.

:p

[ITR 81]

This rumor does sound alot like I thought the 4th gen would be about 6 months ago except for the iPod mini layout.

If it comes out I'll buy the 50GB...as I want to see my digitally stored photo's and seeing things in colour would help my eye sight compared to my 40GB now.

[AirUncleP]

Did I miss it, did I miss it. Did I miss the page long iSlate post?

[JGowan]

I had read somewhere a long while back that Apple was considering using OLED technology by Kodak for their 4G IPOD color screens...

JGowan

PS. I didn't read all 8 pages of this thread so If I'm not the first to say this, keep your stones, crosses and spikes in your pouch for the next guy.

OLED TECHNOLOGY
What is it
An Overview

OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology, pioneered and patented by Kodak, enables full-color, full-motion flat-panel displays with a level of brightness and sharpness not possible with other technologies.

Unlike traditional liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), OLEDs are self-luminous and do not require backlighting. This eliminates the need for bulky and environmentally undesirable mercury lamps and yields a thinner, more compact display.

Unlike other flat panel displays, OLEDs have a wide viewing angle (up to 160 degrees), even in bright light.

Their low power consumption (only 2 to 10 volts) provides for maximum efficiency, and helps minimize heat and electric interference in electronic devices.

Because of this combination of features, OLED displays communicate more information in a more engaging way while adding less weight and taking up less space. Their application in numerous devices is not only a future possibility, but a current reality.

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/display/overview.jhtml

[singletrack]

Pro photographers that usually take 10MB+ sized digital pictures are screaming out for a hard drive they can just plug in to their Canons and Nikons and dump a load of images too. There's a few expensive solutions available already that an iPod with just a simple software change could do.

It's just mad that you have to take the card out of the camera, stick it in a Belkin reader and read it off of the card. It's a middle step that isn't needed.

With todays 5+ megapixel consumer cameras as well, I can see normal consumers lapping it up also.

I don't see why older iPods couldn't do it also given a software change. They've done it already for the Belkin card reader, why not for USB also.

Video out to show them would be cool also. Showing them on the inbuilt screen is ok too - the digicameras have small screens too and people crowd around the back of your camera looking at shots.

Why do people think it's such a controversial idea?

[nagromme]

Re cameras--attaching a cable is another step too! I'd much rather the step of moving the flash card over than have to carry a cable. That's why my AlBook has a flash reader in the PC Card slot.

In any case, the iPod's NOT likely to get features for pro photographers. Direct camera transfer sounds like too small a market for Apple to put the development effort into. Folks can add a Belkin reader--I suspect that's the best you can hope for.

Personally, I just went for a bigger flash chip :) But then I'm a consumer not a professional photographer.

What I see from photo support is all computer-based: synch some/all photos with iPhoto, or manually load anything from Keynote slides (to TV!!) to driving maps. I'd use basic image display all the time! I hope it's true.

PS... Do not expect Quartz Extreme transitions or iTunes Visualizer from an iPod :) (SOME kind of visualizer would be fun.)

[jnasato]

A color screen will definitely help with the feel of "new". After the color screen, HD upgrade, and form changes, there isn't much that Apple can do to effectively update its iPod, without adding on loads of other functionality-- which is what it sounds like they are trying to do.

iPod the music player->iPod the music and video playing/recording PDA cell phone/modem GPS tracker digital camera

Good thing Apple chose "Pod" instead of a more specific, music related term.

[PBGPowerbook]

Videos, iTunes visualizers (take your Dramamine), and iPhoto libraries are projected on what appears to be a huge iMax screen before your eyes.


I'd take something besides Dramamine...

[sprescott1974]

this was posted in the Appleinsider thread, it is a press release for PortalPlayer's new multimedia chip:

http://www.portalplayer.com/news-and-events/photo_jukebox.htm

highlights:

"Copy, view, store, catalog, and modify images without a PC.

Print directly to HP and Canon® printers without a PC using the PictBridge® standard.

Transfer images from a digital camera directly to the portable media player through the USB 2.0 compliant On-the-Go port or by copying from the flash memory card. Synchronize images directly to and from a PC and the portable media player.

View still pictures (JPEG, GIF and TIFF) and video (MJPEG) on the color STN or TFT LCD on the device or on a standard NTSC/PAL TV, through the TV out connector.

Listen to music from the leading online music services such as Musicmatch®, Napster®, Real Audio® and more. Hear audiobooks from Audible.com.

Automatically identify CDs, name and categorize digital files, and generate custom playlists with the touch of a button using the Gracenote® Music Management System.

Record voice over narrations to go with the photos.

Synch digital music files and voice recordings with photos, providing the first of its kind multimedia slide show in a handheld device. Support for the industry standard MPV format (www.osta.org/mpv) enables slide show interoperability and quick indexing of metadata.

Interact with popular PC applications that are used to organize and view photo collections"

PortalPlayer is the company that Apple currently uses for it's iPod chips. This release pretty much describes this rumored 4th Gen iPod exactly (photo capabilities, slideshow capabilities, video-out to TV) so it doesn't sound that far fetched. While Apple is not named anywhere in the release or on PortalPlayer's site, 4 independant OEMs. 3 of those OEMs are located in Taiwan where the iPod is manufactured. Now certainly someone could have taken this release and decided this was the next iPod and went a head and started the rumor, but it is not that big of a leap to assume that the two are related.

What was the tag line for NAB again? "Moving pictures. Moving sound. Moving the industry" Still sounds like this device. Are rumors and clues actually starting to add up?

[ethernet76]

Am I the onlthat's going to call shennigans? How many people use their iPod for photos again? Less than 1% you say. Interesting. Video out is interesting, but two hours battery life? And what format would they use? mpeg-4? mov?
Honestly I just want a cheaper iPod with the mini-style button layout.

Personally I like the design of my gen 1 5gb better than the new ones. Touch sensitive buttons blow, and there isn't anything like feeling the scroll wheel move. On that note, since my iPod is out of warranty, does anyone know if i can just throw in a 40 gig harddrive into it and know if the iPod won't die? Reply in private message.

[ethernet76]

Re cameras--attaching a cable is another step too! I'd much rather the step of moving the flash card over than have to carry a cable. That's why my AlBook has a flash reader in the PC Card slot.

In any case, the iPod's NOT likely to get features for pro photographers. Direct camera transfer sounds like too small a market for Apple to put the development effort into. Folks can add a Belkin reader--I suspect that's the best you can hope for.

Personally, I just went for a bigger flash chip :) But then I'm a consumer not a professional photographer.

What I see from photo support is all computer-based: synch some/all photos with iPhoto, or manually load anything from Keynote slides (to TV!!) to driving maps. I'd use basic image display all the time! I hope it's true.

PS... Do not expect Quartz Extreme transitions or iTunes Visualizer from an iPod :) (SOME kind of visualizer would be fun.)

Pro photographers don't use an iPod. Look at journalism, a large small-format-SLR market. Speed is key. How long does it take to empty a flashcard, then, erase it? Too long. I'd just buy a 512, and be happy. It takes 4 minutes alone to empty a 128 via firewire connect to my D1H, and that's to a G4.

[Thanatoast]

I haven't read the whole thread, so pardon me if I repeat:

Is the iPod's processor hefty enough to play mp4s?

[blybug]

Am I the onlthat's going to call shennigans? How many people use their iPod for photos again? Less than 1% you say. Interesting.

Well I doubt even 1% use their iPods for Photos now since there is no Photo functionality in the current iPods other than to copy them there. But if advance photo management/synching and viewing were added...

Case in point: My parents.

Finally after 30-some years of taking slides they see all the neat things we are doing with our digital pictures (email, Ceiva Photo Frame (http://www.ceiva.com), watching them on TV through TiVo Home Media Option (http://www.tivo.com/4.9.asp) and now through the Elgato EyeHome (http://www.elgato.com)) they decide to go ahead and buy a digital camera. Nothing fancy, some 2 megapixel job they pick up at WalMart.

