Apple Releases New iPods

[iGary]

What do you want? It'll still work out of the box with the computer, if you want great performance, yes you'll have to pony up 20 bucks, but it'll work out of the box. But if they provided just a firewire cable there's a lot more computers it wouldn't work out of the box with. And all this talk about the cable only costing them 20 cents or a dollar, please. While it doesn't cost 20 dollars, it certainly costs more than a dollar.

I want it to work out of the box with the hardware they put on my computer.

Oh, if I want my premium product to work with great performance I have to pay $20 bucks?

It was a stupid business move.

I bought a 40GB iPod Photo that came with everything I needed, problem solved. Don't expect me to be turning people onto iPods or Apple for a while though.

 

[ManchesterTrix]

Loyalty? Without loyalty, Apple wouldn't even be here, so let's not even start that one. Are you trying to tell me that Apple made it through all those rough times because of Windows users?

Oh please. Apple's still around not because of loyalty but because they put out products that people wanted. Are you telling me that you bought Apple products even though you felt they were inferior because of loyalty or did you buy Apple because you liked what they were offering?

I don't spend hundreds of thousands of dollars with Apple because of loyalty, I spend it because Apple puts out the products that I want and with quality I generally find acceptable. If Apple started making inferior products that were hindering me and not benefitting me, I'd switch to another company.

They don't owe us anything, but a little respect and common sense. We're their user base, we're the onse that buy their hardware, we're the ones that support their OS and nine times out of ten, we're the ones peddling their wares to would-be customers. I've probably been responsible for several thousand dollars in sales for them - and I'm a small fish. I have several thousand dollars of my own money wrapped up in their gear. Yeah, they do owe us something, so keep laughing.

They don't owe you anything, not even respect. They don't even owe me anything, And I'm a much larger fish(Just finished a PO for 40,000 dollars worth of Apple equipment and will probably be buying 300-400 eMacs this summer.) They owe their shareholders profits, that's all. They do that by making products that people want to buy. Do I think not including the firewire cable is a good idea, no, it probably isn't. But they had their reasons, and those reasons are likely related to the bottom line. You spent lots of money on Apple products and in return got Apple products. That's all they ever owed you, the items you purchased.

 

[iGary]

Oh please. Apple's still around not because of loyalty but because they put out products that people wanted. Are you telling me that you bought Apple products even though you felt they were inferior because of loyalty or did you buy Apple because you liked what they were offering?

I don't spend hundreds of thousands of dollars with Apple because of loyalty, I spend it because Apple puts out the products that I want and with quality I generally find acceptable. If Apple started making inferior products that were hindering me and not benefitting me, I'd switch to another company.



They don't owe you anything, not even respect. They don't even owe me anything, And I'm a much larger fish(Just finished a PO for 40,000 dollars worth of Apple equipment and will probably be buying 300-400 eMacs this summer.) They owe their shareholders profits, that's all. They do that by making products that people want to buy. Do I think not including the firewire cable is a good idea, no, it probably isn't. But they had their reasons, and those reasons are likely related to the bottom line. You spent lots of money on Apple products and in return got Apple products. That's all they ever owed you, the items you purchased.

Well, you and I just have different ideas of what a company/customer relationship should be.

 

[geese]

Oh please. Apple's still around not because of loyalty but because they put out products that people wanted. Are you telling me that you bought Apple products even though you felt they were inferior because of loyalty or did you buy Apple because you liked what they were offering?

They don't owe you anything, not even respect. They don't even owe me anything, And I'm a much larger fish(Just finished a PO for 40,000 dollars worth of Apple equipment and will probably be buying 300-400 eMacs this summer.) They owe their shareholders profits, that's all. They do that by making products that people want to buy. Do I think not including the firewire cable is a good idea, no, it probably isn't. But they had their reasons, and those reasons are likely related to the bottom line. You spent lots of money on Apple products and in return got Apple products. That's all they ever owed you, the items you purchased.

But... do you really want to buy from a company that wont think twice about shafting their user base?

Its naive to think that Apple survived some of its roughest times purely on the basis that it made superior products. I mean some of their past products truly stank! Their Performa's didnt exactly fly off the shelves did it?

Apple has a customer loyalty that most other companies would die for. Whether they would still be here because of it is debatable, its foolish to assume that its worthless.

Although saying that, I think the whole Firewire-less iPod is a storm in a teacup. Come on, 18 hour battery-life!!!!!!!! And cheaper!!!!!! Thats not the actions of a company trying to shaft you, surely!!!!

 

[chabig]

But... do you really want to buy from a company that wont think twice about shafting their user base?

Do you really feel "shafted" because you want a specific type of cable?

 

[jmurray]

Oh, if I want my premium product to work with great performance I have to pay $20 bucks?

