Flash iPod at MacWorld Expo?

[Stella]

Hrmmm , also reporting another small G4 powerbook update... Could this be the duel-core G4? What do people think?

Personally, I'd be a little pissed off with such a small jump.. keeping my fingers crossed that appleinsider has been fed a false rumor by apple so at least one thing at the expo is a surprise...
Or is hope just driving me blind ?

Rob

Absolutely Not. The dual core processors won't be ready until later in the year, at least > Q2.

 

[SeanMcg]

And what about this, too

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I've seen nothing about the Jobs Keynote being webcast... are they not doing that this year?

Thanks!

I was thinking the same thing, although they have posted it late in the game before. I wonder if it has anything to do with ticket sales.

With all the speculation about product announcements at MWSF, whatever happened to Apple's stated plan to get away from major product announcements at the Expos, using special Apple events instead?

The whole idea behind that was to break people of their Apple purchasing habits (i.e. wait until after the next Expo), especially given that MWSF is right after Christmas.

I'm not saying that they won't introduce anything, but that a whole lot has been rumored to be announced next week, and that seems to go against the "not at the Expos" plan.

 

[iBeard]

Hrmmm , also reporting another small G4 powerbook update... Could this be the duel-core G4? What do people think?

Personally, I'd be a little pissed off with such a small jump.. keeping my fingers crossed that appleinsider has been fed a false rumor by apple so at least one thing at the expo is a surprise...
Or is hope just driving me blind ?

Rob

Rob, lets face it... The dream is dead. Apple screwed us over. They don't update the line for almost 9 months and then all they give us is is a 200 Mhz boost.... wow. And the sad thing is, I'm gonna buy whatever they release anyways just because I want a powerbook that damn bad...

 

[Yvan256]

For the sake of 1/2 a year until the g5 is out (this is assuming the rumor is correct) it is doubtful that apple would use a duel core G4 for such a small amout of time.
I have a feeling that the bump to 1.6 something will just be a mild speed increase .
I *really* hope im wrong. I want a duel-core more than a g5
R

This is assuming that they want to put a G5 in the laptops. Didn't we see charts about how the new Freescale G4 can keep up with the G5? And they're coming out with dual-core chips too...

 

[Kirk]

Not looking good . . !

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/4644/

"Steve Jobs is not allowing any real-time webcast or satellite broadcast of his Macworld Expo keynote, according to this Apple note forwarded by a MacInTouch reader:
Apple will not be making satellite coordinates available. Although the keynote WILL be available on our web site - it will NOT be available until sometime AFTER the keynote is over. They do NOT have a time determined, so it may not be immediately after the keynote is over."

 

[maya]

Great Move Apple, I wonder if it will be powered with a disposable batteries or a rechargeable?

It will be rechargeable since its ECO Friendly, if you look at Apples site they mention this.

No point in disposables as they cost more per annum.

 

[Yvan256]

[...]

Simply the scroll wheel would be on the back and the screen on the front.

The operation of the scroll wheel is pretty much touchy feely and the screen offers the necessary visual feedback. Voilé!

It's spelled "voilà".

 

[Yvan256]

Actually, there are 5 models of the iPod Mini IIRC.

Well, those aren't really "models" now, are they.

My friend actually has four of them...

Your friend has too much money. Tell him to send me a big fat amount to my PayPal account.

 

[Yvan256]

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/4644/

"Steve Jobs is not allowing any real-time webcast or satellite broadcast of his Macworld Expo keynote, according to this Apple note forwarded by a MacInTouch reader:
Apple will not be making satellite coordinates available. Although the keynote WILL be available on our web site - it will NOT be available until sometime AFTER the keynote is over. They do NOT have a time determined, so it may not be immediately after the keynote is over."

I'd rather have a free delayed keynote than no keynote at all. Don't you?

 

[Trowaman]

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/4644/

"Steve Jobs is not allowing any real-time webcast or satellite broadcast of his Macworld Expo keynote, according to this Apple note forwarded by a MacInTouch reader:
Apple will not be making satellite coordinates available. Although the keynote WILL be available on our web site - it will NOT be available until sometime AFTER the keynote is over. They do NOT have a time determined, so it may not be immediately after the keynote is over."

Well if that is the case, Arn or Mudbug, or whoever else is running macrumors, we have someone who will be providing their own broadcast right? Once the Keynote is over I'm driving back up to college.