They think its cool, they watch the pictures with the video out on the TV, but then after the memory stick is full and they put the pictures in their computer, my dad says "Now I have to look at the pictures in my computer. How do I get to see them on TV after they are out of the camera?" Not to mention that the PC software they use to download and organize their pictures is agonizing. I've tried to tell them to get a DVD player that can play JPG CDs, and a CD burner, then burn the pictures to CD, or to get TiVo and set up a Home Network...but these are my PARENTS...all these solutions are too complicated.

They would understand downloading and organizing their photos in iPhoto (for Windows, anyone??), clicking "Sync with iPod" then taking the iPod to the TV and watching pictures. I've been so used to having my photos available on TiVo for the past year I've almost forgotten that most people still can't figure out how to free their pictures from their computers (until I have this recurrent conversation with my parents).

The average consumer, who has already heard of the iPod but may not feel that their digital music collection warrants purchasing one, might suddenly become very interested when they learn the new iPod can also sync their photo collection for backup, portability, and display on small screen or TV. Everyone is carrying around 10 pictures of their kids on their Palms, why not a few thousand on an iPod?

Makes me wonder when somebody is going to put the 40GB microdrive in a digital camera and simply make the camera the place where you keep your pictures...

[blybug]

And here's the ad campaign...

Dancing silhouette in front of colored backdrop (preferably the green girl from the Black-Eyed Peas ad (http://www.apple.com/ipod/ads/archive/small45.html)).

http://www.bly.cc/greengirl.JPG

Camera pans back so that we see the backdrop as a "set" with the silhouette's parents (also silhouettes but older, dad with beer belly) standing off to the side snapping pictures with a consumer digital camera. Music ends, proud parent silhouettes hugging daughter telling her they are so proud of her, what a great dancer she is, etc.

Family walks over to computer, daughter hands Dad the iPod, he docks it, plugs in the camera, cut to screen as photos download into iPhoto. Dad clicks "Sync to iPod" button, grabs iPod, family sits down in front of big-screen TV as Dad plugs iPod into AV jacks. Slide show of pictures begins on TV and whole family dances to Black-Eyed Peas.

Jeff Goldblum voice over "The new iPodAV. Now listen to up to 12,000 songs, view 50,000 photos, or just a whole lot of each."

[jettredmont]

This is similar to what I was thinking. They will nevr have photo viewing for the ipod becasue there is no dominant app for viewing photos on Windows, this would be a major trade off for windows users. They won't justify spendin the money on a devoce they can't use. Apple would have three options:

1) Release iPhoto for Windows (and maybe include it w/ the 4G ipod)
2) Make the 4G ipod sync-able with almost every photo app on windows
3) Not release an ipod capable of viewing photos.

I think option three is the most likely which is fine with me.
Maybe they will release it at the same time that Hp releases theirs.


Ummm ... the dominant app for viewing photos on Windows XP is included free with every copy and is called "Windows Explorer".

All that the photo-pod would need to do is expose it's "photos" directory as a mass storage device containing photos, and any of the Windows iPhoto wannabe's would start up when it connects and grab the photos just like it was the camera. The only missing link is syncing the iPod library with the Windows library (and dealing with the fact that there are still photos on the device which already exist on the computer and so Windows doesn't have to copy them over). The trick there might be having two folders, one of which is for "new" photos and the other is for "archived" photos.

I don't think an iPhoto for Windows is out of the question. However, I think that the bar is pretty low in Windows world, and the iPod as described previously would certainly sell well.

[dontmatter]

Much as cool new features are, well, cool....I don't want any. I really don't want apple to make them standard on all ipods. The ipod is a great way to listen to music, (and piles of it) with incredible portability, and not too unreasonable a price tag, given the pleasure and style of the device. We know, if anybody is going to cut into the niche and take over market share, it's going to be from selling the same thing cheaper. So while a color screen and video capabilities may be a great new thing, and a new corner on the market, unless this somehow magically doesn't cost them any money, they've got to keep a classically functional, simple music carrying ipod. That's why I enjoy mine, and I wouldn't be any measureable ammount happier with extra features (well, compared with the pleasure of constant great music). And, for those who don't want the extra features, the extra cost, or just lack of extra room/smaller size, or other options at the same cost, would be a major drive towards other competitors.

Just my 2 cents.

[bar italia]

This rumor does sound alot like I thought the 4th gen would be about 6 months ago except for the iPod mini layout.

If it comes out I'll buy the 50GB...as I want to see my digitally stored photo's and seeing things in colour would help my eye sight compared to my 40GB now.

Yeah! Another accurate prediction by ITR 81. You were off by a half a year, and it's a different device, but what the heck!

[Penman]

Three things I for one do QUITE often:

1. Show friends photos on my business-card-sized camera's tiny 1.5" screen

2. Show friends photo slideshows on TV from my camera's video jack

3. Wish I had photos on my camera to show, but my camera's empty :)

So yes, I would use a photo iPod if this turned out to be true. Time will tell.

Hooray! You get it too! Can anyone else see that Apple are probably being smart and launching a new model. Video isn't about movies - it's about videos. hundreds of millions of dollars worth of content that record companies can't sell and would jump to put online. People will watch a 3 minute video on an iPod screen while they hear the tune playing, or make their own MTV via a TV out jack.

The reason that we have so many surround sound formats is that in testing people prefer mediocre video and killer sound to killer video and mediocre sound. The iPod with video playback capability needn't be able to do anything but take a video download from iTMS in order for Apple to make a ton of cash from it. I'd not be surprised to see FW 800 for Apple users. Makes sense with high bandwidth.

Video screens are also an excuse to make the device bigger. Apple would be happy if you bought a big iPod for it's screen and a mini for music only.

[squirrellydw]

Do you think the other ipods will be updated?

[vpalvarez]

Much as cool new features are, well, cool....I don't want any. I really don't want apple to make them standard on all ipods. The ipod is a great way to listen to music, (and piles of it) with incredible portability, and not too unreasonable a price tag, given the pleasure and style of the device. We know, if anybody is going to cut into the niche and take over market share, it's going to be from selling the same thing cheaper. So while a color screen and video capabilities may be a great new thing, and a new corner on the market, unless this somehow magically doesn't cost them any money, they've got to keep a classically functional, simple music carrying ipod. That's why I enjoy mine, and I wouldn't be any measureable ammount happier with extra features (well, compared with the pleasure of constant great music). And, for those who don't want the extra features, the extra cost, or just lack of extra room/smaller size, or other options at the same cost, would be a major drive towards other competitors.

Just my 2 cents.

Supposedly the HP iPod will still be based on 3G technology, so you can still have everything you want, albiet in a slighty different exterior and maybe the color might not be what you wany but the music will still be the same, and after all it is all about the music

[jettredmont]

Three things I for one do QUITE often:

1. Show friends photos on my business-card-sized camera's tiny 1.5" screen

2. Show friends photo slideshows on TV from my camera's video jack

3. Wish I had photos on my camera to show, but my camera's empty :)

So yes, I would use a photo iPod if this turned out to be true. Time will tell.

I agree with 2/3 of the above ... I just never seem to be near a TV with an RCA jack open and the requisite cable when showing off digicam photos ...

But I just don't get the folks complaining about the small size of the iPod screen when I and just about everyone I know who has a digicam ritualistically passes around the camera to show off the latest pictures. Yes, there's often a "I want a print of that" that comes out, but you can certainly get the gist of most photos (and I suspect that the photoPod would also allow for zooming in on photos like most digicams do).

FWIW, a friend of mine uploaded a handful of family pictures to their cell phone to show them around. Now *that's* a small screen (and poor color)!

[Borg3of5]

I may not be an iPod power-user, but after having had my current 2G iPod for a year, I have no complaints. I, perhaps, really don't use the iPod as much as the next person: about 1-2 times per week, maybe 3 times max, with about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour use each time.

