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iPod Accessories From Apple?
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The problem isn't the hardware or software, or laziness on Apple's part. The problem is that the current iPod uses a physically smaller battery than its competitors and predecessors do. Less size = less capacity.må¥å said:
The smaller battery was the change between the 1G/2G and 3G iPods that allowed them to become thinner: the 1G/2G's were basically a sandwich of (in no particular order) the battery, hard drive, PCB, and scroll wheel/screen. All four layers were pretty close to the same size. With the 3G's, they went to a much smaller battery and fit it into a section cut out of the PCB--so there were only three layers: hard drive, battery/PCB, and scroll wheel/buttons/screen.
I'm sure Apple could go back to the 1G/2G-sized batteries if they thought their customers would be willing to trade several millimeters of thickness and a couple (?) ounces for a significant increase in battery life. Personally, I don't have an iPod, but it's hard for me to imagine having any problems with a 12-hour battery life, and AFAIC thinner (and lighter) is better.
FWIW
WM
iMeowbot
macrumors G3
Okay, I give up. I'm seeing AirPort Express, Cram and Jam, yet another cheesy speaker dock and the iMac G5. Was there something else up?MM2270 said:
I don't know, maybe the iMac is supposed to be the elusive AirTunes companion, given the way they're pushing wireless options and all. But I think they (or a third party) could do better.
iMeowbot
macrumors G3
Yep, and Apple do have a need to work up reference designs to support a third party accessory market. The slide mentioned on this thread depicting a fictional LCD remote was a part of such efforts; while you won't find protocols and interfaces published on Apple's public Web site, they do provide those details to licensed vendors.dongmin said:
narco said:
Why shouldn't Apple be allowed to make peripherals for its products? I understand that 3rd party developers make great add-ons for Apple products, be it software or hardware. These products may even work an ivory soap-esque 99.44% of the time, but Apple's will work 100% of the time - and they are usually just a touch more elegent.
Apple doesn't want to crush (or demolish) its third party developers, but why shouldn't Apple be allowed to get in on the fun?
Sol
macrumors 68000
Some iPod ideas
By now Apple should have added a digital output to the iPod docks. Airport Express has it so why not the dock? Hi Fi enthusiasts would greatly appreciate this simple feature.
Connecting to a car stereo is still a major pain. This may have more to do with all the proprietery plugs that exists for different brands of car stereo components. Ideally the iPod should slide into a car dock and provide a line signal to the CD player. Alpine have such a solution but you must buy an Alpine CD player and an iPod interface. BMW's solution requires a new BMW car (yeah, right after I buy a dual 2.5 GHz PowerMac and two 30 " Apple displays). The Neo iOn is limited to American car stereos (I wish I knew that before I ordered mine).
It would also be great to have a CD-quality microphone attachment. The current solutons compromise sound quality and that is simply not good enough since SONY have featured optical inputs in their MiniDiscs for years.
As for the iPod itself, I would love to see an option in the interface to select what kind of signal the port at the top outputs. The choices should be the standard headphone signal, line out and digital. Such a feature would simplify the process of connecting to a car stereo (some have line-in at the front) or a hi fi system. It is not like people take their docks with them when they go to friends' houses.
By now Apple should have added a digital output to the iPod docks. Airport Express has it so why not the dock? Hi Fi enthusiasts would greatly appreciate this simple feature.
Connecting to a car stereo is still a major pain. This may have more to do with all the proprietery plugs that exists for different brands of car stereo components. Ideally the iPod should slide into a car dock and provide a line signal to the CD player. Alpine have such a solution but you must buy an Alpine CD player and an iPod interface. BMW's solution requires a new BMW car (yeah, right after I buy a dual 2.5 GHz PowerMac and two 30 " Apple displays). The Neo iOn is limited to American car stereos (I wish I knew that before I ordered mine).
It would also be great to have a CD-quality microphone attachment. The current solutons compromise sound quality and that is simply not good enough since SONY have featured optical inputs in their MiniDiscs for years.
As for the iPod itself, I would love to see an option in the interface to select what kind of signal the port at the top outputs. The choices should be the standard headphone signal, line out and digital. Such a feature would simplify the process of connecting to a car stereo (some have line-in at the front) or a hi fi system. It is not like people take their docks with them when they go to friends' houses.
SeanMcg
macrumors 6502
The Apple Store link
I'm assuming that you are referring to the new Bose speaker dock. Contrary to a previous post, I don't consider it cheesy and Bose puts out some nice stuff. I'd like to hear it before making any comments. I'm surprised it took them this long to get on board with the iPod.
I'm assuming that you are referring to the new Bose speaker dock. Contrary to a previous post, I don't consider it cheesy and Bose puts out some nice stuff. I'd like to hear it before making any comments. I'm surprised it took them this long to get on board with the iPod.
bcsmith said:
I think everyone is assuming that they are going to make similar (but better) items to those of the 3rd party developers. I somehow doubt that we'll be seeing an Apple FM transmitter or mic.
I think if they build anything it will be unique and integrated perfectly into the iLife and digital hub strategies.
