Apple Releases New iPods

[chabig]

Okay, but what do you do when you go vacation? Take you iBook with you just for charging the iPod? I always charge my mini using the AC adapter because I don't want to keep my PB awake over night just for charging.

When I go anywhere I always take my Powerbook. Why don't you? I use it to watch DVDs and and manage my vacation photos. And you don't have to keep your PC on overnight (is that a bad thing anyway?) because it charges the iPod while it's asleep.

Chris

 

[Squire]

It Started With the Socks...

Anyone else noticed that you don't appear to get the case, AV cable and dock with the photo models any more?

Of course if you didn't want them then no loss. I did so I'm happy with mine still.

After I received my ~$650 40 GB iPod Photo and noticed the lack of remote control, I was pissed. But I still had the remote from my 20 gigger so it wasn't a big loss to me (just to my brother, the recipient of said 20 gigger).

This isn't about a $50 price drop. I hope nobody honestly believes it costs more than $5 for Apple to manufacture that cable. It's all about margins (as usual!)

There we have it! Margins.

I also agree that there's no excuse for the lack of an AC charger for the mini. Potential switchers could be a little put off to find it's not in the box, when they've just paid $200. It seems cheap on Apple's part.

How much does it cost Apple to make a firewire cable? How about an AC charger? Before Steve showed off the iPod socks at the Keynote (Which was it? The Music Event?), he said, "Sometimes I think the accessory manufacturers make more money than we do." Or something to that effect. While the iPod has certainly been an uber successful high-margin product, the accessory guys have also been making tons. Perhaps Jobs & Co. have decided to put an end to it. From a business point of view, one can hardly blame them.

Squire

 

[fossyy]

Here's my predictions:

End of march:
iPod mini Yellow + Orange colors added to the range,
iTunes update,

Camera2iPod cable (fact already)


(=

Hope your right ,orange mini for me plus colour screen.

 

[lasuther]

Maybe I misunderstood what happened in the update, but the iPods still have Firewire compatibility, right? It would suck if Apple removed all firewire ports from the iPods. I thought they just stopped packaging Firewire cables standard.

lasuther

 

[mxpiazza]

i love how everyone is deeming their $1000+ cost systems as "worthless" just because of their refusal to purchase a $19 cable...

bottom line, more people in the product base use USB than Firewire. all of Apple's computers released at least in the past 18 months have USB 2.0 (correct me if i'm wrong). it was a logical cost-cutting step taken by them... i find it hard to believe that they didn't do research on this decision before they made it.

that being said, great update (the new blue is hideous). i think delaying color screens on the mini until the whole ipod line goes to color was a good idea, then the 20GB, the previous most sold model, would have really been the odd man out.

 

[chabig]

You seriously think such a minority use the power adapter? I am sorry but not many people like to leave their computers on for about 2-4 hours so their minis/Shuffle's can be fully charged, i find it quite annoying for the Shuffle i have atm.

I do think the 1% is probably about right. I've owned an iPod since gen 1 (Nov '01) and never once used the AC adapter. The iPod charges while your Mac is asleep.

...because when you buy music from itms you are locked onto the ipod platform...

Buying CDs lock you into the CD platform. Buying Windows Media locks you into their platform. Quit complaining because you're locked into the best platform out there.

 

[Yvan256]

Here's all the info

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

What’s New in iPod Updater 2005-02-22

Ouch, what's with the 42MB download for iPod updates?! (Windows version)

 

[Jeromie]

The new battery life is amazing. I wonder if battery technology has come that far since the last update or if the gain is mostly from more efficient firmware. Or, perhaps, they just decided to put the better batteries that were already available in on this update. At any rate, I'm impressed.

 

[chabig]

As far as I know my 6 pin to 6 pin firewire cables(from my 2nd Gen iPod) won't work on the ipod mini's funkadellic port on the bottom. Perhaps I'm wrong.

These $20 adapters are available all over. I love mine.

Chris

 

[blackfox]

ok. I am still confused with all this talk about Firewire.

Is it true that the ipods have a proprietary fw port, rendering generic fw cables useless?

Is it true that I will have to buy a USB/FW adaptor to use Firewire on these new ipods? At which point, i am still stuck with a proprietary port, or not?

Is there no longer even a FW port on the ipods?

These are all asking the same question, I guess. I would like to buy a new ipod. I would like to use FW, if possible. What are my options, here?

 

[number9]

Any one notice that on the new Mini page, it sasy that if your library is too large for the mini, iTunes will "automatically fill it for you." Seems as tho the Autofill feature applies to the mini now too. Alos I notived in the iPod software update these are listed:

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'm not sure if the Shuffle menu feature and the Music menu item had been put on 3G iPods yet

 

[AdamZ]

Are you still sore on a $19 firewire cable? Me thinks it's time you have other things to worry about. no?