I don't have any complaints about the battery life, although yes, I have seen websites that claim the iPod's battery life is the pits. Maybe it's because I don't use it as often, or maybe I just got lucky.

I'm definintely interested in the 4G iPod and my biggest wish out of it:

AM/FM tuner: FM alone would be fine.

Something that probably would be interesting would be built-in Bluetooth, and then buy an add-on Bluetooth receiver that plugs into someone's car stereo.

[nagromme]

A built-in mic is something I've always wanted to see standard, because it takes an output-only device and gives you SOME (and very easy!) form of input when someone tells you a phone # or something. That tips the scales to making an iPod a better PDA than a PDA--for me. (I'll deal with properly inputting the note or phone # when I get back to my Mac.) I have no need or desire for a full PDA, but the basic PDA-like functions of the iPod are a big reason I plan to buy one.

But I had another idea that would be useful and friendly--but mainly just "cool": Allow voice-triggering of songs or playlists, the way cell-phones let you dial by voice. Not useful in every case, but it does have a certain simplicity. If Apple added a mic anyway, this would be something else they might do with it.

(For anyone who is worried that Apple might make the iPod TOO capable and high-end... maybe you should write to Apple and suggest they start a second, entry-level line of iPods ;) )

Battery comment: don't forget that OTHER portable players--almost all of them, have built-in batteries just like iPod does. It helps a player be smaller. Sure, I'd like one that was even easier to swap, but you can do it for under $40 already so it's a minor issue for me. (So is FM... those little things would be neat if they didn't make the iPod bigger, but TV-out for photos, and a mic, would be more important to me!)

[powerpc603e]

check these images out...

Black iPod (http://www.philmug.org/forums/viewthread.php?tid=5843)

Jaguar iPod (http://www.philmug.org/forums/viewthread.php?tid=5854)

[NP3]

check these images out...

Black iPod (http://www.philmug.org/forums/viewthread.php?tid=5843)

Jaguar iPod (http://www.philmug.org/forums/viewthread.php?tid=5854)


OOO i like the black one. Pretty nice.

[Jerry Spoon]

Mini ipod is aimed at a different market than the other iPods... some ppl do not want to spend $$$ on a iPod, so the minis fit their budget. Likewise, not everyone want a video screen on their mp3 player...

I completely agree with this statement. That being said, if Apple does come out with this new iPod, I'll get one to sit right next to my mini. I'll keep the mini for when I go out running/biking and use the new iPod for everything else.

Looks like the only iPod that doesn't really meet my needs is the original configuration.

[~Shard~]

When, when WHEN?!!? I would definitely buy a 4G iPod, but how long would I have to wait? Hopefully Apple releases this in the not-too-distant future...

[appleguy]

If this does happen (which I don't think will be this year)
I think that the Size of the housing and screen may be a little bigger and poss a removeable battery like the (ibook/powerbook)
My 3cents worth.

[vpalvarez]

My Apple iPod 4G Wishlist:

1) iPod mini Clickwheel
2) Slightly Sleeker Housing (Aluminum)
3) Better battery life
4) Boost in Storage apacity across the line
5) Updated Display (not neccesarily color but maybe a better backlight, like the mini or maybe a larger display.
6) FM radio
7) Photo viewer (i don't see why apple can't release a different gadget for this to keep the price down on the ipod.


These items are in the order of importance (to me) And I believe that Apple can do it for the SAME price, albiet they may have to take a slightly smaller profit margin. The photo viewing capability is a wonderful innovation, but the majority of the people that would appreciate this enhancement would likely be willing to keep their current ipods and buy a new device that will do this. A I undrerstand that if apple puts a color screen than the price to put this capabilty is almoist nil, which is fine.


What i don't want to see is an ipod that does everything but costs $650 and has a battery life of about 2 hours. I think that their is no harm in having Apple release a photo viewer so long as they keep the price down and battery life up.


My 2 cents

[mhouse]

There are a couple things we can count on, knowing both recent iPod history and new market trends.

...new iPods WILL be out before summer. Nothing else makes much sense. Why would Apple do a deal with HP which would only dilute their brand and marketshare on the 3G iPod if they had nothing else waiting in the wings? They could sell the current Apple-Branded 3G iPod to outfits like Office Depot, etc. if they just wanted wider distribution. No, Apple will have a 4G iPod out simultaneously (or slightly before) the arrival of the "HP music player" which, I believe, will see a significant price reduction from the current Apple branded version.

...iPods are already at a premium price. Apple will pack as many new features in as they can without raising the price. I'm not an engineer so I don't know what that feature set will be, but you can bet it will not be one that will drive the price above the current 299-499 scheme. So, probably no video features. MS is talking about a 'video iPod' and the prices are around 800 bucks and the device itself is much bigger and heavier than an iPod. No way Apple will do that.

And, finally, can we drop the battery issue? Man, it really alarms me how the Neistats have managed to, almost single-handedly, create a problem out of thin air. It also alarms me that otherwise rational people suddenly take leave of their senses when it comes to this issue. Look folks, I'd love a teeny, tiny battery that costs one dollar and lasts forever too but they just don't exist.

Why does the Dell DJ get 16 hours of battery life? The thing is the size of a small boat. Seriously, you could put your family on it and escape from Cuba with it. Apple could either a. raise the price of the iPod or, b. make the iPod bigger. Those are the only two ways to get battery life better than the iPod has right now.

Which do you want? Me, I'll stick with the 8 hours and tiny form factor.

[Trowaman]

okay, isn't it obvious?

Video out and no mention of a MAJOR enhancment such as play movies. The 4th Gen will have an optional visualizer. Although the viewing of iPhotos is possible I doubt it b/c it would be a "mac only feature" for a little bit (until some Windows guy makes a pastch for a Wondows photo viewer). Good idea though, but I'm sticking with visualizer.

[gola]

I am disapointed that high quality audio-in is not mentioned. Neither in the rumor or from most people here at the forum. So I guess it will be at the bottom of Apples list of possible features then :( For interviews and field recordings and live-music recording it would totally remove the need of DAT-tapes and MiniDiscs (which are always too short).

One other thought: Would it be possible to use the video-out for video-in as well, with a connected iSight? Would make a great mini-dv-cam.

[Kilchzimmer]

colour screen...video output...
Hmmmm......
Is this one step closer to my dream upgrade of being able to load a Keynote presentation (with Keynote player) onto an iPod. How nice it would be to connect the iPod directly to a digital projector and be set for showing a Keynote presentation.

OK.... another side benefit is that it would allow me to purchase it as a "work expense" and still have room for my music library. :)

[aswitcher]

My Apple iPod 4G Wishlist:

1) iPod mini Clickwheel
2) Slightly Sleeker Housing (Aluminum)
3) Better battery life
4) Boost in Storage apacity across the line
5) Updated Display (not neccesarily color but maybe a better backlight, like the mini or maybe a larger display.
6) FM radio
7) Photo viewer (i don't see why apple can't release a different gadget for this to keep the price down on the ipod.

SNIP
My 2 cents

1,2,3,5 are all a must have for me
4 is always nice
6 is not a bad idea, maybe via the headset option...pretty fine if it recorded it at the same time :)
7 I would really like that with an A/V in/out for photos and video, without messing around with a slow card reader

I would also like a "ipod at home/idisk" feature to take my harddisk working files on the road easily

[Analog Kid]

Here is the thing.
...
You do the presentation on your Mac, sync it with the iPod, and you have a portable presentation that requires no laptop nor projector.
...

Sorry, I'm just picturing a bunch of suits huddled together watching a keynote presentation on a 2" screen... :eek:

[Analog Kid]

Re cameras--attaching a cable is another step too! I'd much rather the step of moving the flash card over than have to carry a cable. That's why my AlBook has a flash reader in the PC Card slot.

In any case, the iPod's NOT likely to get features for pro photographers. Direct camera transfer sounds like too small a market for Apple to put the development effort into. Folks can add a Belkin reader--I suspect that's the best you can hope for.

