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Apple Releases New iPods

Wow, after all of the rumors over the past couple of days this update is a little disappointing. Of course the extra capacity and longer battery life of the mini is welcomed, but I wonder what happened to the color screens or bluetooth? I'm glad to see Apple isn't expanding the line too much; it's good that they dropped the 40GB iPod with the introduction of the 6GB mini. I still think they should condense the line even more. Give the iPod line the capabilities of the Photo and drop then drop the Photo models (which seems to be the direction they are going).

And maybe it's just me, but the new blue mini is ugly--I almost wish I had bought a blue mini at Christmas to get the lighter hue.
 
Trowaman said:
no firewire cables, that's not cool. And it looks like no docks with Photos anymore. That's kinda poopy.
Click to expand...

My guess is that it was simpler to use USB 2.0 for the future "Camera download" feature since most digital cameras use USB interfaces. As much as I love firewire, that looks like a sound decision.
 
stupid apple. . .
no firewire cable?!?!!?! what are they thinking? my rev A PB doesnt have USB 2.0!!!!! i can manage with my shuffle b/c its not that many songs, but if/when i get a new full size iPod i will want to use firewire!!! if they are trying to save money then they should ditch the USB2 cable and make all the windows users fork out the extra money for the cable!!! but i guess the majority of people who buy iPods are windows users :-/

no gold minis . . oh well.
no 40GB iPod just means a nice lineup of iPods. im sure everything will change to color soon (look at creative labs lineup of iPod-look-alikes they will all have color screens by the end of this year)

but all this considered, and while im still enjoying my new shuffle. i am going to hold of buying an iPod until i can get wireless with it or on it. and a color screen would be nice as well!!
 
As someone who has yet to buy an ipod, I am looking at the 4GB mini model, as I don't need much more space than that.

My questions, however, are:

since the new models do not come with an AC adaptor or a firewire cable, can you use generic versions of either? I have a million firewire cables (4 and 6 pin) and a number of AC adaptors with universal connections. Neither of my computers have USB 2, so it would be a lot more convenient this way, obviously. I also do not always travel with my PB (for charging).

Just curious. Thanks.
 
ClarkeB said:
Here's all the info

http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/

What’s New in iPod Updater 2005-02-22

iPod shuffle Software 1.1 for iPod shuffle
-Support for iPod shuffle Battery Pack
-Increased software stability

iPod mini Software 1.3 for iPod mini
-Support for second-generation iPod mini
-Support for charging and syncing over USB with Mac OS X v10.2.8 or 10.3.4 or later

iPod Software 2.3 for iPod with dock connector
-Shuffle Songs selection in Main Menu
-Music menu item in Main Menu
-Support for iTunes 4.7 and later

iPod Software 1.5 for iPod with touch wheel or scroll wheel
-Shuffle Songs selection in Main Menu
-Music menu item in Main Menu
-Support for iTunes 4.7 and later

~

I guess Apple felt there was nothing worth noting on the new software for the 2.5G iPod
Click to expand...

Wow, do we (3g users) finally get the shuffle menu itme in the main menu? I like that the 30gig iPod Photo is more slim, closer to the 20gig regluar ipod :)
 
chaos86 said:
now heres an idea for apple. get rid of the ac plug for powerbooks and charge them via firewire using the same powerbrick as the ipods! ive always wondered why they didnt do that. i always wondered if it would work but i dont have the balls to try it on my pb.
Click to expand...

Nothing would happen if you plug the AC adapter into your PowerBook. They're both firewire devices and will communicate the power needs.
Also, looking at my 12" PowerBook, it requires 24 volts at up to 1.875 amps.
That's way out of FireWire's spec.

For those complaining about the lack of FireWire in the new iPods, I will gladly sell you the 4GB iPod mini bundled with an Apple FireWire Dock Connector cable for $249.
 
15GB 3rd Gen remote and new minis

hey guys,

can anyone confirm if my ipod remote from a 3rd Gen 15GB is compatible with the Ipod mini?

it looks like the same connector, but I just want to be sure.

thanks,
Daniel
 
chaos86 said:
now heres an idea for apple. get rid of the ac plug for powerbooks and charge them via firewire using the same powerbrick as the ipods! ive always wondered why they didnt do that. i always wondered if it would work but i dont have the balls to try it on my pb.
Click to expand...

I could be wrong, but I think that the firewire port won't accept current, it only puts it out. And if it does accept inward current, it couldn't be too high, and the charge time would probably take forever. iPods trickle charge over hours, and they have far smaller batteries than PBs.

Now, if they had one power brick, with two cables (one for iPod's dock connector, and one for PB's AC in, with the power brick sensing the current needed for a given device), that might work, but might not be the most elegant solution. Then again, neither is two seperate power bricks.

