joeboy_45101
macrumors 6502
I was a bit disappointed about Airport Express, for a year now I've been telling people that a wireless dock for my iPod would be great. But no, people would tell me it's not possible.
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Beyond AirTunes?
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cr2sh
macrumors 68030
It would be nice if someone developed wireless headphones (with batteries)... I could sit in my cube and listen to music without having a damn wire to tangle under my chair and always be in the way.. control it via iTunes and such...
No offense... but a wireless dock? The dock is used to transfer yes.. but also charge the ipod. You may get rid of the wired transfer.. but there's no way you're getting rid of the power source. Why have a wireless transfer when you'll still be tethered to the wall for power?
Building 802.11g into the ipod makes a lot of sense.. but even then you'll still need a charger (but it'd be almost an after thought, like a cell phone charger).
joeboy_45101 said:
No offense... but a wireless dock? The dock is used to transfer yes.. but also charge the ipod. You may get rid of the wired transfer.. but there's no way you're getting rid of the power source. Why have a wireless transfer when you'll still be tethered to the wall for power?
Building 802.11g into the ipod makes a lot of sense.. but even then you'll still need a charger (but it'd be almost an after thought, like a cell phone charger).
WifiPod is definitely a good idea. I understand the limitations, but there could be some ways around it.
Streaming music from the iPod would only works when it's in dock, which is now essentially just a charger, and could be placed in the living room or wherever the music system is. No battery Wifi issues. Sharing between iPods isn't going to happen. Too many copyright issues to mess with.
As a controller, the iTunes library database can be synced to the iPod wirelessly whenever in dock. The only wireless activity reliant upon battery power would be short bursts of "next song," "pause," "play," ie transport controls. The iPod would read the previously synced iTunes database to keep track of what song you're on and display information about it, and possibly an approximate onboard clock keeping track of how much time has passed. Browsing could be done via this local database with codes sent representing artist and album. Nothing large has to be streamed wirelessly when operating by battery, just short bursts.
But I don't know what it really takes for WiFi to operate. Maybe a steady stream of power is necessary to just keep it running. So there may be a better way to do it. And I don't have an iPod yet, I don't really know what people will expect it to be able to do. This may be all "duh" stuff.
Color screen and video I view as a bad idea. I've always been apprehensive about it. It's just going to absorb battery time, which I understand as being already poor.
Streaming music from the iPod would only works when it's in dock, which is now essentially just a charger, and could be placed in the living room or wherever the music system is. No battery Wifi issues. Sharing between iPods isn't going to happen. Too many copyright issues to mess with.
As a controller, the iTunes library database can be synced to the iPod wirelessly whenever in dock. The only wireless activity reliant upon battery power would be short bursts of "next song," "pause," "play," ie transport controls. The iPod would read the previously synced iTunes database to keep track of what song you're on and display information about it, and possibly an approximate onboard clock keeping track of how much time has passed. Browsing could be done via this local database with codes sent representing artist and album. Nothing large has to be streamed wirelessly when operating by battery, just short bursts.
But I don't know what it really takes for WiFi to operate. Maybe a steady stream of power is necessary to just keep it running. So there may be a better way to do it. And I don't have an iPod yet, I don't really know what people will expect it to be able to do. This may be all "duh" stuff.
Color screen and video I view as a bad idea. I've always been apprehensive about it. It's just going to absorb battery time, which I understand as being already poor.
robotrenegade
macrumors 6502a
I was hoping for video streaming as well. I also think the next gen iPod will have these controls over the basestation express.
Gee4orce said:
Unless you already have the Apple Lossless songs on your iPod. With 60GB of storage for the lossless songs (around 60%, or 40MB/song as an extrememly conservative estimate), you would have room for more songs (1500) than the original 5GB iPod advertised (1000, or was it 1250?)
Gee4orce said:
No wires?? 😉
Good opportunity for a Palm app
It would be nice to control iTunes through 802.11 with your Palm. I would imagine that would be the most economical solution.
Has everyone seen the pricing Tivo is doing for their Series2 DVRs? I have been considering buying a new Tivo so I can have it do the work of AirTunes, plus all the DVR work. The USB printer sharing and 10 user router has little interest to me.