Personally, I just went for a bigger flash chip :) But then I'm a consumer not a professional photographer.


Hmmm... You don't want to carry a cable, but you'd carry a PowerBook?

People would rather spend a couple hundred dollars on a fractional GB flash card than invest it in a multi-GB iPod they can use for other things when they don't have their camera?

Heck, direct transfer might even make that little card that came with the camera sufficient.

Belkin reader is worse than a cable-- it's a cable, a box, batteries, and media challenged.

I don't want a color screen to try and watch pictures on the thing. Video out would be ok if I didn't have to pay for it and didn't have to use it. What I would like is the ability to dump images directly from my camera to my iPod.

It wouldn't impact normal operation of the device at all, they could sell the cable as an optional accessory, the current hardware seems to support it (the specs for the current processor say it can act as a USB host, and you gotta think the necessary pins go to that dock connector).

Walkin' the streets, groovin' to the sound, snappin' some shots...
Beautiful...

Different strokes-n-at.

[Kilchzimmer]

Is this one step closer to my dream upgrade of being able to load a Keynote presentation (with Keynote player) onto an iPod.

Forgot to mention for the Windows iPod user, it can allow for playing those so-so, pixalated transition, PowerPoint shows.

other wish list:
1. recording audio.
Not the cheezy FM quality voice notes - but CD quality. I can't imagine this adding to the iPod size or price. Great for ultra portable field recording, audio for use in presentations, videos, etc.. A nice complement to the other Apple audio software. This may put another stake into the sony mini-disc which won't allow me to transfer digital data to my computer.

Too many features to ask for on a small iPod?
This coming from someone who prefers an affordable mobile phone that is just a mobile phone (not a horrible camera, game console, etc.).

- Kz

[widesky]

I hope that the 4g ipod addresses missing features rather than coming up with new ones.

Still waiting for:
Proper recording features (CD quality)
Digital out
Surround sound support
Lossless audio compression (FLOC support?)
Radio support (FM?)

Also waiting for a home hifi version of the ipod ( and not one that requires networking to your mac, using a tv as a gui, etc )

[Mord]

what you want an ipod thats got around 15 sockets on it including coaxial optical analog you want a cd quality mic and a radio with an arial sticking out

if you want that the ipod will start looking like a achos brick

[singletrack]

Pro photographers don't use an iPod. Look at journalism, a large small-format-SLR market. Speed is key. How long does it take to empty a flashcard, then, erase it? Too long. I'd just buy a 512, and be happy. It takes 4 minutes alone to empty a 128 via firewire connect to my D1H, and that's to a G4.

It depends what you're doing as a journalist/photographer.

I'm a mountainbiking journalist so carrying around a G4 laptop as well as a D30 and lenses isn't something you ever do. It's hard enough to cycle with a D30 in your backpack as is.

We don't use IBM microdrives as they are too fragile in cameras. Just compact flash cards.

Also, I'm likely to be away for days or weeks at a time. Sometimes miles from nowhere eg. A week in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

Either you carry a bunch of cards with you and delete the ones you don't want to use or you dump them to something else. An iPod would fit the bill. It's a cheap alternative to buying something like an image-tank, xs-drive or nixvue.

There's a whole bunch of these things already - go see http://www.steves-digicams.com/digi_accessories.html#storage some of which are even mp3 players also. None of them have colour screens.


Even as just a consumer, I don't want to take my laptop with me on holiday. An iPod however would be just perfect. I don't see why they've not done it even in the 3G iPod.

[Chupa Chupa]

All of these features add-ons seem a little dubious to me.

I could see Apple adding a video out port, but not on the iPod itself, rather on a separate dock. It would be a nice feature, but only useful in combination with an IR remote. It just doesn't make sense to put it on the iPod itself. It will turn off some customers who don't want to pay for a feature they don't need. Putting it on the dock gives Apple both design and marketing flexibility.

A color screen would be nice, but I just don't see how current battery technology would support an 8 hour life at the current form factor. Its its color screen vs size and battery life, I think most people are going to take the latter.

However, I do think the iPod has rapidly matured, and bumps in HD space are not going to be enough to propel sales much longer. Major feature add-ons will come, and I'm guessing the mini-Pod will become the sole music player and the current iPod will be transformed into a portable multimedia swiss army knife.

[jouster]

I think that those wishing for a built in AM/FM capability are going to be disappointed. Apple (in the person of SJ) seems loath to relinquish control overthe quality of what you hear on the iPod just as they seem to want to control the way OS X looks - hence no themes any longer.

The problem with such devices is that the reception is so variable, especially on AM. I bought a 'radio walkman' for walking around campus, and recption is great in some places, awful in others. FM is better, but not much.

I really think that Steve can't bear the thought of fuzzy, distorted analog sound, or cheezy commercials, on the iPod. He is able to ensure that only crisp digital sounds are available right now, though of course he has no control over peripheral manufacturers.

[whatever]

I have to be admit I was quite upset when I first read this RUMOR yesterday. You see my trusty 5GB iPod died on Friday. It took a nasty fall and actually bounced straight up a good two feet before landing on the ground. Yet, the iPod managed to work for a couple of days before the harddrive died. Yes, only the hard drive died on it. Everything else works.

But I digress. On Monday night I decided I needed a new iPod. I thought long and hard and decided to purchase the 40GB model. I thought long and hard and worried that the 4th generation iPods would appear shortly after. But then I thought about it.

Based on price points Apple would never release a new line of iPods before June, even if they were sitting all boxed up in a warehouse.

Here is the logic I used: the 4GB minis sell for $250.00 and are selling like hot cakes. The first production run of these cute little iPods will be sold out shortly. So there is no need to change the price of it.

For only $50.00 more you can buy a 15GB iPod. Apple will not release a lower priced iPod because of the Mini.

For a $100.00 more you can get a 20 GB iPod, I wouldn't be surpised if Apple drops this model and replaces it with a 30 GB, because for another $100.00 you can double your disk space and get a 40GB.

So Apple is basically stuck with keeping the low end iPod at 15GB and the high end one at 40GB. For the time being.

What I've been told that this will happen is that this summer:

iPod Mini $199.99
20GB iPod $299.99
30GB iPod $399.99
40GB iPod $499.99

[toughboy]

I wonder if it'll go to aluminum enclosure as well?

that would be great.. both of my iPods (2g and 3g) looked terrible after 2-3 months of usage, on the other hand my 12"PBG4 looks like new after 9 months.

[sprescott1974]

Did anyone bother to read PortalPlayer's press release from January 8th???? i know my post was long, but i still see arguements going on here about video-out and photo capabilities when PortalPlayer announced yesterday that it's new chip does all this. By the way, PortalPlayer makes the current iPod chip.

http://www.portalplayer.com/news-an...oto_jukebox.htm

[ingenious]

In order to accommodate the new color screen, a revised version of the iPod's embedded OS will most likely be required, sources said. The company is also rapidly developing a major update to its iTunes jukebox software, also due this year.


So will it be iTunes 5? What will the color of the note be?

iTunes 1=multicolored
iTunes 2=blue
iTunes 3=purple
iTunes 4=green

also, what os does the iPod use?

[Flowbee]

All of these features add-ons seem a little dubious to me.

I could see Apple adding a video out port, but not on the iPod itself, rather on a separate dock.

Perhaps the new iPod docks in the rumored set-top 'iBox.' :cool:

[edgar_is_good]

This is just speculation, but when Steve said that you couldn't reproduce the video experience like you could audio, but that they were working on it, I got thinking. I've seen these video goggles, where you watch movies in a virtual theater environment (they're like VR goggles, but simpler). Could apple partner with some company that makes them? This would be a real ipod-killer killer.