If speed is the issue, calm down, USB 2.0 benches nearly as fast as FW 400. If you don't have USB 2.0 ports on your current Mac, that's a hardware problem on your end, not Apple's. If the notion of Apple not including FW because it's their technology is bothersome, consider the cake and frosting metaphor—apparently, some want success and mass appeal for Apple as long as it fits neatly into their own configuration.

From my vantage point, massively increased battery life AND $50 bucks less for the 4GB Mini is an astonishing upgrade!

 

[chaos86]

geez, cry about it why dontcha

no firewire... get over it fellas

sure apple made firewire big. didnt they make usb big too? cant they switch back to a more common standard that is quite similar in speed without everyone bitching about it? quit whining. so it'll take you an extra couple of minutes to fill your ipod the first time and then an extra couple of seconds to update it each time. go cry about it.

 

[geese]

Do you really feel "shafted" because you want a specific type of cable?

Not in this case. On balance, with battery life up and prices down, the iPod mini's are arguably the best buy of the iPod range. But if I did have a USB 2.0-less Mac (of which there are plenty about) then some recognition from Apple would be nice. Even a reduced priced FW cable offer would have been good.

In any case, I think Apple are onto a winner. USB 2 is good enough, if not as good as FW. The cost reduction makes it more attractivem, and it makes the competition even less attractive then it was before.

Creative Micro-Zen? No thank you!

 

[jwkay]

I think more people have USB 2 than they imagine! The port looks the same... I know someone who swore he had 1.1 just by looking at the port, but from the specs it was clearly 2.

June 2003 PowerMac G4 gets USB 2
September 2003 iMac G4 gets USB 2
September 2003 Powerbooks gets USB 2
October 2003 iBook G4 gets USB 2

All the best.

 

[chabig]

Not in this case. On balance, with battery life up and prices down, the iPod mini's are arguably the best buy of the iPod range. But if I did have a USB 2.0-less Mac (of which there are plenty about) then some recognition from Apple would be nice. Even a reduced priced FW cable offer would have been good.

In any case, I think Apple are onto a winner. USB 2 is good enough, if not as good as FW. The cost reduction makes it more attractivem, and it makes the competition even less attractive then it was before.

Creative Micro-Zen? No thank you!

I agree with you. USB is good enough, and I can always buy a firewire cable. Heck, my Dad bought a USB printer that didn't ship with a cable at all!

Chris

 

[Lacero]

Its not about buying a firewire cable. Its about being loyal to Apple technology and then having Apple shove the technology up our small butt holes. This is about loyalty. Nothing else.

 

[rog]

You know, as much as I dislike it, I can certainly see where Apple's coming from.

I'm sure 80% of the people that own and use an iPod are PC users. 90% of computers don't have Firewire but almost all have USB 2.0.

What's the safer business plan? Making the 80% buy a separate cable or the 20%?

The 20%, obviously.

From a Business standpoint it makes sense. But I mean if Apple can't even make their products Mac centric anymore, why would they expect smaller developers to?

 

[jimsowden]

My 6gb green iPod mini shipped no more than an hour ago. Woo hoo. Not the biggest release ever, but I'm happy.

 

[jimmyjjames]

Sounds great but I would rathe get my bloody Shuffle

I am in a little awe. I would love to get the iPod mini but I am afraid it will cost me more time waiting. I have been waiting Since the announcement of the iPod Shuffle for delivery of my iPod it was supposed to be delivered on or before yesterday. And this morning I recieve an email thanking me for my puchase and that I will recieve my iPod on or before March 31 2005. That will make it nearly 3 months since I placed my order. This is not customer service. I wouldn't cancel my order and re-order the mini as I probably would never get the thing.

If this is the apple business model, i.e. people order and wait and wait and wait and wait. Then I don't see them doing so well in years to come. Consumers can only put up with so much.

The think that makes me mad is that people I know ordered their iPod Shuffle with the same configuration as mine after me and already recieved theirs. All apple could say when I called was that is a shame.

 

[aswitcher]

I am in a little awe. I would love to get the iPod mini but I am afraid it will cost me more time waiting. I have been waiting Since the announcement of the iPod Shuffle for delivery of my iPod it was supposed to be delivered on or before yesterday. And this morning I recieve an email thanking me for my puchase and that I will recieve my iPod on or before March 31 2005. That will make it nearly 3 months since I placed my order. This is not customer service. I wouldn't cancel my order and re-order the mini as I probably would never get the thing.

Last year in Oz when the ipod minis failed to appear (in the end for like 7 months) Apple offered all those waiting the 20 gig at the same price.

You might find that Apple with poor supplies of Shuffles but stockpiles of old and new minis, may do a similiar deal for you who have been waiting the longest. Can't hurt to ring them up and ask them what they plan to do about your long delayed order and even suggest a discount on a mini...

