Cool Feature of the Day

[evands]

re: just putting in data files with .mp3

If the FAQ is to be believed, it doesn't just look for .mp3 files or even files with a pre-osX-style mpg3 filetype... as it claims that music dropped onto the mounted harddrive is never included in your playable iPod files... so it looks like iTunes writes to an 'off-limits' part of the drive which can expand and contract dynamically.. at least that's my guess. Therefore, if you attached it to a PC or non-iPod-aware firewire device, the only files you'd see would be the ones you transferred as data... your playable MP3s would be invisible.

I personally (ungrounded) expect a $100 price drop at the next MacExpo or equivalent (so, in a quarter or so)... anyone have information on the possibility of larger harddrives in the Toshiba enclosure we're assuming they've licensed? Is this going to go beyond 5 gb? Give me $100 less, or $50 less and 5 gb more, and I'll order one today.

 

[bgreel]

speaking of other uses

I know there are USB microphones, but are there firewire microphones? I know some have bemoaned not having the ability to record - and this would be a very cool recording device.

 

[mikedman]

seperate folder for music?

you are correct, the faq says that music and playlists are stored in a seperate area of the disc than data.... however since you access firewire disc mode through itunes it is possible that it mounts the data folder as the firewire disk icon.

If you mount the firewire disk on a PC it would seem likely that you would have access to all folders on the drive from explorer. (unless apple specificaly prevents that) I guess we will have to wait and see if, upon gaining access to the music directory, you can copy music straight over.

 

[evands]

*nod*

Right - I didn't see that about manual mounting originally. In that case it makes sense that the PC should see it all... I would expect...

 

[jefhatfield]

i agree that 299 is cooler

299 would be the better thing for this product to stay completely competitive against the others people have been listing here

the smaller size justifies the cost but will the consumer know that?

 

[Klaus Boehncke]

iPod - store Digital Camera JPGs ?

Hi,

I was thinking whether the iPod could actually be the device that I´ve been looking for over the last half year: I take a lot of digital photographs, and I also want an mp3 player. I don´t need or want two seperate 6GB devices - a "digital wallet" to store photos and an mp3 player. Why the heck is no one making a combo that can do both - this seeme incredibly stupid to me!!??

Now with the iPod in Firewire Mode, anybody have thoughts what would happen if I buy a FireWire Compact Flash adapater and plug in a CF card.... would I be able to download and store the JPGs on the iPod??? Any thoughts much appreciated....

Klaus

 

[Matthé]

iPod=Newton?

I wonder, if the iPod is indeed software updateable, if someone could turn it into a portable adresbook/agenda/... etc.
turning it into some sort of stripped down Newton version (i'm not all that familiar with the Newton so I'm not sure how much functionality will have to be compromised)
Mini Newton + MP3 player + portable storage device in 1
Maybe..

 

[Beholder of Truth]

Re: iPod - store Digital Camera JPGs ?

Originally posted by Klaus Boehncke

Now with the iPod in Firewire Mode, anybody have thoughts what would happen if I buy a FireWire Compact Flash adapater and plug in a CF card.... would I be able to download and store the JPGs on the iPod??? Any thoughts much appreciated....

Klaus

Of course not. How would you download them onto the iPod? The iPod is does not have any software to download files of an external firewire device other than when iTunes is installed. When you use it as an HD, you have to DROP the files on to it to copy them. I don't see how you would drop files from a CF card onto the iPod.

 

[pandafactory]

Re: iPod - store Digital Camera JPGs ?

Originally posted by Klaus Boehncke

Now with the iPod in Firewire Mode, anybody have thoughts what would happen if I buy a FireWire Compact Flash adapater and plug in a CF card.... would I be able to download and store the JPGs on the iPod??? Any thoughts much appreciated....

Although I highly doubt the first iPod version will have this capability, I think it could certainly happen in the future. As I understand it, Firewire is a peer-to-peer topology with no upstream/downstream distinction, as in USB. The iPod could therefore act as the host and use other devices, including CF readers. However, it would not be automatic. The iPod would need appropriate software, and someone would have to develop it.
The question, as I see it, is this: Does the iPod have an easy software upgrade mechanism, and if so, will Apple provide documentation for it? The iPod has a hard drive, so there it doesn't really need "flashable firmware," as some people have mentioned. All it needs is a bootloader in ROM that could find a small OS (microdarwin?) on the drive, load it into the 32MB main memory, and run it. If Apple has implemented it in this way, then upgrading the iPod software could be as simple as copying binaries to the drive in forced FW mode. If Apple provides adequate documentation for the processor, hardware hooks, and bootloader conventions, then we can expect third parties to start developing some fun new software. I know of no similar device with this capability, so perhaps Steve Jobs was right to use the word "groundbreaking", and we just need some practice with delayed gratification. We'll see.

 

[javaboy]

actually, the faq says you can use non-computer products, like a digital camera, but you can't listen to tunes at the same time.


------------------------------------
Q. Can I use FireWire mode with noncomputer products?
A. Yes. First you will need to reset your iPod. When the Apple logo appears on the screen, hold
down the Previous/Rewind button and the Next/Fast-forward button simultaneously until the
FireWire icon appears. When you finish using iPod in this “forced” FireWire mode, disconnect
and reset it again before normal operation.
------------------------------------------------

 

[javaboy]

wonder, if the iPod is indeed software updateable, if someone could turn it into a portable adresbook/agenda/... etc.
turning it into some sort of stripped down Newton version (i'm not all that familiar with the Newton so I'm not sure how much functionality will have to be compromised)
Mini Newton + MP3 player + portable storage device in 1
Maybe..
--------------------------------------------------------

i think the ipod is firmware updateable, as well as software updateable, so there's a lot of possibilities.

 

[gerror]

I have a archos jukebox6000 and a iMac and it's great. 100-150 cd's in my pocket. Also take it to (pc)friends and copy their harddisk, hehehe. It is a bit heavy compared with a 32mb mp3 player but a harddisk has a lot more pro's. The biggest contra is also the biggest pro: USB. It terrible slow but on the other hand, i can go to my pc friends and copy their stuff.
If i'm sure i can buy a additional usb cable-extender and there is pc software available, i buy it right away.
Good work Steve