iPod Updated

[nemaslov]

I don't agree that the Zune is obsolete. If that's the case, then the less-featured, smaller screened current iPod must be more than obsolete, right?

I just did a google news search on the iPod update and it confirmed what I've been saying. Try finding some great press on this update. Most every story that came up had a dissapointed spin to it as everyone is anticipating the next generation.

From CNET



Apple's enhanced 5G iPod

At Apple's media event, Steve Jobs jumped right into introducing an updated fifth-generation iPod. Not a tremendous surprise here, as we believed the sixth-generation "true video iPod" would not be announced until later in the year or even early in 2007. But the new "enhanced" iPod looks like a tremendous improvement over the last one, which debuted last October. The iPod has many incremental improvements, including a brighter screen and better battery life, but probably the most appealing aspect is the new price points of $249 for the 30GB version and $349 for the huge 80GB version (available in both white and black). Okay, it's nowhere near as exciting as a potential widescreen version, but these updates should feed the masses through the holidays.
Let's talk about battery life first, since the pre-enhanced iPod has been dogged for its 2-plus hours of video battery life. Now you'll get 75 percent more battery life with both sizes--that means you'll get up to a rated 3.5 hours of video battery life for the 30GB version and up to 6.5 hours for the 80GB. Boosting battery life will always make a product more appealing, and it looks like Apple responded to all the complaints.

The new iPod also has a brighter screen--by up to 60 percent. Not that the iPod had a dim screen in the first place, but brighter is always better, especially when it doesn't come at the cost of battery life. You can even adjust brightness during movie playback. Still, especially with the launch of feature-length movies, the 2.5-inch screen is a bonafide pain to watch for more than 30 minutes. Movies were made for bigger screens (that's why the iTV will be cool).
Gapless playback is probably one of the most requested features in any MP3 player. Those with dance mixes can now rejoice, and the feature works well (it's easy to tag tracks as gapless in the new iTunes).

Just about every reviewer despises the bundled headphones. So Apple responded and will be shipping better-designed headphones--we can't vouch for their comfort level and performance at this point, but any improvement is appreciated. While we are dying to test sound quality, we're pretty sure Apple hasn't improved the iPod's poor EQs. Apple should be able to implement a good one- why don't they?

So that's it--while the 6G "true video" iPod will still be a figment of the tech world's imagination (check back at Macworld 07), the enhanced 5G iPod looks more attractive than ever with its incremental updates. It looks the same as the original (accessory companies breathe a collective sigh), but underneath the hood, you have an iPod that makes the original 5G iPod look very rusty. Pricing is a huge aspect here; $249 for the 30GB iPod, as far as I know, is the best price for a 30GB player I've ever seen. And for another $100, you get 80GB! Nice job there, Apple. For me personally, the gapless playback and better battery life make the iPod the most attractive one to date, and it's certainly a better value than the similarly priced but much smaller 8GB Nano.

.....and you know when Apple does release its widescreen new version it will have muc h more than the Zune. We don't evenm know how much the Zune will cost or when it will be relased. Prtobably within three months after its release the new iPod will come out with some of the same featurtes and more.

BTW most people seem to not want all the bells and whistles. That again is why the nanos are the big big hit. And they don't even play video.

 

[billl]

Outsider's view of Apple

Hope this doesn't upset anyone here (noting that an awful lot of you seem to view Apple with almost religious respect), but the 60gb iPod I bought a few months ago was my first Apple purchase, and will certainly be the last.

Although a lovely little gadget, the indecently instant obsoletion has left me feeling more than a little annoyed. Worse, much worse, is Apple's decision to not include the new Search feature on the 1.2 upgrade. I use the iPod exlusively for music, and a Search feature would have made life so much better.

Is this normal Apple practice?

As I said, I am not an Apple accolyte: to me it is just another brand...and one which now sniffs of arrogance towards it customers.

 

[timmillwood]

Hope this doesn't upset anyone here (noting that an awful lot of you seem to view Apple with almost religious respect), but the 60gb iPod I bought a few months ago was my first Apple purchase, and will certainly be the last.

Although a lovely little gadget, the indecently instant obsoletion has left me feeling more than a little annoyed. Worse, much worse, is Apple's decision to not include the new Search feature on the 1.2 upgrade. I use the iPod exlusively for music, and a Search feature would have made life so much better.

Is this normal Apple practice?

As I said, I am not an Apple accolyte: to me it is just another brand...and one which now sniffs of arrogance towards it customers.

this is common on all products not just Apple, you just need to sell the 60gb iPod then buy the 80gb one

 

[Warbrain]

Hope this doesn't upset anyone here (noting that an awful lot of you seem to view Apple with almost religious respect), but the 60gb iPod I bought a few months ago was my first Apple purchase, and will certainly be the last.

Although a lovely little gadget, the indecently instant obsoletion has left me feeling more than a little annoyed. Worse, much worse, is Apple's decision to not include the new Search feature on the 1.2 upgrade. I use the iPod exlusively for music, and a Search feature would have made life so much better.

Is this normal Apple practice?

As I said, I am not an Apple accolyte: to me it is just another brand...and one which now sniffs of arrogance towards it customers.

You do need to realize that if you were completely infatuated with any other computer company, the very same issue you have would occur. Becoming obsolete is part of life.

