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Apple Releases New iPods

Diatribe said:
I meant that the reduction of price was implied by the introduction of the new 6GB not by switching the cable.
I know that you can purchase the FW cable but what would've been the harm in letting people choose what cable they want?
As I said I really like this update feature wise, just not the way it was done.
Click to expand...

You get a choice. You can choose to pay $19 to get an extra cable. And wow! You get a USB cable aswell, which is useful, cause you can then charge it with say, a USB car adaptor (they exist, belive me).

You get a choice. If you can't affor $19 more, then you can't afford an iPod.
 
Jalexster said:
iPod mini 4GB: $199
PSP with 32MB Duo included: $250

Where is the comparison? One is designed for music, and the other sucks at it. Anyway, the highest card for a PSP is 2GB. For $450.

So, iPod mini 4GB: $199
PSP With 2GB Pro Duo: $700

Once again, where is the comparison?
Click to expand...

pwned.

not to mention to bulk of the PSP compared to iPod. 'speshully the Mini. hell using my Pocket PC was a NIGHTMARE with music. 64mb built in, 256mb SD card. leave music players to the big boys :cool:
 
tomjleeds said:
It takes 15 minutes to fill 1GB? Man...there's surely a major speed issue with the Shuffle in that case?

Yes, USB 2.0 is around 20% slower (IIRC) than FW400 in real terms when transferring large amounts of data, but 15 minutes per GB...that's just not normal. My 20GB 4G used to fill up at a similar rate using USB 2.0 or Firewire - and it certainly didn't take 5 hours!
Click to expand...

he was talking about having to use USB 1.1

Which at 12mbps, or 1.5MB/s would take at least 11 minutes in ideal situations. 15 minutes sounds about right.
 
whiskeybravo said:
OK. I was off by six months (less actually, but I'll give you the benefit). Wow. The point is that this chucks the finger at the vast majority of Apple users who, I think it is reasonable to say, do not buy a new machine every year. Apple loudly and clearly feels it is more important to satisfy Windows users. Otherwise, why not have cable choice with the order? Simple solution and doesn't piss off a bunch of rumor site readers :D
Click to expand...

I do think cable choice would have been sensible. Although...

How much does it really cost Apple to produce one of those cables? $0.20? OK, so you could say that they're losing $18.80 in profit from the overpriced optional cable, but they're also going to make a lot of their core market pissed.

Just seems like a bad idea for a company which has miraculously survived the PC era.

Hattig said:
he was talking about having to use USB 1.1

Which at 12mbps, or 1.5MB/s would take at least 11 minutes in ideal situations. 15 minutes sounds about right.
Click to expand...

Ah. Bummer. Oh well, I made my point anyway ;)
 
Lacero said:
I'm don't care so much for firewire cables. What's got me in twisted panties is Apple did not include built-in laser pointer capability.
Click to expand...

You know, I have one simple request and that is to have an iPod mini with a freakin' laser beam attached to it!

Sorry, couldn't help myself. :D
 
Hattig said:
he was talking about having to use USB 1.1

Which at 12mbps, or 1.5MB/s would take at least 11 minutes in ideal situations. 15 minutes sounds about right.
Click to expand...

He also still hasn't answered my question: Why would you buy a shuffle, if your computer only has USB 1.1?
 
tomjleeds said:
..but they're also going to make a lot of their core market pissed.
Click to expand...

You mean 90% of the ipod users who are PC users with only USB 2.0 ports?
 
tomjleeds said:
I do think cable choice would have been sensible. Although...

How much does it really cost Apple to produce one of those cables? $0.20? OK, so you could say that they're losing $18.80 in profit from the overpriced optional cable, but they're also going to make a lot of their core market pissed.

Just seems like a bad idea for a company which has miraculously survived the PC era.



Ah. Bummer. Oh well, I made my point anyway ;)
Click to expand...


My thoughts exactly. Though not incrementally bad, it was just unnecessary.
 
Lacero said:
You mean 95% of the ipod users who are PC users with only USB 2.0 ports?
Click to expand...

I mentioned that before.

Apple pisses off 5% of it's market by not including a firewire cable (the functionality is still there though).
Apple pleases 95% of the market (those with USB 2.0), by making the iPod cheaper for them.
 
schatten said:
Well, all new Macs come standard with USB 2.0 as well as FireWire. USB 2.0 is also actually faster than FireWire. Apple is finally 'fessing up to that fact. Unless, that is, they make a FireWire 800 iPod (ooh that would be sweet!).
Apple isn't so much "going for the Windows Market Share" as much as trying to push us folks with aged Macs to break down & upgrade!
Click to expand...

You are delusional if you think that USB 2.0 is faster than Firewire.
 
well i like Firewire and USB2, im not picky. neithers my PB.

not to forget USB2 runs at 480mbps and Firewire at 400mbps.