The only thing I'd really like to see is a built-in AM/FM tuner to listen to the radio on the iPod. Am I the only one who wants this?
CholEoptera36
macrumors regular
bcsmith said:
Apple's products don't work 100% of the time. I agree more elegant though... I'd probly add the word innovative too. But no consumor product is even realisticly near 100% fault proof. We live in a dissposable world.
You just might be. 😉gunthian said:
Actually I'm sure there are lots of people who want this. I'm not one of them and will never understand why someone would buy a 20-40 GB "MP3 player" and listen to the radio on it. Just put the iPod on shuffle. It'll be all of your songs (so I assume they are all ones that you like) and no commercials.
MORE ACCESSORIES
AUDIO INPUTS PLEASE!!
Either a line-in and/or a microphone preamp would be greatly appreciated. The industry ban on these features needs to be lifted once and for all. APPLE can pave the way.
AUDIO INPUTS PLEASE!!
Either a line-in and/or a microphone preamp would be greatly appreciated. The industry ban on these features needs to be lifted once and for all. APPLE can pave the way.
AM/FM Radio!!
Helloooooo...... NPR !?!?!? are you forgetting This American Life???? Wait-Wait Dont Tell Me??? Car Talk????
man, you need to get a life 😀 😛
Inkmonkey said:
Helloooooo...... NPR !?!?!? are you forgetting This American Life???? Wait-Wait Dont Tell Me??? Car Talk????
man, you need to get a life 😀 😛
ultimate accessory for video iPod
Steve said no one wants to watch video on an iPod... but if it could have a virtual 30" display...
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040915/155164_1.html
m&
Steve said no one wants to watch video on an iPod... but if it could have a virtual 30" display...
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040915/155164_1.html
m&
Since we are all saying what we want in an ipod...
i want line in recording
and get this...i don't care about battery life when RECORDING... (i mean i am going to plug it in most of the time 🙂)
and i could deal with a centimeter more ipod. LoL exagguration, but i assume you get my point.
while i actually don't have any true complaints about the ipod...i want line in recording with a passion.
built in mic is a bad idea...the cost of the mic would have to be considered...and then ..what quality would be given? with a line in, if you didnt need a mic, you didnt get one...and if you wanted one, you could get a GOOD one.
given line in isnt GREAT...but that was the only thing minidisc had for it...and look how far it carried THAT media...i mean
, no one really LIKED minidiscs...but musicians used them and appreciated the line in more than anything.
i want line in recording
and get this...i don't care about battery life when RECORDING... (i mean i am going to plug it in most of the time 🙂)
and i could deal with a centimeter more ipod. LoL exagguration, but i assume you get my point.
while i actually don't have any true complaints about the ipod...i want line in recording with a passion.
built in mic is a bad idea...the cost of the mic would have to be considered...and then ..what quality would be given? with a line in, if you didnt need a mic, you didnt get one...and if you wanted one, you could get a GOOD one.
given line in isnt GREAT...but that was the only thing minidisc had for it...and look how far it carried THAT media...i mean
, no one really LIKED minidiscs...but musicians used them and appreciated the line in more than anything.
Death ray?
Heh, it's actually CLOSER than you think.:
http://griffintechnology.com/products/ibeam/ 😛
Heh, it's actually CLOSER than you think.:
http://griffintechnology.com/products/ibeam/ 😛
C-Mezak
macrumors regular
myapplseedshurt said:
If you can afford it you can get all of those shows in ipod-friendly format from audible.com. I can't! : (
I dont keep up with this stuff, but arent there faily miniaturized fm radios out there? Small enough that it wouldnt be an inconvenience to have it with you as well as your ipod. Of course small things tend to get lost . . .
Inkmonkey said:
Well, there are several radio programs that I like to listen to, none of which are available off-air, while I'm at home. But I'm also a frequent traveller; and while the iPod already works great for storing/listening to all the music I own, and doubles as a portable hard drive for storing digital photos and random other documents, there are some things that you need a radio for, such as listening to news reports, talk shows, weather reports, local programming (which is often not in English and otherwise inaccessible), and so on. Besides, listening to the radio for a bit, especially in other countries, can add some randomness and variety to the music you're listening to, rather than listening to the same music you own over and over again (especially good if you don't buy massive amounts of music and don't own thousands of songs).
Individual radios are cheap and can be small, true. But it would be much more convenient if I didn't have to carry around an extra device just for the radio. Especially since it would be a very small and uncostly addition for Apple to throw in. (doesn't the iRiver or whatever it's called already have a built-in tuner? I don't want to buy that, though, because I need the portable hard drive functionality, too). Additionally, having the tuner built-in would let you be able to record radio shows or music off of a station into mp3 right on your iPod (assuming they let you do that in the software, which they should).
An added bonus of the built-in tuner would be that, together with one of the transmitters, you could share music wirelessly on-the-fly with other iPods. Like that jack-sharing fad, only wireless. Depends on how powerful those transmitters are, I guess.
I also agree with the line-in request for recording purposes. If you're travelling, and don't have a computer, the line-in would let you be able to encode music from new CD's you buy, or even cassettes, direct from any player with an appropriate line-out cable.