A 40 GB ipod plus these would still be competitively priced and _way_ better.

http://www.reviewfinder.com/reviews/glasstron/index.asp

[Analog Kid]

what you want an ipod thats got around 15 sockets on it including coaxial optical analog you want a cd quality mic and a radio with an arial sticking out

Sorry, this is a little off topic, but what is a coaxial optical cable? I'm used to coax meaning conductor and shield, but that wouldn't make sense for optical, I don't think... I don't do much with digital audio.

Thanks--

[Capt Underpants]

that would be great.. both of my iPods (2g and 3g) looked terrible after 2-3 months of usage, on the other hand my 12"PBG4 looks like new after 9 months.
Did you buy a case from them, or try to protect them? Ive got PDA screen covers cut to fit on mine to prevent surface scratches. They work great. takes some time to cut them out, though.

[vpalvarez]

okay, isn't it obvious?

Video out and no mention of a MAJOR enhancment such as play movies. The 4th Gen will have an optional visualizer. Although the viewing of iPhotos is possible I doubt it b/c it would be a "mac only feature" for a little bit (until some Windows guy makes a pastch for a Wondows photo viewer). Good idea though, but I'm sticking with visualizer.

I fail to see how this is obvious or why it is necessary, or even wanted. I would be surprised if you are right no offense it just isn't likely.

[vpalvarez]

I think that those wishing for a built in AM/FM capability are going to be disappointed. Apple (in the person of SJ) seems loath to relinquish control overthe quality of what you hear on the iPod just as they seem to want to control the way OS X looks - hence no themes any longer.

The problem with such devices is that the reception is so variable, especially on AM. I bought a 'radio walkman' for walking around campus, and recption is great in some places, awful in others. FM is better, but not much.

I really think that Steve can't bear the thought of fuzzy, distorted analog sound, or cheezy commercials, on the iPod. He is able to ensure that only crisp digital sounds are available right now, though of course he has no control over peripheral manufacturers.

I don't know if this is true. People can but 32 and 64 kbs mp3s if they wanted to, but FM quality radio is out of the question, doubt it. If Apple refused to put FM it wouldn't be for the reasons you stated, it would be for something else, mabe to make the iPod a little sleeker.

Just My Opinion could be wrong

[vpalvarez]

What I've been told that this will happen is that this summer:

iPod Mini $199.99
20GB iPod $299.99
30GB iPod $399.99
40GB iPod $499.99

I think that it would work out like this:
iPod Mini $199.99
20 GB iPod $299.99
40 GB iPod $399.99
50/60 GB iPod $499.99

And then...

15GB HP iPod $249.99
30GB HP iPod $349.99
40GB HP iPod $449.99

[floatingspirit]

a video out is useless unless the "color screen" plays movies too. Why would you want to store photos on your ipod....and then also look at them on a tv. Big deal.

Actually, I use my camera and iBook specifically for that purpose! The iPod would blend the storage capacity of the iBook with the portability of the camera. Perfect!! If only the software could get beefed up, like giving slide shows.

[bousozoku]

Sorry, this is a little off topic, but what is a coaxial optical cable? I'm used to coax meaning conductor and shield, but that wouldn't make sense for optical, I don't think... I don't do much with digital audio.

Thanks--

I think this what you want an ipod thats got around 15 sockets on it including coaxial optical analog you want a cd quality mic and a radio with an arial sticking out was meant to have punctuation, such as:

What you want is an iPod that's got around 15 sockets on it including coaxial, optical, analog. You want a CD quality mic and a radio with an aerial sticking out.

As far as the subject of being able to display photos, I think that would be great. I'm planning to buy an iPod as a storage unit while I'm taking photos. It's cheaper than buying high capacity (1 - 4 GB) Compact Flash cards, even with the Belkin media reader.

[vpalvarez]

Appleinsider also had a previous story stating that Apple was trying to reduce the cost of ipod so they could sell even more of them.How will they make all of these upgrades and reduce the cost w/o reducing their profit margin to near nothing.

[Hattig]

Well, as the new PortalPlayer SoC handles all of this, I believe it!

I expect the new PortalPlayer SoC to be made on a smaller process (130nm?) than the previous chip, so power usage will be lower, hence allowing it to run faster and do more, or do the old stuff and use less power.

No mention of video is made though. This is a shame, I was expecting Apple to update iTMS to allow downloads of refactored Quicktime music videos (made to the resolution of the new iPod's screen) for $1.99 - $2.99 a piece. But this doesn't look possible.

The new screen has a strong chance of being OLED - this technology has grown a lot in the past year, and is now being used in devices quite a bit. It uses less power, so a 2" OLED colour screen (twice the resolution of the current screen in both directions) could use the same, or less, power than the current monochrome display. Remember that no backlight is required with OLED as well.

The current iPod has a "160-by-128-pixel resolution, 0.24-mm dot pitch" display. That is a mere 2.5KB display. A 320x256 16-bit display will take up 160KB of memory, quite a lot more! Maybe that high a resolution is a bit much to expect, although for a device that can show photos, a low dot pitch is a good thing to have. Maybe the resolution will be 240x192 instead, a 90KB display. These size screens are available in OLED format, and used in devices already.

Of course, an OLED display is also thinner than an LCD display. This could create more room for battery inside, in case the power usage goes up.

This does match iLife quite well. iTunes plays and manages music and integrates with iPod, iPhoto shows and manages pictures, and now will integrate with iPod. iPod already does portable MacOS X Firewire boot/recovery and standard file transport. Quite a remarkable device. Now if it allows automatic retrieval of photos from popular digital cameras as well ... mmmm.

All in all, this could be the iPod I finally go for, as long as the 20GB $299 version has all the features of the 50GB $499 version anyway. Especially if it has an OLED screen, I want to see what the fuss is about. Heh.

[Little Endian]

http://slashdot.org/articles/04/03/18/1325235.shtml?tid=109&tid=141&tid=187&tid=188

Microsoft's ipod Killer to be priced around$700-$800 Plays MP3,s and Video in WMA format. This won't sell not at that price and considering it will be three times as thick and twice as long as well as twice as heavy than the current ipod's. These upcoming creative players could hardly be called portable and even if Apple has something like this up it's sleeves it would cost through the nose and still be twice the size of our current ipod's. If a Creative Mp3 Video player will cost $700-$800 expect an Apple one to Cost about $1000 sure if Apple gives us one it will probably be better than any other on the Market, but we will have to pay that Premium price and don't expect it to be the same size as our current ipod's. Anything Pushing anywhere near the $1000 mark and if it is twice the size of the current ipod won't sell for mass appeal as at that rate one would be better off buying an ibook or PB 12".

[Hattig]

http://slashdot.org/articles/04/03/18/1325235.shtml?tid=109&tid=141&tid=187&tid=188

Microsoft's ipod Killer to be priced around$700-$800 Plays MP3,s and Video in WMA format.

Yeah, it is a joke isn't it!

If I desperately wanted to watch a movie on the move, I'd get a slimline portable DVD player for a third of the price - $200 get you a 7" LCD machine: Amazon Listing (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000C83IH/qid=1079682027/sr=1-1/ref=pd_sbs_e_1/102-4448884-7590559?v=glance&s=electronics), leaving you a full $500 for a top of the range iPod for general use!

And it is guaranteed that the interface will not be as good as the iPods!

[aswitcher]

http://slashdot.org/articles/04/03/18/1325235.shtml?tid=109&tid=141&tid=187&tid=188

Microsoft's ipod Killer to be priced around$700-$800 Plays MP3,s and Video in WMA format. This won't sell not at that price and considering it will be three times as thick and twice as long as well as twice as heavy than the current ipod's. These upcoming creative players could hardly be called portable and even if Apple has something like this up it's sleeves it would cost through the nose and still be twice the size of our current ipod's. If a Creative Mp3 Video player will cost $700-$800 expect an Apple one to Cost about $1000 sure if Apple gives us one it will probably be better than any other on the Market, but we will have to pay that Premium price and don't expect it to be the same size as our current ipod's. Anything Pushing anywhere near the $1000 mark and if it is twice the size of the current ipod won't sell for mass appeal as at that rate one would be better off buying an ibook or PB 12".

