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5GB iPod: Not longer available?
- Thread starter blackpeter
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5gb for windows now too?
Wow its been a long time since I posted last...
anyway, oldMac since when have 5gb ipods been available for Windows? I just checked the Appl web site and only 5gb's are available to mac users.
Where I'm getting this is from that graphic you posted it says, in that last sentence that's different "and all three are now available to both Mac and Windows users."
anything weird about that guys?
Wow its been a long time since I posted last...
anyway, oldMac since when have 5gb ipods been available for Windows? I just checked the Appl web site and only 5gb's are available to mac users.
Where I'm getting this is from that graphic you posted it says, in that last sentence that's different "and all three are now available to both Mac and Windows users."
anything weird about that guys?
i dont think there is any reason to believe 5Gb ipods are going to be updated or dropped. They are simply the biggest sellers.
And the firewire800 low power units could just as easily be for laptops.
And the firewire800 low power units could just as easily be for laptops.
i'm not very familiar with the firewire 800 specs. Is it lower power? will the iPod take less power to charge? if so, this is the only reason to need it. I have an iPod and i have a firewire harddrive. I don't see the speed on the iPod that i do on the regular harddrive. The HD in the iPod is the bottelneck, it can't even get full speeds on firewire. SO i can't imagine it would be anyfaster using firewire 800.
Not released... but announced. To quote:
The new Hitachi Travelstar Compact Series C4K40, available in 40 and 20 gigabyte capacities, is built in a newly introduced 1.8-inch form factor. The new drive is compliant with the SFF8111 standard, making it a perfect match for laptop computers, tablet PCs, handheld computers, portable consumer electronics and other pervasive computing devices supporting this standard form factor. The new drive will be available in April of this year.
It is time for a price change though. They got the overpriced holiday rush thing done now...
Yes. IBM is getting rid of their desktop line of IDE drives. The good server stuff they are still going to produce.
This was brought on by dropping of 3yr warranties to 1yr as well as the limited reliability of the hdd's release (DeskStar line?) in the past year or so.
Much the same idealogy as what they did with Lexmark. Hopefully not as expensive though...
Okay, I have a quick question. Maybe I'm missing something here but if they release the firewire using the new firewire 800 interface as noted above (and on the main macrumors page) this mean that the ONLY people who will be able to use the new iPod are people with the new FireWire 800 PowerBooks?
This can't be so. Apple's not THAT evil to make all of us iPod owners who want to upgade buy new Macs with FireWire 800...are they?
This can't be so. Apple's not THAT evil to make all of us iPod owners who want to upgade buy new Macs with FireWire 800...are they?
No, FW800 can e adapted down to FW400, so an iPod with FW800 can use a FW400 port on a computer, just needs a small adapter. At least this is how I understand the way the new FW works
You may be right...but my undertanding from Job's keynote was different.
I was under the impression that a Mac with FW800 could use FW400 devices, with the adapter. Not the other way around. In the case as described above, the iPod would be the newer device (just like any other CD Burner or Scanner) trying to use the older machine...again I could be wrong just my limited understanding of how that worked.
Reguardless, if it works...I'm sure apple will want us to throw out another $50 for the adapter as our penalty for not upgrading to FW800 machines.
If anyone else out ther has any other info please do chime in...
Er...you don't know how price elastic their demand curves are so you can't make that inference.
I'm guessing that if the 'old' 5GB were to go for significantly cheaper, it would not be very profitable (it's profits, not revenues that are the most important!) for Apple or else they would have already done it. If they can sell truckloads at the current price point, why tinker with the equation? They wouldn't want buyers opting out of higher technology for cheaper low-tech. Otherwise we'd have Steve selling Apple IIs for $20 a pop and the fruity iBooks for under $500.
From what I understand of what the Firewire 800 spec was supposed to be (and this is from something I read at least six months ago, so something could have changed), was that the FW800 ports could accept 400 without an adapter. They described the system as FW800 port being a full rectangle, so that a cable designed for it would be too big to fit in an old port, but an old cable would fit into the 800 port with a little empty space around the part where it tapers.
Don't know where adapters fit in, maybe they can be used to fit an 800 cable to a 400 port.
why FW800?
Why would they use FW800 when an iPod doesn't need nearly that much bandwidth? Does anything need that much bandwidth? Maybe I'm calculating something wrong, but it seems like 400Mbps is plenty fast for any hard drive based type thing, especially a slower 1.8" drive.
If the 800 ports are as described (full rectangle instead of rounded on one side) then it would make sense just to gradually move everything in that direction. But then why would the 17" AlBook have a 400 port? And Jobs did say something about an adapter, didn't he?
Personally, I don't think the FW800 things are going to be in iPods. Maybe for laptops for target disk mode? Who knows...
Why would they use FW800 when an iPod doesn't need nearly that much bandwidth? Does anything need that much bandwidth? Maybe I'm calculating something wrong, but it seems like 400Mbps is plenty fast for any hard drive based type thing, especially a slower 1.8" drive.
