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Flash iPod: 'Life is Random'?
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Six months from now when there is a waiting line at a store a mile long for these things I can't wait to come back and read all the 'it's random? no one will like that' and 'there's no screen? that sucks' comments just like the iPod Mini being the worst thing ever built.
The sad part is I find myself wanting one yet I have an iPod 40GB that I use every day.
The sad part is I find myself wanting one yet I have an iPod 40GB that I use every day.
Hmmm
What if you all have this wrong.
That this is not an iPod, but instead the long missing Remote to control AirTunes!
We'll see tomorrow.
Whatever!
What if you all have this wrong.
That this is not an iPod, but instead the long missing Remote to control AirTunes!
We'll see tomorrow.
Whatever!
Digipimp said:
I've heard that current iPod minis are already 5GB (but locked to 4GB by Apple). Maybe they'll officially up the minis to 5GB and lower the price at the same time? (unlikely because of the introduction of the iPod micro at about 149-179$US).
On the other hand, a 5GB iPod mini at 200$US equals 245$CAD... This would kill the other high-end flash players (which are around 180-200$CAN for 256MB).
vollspacken said:
Hello, completely-opposite-of-me iPod user!
I only use playlists/albums with my 3G 10GB iPod and it's never set to random!
As you can see, this iPod micro is definitely not for me! (not that I care, but I don't think my brother would buy one either).
Check this out...
Besides the mad lib we've had the pleasure of readings, this is perhaps the best musings on the pictures of the new slogan and what this (rumored) new iPod might be about. Check it out if you haven't already:
http://playlistmag.com/weblogs/todayatplaylist/2005/01/ipodimagine/index.php
Besides the mad lib we've had the pleasure of readings, this is perhaps the best musings on the pictures of the new slogan and what this (rumored) new iPod might be about. Check it out if you haven't already:
http://playlistmag.com/weblogs/todayatplaylist/2005/01/ipodimagine/index.php
Yvan256 said:
I would be fairly surprised to see any signifigant price drops in anything from the iPod line. iPods are hip, trendy, and the cool thing to have. Apple knows this, and they have no problem selling the every loving crap out of iPods. Hell, when I bought my iPod last year I had to go to 3 seperate Best Buys to find one with a 40GB in stock, as everyone working the small electronics department said they sell as fast as they receive them.
A price drop would help, but I really don't think people need any more incentive to buy an iPod than they already have.
I don't need one (at least I don't think I do yet ), but I just want to chime in that I don't think not having a screen is that bad. I use my 20GB on random 99% of the time, and I just skip the songs I don't want to hear at the time. My problem with this device is 250 songs just doesn't do it for me.
But I can understand the market they are after here, and it is not most people here...we already have iPods! This is a product that screams teenager!!!
), but I just want to chime in that I don't think not having a screen is that bad. I use my 20GB on random 99% of the time, and I just skip the songs I don't want to hear at the time. My problem with this device is 250 songs just doesn't do it for me. But I can understand the market they are after here, and it is not most people here...we already have iPods! This is a product that screams teenager!!!
Did anyone else notice the arrows in the banner? Guess what else uses arrows? The repeat and shuffle buttons in iTunes. It's hard to tell how the banner's arrows could relate, since they don't appear as the same icons as the buttons in iTunes, but it is interesting nonetheless.
It could mean that the banner has more to do with a new version of iTunes and a new iPod
It could mean that the banner has more to do with a new version of iTunes and a new iPod
Tried to post this once already, but server was too busy:
What if the 'random' feature doesn't refer to our libraries at all? A radio station is designed to sell records, albums, singles, not to let a listener hear their personal collection all the time. What if the new player had a built-in value-added fee that allowed a user to sync a playlist of randomly selected songs from the iTMS, either from a preset playlist Apple has selected, an algorithm similar to MusicPod that links similar artists to find ones you might like, or a combination of the two? This, coupled with the 'arrow-me-to-iTMS' button introduced in 4.6 (?) could actually help apple sell more tracks.