And since many geeks who would buy this already have laptops with dvd players which are only probably double or tripple the size, why spend good money on such a device...?

[cbadvanced]

And since many geeks who would buy this already have laptops with dvd players which are only probably double or tripple the size, why spend good money on such a device...?

Well I'm a person that doesnt have a laptop with DVD player...I would get the 4th Generation iPod if it could play videos for $1000 anytime :)

Have a nice day "geek"

[cbadvanced]

Yeah, it is a joke isn't it!

If I desperately wanted to watch a movie on the move, I'd get a slimline portable DVD player for a third of the price - $200 get you a 7" LCD machine: Amazon Listing (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000C83IH/qid=1079682027/sr=1-1/ref=pd_sbs_e_1/102-4448884-7590559?v=glance&s=electronics), leaving you a full $500 for a top of the range iPod for general use!

And it is guaranteed that the interface will not be as good as the iPods!

Portable DVD Players with the LCD screen is crap...the max hours of the battery is 2 and half hours...you cant even watch Lord of the Rings on it....

[cbadvanced]

Appleinsider cites "reliable" sources (http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=393) and reports that Apple is readying the 4th Generation iPods.

The upcoming iPods reportedly sport a max capacity of 50GB of storage, 2 inch color LCDs, video out, photo display capabilities, and revised (Mini-like) navigation wheel.

No release date is provided.


I WANTED AN IPOD LIKE THIS EVER SINCE I HEARD ABOUT A THING CALLED IPOD!! DREAM COME TRUE!

[Hattig]

Portable DVD Players with the LCD screen is crap...the max hours of the battery is 2 and half hours...you cant even watch Lord of the Rings on it....
And this will be different for these Microsoft Video Players?

[xtnmend]

And this will be different for these Microsoft Video Players?
Now that Microsoft want to deliver its "iPod Killer" and take over the Apple's market in mp3 player....we need a renewed iPod to keep the market in this area, and not let it go as Apple did in early 90's....... We all know that the microsoft gadget will always be lesser than any Apple's......so I hope Apple deliver this 4G soon......I don't know if I'll have money enough to buy it...lol....anyway.

[jsw]

Portable DVD Players with the LCD screen is crap...the max hours of the battery is 2 and half hours...you cant even watch Lord of the Rings on it....

In all fairness, my Panasonic portable DVD plays for about 4 hours using a Panasonic battery. Of course, it's only a 5" widescreen, so you'd be able to hear all of LOTR...but not really see it. :)

[TWinbrook46636]

I think people are jumping to conclusions about this new iPod having video capabilies. All the rumors have stated that it has a color display for photos and a video out port, most likely for displaying photos on a TV.

There are a bunch of portable storage devices (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nixvuevista/) out there that cost as much as an iPod and do nothing else than store digital photos. Most have a 1.8 inch color screen. Some only have an LCD status display. Imagine an iPod that can do this and play music.

It seems pretty simple. The name iPod was picked because it can apply to more than just music down the road. The current iPods sync with iTunes. These will add syncing with iPhoto. Perhaps in the future we will have one that syncs with iMovie and iDVD but I don't think the technology is there yet to properly support it.

We're still waiting for the iPod with 802.11g/Rendezvous support.

[vpalvarez]

In all fairness, my Panasonic portable DVD plays for about 4 hours using a Panasonic battery. Of course, it's only a 5" widescreen, so you'd be able to hear all of LOTR...but not really see it. :)

If you are unsatsfied with a five inch screen (and is very understandable) how satisfied will the people that buy these $800 PVPs be with a 2 or 3 inch screen? I don't think that these things will ever sell like mp3 players have.

[vpalvarez]

We're still waiting for the iPod with 802.11g/Rendezvous support.


I first questioned the merits behind a WiFi enable music player (aside from synching) But then I read about technology that HP is working on and became excited. I would encourage you to read about it at this link
http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Mat_Hans/research/djammer/index.htm

Maybe Apple will get a peice of this tech with their partnership with HP

[drizahy4]

didnt read through all the post but update to its music jukebox? hmmm everyone wants movies on there ipod. how about the start small and have music videos. music videos + new ipod = insane idea.

[Soire]

Does anybody have a clue when these might be coming out? I've been waiting patiently for a new G5 + New Flatscreen + iPod buying session. But now it seems that there will be new iPods out- will the torture never end?!?

If I'm about to buy a 40 gig iPod, should I perhaps wait, or are these unsubstantiated rumors and nothing will probably come out for at least a few months, if not the end of the year? Any clues?


ps- the apple homepage promoting the G5s seems like a clue that updates are coming... and I'm trembling.

[vpalvarez]

Does anybody have a clue when these might be coming out? I've been waiting patiently for a new G5 + New Flatscreen + iPod buying session. But now it seems that there will be new iPods out- will the torture never end?!?

If I'm about to buy a 40 gig iPod, should I perhaps wait, or are these unsubstantiated rumors and nothing will probably come out for at least a few months, if not the end of the year? Any clues?


ps- the apple homepage promoting the G5s seems like a clue that updates are coming... and I'm trembling.

I was also preparing to buy an iPod, my advice...WAIT!! They should almost be guaranteed by summertime. Why? Well the new HP iPod will hit the shelfsduring or at the begininng of summer and Apple would be utterly stupid not to update their own line of iPods. What does this mean well a substantiated rumor has it that the HP iPod will be different in appearance than the Apple 3G, but the inards will be the same as the 3G. So apple will have the 4G out while HP is selling the 3G at a reduced price. Traditional business common sense says that Apple will release the 4G before HP releases the 'new 3G' (so that the media will cover Apple and give them lots of free pub).

In short I am waiting until the summer. They might also give the mini storage bumpsd during summer, we'll see.

[MacFan25]

Well, I'm really interested in finding out when they will be released and what sizes they will come in, etc.

I'm not really sure how they can improve upon the near perfect iPod now, but I guess Apple will surprise me yet again. :p

[mms]

I'm hoping that Apple would keep only audio features in the iPod and make a separate line of video/audio/photo portable media center pods. Many consumers, especially PC users that don't have iPhoto, will only use the audio part of the iPod. For me, what I want in a 4G iPod would be
1. battery life
2. aluminum enclosure
3. built-in mic
4. built-in media card reader
5. ability to keep your home folder on the iPod for use with any OS X computer
For an audio player, the storage space is enough. I would never use more than 20GB of the space, especially considering that I live with a 20GB HD on my computer.

[ajsipod04]

I think i will like the new ipod but i dont think i would use the video options. currently i have a 15 gb 3rd generation ipod and i would like to see these different things in the 4th. a slightly larger color screen, larger harddrive sizes (15gb-50GB), and a longer battery life :)
If you have any comments e-mail me at ajsipod04@yahoo.com

[uv23]

I couldn't give a crap about a video out. What I do want is a digital audio out - mini plugs are a joke.

[aswitcher]

I'm hoping that Apple would keep only audio features in the iPod and make a separate line of video/audio/photo portable media center pods. Many consumers, especially PC users that don't have iPhoto, will only use the audio part of the iPod. For me, what I want in a 4G iPod would be
1. battery life
2. aluminum enclosure
3. built-in mic
4. built-in media card reader
5. ability to keep your home folder on the iPod for use with any OS X computer
For an audio player, the storage space is enough. I would never use more than 20GB of the space, especially considering that I live with a 20GB HD on my computer.

Nice set of features, especially 4 and 5. A firewire attachment would be nice to such down video from DV Video...

[StealthRider]

Such ARM CPU's have become much more efficient since that time. They scale up to 400Mhz.

Actually, it's 520 MHz now.

http://www.brighthand.com/article/ASUS_A730_with_VGA_Screen_Revealed?site=PPC

[billyboy]

I'm hoping that Apple would keep only audio features in the iPod and make a separate line of video/audio/photo portable media center pods. Many consumers, especially PC users that don't have iPhoto, will only use the audio part of the iPod.