Dude, you must not be a Mac user or you would understand. We have been singing the praises of, and defending the use of Firewire for years now. Apple is totally neglecting its loyal followers. It's not about the money for us, but aparently is for them. It's the fact that it is a total change in their thinking. Leaving us to feel that we don't matter. Like I stated before, where in the heck is iTunes 5.0? Apple probably can't figure out how to make it rock on the various Windows boxes out there, so we are made to suffer.

 

[acrobat]

prices

i love how people keep saying "why would i buy "x" iPod when for $50 more, i could buy "y" iPod?" have you noticed that it's that way almost all the way up the line? ($50 price difference between every iPod except for the iPod photos). that, my friends, is called smart marketing. it's called upselling and is just like at the movie theatres when you order that medium drink and they tell you that you can get a large for just 25 cents more. same concept... larger scale.

as far as the firewire and ac adapter go... this is crap. i use my ac adapter every day on both my iPod and my mini. and firewire is CLEARLY better and is the brainchild of Apple. what the crap is with these people?

-acrobat

 

[Yvan256]

how come they are gettng rid of all the firewire cables that come with them and just giving usb 2.0, i know it costs more to give both and in getting rid of one had enabled them to drop the prices further but surely they would have dropped the usb one and firwire is apples invention and far better for transferring several gigs of data. i think apple is starting to go for the windows market share too much and kind of over looking what is better in things like this.

Well, the one thing that made me mad when I bought my 3rd gen 10GB iPod is the fact I had to shell out even more money to buy a USB cable.

Also, USB 2.0, while slower than Firewire 400, is still pretty fast. Also, you don't update 4GB/6GB every time you connect your iPod mini.

And last, there's still a lot of PCs out there without a Firewire port. And all Macs have USB 2.0 (and had for a few years).

And as you said, the Windows users are still the biggest chunk of buyers of iPods compared to Mac users. It makes sense to bundle the USB 2.0 cable only. What I wonder is, will the new iPod mini still work with a Firewire cable if bought separately?

 

[Savage Henry]

The new battery life is amazing. I wonder if battery technology has come that far since the last update or if the gain is mostly from more efficient firmware. Or, perhaps, they just decided to put the better batteries that were already available in on this update.

My money is on Firmware ..... that and the fact that Apple has finally abandoned the policy of using power cells entirely comprised of old cereal packets.

 

[mxpiazza]

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...

just because apple is pissing you off, it dosen't mean they are pissing EVERYONE off... with this move, they are cutting costs and prices to the consumer dramatically, and providing the cables that the majority of iPod purchasers... PC users... need.

how do the people feel that just bought a 1GB shuffle? probably the same, because its not like they released a 2GB shuffle at the same price point. people beg for revisions, updates, and innovation... they finally get it, then never cease to complain. if apple looked at the complaining consumer like some people look at them, they would say 'the hell with it', cash out their stock options, and retire to an island, listening to their 60GB color ipods, being charged by USB 2.0.

 

[TopCatz]

iPod Software Update

Excellent - now all the iPods ever made have Shuffle Songs and the menu update that seemed so silly not to update before.
Well done Apple.

 

[iGary]

Are you still sore on a $19 firewire cable? Me thinks it's time you have other things to worry about. no?

You know, it's not about the 20 bucks...not at all. I have three of the things, and I did go ahead and order the iPod Photo when I heard of the direct camera support coming.

Those of us who have been around the Mac World for quite some time, the very people that provided Apple with the revenue to develop the original iPod are now being considered the minority...people with machines less than a year old have to go buy a cord, or put in a USB card that will not allow their machine to sleep properly. FireWire is Apple's invention...and they put it out to cold?

Just lame.

Bravo, Apple.

 

[Squire]

When I go anywhere I always take my Powerbook. Why don't you? I use it to watch DVDs and and manage my vacation photos. And you don't have to keep your PC on overnight (is that a bad thing anyway?) because it charges the iPod while it's asleep.

Chris

I have a 17" iMac and a 13" Vaio laptop. I obviously took the latter on my last vacation. As far as I know, my iPod can only be associated with either a Mac or a PC, not both. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Having the AC charger for 2 months was a godsend. I'm just glad I didn't fork over the 50 bucks or whatever for the world travel kit. I used the same telefunken (I believe that's what they're called) cable for my 'Pod, laptop, digital camera, and camcorder. Handy.

