5G iPods, PowerBook Updates?

[verces]

Too Many iPods in Too Short Space of Time

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

But they already have a color screen iPod. I have it right here with me.

As for the new 5Gs. Its a little early to call shots. They released the iPod photo about 3 months ago, and now the shuffle, are they really going to think of upgrading the iPod again? November earliest for 5Gs I say.

Silver casing to me is a bad idea. This would kill the general conception of the WHITE iPod. Brand image would decline. There wouldn't be anymore signature-effect on buying an iPod. It would look like any other MP3 player in the market. Although it is possible that they do this, I sure as hell hope they leave this with the minis and not mingle with the iPod itself.

It really irritates me to hear that after spending 5 benjamins, that they bring out another one. If they do, I'll probably get a 20GB one. (Depends on what kind of screen it comes with)

Possible upgrades.

1. Battery life.
2. General size. (reduction)
3. Click wheel color and backlight effect with the click wheel.
4. Possible AirTunes integration.
5. Improved Sound quality

I say November. Its just too early for another iPod. There isn't anymore of that "anticipation" period anymore. They're overloading us with iPods....

 

[Damien]

New ipods:

• Colour Screen
• Battery life
• Wireless (dead cert)
• Size reduction

 

[SiliconAddict]

Apple needs to get away from the reflective back on the iPods. Seriously. This is my fist iPod and within 1 hour of cracking the box open I had very small scratches on the thing and that was treating the device like my first born. They should seriously think about using AL for the back of the iPod. Much less scratch prone.

As for the PowerBooks. Anyone else think that we are seeing a dead horse being beaten? I get that impression simply because, assuming the rumors ARE true, they didn't jack the speed up to 1.7Ghz. I mean what the heck? 1.67?!?

Why not 1.98Ghz, 2.48Ghz on the PowerMac. No, all they could reach was 1.67Ghz. I think we've seen the end of the line for the G4 and all I can say is I hope Apple takes it out back and puts it out of its misery with the introduction of SOMETHING at WWDC.

 

[Cochrane]

...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?!

I would not like that at all. If you look at an iPod from some distance (except for the shuffle and 3G) then you see two things: A screen and a wheel. These two are the main aspects of the iPod design and I think it was a very bad idea of Apple to abandon this with the 3G-iPod. I mean, if you look at one of these from most angles, it looks like a white piece of plastic with a screen and not like an iPod. That was probably the reason why the 4G-iPod has the wheel in gray, so that you get the typical rectangle-circle configuration.

Of course, the fact that I did not like the 3G-iPod did not prevent Apple from selling lots of them (both my mother and my sister have one), so Apple could very well decide to do something like this.

 

[bigandy]

powerbook revisions good - more time for apple to get the PBG5 ready, and working well.

5G ipod? not until the 4th quarter, the photo's too new. as for the metalPod thing then it's not going to REPLACE the lineup, merely complement it i believe. give people the choice of white or aluminum...

 

[b0x]

Could an alu/Ti pod be a powerPod?

 

[ebunton]

As for the PowerBooks. Anyone else think that we are seeing a dead horse being beaten? I get that impression simply because, assuming the rumors ARE true, they didn't jack the speed up to 1.7Ghz. I mean what the heck? 1.67?!?

Why not 1.98Ghz, 2.48Ghz on the PowerMac. No, all they could reach was 1.67Ghz. I think we've seen the end of the line for the G4 and all I can say is I hope Apple takes it out back and puts it out of its misery with the introduction of SOMETHING at WWDC.

So true about beating a dead horse! The iPod rumour sounds exciting... I think it's about time they got a new enclosure, since they've certainly milked the mirror-backed white idea long enough.

 

[desdomg]

If true it sounds very un Apple-like to innovate by just changing colours!

I would imagine that a metallic look ipod (a la mini) would be an addition to the line not a replacement for the white model. They need to diversify now remember ...

 

[0098386]

ive had 2 dreams in as many days about getting a powerbook. in 1 i tried to buy one only the shop owners were having a big meal with all the actors of Coronation Street, i sat next to the Baldwins. and just last night i ordered one only to recieve an iPod like device called a PowerPod which was blue and roundish. it was a HD Mp3 player with a TV tuner, radio, video player etc...

i tried to take it back too

even my dreams are telling me to wait for this PB update

 

[24C]

If there is a 5G iPod that's silver/greyish it's quite a logical step...the silver iPod mini was the best seller in that range, and there are plenty of white bits to make a visual association with the iPod. IMO, the iPod brand is a rectangular form & screen, with a circular click wheel and white earbuds, as other posters have alluded to...whether it's got a coloured body is largely irrevelant.

