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iPod Hi-Fi Introduced
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ctango said:
[Sarcasm]I forgot, I thought there was something called a Discman and some company might have come out with some sort of HD based MP3 player way before Apple?[/Sarcasm]
Seriously, the iPod is a great MP3 player from a usability standpoint and I've loved every one I've owned, but people need to stop acting like Apple invented the portable MP3 player. Creative and Diamond both had HD based portable jukeboxes before the Gen 1 iPod.
omg, "they only invited a small group", how this matters, what if stebe just sells them to his guest.meinertzhagen said:
I won't be buying one but I really don't think it is such a bad product either given hwo many people have picked up the JBL and Bose offerings. I bet this sounds a whole lot better than both of those systems. I really don't kwno why people think that Bose are hifidelity. They make cheap plastic stereos but market them very well.
This is the perfect product for all the late arrivals to the iPod world. a bandwagon product.
One last point, why on earth woudl you want to add a CD player to this thing? Isn't the whole point of an iPod to get rid of your Cds?
This is the perfect product for all the late arrivals to the iPod world. a bandwagon product.
One last point, why on earth woudl you want to add a CD player to this thing? Isn't the whole point of an iPod to get rid of your Cds?
Man....I had the first post on this massive thread and it got deleted....
To reiterate...
"meh meh, and more meh."
That being said...I wouldn't turn one down if it was free..
To reiterate...
"meh meh, and more meh."
That being said...I wouldn't turn one down if it was free..
Methinks it's more than meets our eyes
When I looked more closely into the "HIFI" system, one thing that caught my eye is how attractive it is to my wallet.
(1) I haven't sunk the money into a surround-sound system ($200-400)
(2) I haven't purchased a Airport Express ($50-100)
(3) My sound system is aging
(4) Only have an analog connection to current sound system
The total cost to purchase the speakers, receiver, and what I need for surround sound and tie-in with my iMac would cost $350, similar to what I would pay to purchase the hardware (not including wiring) for my theater surround sound. So, if I can get something that will receive and transmit via optical digital (one wire), I'll have all the sound my house needs. My music and theater could conceivably be wired up for $350 to $450. Sounds competative and reasonable to me.
If it does have incredible sound, and if it reduces the footprint of the system, those seem like even more reasons to consolidate and purchase.
Also, from Apple's perspective, it gives more reason for folks like me to keep purchasing Mac products if I choose this system... Methinks this imay be savvy, slick, and worthwhile...
IMHO, this might be a good deal for audiophiles in waiting...
When I looked more closely into the "HIFI" system, one thing that caught my eye is how attractive it is to my wallet.
(1) I haven't sunk the money into a surround-sound system ($200-400)
(2) I haven't purchased a Airport Express ($50-100)
(3) My sound system is aging
(4) Only have an analog connection to current sound system
The total cost to purchase the speakers, receiver, and what I need for surround sound and tie-in with my iMac would cost $350, similar to what I would pay to purchase the hardware (not including wiring) for my theater surround sound. So, if I can get something that will receive and transmit via optical digital (one wire), I'll have all the sound my house needs. My music and theater could conceivably be wired up for $350 to $450. Sounds competative and reasonable to me.
If it does have incredible sound, and if it reduces the footprint of the system, those seem like even more reasons to consolidate and purchase.
Also, from Apple's perspective, it gives more reason for folks like me to keep purchasing Mac products if I choose this system... Methinks this imay be savvy, slick, and worthwhile...
IMHO, this might be a good deal for audiophiles in waiting...
new products?
Just because it's new to Apple doesn't make it a new product.
iPod Hi-Fi --- WTF?!? Basically the exact same product has been around for years now. Assuming the audio quality is no better then exisiting products (last time I checked Apple wasn't know for its speakers like Bose, ATL, HK and others) why would anyone buy this?
$100 iPod Case --- Holy Usless Leather Sac WTF?!? I'm pretty sure Coach and other leather makers had cases on the market minutes after the ORIGINAL iPod launched.
Anyone excited about these product is clearly in Brokeback love with the man in the black turtleneck. I'm pissed at Apple for making an event out of this and even more pissed at myself for sitting at my computer watching the minute-by-minute updates.
STEVE - PLEASE NO MORE "EVENTS" UNTIL YOU HAVE SOMETHING TRUELY NEW!
Just because it's new to Apple doesn't make it a new product.
iPod Hi-Fi --- WTF?!? Basically the exact same product has been around for years now. Assuming the audio quality is no better then exisiting products (last time I checked Apple wasn't know for its speakers like Bose, ATL, HK and others) why would anyone buy this?
$100 iPod Case --- Holy Usless Leather Sac WTF?!? I'm pretty sure Coach and other leather makers had cases on the market minutes after the ORIGINAL iPod launched.
Anyone excited about these product is clearly in Brokeback love with the man in the black turtleneck. I'm pissed at Apple for making an event out of this and even more pissed at myself for sitting at my computer watching the minute-by-minute updates.
STEVE - PLEASE NO MORE "EVENTS" UNTIL YOU HAVE SOMETHING TRUELY NEW!
