1G iPod shuffle On the Way Out?

[SiliconAddict]

I will give you the benefit of the doubt for certain hardware limitations such as picture and video support goes, however what about on the software side. You are telling me that Apple cannot give a bonus to its long time supporters a feature like World Clock, Pod Lock, etc..

Though I know Apples reasons as to why they will not offer it, hardware limitations is not one of them.

Fix bugs on iPod line, we all agree with you on that one.

Hell at this point I'd be happy if Apple gave us the features that are on iTunes. Apple comes out with iTunes 5.0 with cascading playlists and they don't even update the freaking iPod to support the same. Defeats the purpose if you aren't going to trickle this much needed feature down to your music player.

 

[Porchland]

8 GB of Flash memory cost _real_ money. There is no way whatsoever that 4 GB more of Flash memory could be sold for $50 only more in Jan. 2006.

Engadget says Sony may have an 8 GB player coming:

http://www.engadget.com/2005/12/27/sony-has-an-8gb-flash-player-coming/

There's no price speculation in the Engadget item.

You may be right that $249 is not functionally possible for an 8 GB flash player, but who knows what kind of price terms Apple could be getting on 4 GB, 6 GB and 8 GB flash right now. Maybe the nano stays at 2/4, maybe it moves up to 2/6, maybe it moves up to 2/8. My speculation is based more on Apple turning out progressively more capacious iPods at (usually) reasonable prices with each announcement.

 

[Pale Rider]

Cascading?

Hell at this point I'd be happy if Apple gave us the features that are on iTunes. Apple comes out with iTunes 5.0 with cascading playlists and they don't even update the freaking iPod to support the same. Defeats the purpose if you aren't going to trickle this much needed feature down to your music player.

I know Smart Playlists, but what is a cascading playlist? You mean folders and subfolders in the Source list?

 

[EricNau]

We do NOT need smaller shuffles. Period. The thing is small enough as it is. The fact that people are washing their shuffles in their clothing is testament to this. What is needed is a shuffle with an LCD screen. 1GB holds enough music that a screen is pretty much warranted. 512MB...not so much.

Actually, with many computers the Shuffle will block other ports when plugged in, so yes, it does need to be smaller.

 

[liquidh2o]

hopefully securing such a large quantity of flash drives helps lower the cost for the shuffles.

Wouldn't mind seeing the 1gb at $99 and the 512mb at $69

think it's still asking a little too much though, and I'll probably end up buying one regardless of the price if they're released at MWSF

 

[SiliconAddict]

I know Smart Playlists, but what is a cascading playlist? You mean folders and subfolders in the Source list?

Yah folders and subfolders. Its present in iTunes. Just not on the iPod.

 

[corywoolf]

Well I changed my mind, Apple really should cover this large market of sub $99 MP3 players with screens. I made a mock up of what it could look like. I tried to take a lot of things into consideration, but I am sure I missed a few things. The idea with bookmark-a-song, is to allow users to access the bookmark playlist the next time they sync with iTunes. They can also create a playlist on the go doing this and access it by sliding the switch to the correct position on the back of the unit. The screen is tiny, but efficient for basic needs (no navigation menus, contacts, calendars are displayable on this unit).The display simply provides the song name, artist, battery life, mode, and bookmarking info.

Tell me what you think?

 

[EricNau]

Well I changed my mind, Apple really should cover this large market of sub $99 MP3 players with screens. I made a mock up of what it could look like. I tried to take a lot of things into consideration, but I am sure I missed a few things. The idea with bookmark-a-song, is to allow users to access the bookmark playlist the next time they sync with iTunes. They can also create a playlist on the go doing this and access it by sliding the switch to the correct position on the back of the unit. The screen is tiny, but efficient for basic needs (no navigation menus, contacts, calendars are displayable on this unit).The display simply provides the song name, artist, battery life, mode, and bookmarking info.

Tell me what you think?

Good Job - but I don't think it really looks like something that Apple would make. It just doesn't have that style.

 

[aswitcher]

Tell me what you think?

Nice Maybe a stronger keyring link. I also like bayonet attachments like the titanium series of USB drives. No top to lose.

 

[MarcelV]

Engadget says Sony may have an 8 GB player coming.
You may be right that $249 is not functionally possible for an 8 GB flash player....

It wouldn't surprise me a bit of Sony will put the players on the market under cost price. They are pretty desperate in this market, and Sony is familiar with 'subsidizing'. That's what they do with the PS2, will do with PS3. It shouldn't surprise anyone, that Sony to gain marketshare and get their name back in the game will put a 8GB flash drive on the market for the 'magical' 249 price point.

 

[cgc]

If Apple redesigned the Shuffle to include an OLED and kept one size (either 512MB or 1GB) I think they'd be able to sell them along with Nanos (since the Nano can do so much more).

This is what I'd buy if it was compatible with iTunes:

 

[b0x]

I was thinking the other day that an annodised aluminium shuffle would look cool, be practical, as its nearly bomb proof and could come in a series of colours!

 

[iMeowbot]

Okay, so how about an iPod noonoo with retractable click wheel?