 

[MegaSignal]

Hope this doesn't upset anyone here (noting that an awful lot of you seem to view Apple with almost religious respect), but the 60gb iPod I bought a few months ago was my first Apple purchase, and will certainly be the last.

Although a lovely little gadget, the indecently instant obsoletion has left me feeling more than a little annoyed. Worse, much worse, is Apple's decision to not include the new Search feature on the 1.2 upgrade. I use the iPod exlusively for music, and a Search feature would have made life so much better.

Is this normal Apple practice?

As I said, I am not an Apple accolyte: to me it is just another brand...and one which now sniffs of arrogance towards it customers.

Welcome to the high-tech industry. Progress and innovation waits for no one - especially in this tightly contested niche.

 

[jruc4871]

Welcome to the high-tech industry. Progress and innovation waits for no one - especially in this tightly contested niche.

You're being too nice.

Billl, welcome to the WORLD. By no means is your iPod obsolete. Far from it. Was your life so terribly hard before you found out about the search function? Is using your 5G iPod now a miserable experience?

If you're willing to abandon Apple because they had the gall to release a new product only "a few months" after you bought your iPod, how do ever manage the psychological trauma of buying a television or a car?!?

 

[MegaSignal]

Obsolesence really isn't planned by anyone - it just happens

Without innovation we'd still be using one of these to listen to our music:

(45 lbs., $635 (1976 dollars))

Despite a legendary tape transport system, TEAC continues to innovate to this day, although they now specialize in optical drives for computers only (if I'm not mistaken).

 

[jruc4871]

Without innovation we'd still be using one of these to listen to our music:

(45 lbs., $635 (1976 dollars))

Despite a legendary tape transport system, TEAC continues to innovate to this day, although they now specialize in optical drives for computers only (if I'm not mistaken).

Just be sure to get a case - I heard they were designed to scratch

 

[rtdunham]

the 60gb iPod I bought a few months ago was my first Apple purchase, and will certainly be the last...

Although a lovely little gadget, the indecently instant obsoletion has left me feeling more than a little annoyed. Worse, much worse, is Apple's decision to not include the new Search feature on the 1.2 upgrade. I use the iPod exlusively for music, and a Search feature would have made life so much better.

I felt the same way when Infiniti installed bluetooth on the FX35 the year after i bought mine, and wouldn't add it to my year-before model at no charge. I was disappointed when Microsoft intro'd Windows 2004 with new features and required that I buy the new software, rather than giving me all the new features to add to my old version. I REALLY was upset when i bought my big-screen TV and a year later the manufacturer introduced an HD model. I won't even mention the new Tivo models that broke my heart, or the AC compressor that was introduced the year after i had to replace mine, with lower SEER rating (energy consumption) and they wouldn't modify the one i bought to have the same efficiency. The bastads.

 

[billl]

Not terribly sure why I am replying, other than to say thanks for your witty (especially jruc) and gracious responses...wasn't expecting anything other than a good burning at the stake while the massed ranks of Apple devotees celebrated the destruction of the heretic.

Just a couple of points then I will bugger off and leave you in peace:

1) I think that the majority of people (ie, me, not you lot) are left remarkably unaffected by changes in, for example, Windows software (as highlighted by rtdunham). It makes an impression on your lives because you are enthusiasts, not common users. The difference with the iPod is that it is not a broad application that most people couldn't give a monkey's about (which I assure you is the reaction of the vast majority of computer users to which version of Windows they are running and what it can and cannot do). The iPod is built for a purpose and that purpose is more important to them than something that allows them to knock out the odd letter or play with a spreadsheet. As such, there is a difference in expectation...I expect Windows to come out with new functionality and I expect that it will not bother me in the slightest. I do not expect a product marketed to me for a specific purpose to have such a short shelf life and no allowance for retrospective upgrade.

2) Cars, TVs and all the other examples of obsoletion are not comparable. They are all mature products, with myriad types, styles, features and suppliers. To the average consumer, ie me, there is a sameness about them that both lowers expectation and makes choice very, very easy - no psychological trauma either inspired or required.

3) jruc, to answer specifically, yes, using my 5G iPod had become painfull - as it filled nearer the capacity I could almost see the battery run down as I scrolled through album or artist list to try to find what I wanted to hear. I was a bit too dramatic when I said the search function would make "life" so much better - of course it wouldn't - but it would vastly improve my "life" in the specific context of iPod use (which, given my near obsession with music, is quite an important thing). To then find out that there is a solution to this problem and that I am going to be denied it with no reason at all was and is infuriating. If Apple had said that the search function is not available to current 5G products because the new ones have some hardware changes on them, then in all honesty I probably would not be bothered at all. But they haven't...so my possibly too cynical nature suggests that they know this is important to a lot of their market and will (as timmillwood suggests) force them to buy the new product so shortly after having bought their current one.

4) Finally, Warbrain suggested: "You do need to realize that if you were completely infatuated with any other computer company..." which I think goes to the heart of it. I cannot comprehend any circumstances under which I would become infatuated with a computer company. I simply buy a product, nothing else, and if the makers of that product do something which upsets me, I don't buy again.

Huge apologies for intruding here again as I know that this forum isn't aimed at the general consumer, and thanks again for your courtesy and replies.

Regards

Billl