Where is that "guy" who started a thread on Saturday leading to this 28 Feb event saying, "that what Apple is going to release is something everyone will want and kewl, yada yada yada." 
Well my Credit Card just went back into my purse, thanks Steven Jobs.
Well my Credit Card just went back into my purse, thanks Steven Jobs.
Just a few comments...
First, regarding the sound, until you've heard the thing in action, don't judge it. Numbers never tell the whole story with sound systems. Oh, and for all of you who say 128k AAC files are hideous? What kind of speakers are you using? If its a 15K audiophile setup, more power to you. If its the latest computer speakers from Klipsch or Logitech, I've got news: Chances are, any difference you hear is all in your head. You know, a placebo effect. AAC isn't lossless, true. But its darn good quality. Personally, yeah, I think it would be nice if iTunes went to 160k. But the fact is, on most of the $100 - $500 speakers normal people use, you AREN'T going to be able to tell much if any difference.
As for the look - its subjective. Personally, I like it - it doesn't stand out. It just seems to blend in nicely wherever you put it, be it on a bookshelf or a home theater. It could be that the sound requirements dictated the form of the thing. If that's the case, I'd be happy - I know a lot of things that sacrifice audio quality so they can fit in a "sleek, sexy" package. Its a bad tradeoff. Personally, I'd reserve judgment until I hear the thing. If it produces clean, room filling sound, it may well be worth the price, especially for people who don't already have some kind of stereo setup. Even then, with its conservative non-"look at me" styling, it looks like it could be at home in a home gym or in the kitchen or even the office, so it may end up being a better product than people expect.
First, regarding the sound, until you've heard the thing in action, don't judge it. Numbers never tell the whole story with sound systems. Oh, and for all of you who say 128k AAC files are hideous? What kind of speakers are you using? If its a 15K audiophile setup, more power to you. If its the latest computer speakers from Klipsch or Logitech, I've got news: Chances are, any difference you hear is all in your head. You know, a placebo effect. AAC isn't lossless, true. But its darn good quality. Personally, yeah, I think it would be nice if iTunes went to 160k. But the fact is, on most of the $100 - $500 speakers normal people use, you AREN'T going to be able to tell much if any difference.
As for the look - its subjective. Personally, I like it - it doesn't stand out. It just seems to blend in nicely wherever you put it, be it on a bookshelf or a home theater. It could be that the sound requirements dictated the form of the thing. If that's the case, I'd be happy - I know a lot of things that sacrifice audio quality so they can fit in a "sleek, sexy" package. Its a bad tradeoff. Personally, I'd reserve judgment until I hear the thing. If it produces clean, room filling sound, it may well be worth the price, especially for people who don't already have some kind of stereo setup. Even then, with its conservative non-"look at me" styling, it looks like it could be at home in a home gym or in the kitchen or even the office, so it may end up being a better product than people expect.
ramuman said:
Well said & spot on accurate! One minor point of correction: the first HD-based MP3 player was the PJB-100, the result of a joint venture between Hango (a Korean company) and Compaq. I bought one of the originals and it's still going strong, with the original, user-replaceable battery!
iGary said:
Can I vote for meh as the most overused non-word of the year?
If I never see it in use again, it will be too soon.
Bobajobbob said:
And what makes you think that Apple, who is a computer & digital music player manufacturer, will make a better quality product (the Hi-Fi) than those companies whose only business is speakers & sound systems? Apple has absolutely no background in audio engineering or home stereo systems, so what makes them primed to put out a better product than JBL or Bose or HK or Klipsch, etc?
Just my 2 cents!
Two articles after this release:
"Today Apple released a couple new products at what they had described was going to be a 'fun' event. One is a set of speakers for the iPod, the other is a new Mac Mini. Like every product on the market, these are not meant for everyone, but Apple hopes that some people will want to buy them. The products are the best Apple could currently come out with, and are priced to give the company a profit."
"Today Apple released a couple products that are horribly unattractive. The products do not fulfill the fanciful ideas people had that they, sitting at home or at a job that more than likely does not involve designing new electronic devices/computers, thought Apple 'could' or 'should' do. These new products are not for everyone, and so Apple should have never released them. The products are also not within the price range that everyone wants, so Apple has obviously overpriced them. In the end, Apple is going to go bankrupt and Steve Jobs is going to Hell for wasting time that would otherwise have been spent with a loved one, reading a good book, volunteering for the homeless, or something else that would have enriched the viewers life."
Which article did you read?
"Today Apple released a couple new products at what they had described was going to be a 'fun' event. One is a set of speakers for the iPod, the other is a new Mac Mini. Like every product on the market, these are not meant for everyone, but Apple hopes that some people will want to buy them. The products are the best Apple could currently come out with, and are priced to give the company a profit."
"Today Apple released a couple products that are horribly unattractive. The products do not fulfill the fanciful ideas people had that they, sitting at home or at a job that more than likely does not involve designing new electronic devices/computers, thought Apple 'could' or 'should' do. These new products are not for everyone, and so Apple should have never released them. The products are also not within the price range that everyone wants, so Apple has obviously overpriced them. In the end, Apple is going to go bankrupt and Steve Jobs is going to Hell for wasting time that would otherwise have been spent with a loved one, reading a good book, volunteering for the homeless, or something else that would have enriched the viewers life."