 

[sushi]

Well I changed my mind, Apple really should cover this large market of sub $99 MP3 players with screens. I made a mock up of what it could look like. I tried to take a lot of things into consideration, but I am sure I missed a few things. The idea with bookmark-a-song, is to allow users to access the bookmark playlist the next time they sync with iTunes. They can also create a playlist on the go doing this and access it by sliding the switch to the correct position on the back of the unit. The screen is tiny, but efficient for basic needs (no navigation menus, contacts, calendars are displayable on this unit).The display simply provides the song name, artist, battery life, mode, and bookmarking info.

Tell me what you think?

Your mockup is nice. But it won't happen like this.

Apple always creates devices that work equally well both right and left handed.

Yours is difinitely right handed.

Sorry. But nice try.

 

[maya]

If Apple redesigned the Shuffle to include an OLED and kept one size (either 512MB or 1GB) I think they'd be able to sell them along with Nanos (since the Nano can do so much more).

This is what I'd buy if it was compatible with iTunes:

http://mysite.verizon.net/craigminah/SonyE507.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

The moment I saw this mp3 player in the store I had to have it, until I saw it was not compatible with iTunes.

It should mount on a Macintosh, and it does support mp3 format. We shall see what is unleashed at MWSF. ;)

 

[thequicksilver]

I hope it's true, and what's more, that we soon see the end of the iPod shuffle for good. It's nasty, it's cheap (in the worst sense of the word), and IMHO it's the weakest product Apple have released in many years. (Mac OS X 10.0, Flower Power iMacs and Pages 1.0 excepted).

Here's to an "iPod selection" at MWSF.

 

[corywoolf]

Your mockup is nice. But it won't happen like this.

Apple always creates devices that work equally well both right and left handed.

Yours is difinitely right handed.

Sorry. But nice try.

The nav. controls swivel, notice the bottom right corner?
The screen can be set to display the opposite way in the itunes ipod preferences.

 

[doogle]

Get in early

OK they will probably not update the iPod but I want to get this prototype idea in early before someone else thinks of it. Widescreen ipod with a scroll ball (like on the mighty mouse) insted of a click wheel! Change the screen settings and the back-lit buttons change their name/function!

check it...

 

[corywoolf]

OK they will probably not update the iPod but I want to get this prototype idea in early before someone else thinks of it. Widescreen ipod with a scroll ball (like on the mighty mouse) insted of a click wheel! Change the screen settings and the back-lit buttons change their name/function!

check it...

Nice drawing, don't like the look though, not symmetrical/ very unbalanced.

 

[sushi]

The nav. controls swivel, notice the bottom right corner?
The screen can be set to display the opposite way in the itunes ipod preferences.

Too complicated.

The iPod stands for simplicity and ease of use. Plus it's cool.

While I like your concept, it doesn't have the usual left and right handed balance that Apple is famous for.

 

[EricNau]

OK they will probably not update the iPod but I want to get this prototype idea in early before someone else thinks of it. Widescreen ipod with a scroll ball (like on the mighty mouse) insted of a click wheel! Change the screen settings and the back-lit buttons change their name/function!

check it...

Good Drawing, but the scroll ball is not nearly as good as the current click wheel.

 

[DrEasy]

check it...

I like the idea of a "sideways iPod" for the iPod video... Better use of screen real estate.

 

[DrEasy]

But with 1 GB of music, it might be too arduous to navigate songs without a screen, so Apple might introduce a new shuffle with an extra button or feature to traverse multiple playlists.

Exactly, this is the only thing that's been missing from the Shuffle in my opinion. All they need to do is add a new "skip playlist" mode to the switch at the back, so that clicking "forward" takes you to the next playlist. I don't want a screen.

 

[b0x]

Why do people want to over complicate a simple product that does the job and does it well?

If you want to listen to the TV at the gym, but a little radio. With my iPod at my side, I listen to very little radio instead I listen to my music.

Is implementing a multiple playlist function on the Shuffle important? I think Apple will see it as complicating a product and cluttering the user interface which is simple, elegant and uncluttered. The Shuffle seems to be the ultimate in Apple design for those reasons.

The screen issue just means there's something on the shuffle that can get scratched and damaged. I'd be happy without a screen a just a smaller overall unit size.

 

[sushi]

Why do people want to over complicate a simple product that does the job and does it well?

If you want to listen to the TV at the gym, but a little radio. With my iPod at my side, I listen to very little radio instead I listen to my music.

Is implementing a multiple playlist function on the Shuffle important? I think Apple will see it as complicating a product and cluttering the user interface which is simple, elegant and uncluttered. The Shuffle seems to be the ultimate in Apple design for those reasons.

The screen issue just means there's something on the shuffle that can get scratched and damaged. I'd be happy without a screen a just a smaller overall unit size.

Agree. The beauty of Apple products is the simplicity. In that regard, the Shuffle is great.

As I said earlier, I wouldn't mind a playlist capability, but there is no need for a screen. Two playlist capability could easily be implemented by another selection on the power switch. Positions: Off, PL-1, PL-2, Shuffle.

Of one thing I am sure, Apple will make a balanced left hand/right hand usable device that is simple and easy to use.