If the 800 ports are as described (full rectangle instead of rounded on one side) then it would make sense just to gradually move everything in that direction. But then why would the 17" AlBook have a 400 port? And Jobs did say something about an adapter, didn't he?
Personally, I don't think the FW800 things are going to be in iPods. Maybe for laptops for target disk mode? Who knows...
It's entirely possible that Apple is telling the truth (that unexpected holiday demand has led to the unavailibility) and is coming out with new models. If they underestimated holiday demand they may have sold of out inventory that they expected to last until new models arrived.
All iPods are not equal
Now that Apple sells iPods for Windows as well, why would they wait until the 5GB model runs out for both platforms before introducing new models? Apple could offload all the leftover iPods to Dell, Target, etc and simply change the installer software while on the Mac side new models could be introduced at any time. This would send out a clear message to the Windows users that if they want the latest and greatest they should be using a Mac.
Now that Apple sells iPods for Windows as well, why would they wait until the 5GB model runs out for both platforms before introducing new models? Apple could offload all the leftover iPods to Dell, Target, etc and simply change the installer software while on the Mac side new models could be introduced at any time. This would send out a clear message to the Windows users that if they want the latest and greatest they should be using a Mac.
FireWire 2
By the way, isn't FireWire 2 able to slow down to the original FireWire's speed just like USB 2.0 devices can do when plugged into USB 1.1 ports? I do not think FireWire 2 would be necessary for hard drive speed but maybe it has more to do with the power output.
By the way, isn't FireWire 2 able to slow down to the original FireWire's speed just like USB 2.0 devices can do when plugged into USB 1.1 ports? I do not think FireWire 2 would be necessary for hard drive speed but maybe it has more to do with the power output.
The baby iPod is on the Austalian Apple site, I just checked.
But one has new gadget feeling coming on strong...
Re: FireWire 2
Just FYI, this is what the Apple website says about FW 800's compatibality:
Backwards compatibility. Manufacturers have adopted FireWire for a broad range of devices, such as DV cameras, hard drives, digital still cameras, professional audio, printers, scanners and home entertainment. Adapter cables for the FireWire 800 9-pin connector let you use these FireWire 400 products on the FireWire 800 port
I'm not sure how well this will work when hooking up a mac to an iPod but it looks like some kind of converter will be required for sure. The adapter Apple's selling on their site is $50. So maybe they will drop the price on the iPod, then they'll stick you again for another $50 just to make it work on your mac (sigh).
Though I'm hoping no FireWire 2 on iPods. It really doesnt' seem necessary.
Just FYI, this is what the Apple website says about FW 800's compatibality:
Backwards compatibility. Manufacturers have adopted FireWire for a broad range of devices, such as DV cameras, hard drives, digital still cameras, professional audio, printers, scanners and home entertainment. Adapter cables for the FireWire 800 9-pin connector let you use these FireWire 400 products on the FireWire 800 port
I'm not sure how well this will work when hooking up a mac to an iPod but it looks like some kind of converter will be required for sure. The adapter Apple's selling on their site is $50. So maybe they will drop the price on the iPod, then they'll stick you again for another $50 just to make it work on your mac (sigh).
Though I'm hoping no FireWire 2 on iPods. It really doesnt' seem necessary.
Re: 5gb for windows now too?
They changed all the iPods at the same time. There is no difference between any iPod besides the hard drive and of course the case size. Other then that they use the same chips and memory. Therefore it's just a matter of software whether or not Apple calls them PC or Mac. In real world use for a Mac user the difference between a PC and a Mac iPod is not worth talking about they both work on the mac in the same way. The only difference being the included software for it. The biggest difference though is if you hav e PC iPod you can use it on a PC also.
They changed all the iPods at the same time. There is no difference between any iPod besides the hard drive and of course the case size. Other then that they use the same chips and memory. Therefore it's just a matter of software whether or not Apple calls them PC or Mac. In real world use for a Mac user the difference between a PC and a Mac iPod is not worth talking about they both work on the mac in the same way. The only difference being the included software for it. The biggest difference though is if you hav e PC iPod you can use it on a PC also.
FIREWIRE 800
For everyone out there wondering about Firewire 800 and the iPod. Plain and simply it will not happen. The hard drive in the iPod is not nearly fast enough to even use half of the bandwidth of the Firewire 400 let alone need the bandwidth of the new version. It is also an added cost. Because it's a new technology the manufacturing has not paid for itself and has not been completely thought out for efficiency. So no doubt Firewire 800 hardware will cost more initially.
For everyone out there wondering about Firewire 800 and the iPod. Plain and simply it will not happen. The hard drive in the iPod is not nearly fast enough to even use half of the bandwidth of the Firewire 400 let alone need the bandwidth of the new version. It is also an added cost. Because it's a new technology the manufacturing has not paid for itself and has not been completely thought out for efficiency. So no doubt Firewire 800 hardware will cost more initially.
my take:
5 gig: scroll wheel like the 10 and 20gig. remote included.
40 gig: mic in connection, rendezvous capability, different flavors to choose from.
5 gig: scroll wheel like the 10 and 20gig. remote included.
40 gig: mic in connection, rendezvous capability, different flavors to choose from.