 

[Stella]

Will they turn off wireless internet so people won't even be able to provide text commentary?

Hope not.

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/4644/

"Steve Jobs is not allowing any real-time webcast or satellite broadcast of his Macworld Expo keynote, according to this Apple note forwarded by a MacInTouch reader:
Apple will not be making satellite coordinates available. Although the keynote WILL be available on our web site - it will NOT be available until sometime AFTER the keynote is over. They do NOT have a time determined, so it may not be immediately after the keynote is over."

 

[edgar_is_good]

iPod = computer circa 1980?

What will they call this? The iPod Micro?

We'll have a lineup like this:

iPod Micro, iPod Mini, iPod. Kinda weird...

Or maybe just iPod Flash? Or FlashPod?

This is kind of funny - computer used to have the same designation there were (mainframe) computers (huge) , mini computers (really big) and micro computers (desktop). It would be sort of amusing to see the same naming scheme repeat itself with all the implications for the the future parallels...

 

[dongmin]

For the sake of 1/2 a year until the g5 is out (this is assuming the rumor is correct) it is doubtful that apple would use a duel core G4 for such a small amout of time.
I have a feeling that the bump to 1.6 something will just be a mild speed increase .
I *really* hope im wrong. I want a duel-core more than a g5
R

1. It's 'dual' not 'duel.'

2. There is no dual-core anything available for the PowerBook right now. The dual-core e600 line won't sample until second half of 2005, meaning they won't ship until 2006. It's unlikely therefore that a Motorola dual-core cpu will make its debut with a PowerBook.

3. This is off-topic. There are current powerbook threads out there you can contribute to.

 

[Avicdar]

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/4644/

"Steve Jobs is not allowing any real-time webcast or satellite broadcast of his Macworld Expo keynote, according to this Apple note forwarded by a MacInTouch reader:
Apple will not be making satellite coordinates available. Although the keynote WILL be available on our web site - it will NOT be available until sometime AFTER the keynote is over. They do NOT have a time determined, so it may not be immediately after the keynote is over."
(

That sucks big time, if true.

I would have thought Steve would have enjoyed doing it live to a worldwide audience. Especially if its as jam packed as the rumors seem to speculate.

I must admit, it doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[Buffalowing]

"I went to Circuit City yesterday and they had a 1gig flash for $200"

Thats what it would cost you or me to go buy it,not what Apple would have to pay,which would likely be far less.

Few of us of any clue what it would cost Apple to make a flash based player. Maybe they have found a way to pull it off at the desired price point and that is why Steve has allowed it to proceed. Maybe they are going to take a profit hit as the flash will really be a tool used to sell another more expensive product?

It also bugs me how some people have the "well,I don't need it so they shouldn't make it" attitude.

First, 'just $50 more' or 'only another $100' might not be doable for some. After bills one might only have $150 to play around with. In my case,I have a gf who needs whatever hot toy I'm getting so if I can get both of us a 1GB ipod for $300 as opposed to a single $300 ipod for myself,all the better..for her anyway. Not everybody is a single gadget geek with $500 a month in play money.

Some have become obsessed with the idea of an entire music library in ones pocket but really,most are happy with anywhere from 100-400 songs. Most people are at thier computers every day so hooking a ipod up once/twice a week to update shouldnt be a big deal. Whats the point of having 3,000 songs if you only listen to 125 of them on a regular basis?

A 1GB flash ipod for under $200 has many advantages and would be very desirable to many with a bulk of those being extremely active people and the rest folks who simply dont have the cash for a HDD player.

And while the iriver 512mb is $200,I seriously doubt if Apples will offer direct line in encoding,a fm tuner or a voice mic as iriver does.

So,like with ever other player...Apple will offer the cool sexy player thats fun and easy to use with more storage while iriver will offer the player with all the extra stuff and features some need.

I do not doubt this flash ipod will happen but I see some big catch involved few are thinking of.

 

[TheMasin9]

Apple's iPod line is getting a little too diverse. Consumers will start to get confused:

iPod flash 1GB
iPod flash 2GB

iPod mini 4GB

iPod 20GB
iPod 40GB

iPod photo 40GB
iPod photo 60GB
---

I think they should get rid of the iPod and reduce the price of the iPod photo; it will continue to be the high end model. The iPod mini should get a bigger hard drive and become the mid-level model. The iPod flash can be the low-end model.