It would be nice to control iTunes through 802.11 with your Palm. I would imagine that would be the most economical solution.
Has everyone seen the pricing Tivo is doing for their Series2 DVRs? I have been considering buying a new Tivo so I can have it do the work of AirTunes, plus all the DVR work. The USB printer sharing and 10 user router has little interest to me.
pev said:
Well, one of mine will be, even before I get myself one or three AirPort Express stations...
http://home.comcast.net/~saweyer/newton/vnc.htm
... I know what I will play with this weekend 😎
Keep The Green
jsw
Moderator emeritus
cr2sh said:
Perhaps you were being sarcastic, but there are numerous wireless headphones, some which are pretty decent, already on the market. Plug the headphone base into the AirportExpress audio out jack, and you're good to go. These aren't WiFi phones, but why would they need to be?
jsw
Moderator emeritus
yahtzeen said:
You'd never touch the bandwidth of wired Firewire. "Wireless Firewire" is a bit of an oxymoron, at least with today's wireless bandwidth. 802.11g at its best (54Mbps) has just an eighth of the bandwidth of the slower Firewire (400Mbps).
However, many Firewire devices don't truly need the Firewire capacity all the time, so a Firewire->Wireless and Wireless->Firewire adapter pair might be useful in many conditions.
jsw
Moderator emeritus
NAG said:
Doh! My apologies. I'm off to Starbucks to get some help getting my brain in gear.
<Edit>
I browsed a bit. Saw many links to the same article, and a few others. None of them mentioned a target bandwidth (the 400Mbps was quoted for the wired end). Anyone know the expected transfer rates?
</Edit>
As cool at it might be, I can't see a WiFi iPod being technically practical because of the power constraints. I think it's more likely that Apple will produce a dedicated iTunes remote (perhaps using the iPod-mini form-factor and interface) that uses Bluetooth (which I believe requires far less power).
What I wonder is what else one could do with AirPort Express modules in terms of communicating/controlling the host Mac. Given that the modules have USB, I wonder if one could create other things that the host could control (perhaps again by a remote). I suppose it would be foolish to recreate X10 capabilities using much more expensive technology, but it seems to me that there are a world of possibilities.
What I wonder is what else one could do with AirPort Express modules in terms of communicating/controlling the host Mac. Given that the modules have USB, I wonder if one could create other things that the host could control (perhaps again by a remote). I suppose it would be foolish to recreate X10 capabilities using much more expensive technology, but it seems to me that there are a world of possibilities.
But I Already HAVE That!
I don't get it. Doesn't my PowerBook already double as a remote control? I mean when I have iTunes open, I can do exactly what that quote states. I can pause the song or even view what is currently playing, all through iTunes... 😕
I don't get it. Doesn't my PowerBook already double as a remote control? I mean when I have iTunes open, I can do exactly what that quote states. I can pause the song or even view what is currently playing, all through iTunes... 😕
sinisterdesign
macrumors 6502
Gee4orce said:
i have to agree. as much as i originally thought "ALL IN ONE! give me one device that does everything!", i'm not so sure now. i use the hell out of my iPod at work and in the car, but a wifi-remote-streaming-can opener of an iPod may be a bit much. i don't want to pull my iPod out of it's case every time i listen to music at home. i don't want to pitch a fit if i leave it in the sofa cushions b/c i don't have my music with me at work. and i do NOT want a huge $2k "tablet" remote.
that Sonos system is VERY sweet (wow, that scrollwheel looks familiar from somewhere), but is VERY pricey. but i already have remote envy. if they would rig that thing to be a universal remote to control the rest of your home theater setup, i would have to seriously consider it (how hard could it be? they already DID the hard part).
steve & johnathan, please tell us what we want. we're all confused... 😉
titaniumducky
macrumors 6502a
Want AirTunes on your iPod:
1. Buy a 4G iPod
2. Update your 3G iPod to firmware version 3.0 and buy an iTrip like device from Griffin or Belkin.
1. Buy a 4G iPod
2. Update your 3G iPod to firmware version 3.0 and buy an iTrip like device from Griffin or Belkin.
feeze said:
It could be part of some multi-function device though.