What if the 'random' feature doesn't refer to our libraries at all? A radio station is designed to sell records, albums, singles, not to let a listener hear their personal collection all the time. What if the new player had a built-in value-added fee that allowed a user to sync a playlist of randomly selected songs from the iTMS, either from a preset playlist Apple has selected, an algorithm similar to MusicPod that links similar artists to find ones you might like, or a combination of the two? This, coupled with the 'arrow-me-to-iTMS' button introduced in 4.6 (?) could actually help apple sell more tracks.
Rootman said:
This is, without a doubt, the funniest pre-MWSF post so far.
I'm still laughing as I type this. And it's a great insight. I listen to motivations speeches and books all the time when I work out.
But more importantly, the lower price point was also supposed to allow people who can't afford the full iPod to get into the iPod family and start buying music from iTMS and further spread the lock-in of Apple's DRM.
I suspect Apple has done their home work and a shuffle only flash player will be popular for active people for active things. But this narrow purpose will not cast as wide as net as possible, and for those waiting for the affordable iPod, no screen will be a deal breaker.
But with that said, this thing will sell in crazy numbers. It's the price point. Apple has built the brand and desire for all things iPod. And at that price, people who don't really like it will convince themselves to spend 149 bucks for a gym iPod.
Hell, I know I will.
nosen said:
I agree. You need some way to control what it plays other than a skip button and a play/pause button. I guess iTunes would control it but that isn't hardly practical on the go. With about 300 songs on it let's say you want to get from song 1 to song 300. Do you have to push a button 300 times. No way. However, if by not having a screen they are able to make it really small, really light, and really cheap that could be a huge seller.
If it is a truly random player then it would have to be very very cheapr indeed.
Its ok for people who already own an iPod of some description (or another HDD Music Player). Sometimes I like the idea of only have random music. However for people who do not own an iPod why would they buy this machine if this is their first Mp3/Music player? I want a flash machine with a screen because even if only sometimes I want to see what I am listening to its still better to have a screen than not (even a crap one). Why buy a machine that limits you? I might buy one if it was very very cheap beacause I have an iPod to fall back on all those times I want more control over what I listen to - but most people don't have this.
It would have to be cheap, have a very long battery life (30 Hrs +), look great, and have all of these random ideas as optional (which they will be I hope, and if they are where's the USP? and if they aren't who wants that lack of control?). If it had a built in radio that would be tempting.
Alternatively - make it a DAB radio and be done with it! In fact that would be a good idea if only Apple could improve the power consumption of DAB chips and make them smaller! - which they won't as DAB isn't really used (at all?) in the US.
I would definately buy a personal digital radio by Apple
Its ok for people who already own an iPod of some description (or another HDD Music Player). Sometimes I like the idea of only have random music. However for people who do not own an iPod why would they buy this machine if this is their first Mp3/Music player? I want a flash machine with a screen because even if only sometimes I want to see what I am listening to its still better to have a screen than not (even a crap one). Why buy a machine that limits you? I might buy one if it was very very cheap beacause I have an iPod to fall back on all those times I want more control over what I listen to - but most people don't have this.
It would have to be cheap, have a very long battery life (30 Hrs +), look great, and have all of these random ideas as optional (which they will be I hope, and if they are where's the USP? and if they aren't who wants that lack of control?). If it had a built in radio that would be tempting.
Alternatively - make it a DAB radio and be done with it!
In fact that would be a good idea if only Apple could improve the power consumption of DAB chips and make them smaller! - which they won't as DAB isn't really used (at all?) in the US.I would definately buy a personal digital radio by Apple
Darn, I was going to get a flash iPod for my little sister, but if they cripple it with no screen I guess she'll be stuck with a CD player. Maybe they'll suprise me, but right now I can't think of any way that a screenless iPod would work with any kind of elegance.
CharlesV said:It looks like the same arrows as the shuffle button to me, just squashed a bit cause of the banner's folds.
Yeah I can see that now...it's hard to see how it could be anything else...however I think it's jumping to conclusions based on the banner alone, that it relates to an iPod.....a new version of iTunes is expected, isn't it?
kettle said:
Just because you use a car CD changer as an example doesn't mean the technology doesn't suck any less. Car CD changers are almost 20 years old and they're frustrating. There's just no reason not to have some sort of tiny screen.
I have to go with my gut on this one, this story was fabricated to throw us off.
barnett25 said:
My guess is, that there will be a button which you press and it would... play music. What does elegance have to do with anything?
You people amaze me.