WHAT!!! DROP THE IPOD!!! why whould apple drop is original music player that is still sweet. Plus, the 20 gb model is still thinner than all of the the 40 and 60 gb models and that is somethign that must be taken into account for consumers, i know i like the feel of the 20 in my hand much more than a 40. I do think however that the whole ipod linup whould sell much more if they all got a price drop. But the problem is apple's losing 100 bux for each of its millions of ipods its going to sell this next year and if they continue to sell at thier prices i doubt the price drop is gonna happen.

 

[Zoboomafoo]

Even better why pay $150 for 1 gig when for another $100 i could get 4 Gigs.. (as of now)
For 1 gig i can get about 250 songs at $150 where as the mini i could get about 1,000 for 100 bucks more... gig for gig... the mini seems logical...(as of now)

this sounds eerily like the "why buy a 4 GB ipod mini when you can get a 10 GB ipod for, what was it, 50 bucks more" argument

overall, it's a different market, the flash basedand the HD based mp3 players. as of now, i wouldn't recommend being the person handing these things out to customers when they hit stores. you might get killed.

but as someone said, don't dilute the ipod market tooooo much. or else we might go back to the dark ages where there were 40 macintosh versions. hehe.

 

[Damion]

Amazing that so many can't see the need for Ipod Flash?!!

It amazes me how many people can't understand the need for a flash based device (citing the economics of the mini). Obviously so many tech-necks NEVER exercise because anyone who runs (and there are roughly 30 MILLION people in the U.S. who engage in regular cardio exercise) is a perfect candidate for a flash device because hard disk devices will NOT consistantly work (and if they do, what it means is that what you think is running is really WALKING!).

I love all my Ipods but I use my flash devices (Iaudio, Sony) 30 times as much because running or biking is when I have the most uninterrupted time to listen to music (and when I really need it because exercise is so friggin' boring).

 

[Zoboomafoo]

It amazes me how many people can't understand the need for a flash based device (citing the economics of the mini). Obviously so many tech-necks NEVER exercise because anyone who runs (and there are roughly 30 MILLION people in the U.S. who engage in regular cardio exercise) is a perfect candidate for a flash device because hard disk devices will NOT consistantly work (and if they do, what it means is that what you think is running is really WALKING!).

I love all my Ipods but I use my flash devices (Iaudio, Sony) 30 times as much because running or biking is when I have the most uninterrupted time to listen to music (and when I really need it because exercise is so friggin' boring).

i'm trying to picture you running with a bunch of mp3 players stuck to your body. do you have an mp3 utility belt?

yeah. flash = good. and excercise = boring. go wall climbing. mmm. fun exercise.

 

[doogle]

flashPod

I did this years ago but it seems more relevant now:

 

[LaMerVipere]

I really wish Apple wouldn't release this.

The iPod has already become popular and cheap enough. The $249 ($229 if you're a student) for the iPod mini is low enough. I miss when it was a special and more exclusive type of club. Now every Tom, Dick & Harry on the street has those white earphones dangling from their heads. This is only going to worsen the problem. I don't want iPods becoming as popular and common CD Players or Walkmans.

 

[alfismoney]

yeah. flash = good. and excercise = boring. go wall climbing. mmm. fun exercise.

you have to admit, it would be nice to cover up some of the ***** music that gets played at the rock gym sometimes. i know mine doesn't encourage bringing your own stereo.

also, there's the huge appeal of the ipod flash for snowboarders/skiers that spend their lives in the park. did you know that giro now makes all ski helmets with available built in headphones? (remember when apple tried unsuccessfully to woo with this market with the ugliest burton jacket ever made, thus eliminating both snowboarders due to its ski-based design and skiers due to its being made by burton. at least they didn't go to north face, the great outdoor's equivilent of microsoft, to make it)

 

[t300]

I did this years ago but it seems more relevant now:

I like it! Show more colors!

 

[doogle]

I like it! Show more colors!

You can see more at:
http://infotyte.adc.rmit.edu.au/ipodtype/

 

[dotnina]

You can see more at:
http://infotyte.adc.rmit.edu.au/ipodtype/

Hey man, not bad! I think the "miniPod" mockup you've made is going to be very, very similar to what Apple releases. It keeps the same squarish size, has a screen just slightly smaller than the Mini and has multiple buttons, like what Thinksecret is speculating.

Nice job.