It might be that a silver grey extruded case, with a more iPod mini construction has some economic benefits, but with the growth of 'in car iPod' markets, the form factor probably wants reducing, if not some sort of connector/interface revision to cater for remote control usage.

Whatever happens it's better that Apple respond to the increasing competition in the marketplace, because the other guys aren't exactly standing still. Even if some of their products are misdirected at the moment, one or two are starting to get good press, and only fools stand still.

 

[stevegt87]

Please Apple/Freescale update the FSB

I've been waiting a while for a new powerbook. My only complaints with the G4 is the slow memory interface. If Apple/Freescale would fix that I'd buy it. 1Meg of L2 cache would also help to ease my performance doubts.

Steve

 

[sjpetry]

I like what I here about the 5G iPod.


P.S. I told you it would be FRONT PAGE!

 

[habalooo]

MacShrine posted the new Powerbook story first on 6th January. ThinkSecret posted a day after the Keynote. Not trying to take anything away, just MacShrine deserves credit since they really do seem to be shining this year.

 

[MacMyDay]

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

I wouldn't mind bluetooth built-in for wireless headphones. At least that way I wouldn't have to see every 1 in 4 people at my school walk around with white wires everywhere in order to show off. I bought a Sony pair of headphones instead.

 

[MacSA]

ive had 2 dreams in as many days about getting a powerbook. in 1 i tried to buy one only the shop owners were having a big meal with all the actors of Coronation Street, i sat next to the Baldwins. and just last night i ordered one only to recieve an iPod like device called a PowerPod which was blue and roundish. it was a HD Mp3 player with a TV tuner, radio, video player etc...

i tried to take it back too

even my dreams are telling me to wait for this PB update

I've had dreams about buying an iBook lol

 

[Ambrose Chapel]

If true it sounds very un Apple-like to innovate by just changing colours!

*cough* flower power & blue dalmation iMac *cough*

 

[zim]

5G iPod? Where is the 2G mini iPod?

 

[JzzTrump22]

I would stay away from the new G5 PowerBook just because i know there are going to be heat problems with it. I have a 1.5 and i have heat problems once in a while. The new ipods sound awsome, a silver casing would be pretty cool. I could get one to match my powerbook.

 

[jonnyb]

Possible upgrades.

1. Battery life.
2. General size. (reduction)
3. Click wheel color and backlight effect with the click wheel.
4. Possible AirTunes integration.
5. Improved Sound quality

Agree on all those and... 6. Gapless playback

Please? I really couldn't care less about extra colours and photos etc. They need to improve the audio aspects of their audio player before moving onto other things

 

[~Shard~]

The 5G iPod rumors are new, and it will be interesting to see how they pan out, but the PowerBook ones are pretty believable. As I've been saying on this forum for the past 6 months or so, we will not be seeing a G5/dual-core G4 PowerBook anytime soon, so another minor update like this rumored one should be expected in the near future for the line. I'm sure Apple will include a few other updates besides just clock speed... Then look for a significantly improved PowerBook in the summer/fall.

 

[morkintosh]

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

What it really needs is an airport(mini) card in it so that it can stream music to an AirPort Express.

 

[Wonder Boy]

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

i am not a fan of the click wheel at all. give me my touch buttons lined up across the top, i had an one before they were cool ipod.

there's plenty of room for improvement, imo

 

[jncrow]

Improvements in audio would be good. I like my 3g 40gig ipod works great for me always look at the new click wheel and wonder how fast I could get used to it. I will await an announcement on the edge of my seat...

 

[~Shard~]

My 3G 20 Gigger suits me just fine, so I won't be needing a new iPod for quite some time regardless of what Apple comes out with. Purchasing the latest and greatest technology all the time is murder on the bank account and not the smartest "investment" strategy by any means.

 

[kingtj]

What about just the back side?

If I was in charge of an iPod redesign, I'd leave the white front pretty much alone - but I'd get rid of the slick, super-easily scratched chrome back plate! It looks great for about the first 10 minutes of iPod ownership - and then ends up covered in fingerprints or scratches.

How about making that out of an anodized aluminum finish, more like the iPod mini or Powerbook? That'd stop all the fingerprints showing up all over it, and would add a measure of scratch resistance too.

If this was done properly, I think you'd have an iPod that'd match either a consumer (snow white) line of Macs, *or* a Pro (aluminum) line, since it'd be "half and half".

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.