Once again, it's not about trying to lower the base price of the players. Rather, it's to try to get more people to fork over ludicrous amounts for necessary accessories (and drive more traffic to the online store, too, I suppose).


Squire

 

[Freg3000]

It's funny how all the guys who think the world is ending because the Firewire cable is not a standard accessory with these new iPods speak as though Apple won't even let you use FireWire. Just glancing through this thread you could easily read their comments and think not only that you can't use FireWire with the iPod at all anymore, but also that Apple just gave up on the technology entirely.

Come on guys...breathe...only $19, you are saving a bunch more on these recent price drops.

Plus, even though we are Mac users and we love FireWire, look at this from Apple's perspective:
1) Include only a FireWire cable: Annoy millions of PC users who need to buy the USB cable
2) Include only a USB cable: Annoy some (a few thousand maybe) loyal Mac users, who already have the FireWire cable, but are throwing a fit over the principle of the situation.
3) Include both: Lose lots of money unnecessarily.

Easy choice.

 

[lasuther]

Dude, you must not be a Mac user or you would understand. We have been singing the praises of, and defending the use of Firewire for years now. Apple is totally neglecting its loyal followers. It's not about the money for us, but aparently is for them. It's the fact that it is a total change in their thinking. Leaving us to feel that we don't matter. Like I stated before, where in the heck is iTunes 5.0? Apple probably can't figure out how to make it rock on the various Windows boxes out there, so we are made to suffer.

Dude, obviously your not a Mac user. Because I am, and I have Firewire cables for my iPod. I don't need to be sold another one. I'll take the price cut. If you need a new firewire cable, then buy one and quit crying.

lasuther

 

[chabig]

Maybe they do, but do they have one with a dock connector on it?

I use my dock and power adapter everyday - I only connect to my PB to update. Why? Because I let my computer sleep at night and don't want to keep it awake.

The iPod still charges while your computer sleeps.

 

[Yvan256]

This is boring.

OK, cheaper prices and larger hard discs but what else?

No innovation whatsoever.

50$ cheaper for the 4GB model, 50% more space than the previous model for the same price, and 50% more battery life for both new models.

It may not be innovation, but it'll keep competitors running for better specs. And they still can't beat the iPod/iTunes synergy anyway.

I'm not looking forward for innovation for the next iMac revision either. Maybe faster CPU, maybe 512MB by default, maybe faster drives (especially HD), but I do hope for a better GPU with at least a 128MB VRAM on BTO.

 

[Lacero]

Dude, you must not be a Mac user or you would understand. We have been singing the praises of, and defending the use of Firewire for years now. Apple is totally neglecting its loyal followers. It's not about the money for us, but aparently is for them. It's the fact that it is a total change in their thinking. Leaving us to feel that we don't matter. Like I stated before, where in the heck is iTunes 5.0? Apple probably can't figure out how to make it rock on the various Windows boxes out there, so we are made to suffer.

You know, I would agree with you to an extent, but Firewire is only truly useful for things such as digital video and HD. Apple has not abandoned Firewire. See their developments in FW 800 and DV device compatibility. USB2.0 has become so universal on PCs and Macs that for Apple to include both cables is unnecessary. I have a 1G iPod mini and have never used the USB2.0 cable. I would have rather saved $19 if Apple didn't include it. You really have to see both sides.

 

[tomjleeds]

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

Yes, the remote connectors for 3G, 4G and both Minis are identical. It's only the 1G and 2G models which used the 'extra connector around the headphone jack' style, which Creative seem to have adopted for the Zen Micro.

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.

No, you can't. You need something with the dock connector on to connect it to a 3G, 4G or Mini. Sucks, huh?

When I go anywhere I always take my Powerbook. Why don't you? I use it to watch DVDs and and manage my vacation photos. And you don't have to keep your PC on overnight (is that a bad thing anyway?) because it charges the iPod while it's asleep.

Chris

To be honest, when I go on holiday, I like to go out rather than stay in and watch movies. Maybe that's just me...

ok. I am still confused with all this talk about Firewire.

Is it true that the ipods have a proprietary fw port, rendering generic fw cables useless?

Is it true that I will have to buy a USB/FW adaptor to use Firewire on these new ipods? At which point, i am still stuck with a proprietary port, or not?

Is there no longer even a FW port on the ipods?

These are all asking the same question, I guess. I would like to buy a new ipod. I would like to use FW, if possible. What are my options, here?

To use Firewire you'll need to buy a Firewire dock connector from Apple for $19/£15.

There hasn't been an actual Firewire port on the iPod since the 2G model. I guess the advantage is that the dock connector is thinner, but it's still irritating.