Flash iPod Details?

[dotnina]

Uhh.... I think the iPod mini -like mockup has been the best so far. This is pretty ugly and seems a bit hard to use, because there's really nothing around the buttons. Definitely not this one.

Agreed. I normally like the stuff from the Apellele (sp?) guy, but this mockup is really unrealistic, for Apple or anyone else. How would you hold this in your hand without having a finger on the screen or accidently pushing a button? Also, when you spin the wheel, you won't be able to see the screen. Not a smart design at all.

 

[Porcelina]

I think the tag line refers to the mini itself, and was not some cryptic allusion to a device yet to come.

Yeah, probably...

 

[lind0834]

My $0.02

They should keep the same height and width of the iPod Mini.. similar interface, but take the width down to like a piece of cardboard. 1 Gig, Ultra Ultra Slim IPod for $199 could sell.

 

[Jimong5]

dont forget, at the launch of the iMac G4 steve proclaimed the CRT was dead. Then out came the eMac. I also think people are not thinking this through. a flash MP3 player is like a tape for MP3s. If you want playlist management and fancy things, you get a digital jukebox, which is the bigger brother iPod. A screen-less, cheap flash player that only carries a few hundred songs. I could also possibly see a remote screen as an add on feature for those that want it, but a flash iPod wouldn't need much more.

 

[zach]

I really can see this... After all, even the outrageously small (for its time) original iPod is too big sometimes. This is so small, it's like the size of a key... Perfect for a keychain, or a necklace, etc.

I also do see no screen, because it would be a limited time per mix of songs... I think Apple would expect people to change music on these as often as 2 or 3 times a day, because with firewire and such a small capacity, even completely filling up the drive would take only a minute or so.

Connecting to other iPods does seem possible, although who knows. I'm still thinking that Steve's gonna bust something out SO random that none of us could have ever thought of it, yet it will make perfect sense. The whole idea of an iPod micro is a Steve idea, anyway...

 

[dongmin]

I also think people are not thinking this through. a flash MP3 player is like a tape for MP3s. If you want playlist management and fancy things, you get a digital jukebox, which is the bigger brother iPod. A screen-less, cheap flash player that only carries a few hundred songs..

You forget that these cheapo flash mp3 players were around long before the ipod came onto the scene. And they sucked (and they still do for the most part.) The things that set the ipod apart were it's scroll-wheel, the interface (which is only possible through a decent-size screen), and a large storage capacity. Basically what you and a lot of other people on this thread are suggesting is stripping away every advantage that the iPod has. (Why not just get a bloody Rio?) The iPod user experience will be gone, and all you have left is the iPod brand to market these things.

 

[freebird]

I guess you people are too square to realize that Apple defies your geek logic.

If you want to know what Apple will make next, you have to shut off your selfish geek desires and ideas. No screen? YES. This is almost for sure. Makes perfect sense. Step back.

Apple wants to maximize profit margins, screen is one of the most costly parts. With 120 or less songs, why do you need playlists? I have playlists that size. There will be a shuffle option as well.

If you take off the screen, this allows you to make something revolutionarily tiny. It will wow you with its size. It will be dead sexy. Cheap. Everyone will want one. People will forget about the lack of screen, and they won't need it anyways.

 

[Jimong5]

You forget that these cheapo flash mp3 players were around long before the ipod came onto the scene. And they sucked (and they still do for the most part.) The things that set the ipod apart were it's scroll-wheel, the interface (which is only possible through a decent-size screen), and a large storage capacity. Basically what you and a lot of other people on this thread are suggesting is stripping away every advantage that the iPod has. (Why not just get a bloody Rio?) The iPod user experience will be gone, and all you have left is the iPod brand to market these things.

so what.

PCs suck. people buy them though, it fits their need and its cheap. will we buy one? no. will some guy in china buy one? of course, its all he can afford. you get an iPod because it has the name. quality doesnt mater anymore. dell it the wost thing out there, but they have a very strong brand presence. nike could make crappy shoes, but if jordan pushed them, they would sell like mad. its all about brand presence, something apple now has. you dont get a rio, because it doesnt have the iPod name.

 

[Rower_CPU]

I guess you people are too square to realize that Apple defies your geek logic.

If you want to know what Apple will make next, you have to shut off your selfish geek desires and ideas. No screen? YES. This is almost for sure. Makes perfect sense. Step back.

Apple wants to maximize profit margins, screen is one of the most costly parts. With 120 or less songs, why do you need playlists? I have playlists that size. There will be a shuffle option as well.

If you take off the screen, this allows you to make something revolutionarily tiny. It will wow you with its size. It will be dead sexy. Cheap. Everyone will want one. People will forget about the lack of screen, and they won't need it anyways.