--DT
 
blackfox said:
since the new models do not come with an AC adaptor or a firewire cable, can you use generic versions of either? I have a million firewire cables (4 and 6 pin) and a number of AC adaptors with universal connections. Neither of my computers have USB 2, so it would be a lot more convenient this way, obviously. I also do not always travel with my PB (for charging).

Just curious. Thanks.
Click to expand...

One of the iPod mini accessories is an adaptor so that you can use a standard Firewire cable, it also has a line out and cable, a bit like the dock. It is a little cheaper than the iPod Mini Dock.
 
No Firewire??!!

Why is Apple continuing to leave us Mac users is the cold. We are loyal to them, but they are smacking us in the face with this one. All of us have been defending Firewire for years now! My Mac is only 1.5 years old, but it has no USB2. I suspect the same thing is happening with iTunes 5.0 Apple will downgrade it in order for Windows users to be able to use it, instead of going all out and taking advantage of upcoming Tiger features.

I'm so pissed off at them.

We have 2 unused firewire ports now!!!
 
it should work with USB 1.1, unless....

blackfox said:
Neither of my computers have USB 2, so it would be a lot more convenient this way, obviously. I also do not always travel with my PB (for charging).
Click to expand...

USB 1.1 is compatible with USB 2.0, just slower. USB 1.1 supplies power for charging - just like USB 2.0.

However, the Apple spec page only lists USB 2.0. (http://www.apple.com/ipodmini/specs.html)

It would be odd if Apple did something to intentionally break compatibility with USB 1.1...
 
I have to say i really dont like the look of the new pods. The colors aren't as nice and I really dont like that the writing on the click wheel is the clour of the ipod. It makes it really hard to read.
 
AdamZ said:
Why is Apple continuing to leave us Mac users is the cold. We are loyal to them, but they are smacking us in the face with this one. All of us have been defending Firewire for years now! My Mac is only 1.5 years old, but it has no USB2. I suspect the same thing is happening with iTunes 5.0 Apple will downgrade it in order for Windows users to be able to use it, instead of going all out and taking advantage of upcoming Tiger features.

I'm so pissed off at them.

We have 2 unused firewire ports now!!!
Click to expand...

Yeah, lame, stupid...all for the buck. What's next, FireWire no long on logic boards?
 
Hattig said:
A Firewire cable (6ft, 6-pin to 6-pin) is $3.49 at NewEgg. Maybe it'll be $8 at your local superstore.

You don't have to buy Apple(tm) Firewire cables!

Also, if you are upgrading your iPod, keep the old Firewire cable you got with it? Depending on the age of your old iPod, you could just sell it on with the new USB2 cable!
Click to expand...

except for the fact that apple uses a proprietary firewire port on their iPods, so a standard cable won't work...
 
PREDICTIONS

Here's my predictions:

End of march:
iPod mini Yellow + Orange colors added to the range,
iTunes update,
Camera2iPod cable (fact already)

(=
 
killuminati said:
I have to say i really dont like the look of the new pods. The colors aren't as nice and I really dont like that the writing on the click wheel is the clour of the ipod. It makes it really hard to read.
Click to expand...

You would really have to see it in person to make that judgment call. :rolleyes:
 
Found this interesting

indexcopying10262004.jpg


I live in San Luis Obispo. Thought it was funny that someone at Apple took a vacation here and used a screenshot of them syncing their pics.

I saw this when the iPod photo was originally released.
 
DTphonehome said:
Waaaa! My 486 DX/33 only has a serial port (my dot-matrix printer takes up the parallel port)!! These ipods are useless!!
Click to expand...

lol. :D

i was really hoping for a SCSI connector for my iPod photo. or maybe a new floppy disk accessory.

yes, it sucks that there's no firewire, but the fact is if Apple can save $$$ by only including one cable, which cable are they going to forfeit? i'm not sure what the stats are, but i feel sure that PC users out-purchase Mac users for iPods by a good margin – there are just more OF them. i hate USB b/c my iPod won't recharge off that connection.
 
I'm just happy my 3G 20 GB finally got an update!!!!!!!!

I do think that discontinuing the 40 GB was not too great a move for Apple...

They could have lowered the 20 GB price to 249, discontinued the 4 GB mini, lowered the new mini price to 199, make a new regular 30 GB model 349, then make a 30 GB photo at 399, 40 GB photo at 499, and 60 GB at 599...
 
I think Apple is making a big mistake by not letting users decide if they want a FW OR a USB cable. Apple is continuing to piss off people.
How do the people feel that just bought a 1GB Shuffle less than a month ago?
I think the update itself is great but the way Apple played it was just a bad customer satisfaction call and was based solely on numbers.
This will bite Apple as well as the high add-on prices of the mini. I sure hope they will change the FW option...
 
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