 

[macenforcer]

Question

Is the new 60gb ipod phot the exact same unit as the old 60gb ipod photo? They just dropped the dock and the firewire cable right? Are the the same size? Same battery life, same firmware etc?

 

[aswitcher]

Is the new 60gb ipod phot the exact same unit as the old 60gb ipod photo? They just dropped the dock and the firewire cable right? Are the the same size? Same battery life, same firmware etc?

Apparently yes. I am staring at my SHINEY AND NEW 60 gig right now. The dock, FW cable and A/V cable were worth the few extra dollars they were moving the old 60s at so I got it. Its been around since Dec04 by the packaging so the battery should be the proimised "up to 15 hours"...

Very happy I got advice from the forums that was same and bought it.

Its great having 30+ gig of music, plus photos and room to spare...

 

[iGary]

Apparently yes. I am staring at my SHINEY AND NEW 60 gig right now. The dock, FW cable and A/V cable were worth the few extra dollars they were moving the old 60s at so I got it. Its been around since Dec04 by the packaging so the battery should be the proimised "up to 15 hours"...

Very happy I got advice from the forums that was same and bought it.

Its great having 30+ gig of music, plus photos and room to spare...

Looking forward to getting my 40GB iPod photo....$339.00 at buy.com

Gonna have to re-rip some of my favorite music at lossless now.

 

[ManchesterTrix]

Its not about buying a firewire cable. Its about being loyal to Apple technology and then having Apple shove the technology up our small butt holes. This is about loyalty. Nothing else.

Oh please. If there was another mp3 player out there that you liked more than the iPod, you'd buy it over the iPod.

 

[MacTruck]

I have been waiting for an ipod and am ready to buy. Question though. If I get the 60 gb ipod photo, when I plug it in via firewire or usb does it show up on the desktop as a firewire drive? This is how I want to use it. Will it show up this way on a pc as well? Can I just drag mp3s onto it and play them? What about photos, can I drag them on there and view them as well? Thanks.

 

[Inkmonkey]

Great Confused Capuchins! I'm a little puzzled. I'm just looking at the AC adaptor that came with my 4G 40GB (non-photo). The connector on it is firewire.

So am I to assume that there are new AC adaptors that come with the iPod photo that have a USB2 connector?

Is the AC adaptor with firewire connector discontinued?

 

[Inkmonkey]

Great Confused Capuchins! I'm a little puzzled. I'm just looking at the AC adaptor that came with my 4G 40GB (non-photo). The connector on it is firewire.

So am I to assume that there are new AC adaptors that come with the iPod photo that have a USB2 connector?

Is the AC adaptor with firewire connector discontinued?

Sweet Slacker Snow Monkeys! I guess if I looked it up first on the Apple site that might help. It appears there are 2 different adaptors. One for USB2 and one for Firewire.
Thanks for your patience.

 

[tomjleeds]

I am in a little awe. I would love to get the iPod mini but I am afraid it will cost me more time waiting. I have been waiting Since the announcement of the iPod Shuffle for delivery of my iPod it was supposed to be delivered on or before yesterday. And this morning I recieve an email thanking me for my puchase and that I will recieve my iPod on or before March 31 2005. That will make it nearly 3 months since I placed my order. This is not customer service. I wouldn't cancel my order and re-order the mini as I probably would never get the thing.

If this is the apple business model, i.e. people order and wait and wait and wait and wait. Then I don't see them doing so well in years to come. Consumers can only put up with so much.

The think that makes me mad is that people I know ordered their iPod Shuffle with the same configuration as mine after me and already recieved theirs. All apple could say when I called was that is a shame.

Actually, my new Mini has been shipped already and I'm expecting it on Monday. Apple obviously didn't expect demand for the Shuffle to be at the massive level it is, but it looks like they've got plenty of Minis ready (it's still showing the same estimated build time as when it was released).

With the 4G iPod I received similar service to what I'm getting with the Mini - I ordered on the Monday and it was delivered on the Friday.

 

[RqThrottle]

Well, my wife has been asking for an iPod mini for a while, so I got over my initial little disappointment, and just got her the 4Gb one in green. She will never even use half of its capacity. At the current price (plus a small epp discount) it is a steal. I also got the firewire cable to be shared with my soon-to-be-purchased 30 Gb. Paying $17 for it was not a problem. Now I won't pay for a cable I do not need when I get my own iPod. I think this is what apple intended. The USB deal didn't bother me, but my cube is USB 1.1, and life is short.

Does anyone know if the minis will support the upcoming photo import feature? I just want to be able to dump my raw files from my D70. I couldn't care less about seeing them.

 

[iGary]

Oh please. If there was another mp3 player out there that you liked more than the iPod, you'd buy it over the iPod.

You've exceeded your "Oh please" quota for the day. Please come back tomorrow.