So, explain to those blinded by "geek logic" how you'd find song X on your screenless iPod micro out of 120 tracks. Or how you'd see how much time was left in the currently playing track. Or get status messages as to battery life or (heaven forbid) file errors. Etc.

Personally, I'd use one of these for workouts and not need the screen that much, but having a 3-line screen sure would make it a lot easier to find that one song that I want to pump me up.

 

[alirio]

I think Apple will indeed release something similar to what is described at MacMind.

The iPod is getting killed in the Asian market. For them, even the mini is too BIG.

I think we'll see something very Apple-like without a screen that those 2 BILLION consumers will want to buy because it finally appeals to THEIR tastes.

I won't buy one I'll be getting one of the larger capacity iPod minis coming out at MWSF.

I predict this new iPod flash will be released in conjunction with the ITMS Japan. That's the main flash-based MP3 player market Apple will want to conquer with this thing...

 

[Poff]

So, explain to those blinded by "geek logic" how you'd find song X on your screenless iPod micro out of 120 tracks. Or how you'd see how much time was left in the currently playing track. Or get status messages as to battery life or (heaven forbid) file errors. Etc.

Personally, I'd use one of these for workouts and not need the screen that much, but having a 3-line screen sure would make it a lot easier to find that one song that I want to pump me up.

you do know that a lot of people use these small mp3-players without a screen, allready? In other words it must work, so trying to find arguments as to why it wouldn't work is kind of hopeless.

I admit that, at first, the thought of no screen put me off. But now I'm thinking why not? If it can lower the cost and the size to something that small, I might finally get one. I've wanted an iPod for long, but I didn't want to spend big money on it. A $99 256MB iPod FLASH would be just what I want. (I've been thinking of getting one of these cheapo flash-players for a while, only problem is they don't support AAC.)

I actually like the player at the picture.. Has everything I would ever need..

 

[Doctor Q]

So, explain to those blinded by "geek logic" how you'd find song X on your screenless iPod micro out of 120 tracks. Or how you'd see how much time was left in the currently playing track. Or get status messages as to battery life or (heaven forbid) file errors. Etc.

In theory, it could use sounds for its "display". For example, it could speak the song titles or beep and boop to tell you the battery status. You could even play a game with sound for output and a few buttons for input: "I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 10...".

 

[theFly]

So, explain to those blinded by "geek logic" how you'd find song X on your screenless iPod micro out of 120 tracks. Or how you'd see how much time was left in the currently playing track. Or get status messages as to battery life or (heaven forbid) file errors. Etc.

Personally, I'd use one of these for workouts and not need the screen that much, but having a 3-line screen sure would make it a lot easier to find that one song that I want to pump me up.

A screenless iPod would be designed as a single playlist player. Exactly for the reasons you'd use one, throw a bunch of songs on there and go work out. Or go jog. It's not designed (assuming Apple will produce one) to be a replacement for an iPod, it's to compliment it for placed you'd rather not take your full collection of songs.

The ability to search for specific songs is a jukebox function, which the iPod is. But think about this, what is the most popular function on the iPod that Apple made it more prominent?

Randomization.

When you put a playlist on random, you're really not going to be searching for a specific song. My current playlist (the one I listen to the most) has 65 songs in it. It's 295.7 MB in size. And I'll put it on Random when I'm listening to it.

All I need now is an iPod Flash, set the playlist to Randomize (in iTunes), it syncs it to the iPod Flash, and I'm outa here to go jog, or whatever.

I don't believe that the iPod Flash would be designed to replace the current iPods. It would have to be designed to compliment the iPod in places where you can't or wouldn't want to bring the iPod.

 

[Rower_CPU]

you do know that a lot of people use these small mp3-players without a screen, allready? In other words it must work, so trying to find arguments as to why it wouldn't work is kind of hopeless.
...

Can you give us an example? The 6 listed here all have screens.

Don't get me wrong folks, I'm not frothing at the mouth over this - I'm just curious how people see it working. If you can't simply lay out the steps verbally how do you expect to be able to learn to use it?

Also, I don't find the "audio interface" argument convincing. But, of course, I may be wrong and that's exactly what Apple will do - it just seems a step in the wrong direction to me.

theFly-
I agree and said that'd be my primary use - and as you said, that's how most people use their iPod, too. You still need a screen or other means of seeing what's going on in that thing every once in a while, IMO.

 

[sushi]

No screen would equal no buyers. This can't be right.

Completely agree. The two keys to the iPod line are the integration with iTunes (read sync'ing) and the interface.

Apple will not release a player without a visible interface. Period.