The Windows compatable iTMS / music dedicated iPod has been successfully exposing PC users to the slick Apple way of doing things (and making money for Apple too), but it has been pointed out that a well synced MP3 player alone is unlikely to stimulate a mass movement of PC users to go buy a Mac for all their computing needs. However I think that Apple could do well to use g4 iPods with music AND photo storage/display/download capabilities as a Mac only option with iPhoto, which would put more realistic pressure on digital savvy PC users lusting after the latest greatest iPods to switch to Macs. G3 iPod there was music only, G4 music and photos, g5, music, photos and music videos, etc etc. Dropping prices of Macs makes iPods more affordable...

[johnbro23]

If they could get more battery life and have a color screen big enough to watch DVD's (I know it can't be too big because of the size of iPods). I would like watching video clips and DVD's on the go. Especially on long bus rides. For those of us without laptops, its a portable video oppurtunity I would love to have.

[mvc]

Well, now we have all those silly clunky big laptops updated, perhaps Apple can get on with some really important stuff by taking one more step into the future of truly portable/personal computing.

Bring on the 4th Gen. iPod. :p

[JFreak]

you can't have it all. at least, not at once. if ipod some day can view video, it will most likely be another generation after first being able to view photos. so count video out of the equation for now. photo viewing would definetely be nice feature, but apple should make it happen without affecting battery life.

am/fm radio - who will actually think apple would put analog technology into ipod which stands for all-digital lifestyle? if ipod ever has radio feature, it will be digital radio and not 100-year-old analog crap. and for the same reason you can count analog recordings out of the equation, because that will likely not happen. ipod is not meant to be a do-it-all-lousy kind of device, but instead it's about doing few things as good as possible.

i think ipod mini shows how the next generation ipods look like. they will be aluminum, and most likely adopt the mini scroll wheel too. that rocks! the greatest mistake apple did with 3rd gen ipods was to separate the buttons from the scroll wheel; compared to 2nd gen ipod and mini ipod, the 3rd gen ipod is actually unusable. even though it's "cool" to have no moving parts, who cares about that if that makes actually using the ipod slow as hell?

[Soire]

Does anybody have any word or speculation on whether Apple would actually commemorate the ITMS anniversary with a product release?

Or is the more likely scenario that iPods aren't coming out until WWDC? Any word on those 50gig drive shipments? ...I am so uninformed. :confused:

[potterfast]

Perhaps the new h.264 codec released at NAB will migrate to the next Gen iPod.

[notmenotyou]

....Why would you want to store photos on your ipod....and then also look at them on a tv. Big deal.

you put your photos on your iPod as an alternative back up, don't want to put put it this way, but what will happen if someone house caught on fire when nobody around, everything can be burned down, even your DVD file back up... this is how i use my iPod.

[Putto]

I want my new 4 gen IPOD NOWWWWWWWWWWW!
Had my last one stolen :( ,
Come on Steve.. Get with the program we need our fix.. :eek:

www.homepage.mac.com/magnolob

[~Shard~]

I want my new 4 gen IPOD NOWWWWWWWWWWW!
Had my last one stolen :( ,
Come on Steve.. Get with the program we need our fix.. :eek:

www.homepage.mac.com/magnolob

I don't see it happening soon - Apple was hard at work on the iPod mini, and then have since been focusing on hardware updates (eMac, iBook, PowerBook, and undoubtebly soon PowerMac), and those Pro tool upgrades (FCP HD, DVD Studio Pro, Shake) along with the all-new Motion. They're probably at work right now on the G5 iMacs with a brand new form factor, and are planning on releasing PowerMac speed bumps soon. Oh, and the there's the aluminum displays and the constant work on 10.4.

So, I'm thinking the iPod mini was the last iPod update you'll be seeing for a little while - Apple can only do so much my friend!

[~Shard~]

Hey, I'm a 65816 now! Sweet! :) (Felt like I had been a 6502 forever...) :cool:

[titaniumducky]

Hey, I'm a 65816 now! Sweet! :) (Felt like I had been a 6502 forever...) :cool:

What does the number mean? Posts :eek:?

[~Shard~]

What does the number mean? Posts :eek:?

No, not number of posts, but your ranking, based on # of posts. Just like you're a newbie until you have 30 posts, then a member until you have 100, etc., once you get to 500 posts you start becoming processors - are you not familiar with the history of Apple computers? Shame on you! ;)

You start off with the 6502, the good old Apple ][ processor - what was it initially, a 1 MHz processor, anyone? :cool: Then you start moving up through the processor ranks, to 65816, 65832, then into the 680x0s, I believe. Eventually you can hit a 601, and eventually I suppose a G3, G4, etc., but I'll have to be posting on this site for many more years before I get that high! :cool:

[duklaprague]

dilemna dilemna - i'n in the UK, but a friend is off to the US in a few weeks an is going to bring me back an iPod - even after paying the duty, it should work out about £50 cheaper.

only one thing for it - they'll have to announce them on wednesday!

Iain

[Mokona]

dilemna dilemna - i'n in the UK, but a friend is off to the US in a few weeks an is going to bring me back an iPod - even after paying the duty, it should work out about £50 cheaper.

only one thing for it - they'll have to announce them on wednesday!

Iain
Make your friend take it out of the box... Used product=duty free.

by the way, does anyone know when I can use an avatar?

[denm316]

I have a 15GB iPod, and would really welcome a 4th Gen with an Aluminum casing. The iPod mini has such a nice and more stable feel to it. I could care less about the color screen and the video out, I will take the aluminum and maybe even that cool click wheel.

[Photorun]

If Apple ever decides to add more bells and whistles post release, like video and what not, the hard drives are definitely going to have to go up in size. I'm at over 30 gigs of music as it is, to try to add video with sound files which is even conceivably larger per file for size, I'm thinking they're going to have to go 60 GB and be pushing 100 in a couple years, as crazy as that sounds.

[doogle]

please, please, please, please, all I ask is to include HOME folder functionality (and running keynote presentations from it would be cool too)

[sarge]

Pro photographers that usually take 10MB+ sized digital pictures are screaming out for a hard drive they can just plug in to their Canons and Nikons and dump a load of images too. There's a few expensive solutions available already that an iPod with just a simple software change could do.

With todays 5+ megapixel consumer cameras as well, I can see normal consumers lapping it up also.
I don't see why older iPods couldn't do it also given a software change. They've done it already for the Belkin card reader, why not for USB also.
Video out to show them would be cool also. Showing them on the inbuilt screen is ok too - the digicameras have small screens too and people crowd around the back of your camera looking at shots.
Why do people think it's such a controversial idea?


I couldn’t agree more with that. I went on vacation overseas and took my 5mp Canon with me. I filled both CF cards before the trip was over (shooting in RAW). I’d love an ipod but I don’t want to spend/fiddle with an add on adaptor and a powerbook is too big to fit into the hotel safe. I am about to spend $170 on a 20G pocketdrive but I would gladly spend an extra $100 on another device if it meant I could listen to music and brush up on my Spanish on the plane ride over.

Every pro shooter in the world is proofing images on a screen the size of a single 35mm screen. The current ipod monochrome screen is what, twice that size? Even when I shoot large or medium format, I use my point and shoot in place of a Poloroid just to see if its worth making an exposure. The consumer and prosumer market for photography is hugely huge and Apple would be well rewarded if they added a direct to camera connect.

[ebunton]

the next ipod should have a colour screen... it's clearly viable but perhaps the cost/benefit ratio is too high.

monochrome is so last season... who on earth gets mobile phones with monochrome screens nowadays?

[~Shard~]

the next ipod should have a colour screen... it's clearly viable but perhaps the cost/benefit ratio is too high.

monochrome is so last season... who on earth gets mobile phones with monochrome screens nowadays?