Look at the Airport Express! It's not *just* for streaming music to your stereo. And if that's *all* that it were good for it wouldn't be a great product. But positioning it as also a great travel wireless base station and it's a winner!
pjkelnhofer
macrumors 6502a
sinisterdesign said:
Holy crap! That scroll wheel does look familiar. I thought Apple patented the technology involved in the "solid-state" scroll wheel. Interesting.
On another note, I know some one who has rigged pretty much everything in his house to his PDA (a Sony Clie I believe) outfitted with Bluetooth... and I mean everything (lights, appliances, stereo, etc.) He can also control everything from a secure webpage we has set-up (in case he wants to turn the AC on from work before heading home). He is currently working on be able to use his cell phone for some functions as well.
Of course, he has a Master's Degree in EE and one in CS, makes about $150/hour as a computer consultant and has no wife, children or other expenses and prefers writing his own software to buying anything out of box.
He is a very strange man, and just about the farthest you could get from the average consumer... but I have to admit the remote control program on his PDA is pretty freakin' cool.
pjkelnhofer
macrumors 6502a
DGFan said:
Very true, we are all focusing on AirTunes. That is not even the main feature of the AXP (let's try to get that abbreviation to stick). Most hotel rooms nowadays have an internet connection, but few of them have wireless access in the rooms. I am sure it would be nice for business travelers with WiFi notebooks to be able to connect to internet while sitting in bed with no wires plugged in rather than be tethered to wherever old man Marriot decided to put the RJ-45 port.
Wonder Boy
macrumors 6502a
kirs said:
i think that right now, people would gladly sacrifice colored ipod screens in favor of wifi. i got a 30giger last year so im all set with whatever 4g ipod comes out, but eventually (maybe) we could have both?
I'm actually happy with controlling AirTunes with a roving powerbook around my house. I find even the iPod scroll wheel a bit of a pain to use. Nothing beats typing in a word or two in iTunes to get the song you want to instantly appear. I guess I'm all for instant satisfaction. On the other hand, streaming from a roving powerbook does mean battery drain.
But I'm more disappointed that they didn't include a video out on the thing and that it won't stream sounds at the system level.
Still it's a start. Just get me a full fledged media center.
But I'm more disappointed that they didn't include a video out on the thing and that it won't stream sounds at the system level.
Still it's a start. Just get me a full fledged media center.
DavidFDM said:
I do it that way. So I already have a remote: the TiVo one. Some might say that this has a disadvantage, namely that you have to be in the same room to use it since the interface exists only on the TV.
But you can still skip songs by hitting the 'next' button, and you get to know what's on your playlists pretty quickly. Equally, I'm willing to bet that the majority of people are gonna be sitting listening in the same room as the TiVo anyway. I certainly do. The system works really well for me.
I also could care less about wireless printing. If I'm gonna be working at home, then I'm gonna be in the office anyway - right next to the printer.
TiVo is an excellent solution for this sort of thing, as well as having all the advantages of a PVR already. I love it.
hybrid_x
macrumors 6502a
Salling Clicker + Bluetooth + AirTunes = Killer app!
I expect Apple will come out with a slick little Bluetooth remote based on the functionality of Salling Clicker. Jonas Salling has already won a couple of Apple Design awards for his innovative application (and its use of AppleScript) and an Apple Bluetooth remote would be a next logical step in their "digital hub" strategy.
Now i wonder if you could write an AppleScript to get Mail to read your new email messages via text-to-speech and stream the audio to whatever room you're in... 😉
You can already use your Palm to control iTunes through Bluetooth with Salling Clicker.DavidFDM said:
I expect Apple will come out with a slick little Bluetooth remote based on the functionality of Salling Clicker. Jonas Salling has already won a couple of Apple Design awards for his innovative application (and its use of AppleScript) and an Apple Bluetooth remote would be a next logical step in their "digital hub" strategy.
Now i wonder if you could write an AppleScript to get Mail to read your new email messages via text-to-speech and stream the audio to whatever room you're in... 😉