...maybe apple just wanted music transfer to be quicker?
 
finchna said:
So they keep cutting the price and cutting hardware--no dock, no firewire cable--what next?
Click to expand...

I've heard Apple will soon replace the box the iPod comes in with a Ziploc bag.
 
Lacero said:
You mean 90% of the ipod users who are PC users with only USB 2.0 ports?
Click to expand...

To be honest...most of the PC's I've seen that have been bought in the past 18 months have come with some form of Firewire port, albeit often the stupid 'Sony iLink' 4-pin port.

The point is, the iPod has come and, eventually, it'll go. Obviously it won't 'go', but other manufacturers will catch up (as Creative are beginning to do) and the iPod won't dominate the market as it does today (plus the market probably won't be so lucrative in future). Mac users will still be there buying Macs - pissing a fairly large proportion of them off just doesn't seem sensible.

raggedjimmi said:
well i like Firewire and USB2, im not picky. neithers my PB.

not to forget USB2 runs at 480mbps and Firewire at 400mbps.

...maybe apple just wanted music transfer to be quicker?
Click to expand...

In real terms, Firewire is faster than USB 2.0 (USB is faster in burst mode but that's it).
 
Jalexster said:
He also still hasn't answered my question: Why would you buy a shuffle, if your computer only has USB 1.1?
Click to expand...

It's 'only' 15 minutes for a full update even then. What if you do a partial update, if that is an option? That might make it worthwhile.
 
1984 said:
I've heard Apple will soon replace the box the iPod comes in with a Ziploc bag.
Click to expand...

I've heard Apple will sell one for $29. Comes in a box. Dock, cables, CD, headphones and iPod optional.
 
oh god ive just had an idea to sell off my 15gb 3G iPod to my girlfriend whos been naggin to buy it since day #1 and picking up a 6gb iPod mini (£150 with a student discount! wowos) now i knew they were gonna be cheap but wow...
 
raggedjimmi said:
well i like Firewire and USB2, im not picky. neithers my PB.

not to forget USB2 runs at 480mbps and Firewire at 400mbps.

...maybe apple just wanted music transfer to be quicker?
Click to expand...

Don't believe the numbers. Firewire is still faster than USB2.
 
Diatribe said:
I meant that the reduction of price was implied by the introduction of the new 6GB not by switching the cable.
I know that you can purchase the FW cable but what would've been the harm in letting people choose what cable they want?
As I said I really like this update feature wise, just not the way it was done.
Click to expand...

I know it seems easy to just have a option to choose your cable, but in reality it would cost too much. Your packaging line would have to be modified to place different cables in specific boxes. Your inventory would double because now you would have to forcast and store stock to cover both cables. Your distribution would have to be able to pick and correctly deliver the right iPod with the cable. All of this adds a lot of cost. It would be cheaper just to sell it as an accessory.

lasuther
 
Now it's more confusing than ever...do I go for the 30GB, the 40GB or the 60GB?

Now my plan works out better I suppose. $349 iPod - $50 (CompUSA gift card) = $299.

So 10 extra gigs and a color screen for the same price as the 20GB that was available yesterday...not a bad deal I suppose.
 
god almighty dont get me started on sony's iLink... my Gericom laptop used to have one meaning back in my PC+iPod days i had to charge halfway through uploading songs to it, all because 4pin instead of 6. idiots.
 
No cable, but Firewire port is still there...

I haven't read through all gazillion posts, but I hope everyone moaning about "USB only" on the iPod mini will realize that it still has a Firewire port.

You just need to supply a cable.

An awful lot of people HAVE a firewire cable lying around. If you don't, you can buy them cheap (it doesn't have to come from Apple, people!), check Froogle, for example.

So, breathe deeply, remain calm, and open wide for the chill pill.
 
lasuther said:
I know it seems easy to just have a option to choose your cable, but in reality it would cost too much. Your packaging line would have to be modified to place different cables in specific boxes. Your inventory would double because now you would have to forcast and store stock to cover both cables. Your distribution would have to be able to pick and correctly deliver the right iPod with the cable. All of this adds a lot of cost. It would be cheaper just to sell it as an accessory.

lasuther
Click to expand...

First of all you have to forecast demand for the pay cable too. Secondly you're correct it would be cheaper to just include a 50¢ - $1 item. Selling it for $20 just says we know we can charge it because people will buy it. The same mentality they had with the mac mini and still have with the iPod accessories.
Apple is trying to bring out cheaper products by milking those people that have always been paying premium for their items. I just think it's bad business policy from the customer focused view.
 
neoelectronaut said:
Now it's more confusing than ever...do I go for the 30GB, the 40GB or the 60GB?

Now my plan works out better I suppose. $349 iPod - $50 (CompUSA gift card) = $299.

So 10 extra gigs and a color screen for the same price as the 20GB that was available yesterday...not a bad deal I suppose.
Click to expand...

There is no 40GB anymore, is there?
 
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