Sushi

 

[sushi]

CD and tape players have managed to work without screen navigation.

However, that is not the "iPod" concept.

The interface is a major portion of the iPod and iPod mini...and will be for the flash version if there is one.

Heck, the RIO already has a nice interface in a small area similar to the iPods to some extent.

Sushi

 

[sushi]

I'm sure it'll have a screen similar to those found on cheap pocket calculators. It'll just show the track number probably as well as the play/pause/forward/backward symbols. I don't think it'll be able to show the track name and I don't think making on the go playlists will be possible. BUT, this is Apple and I'm sure they'll surprise the heck out of us all if they put the same screen as the iPod on this thing. Also, this will probably get insane battery life.

Guys, the iPod flash will have an interface similar to the iPod.

Just look at the RIO:

http://www.digitalnetworksna.com/shop/_templates/item_accessories.asp?model=264

It already has a visual interface. I can pick one up for $140. I can get 1GB SD memory for about $80. Total price for a 1GB flash player for about $220. And the RIO somewhat integrates with iTunes!

Wake up. SJ will not release a crappy flash iPod player. The flash player will have an easy to use and see interface, integrate with iTunes and look great. Additionally, any design released by Apple is for both left and right handers. So it will have a symetry of design just like any other Apple product.

Sushi

 

[sushi]

I don't think 512 would be totaly out of the picture. I mean that is why they only have 60 or so percent of the whole mp3 market, those 128-512 flash players are a great chunk. Why not?

1GB players are becoming very popular here in Japan. They are everywhere it seems these days. Price is under $200 in most cases.

To compete, Apple will need something around 1GB in size as a minimum.

Sushi

 

[sushi]

except that jobs himself have dismissed flash-based mp3 players before as something that gets "thrown into a drawer and be forgotten"...

Not exactly. Go back and listen to his speach.

He mentions, if memory servers, 64-128MB sized flash players.

1GB, IMHO, is a whole other market.

Sushi

 

[Peyote]

They should keep the same height and width of the iPod Mini.. similar interface, but take the width down to like a piece of cardboard. 1 Gig, Ultra Ultra Slim IPod for $199 could sell.

That would just be way too flimsy. A flexible mp3 player wouldn't last long.

 

[Redbeard25]

Okay, here's my prediction on it, based on what I've read in the thread and what I think I know about Apple:

• two versions: 256MB (50 songs) and 512MB (100 songs)
• not expandable
• no screen
• syncs only with iTunes - no connection to other iPods
• you create a single playlist of songs and that one list gets synced to it
• you determine whether it plays random or in order with some sort of double click on the device itself (maybe with beeping feedback)
• no speech synthesis
• USB 2.0 only... so that Mac people can have their iPod plugged into the firewire port and their flash-based pod in the USB port
• $99 / $149
• MWSF announcement
• touted as an "add on" to your current iPod
• polycarbonate, touted as "indestructible"
• huge push to point out that it's the only flash player that can play iTunes purchased music
• big message - use wherever you want maximum durability and minimum weight like sports, short commute, give to tweens, etc.
• people will say it's overpriced and not worth buying
• they'll sell millions

I just wish they'd call it the "iPod micro," but it sounds like they're going to go with "iPod flash."

I could also see them selling it without accessories (i.e. no bundled headphones) and immediately having all kinds of outrageously priced OEM options to go along with it.

 

[luccio5]

...I just wish they'd call it the "iPod micro," but it sounds like they're going to go with "iPod flash."

I could also see them selling it without accessories (i.e. no bundled headphones) and immediately having all kinds of outrageously priced OEM options to go along with it.

Here he is:

 

[Poff]

Can you give us an example? The 6 listed here all have screens.

Asono EMP-Z
Expensive, but has sold a lot because of design.. 128MB - about $100 256MB - about $130

Creative Nomad MuVo
I guess the company doesn't need any introduction.

MSI MEGA Player <--- this one is ugly!

Creative MuVo USB2

Apacer Audio Steno

I admit that there's not as many players now as there was a year ago, but I think that Apple would be able to sell lots of them nevertheless.. The "cool"-factor might be more important than the screen. It will probably forever be a "small storage" player, though. I can't imagine trying to find my way through 4 gigabytes of songs without a screen.. 1GB is a little over the top if you ask me. I'd get the 256MB version, no doubt!

 

[zelmo]

Here he is:

Not bad, not bad.

 

[Loge]

I just wish they'd call it the "iPod micro," but it sounds like they're going to go with "iPod flash."

I don't think they'll call it iPod flash. The use of flash storage is an implementation detail, of little interest to most who'll use it; and technologies can sometimes change faster than product lines.