Why a color screen? Do you want to see the menu selections in color? I could see if the iPod became a photo viewer or video player, but otherwise, what's the point of color when you're just looking at words? Or am I missing something here?

[ebunton]

Why a color screen? Do you want to see the menu selections in color? I could see if the iPod became a photo viewer or video player, but otherwise, what's the point of color when you're just looking at words? Or am I missing something here?

well of course it's for looks initially but then it opens up the possibility of doing colour-dependent functions such as viewing photos, or introducing some value-added function to the ipod.

it's like a cellphone... initially there were no cameras on the cellphone with colour screens right? so what was the point of making cell phones with colour screens? obviously it added some value to the cellphone... now it's more personalisable due to the colour display... more desirable...etc

perhaps the next ipod can be personalised*...


* by that i mean, not the silly laser engraving (largely only applicable to gifts), but wallpapers and other similar things...

[JonMaker]

I couldnt care less about fm receivers (though an integrated iTrip would be sweet) I would much prefer the new gadget to be USB connectivity to, say, digital cameras, or to other usb storage devices, or (GASP) other iPods. Wouldn't it be sweet to be able to transfer stuff from one ipod to another?

[AppleJustWorks]

Wouldn't it be sweet to be able to transfer stuff from one ipod to another?


It would be sweet, if it was legal....Brings you to the same situation happening now with the downloading of pirated music.....

I don't think Apple wants to get involved with that, since they do have 70% of the LEGAL marketshare...


Just my 2 cents...

[youmacsoiammac]

I don't think Ipod G4 and G3 would be much different, because if you look at G3 and G2, they didn't really change much.

[~Shard~]

well of course it's for looks initially but then it opens up the possibility of doing colour-dependent functions such as viewing photos, or introducing some value-added function to the ipod.

it's like a cellphone... initially there were no cameras on the cellphone with colour screens right? so what was the point of making cell phones with colour screens? obviously it added some value to the cellphone... now it's more personalisable due to the colour display... more desirable...etc

perhaps the next ipod can be personalised*...


* by that i mean, not the silly laser engraving (largely only applicable to gifts), but wallpapers and other similar things...

Yes, it would definitely be future-proofing the iPod and preparing it for future incarnations, but I don't know if Apple would do this without making full use of the clolor screen from the get-go. Otherwise many people would simply complain about the extra drain on battery which would inevitably happen. The iPod is not like a cell phone, which goes through many model revisions and updates in a year.

But all that being said, a color iPod would defintely be cool. Practical right now? I'm not sure. But cool? Yes - just cuz. ;) :cool:

[WhotNot]

All this talk of colour screens and video out seems to miss the point.

Jobs said himself that "...it's the music, stupid".

A 'killer app' enhancement to the iPod is not going to be an Aqua-style interface or new internal video hardware, I think it's going to be adding Wi-Fi to the little fella. Like a digital iTrip with decent bandwidth.

Plus...

An air base station with Audio/Video out, that sits next to your TV, DVD, Amp and VHS machine.

The graphics engine (hardware and software) for running iPhoto, Keynote, iTunes and iMovie, could be incorporated into a small, inexpansive, albeit not portable, device. The iPod then acts as a wireless 'feeder' device, streaming music and images to the engine, for procesing, playback and display on standard home equipment.

Think about it. All technologies, hardware and software, necessary for such a thing are already under Apple's roof (Rendezvous, iSync).

This would enable the iPod to fundementally remain the music player Jobs wants it to remain, while expanding on its 'Pod' capabilities (40 Gigs is 10 times bigger than the 'sweet spot' mentioned in another thread...HUGE), and entrenching Apple as the digital lifestyle 'hub' company.

Whadaya think?

[the_mole1314]

From what I'm hearing, Apple has the iPod focused on music and it's related activities. And they are preping a prototype device that'll the rival to all those media devices M$ and it's loyalists are releasing.

*HINT* From what I hear, the G3 ain't dead. :)

[603]

who on earth gets mobile phones with monochrome screens nowadays?

serious user interface designers do, and anyone else who is anti-hype. the people that design cell phone interfaces go crazy with color and graphics, and it ends up looking like a TV commercial instead of a communications device. bigger screen? they use bigger fonts, rendering the higher resolution pointless. color capabilities? they use it to make everything cluttered and confusing with falling leaves and dolphin screensavers, instead of using color for its proper UI purpose - adding emphasis and differentiating one thing from another. hi-fi audio chip? they use it to make a ringtone that sounds like a chicken. lo-fi means less intrusive advertising and cheesy visual gimmicks - a text-based Internet was free of Flash ads, after all. i'll take my monochrome old-school Nokia over your Samsung media hell any day.

i'm not sure that a color screen would add much value to the iPod - it is a simple, primarily text-based interface that does really well for organizing text notes and showing music tag information. i would really like an iPod with digital camera connectivity, but it's not necessary to play back color photos on the screen.

keep in mind that other MP3 players have had color screens for years, and their battery life is upwards of 15 hours. granted, the players are much larger and use different batteries, but the impact of a color screen on battery life is overstated.

[wrylachlan]

Actual useful things for color on an iPod:
-Preserving color coding in iCal calendars.
-Color coding songs based on - ratings, play count, last time played, etc.
-Albumn art (quasi-useful)
-limited iPhoto syncing "Hey dude, wanna see a picture of my girlfried/new house/puppy/Porsche"
-Maybe pictures in your address book?

others?

[jeffbistrong]

If apple is deciding to release 4G ipods with a 2" color LCD screen . . . . these devices are going to inhale battery juice . . . i just returned a 15GB 3G Ipod becuase of the lack of batter power it has. Apple says it is supposed to last for about 8 hours, whenI bought my Ipod, i went on a 40 mile bike ride in NYC, "Bike NY", the battery went on me after about 5 hours, and apple told me that it was good use out of my battery, i figured that it would be worth while to use my 2nd Gen 5GB Ipod with a lot more battery life, it has less space with more battery left . . i figured i would wait and see if the 4g ipods would be better or go by a 2nd Gen 10 or 20 gb ipod with longer battery life

apple needs to figure something out, keep it simple, why would you want to carry picutres on your ipod, we have picture cell phones, that is enouph,
apple should keep its ipod stricty for music i think it would be best, maybe a little bit thicker for longer battery life? what do you think? any reccomendations


PS i thought about getting the belkin adapter that uses AA batterys, but i bought the 3G ipod becuase of its size and, the adapter adds a lot on 2 it


--
Jeff Bistrong
President/Co-Founder
Crashwinoverride Productions
www.crazycrash.com
jeffb@crazycrash.com :mad: :mad:

[aswitcher]

Actual useful things for color on an iPod:
-Preserving color coding in iCal calendars.
-Color coding songs based on - ratings, play count, last time played, etc.
-Albumn art (quasi-useful)
-limited iPhoto syncing "Hey dude, wanna see a picture of my girlfried/new house/puppy/Porsche"
-Maybe pictures in your address book?

others?


Good reasons, especially calender colours and photo viewing.

[603]

-Albumn art (quasi-useful)

i think a graphic of the album cover would be awesome. that is definitely a good use for a color screen.

[a_iver]

What they need instead of a color screen is a color High Definition Projector. Hey I can dream.

[thediesel]

As for the color screens, they should use OLEDs. Half the power required for a better image. They are cheaper to make than LCDs, and all sorts of electronics manufacturers are starting to release products with them. It would only make sense for Apple to lead the way into incorporating them into their portable music players. Plus, they can play video with OLEDs.

Whatever the case, I will be purchasing the next generation of the iPods. It will be worth the wait, the current one is great, but it just does not have the greatest battery life. I sure hope Apple has that at the top of their list for improvements on generation four.

[Penman]

Why a color screen? Do you want to see the menu selections in color? I could see if the iPod became a photo viewer or video player, but otherwise, what's the point of color when you're just looking at words? Or am I missing something here?

The iPod screen is color. Sickly green/gray and charcoal. In color the text could be black on white.