5G iPods, PowerBook Updates?

[MacRumors]

ThinkSecret posted some blurbs about potential updates to both iPods and PowerBooks.

Regarding iPods, ThinkSecret mentions that upcoming Mini models could hit 5GB capacities, meanwhile the 5th Generation iPod, due in mid 2005 at the earliest, may move away from the white form factor to "a more silver enclosure".

PowerBook supplies have widely been reported to be constrained... but ThinkSecret feels that PowerBook announcements will be made soon -- possibly on Jan 25th or Feb 2nd. The site reiterates their previous predictions of 1.5/1.67 GHz models.

 

[quackattack]

5G iPod sounds very exciting. 80 GB would mean that I could carry around alot more of my music in lossless. I wonder if a color screen will become standard? Great news either way, but I am still skeptical of how an aluminum iPod will look.

 

[zwida]

Seems that if DePlume goes down, it's going to be swinging.

I think the last rev PowerBook G4 will be pretty tempting. I can't really imagine using a 1st gen PowerBook G5 (as much as I'll want to). Time to upgrade the 1 GHz 17" PowerBook?

 

[quackattack]

I think the last rev PowerBook G4 will be pretty tempting. I can't really imagine using a 1st gen PowerBook G5 (as much as I'll want to). Time to upgrade the 1 GHz 17" PowerBook?

I agree, with as much trouble as they have been having with the PB G5, I would stay away from the first gen. No doubt it will be very sweet.

 

[yg17]

new iPods already? That seems pretty quick. Seems like just yesterday I was at the Apple Store picking up a 40 gig 4th gen the first hour they were available

 

[jadam]

metallic enclosure ipods seem interesting, if they indeed do come out and they are nicer then the current 4th gen ipods, I might give my 20gb to my mom and get one of those 40gb AlPods, or would it be TiPod?

 

[dr bognus]

i just hope that there is a powerbook G5 by the summer holdays cos i am finally updating my 500mhz ibook G3 and i dont want a last gen G4 and would prefer even a tempramentla G5, anyway my dad an a friend of mine have no trouble with their first gen G4s. I will not be happy iif i have to settle for a late gen G4 when a G5 comes out...

 

[sw1tcher]

5G iPod sounds very exciting... I am still skeptical of how an aluminum iPod will look.

It'll probably look like the silver iPod mini, but only larger (of course)

 

[VicMacs]

yeah, white is out gray is in, although it would be kind of weird not to have a white ipod in the lineup, i guess theyll add an aluiPod to the line, it would look great next to my powerbook. now i think they should take their time with the new g5 powerbook until its bulletproof, and also so they give me time to take the juice out of my 3 month old pb and have an explanation when i ask myself, do i need it? "yeah, the pb i have is almost 9 months old"

go apple!

 

[virividox]

dual core power books 😀

 

[sw1tcher]

Damn. So no G5 PowerBooks, eh? Oh well. Guess I'll just have to settle for a Rev. D (?) G4 PowerBook then. Only 2.5 more days until Tuesday....

 

[narco]

Eh, new iPods.

Keep it the same, leave the white. Plus, won't all these new iPods turn people off? Are they going to release a new iPod every 6 months now?

Fishes,
narco.

 

[doogle]

5Gpod

While not aluminium, (I will be working on that one - and you can bet the edges will become harder more like the shuffle edges) this design simply removes the "outer ring" of the click-wheel. You can circular scroll anywhere around the central button and the effect is like the wheel...the function buttons are still solid buttons (needing a push) they just don't have any borders.
Yeh yeh not intuitive, but I do like the minimal design look! 😀

 

[Muzukun]

ick... I'd hate the idea of a grey ipod... however... apple is running out of ideas for that thing... maybe they could make the 'on a rope' ipod, like soap on a rope but this one would keep you from falling down to your knees crying after you dropped your ipod.

But... like always anything I hate that apple does I love in about a weeks time so I'll see.

the ibook, not suprised, hope it doesn't get a major price increase... speaking of which when apple does update their laptops do they usually jump the price with them or do they stay the same? I can understand a major revision price jump (IE a G5) but when their minor revisions like these are there major price jumps as well?

 

[NickFalk]

Sorry doogle don't like it. While removing the "outer ring" you pretty much destroy it. As you write yourself it won't be particularly intuitive. If Apple were to change design to something so much "form over function" I would be very worried about their future product-line...

 

[doogle]

Sorry doogle don't like it. While removing the "outer ring" you pretty much destroy it. As you write yourself it won't be particularly intuitive. If Apple were to change design to something so much "form over function" I would be very worried about their future product-line...

...in fact what would be cooler if the text and the inner cirlce button was not there at all! They would only appear when the ipod was on and the text/button ring lit up like backlit lights - that would mean a complete blank panel! Now that is cool - Man I have to stop taking these things - how minimal can an interface be?!

 

[JohnK.O]

I dont really see how the 4th gen. design could really be significantly improved for the 5th gen. other than a colour screen.

 

[Mechcozmo]

I dont really see how the 4th gen. design could really be significantly improved for the 5th gen. other than a colour screen.

Telepathic interface. iSaid it first. 😛

And iThink that Apple could ditch the outer ring, but they would do it far more skillfully than the bar o' soap approach.

 

[arn]

I don't see how Apple can move away from the white iPod... it's part of the essense of the iPod.

A more silver wheel instead of the grey wheel perhaps... but not all silver.

arn

 

[Lacero]

Mini iPods are nicer than the white ones. If Apple can make white anondized aluminum, yet retain the scratch resilience of the mini surface, then I'd say go for it. White iPods are my least favourite aspect in the ipod family of course should be changed where necessary.

 

[awulf]

I think that the 5th generation iPod should include a FM/AM radio tuner.
Apple shouldn't change the colour of the iPod since it is recognised for being white and changing the colour may reduce the 'cool' factor. Most of the iPod wannabes are silver/grey.

By the time the PowerBook G5 has been released I'll probably have saved enough money to buy one to replace my Power Mac G4 DA 466, since its starting to become a bit sluggish in CPU intensive applications, plus I want to take my computer with me where ever I go.

 

[ts1973]

So what else is new ? Yet another thread about PB-G4 updates. I guess everything has already been said about it over and over again. We'll get the minor speed bump and we'll all keep waiting for a PB G5 that is just starting production, or that's what Digitimes wants us to believe.

The only "new" thing here are the different color iPods. I guess they have to try something to keep revamping the line (because, as someone mentioned above, the only real improvement from a G4 to G5 would be a color screen).
However, I would like to use an iPod as a remote control for airport express.

 

[Windowlicker]

I think that the 5th generation iPod should include a FM/AM radio tuner.

There's just one problem with the radio. It would most likely lower the sales of iTMS. And although Apple isn't making that much profit of the music store (or is it??), it's still a good weapon for marketing the Apple and iPod brand. "500 000 000 Songs Sold!" looks a bit different than "50 000 000 Songs Sold!".

 

[Platform]

New PB sound good.... they need to come

A speed bumb or new gen CPU and GPU's and will the horrific price of the PB go down 😱 hope so.
New iPod.. well they could make it a bit smaller, all of my freinds want the iPod but think that it is too big so they buy something else 🙁

 

[quackattack]

I don't see how Apple can move away from the white iPod... it's part of the essense of the iPod.

A more silver wheel instead of the grey wheel perhaps... but not all silver.

arn

I totally agree with that. The white iPod is too important to Apple's marketing. They have spent so much time and money associating the white look and the iPod. Just look at their ads. They would have to rethink their entire brand image if they changed the color. I really can't see people walking around with grey earbuds.