Which article did you read?
there are more than one type of ipod.Peel said:
apple has lost touch of their customers. $350 for a box of speakers and $99 for a CASE for your ipod? i think they have been smoking their lawn clippings on accident, nobody in their right mind would buy these when you can:
a) buy something that sounds better for less, and has seperate speakers which can be placed in ideal positions for better acoustics. this thing doesn't even have it's own sub which you can get on a multimedia system for ~150. I'll stick to my 5.1 setup for now (which almost cost the same).
b) the case doesn't even provide access to your ipod while in the case. what genius decided that, this would be great protection, having to REMOVE the ipod from its protective sleeve whenever you wanted to use it? and then who decided that this ugly black shell was worth 250% of what everyone else has on the market?
im really starting to hate apple. bring on the 'go back to the dark side then' comments fan boys.
i forgot the new mac mini would be really nice, EXCEPT it uses integrated graphics (GMA950) which is total garbage and can't be upgraded. i was so close to buying one too.
Proud Liberal said:
That's not true--Apple has made speakers at various times, and rather nice ones.
But the more important point is--a lot of pro and con assumptions are being made here, but you can't know until you've heard it with your own ears, preferably using songs encoded at different bit rates and comparing it a high-quality reference system. Until you've done that, you just don't know how it sounds, and saying that it can't be good because it's not ("x" famous audio brand) or must be good because of (whatever) just isn't supportable.
To paraphrase your sig--LISTEN for yourself!
I'm remaining agnostic until I hear it.
Proud Liberal said:
Thinking for myself
, I'd say that they've done it at least twice before.1) When they started and created the best computer
2) When they created the first iPod -- they weren't a music/entertainment co and they weren't an MP3 player co....
next event
one positive thing you van say about this event, is that there are still a lot of things to expected of the next event (1 april?)
Especially the Macbook (intel iBook)
Oh, and don't forget: the Mac mini sock: "For a fun and practical way to protect your Mac Mini, dress it up in these Mac Mini Socks. A set of six features green, purple, blue, orange, pink and grey."
one positive thing you van say about this event, is that there are still a lot of things to expected of the next event (1 april?)
Especially the Macbook (intel iBook)
Oh, and don't forget: the Mac mini sock: "For a fun and practical way to protect your Mac Mini, dress it up in these Mac Mini Socks. A set of six features green, purple, blue, orange, pink and grey."
People... chill
Apple is a corporation, not your friend.
All products, including the high-priced $99 leather case for iPods, is about product placement, brand propgation and market saturation. Nothing else. All these sob stories complaing about the HiFi and the integrated video on the Mini reiterates only one thing... we're are Apple's *itch , and we have nothing better to do than demand they live up to our own ideals.
What Apple is doing right now is positioning themselves, testing the waters, and looking for more ways into every house, office, living room, etc. That's it. I spend way too much on Apple branded stuff. I only ever owned one Sony Walkman that lasted me 10 years. In the last 18 months I've purchased 3 iPods, 2 PowerBook, and now a MacPook Pro. Obviously, Apple is doing something right.
I am an Apple loyalist, but I could care less what products they offer. If Apple branded a toilet or car, I'd prolly buy one. If you squint your eyes real tight like... you know, in a shifty eye sorta way. Then look at every Apple product you own - what does the Made In say? China. Everything is made in China. Apple sells cheap, plastic *hit from China... what else is new?
So, lighten up people. Go spend time with your family, go out on a date, buy some pimple cream, come out into the sunshine. Instead of bitching about what Apple is doing, educate yourself about why Apple is doing what it is. Or, if you don't want to do that, buy 51% of Apple stock and release only thing things you want... I'll bet if you did that, Apple stock would once again be a penny stock, worth less than the Apple Time Traveller you market and try to sell. Apple Time Travel - A Different Time Travel Experience.
eeesh.
Apple is a corporation, not your friend.
All products, including the high-priced $99 leather case for iPods, is about product placement, brand propgation and market saturation. Nothing else. All these sob stories complaing about the HiFi and the integrated video on the Mini reiterates only one thing... we're are Apple's *itch
, and we have nothing better to do than demand they live up to our own ideals.- Sony makes stereos _and_ computers. Albeit crappy ones... they are a brand, not a product.
- You can buy a Ferarri branded laptop for chris-sakes!
What Apple is doing right now is positioning themselves, testing the waters, and looking for more ways into every house, office, living room, etc. That's it. I spend way too much on Apple branded stuff. I only ever owned one Sony Walkman that lasted me 10 years. In the last 18 months I've purchased 3 iPods, 2 PowerBook, and now a MacPook Pro. Obviously, Apple is doing something right.
I am an Apple loyalist, but I could care less what products they offer. If Apple branded a toilet or car, I'd prolly buy one. If you squint your eyes real tight like... you know, in a shifty eye sorta way. Then look at every Apple product you own - what does the Made In say? China. Everything is made in China. Apple sells cheap, plastic *hit from China... what else is new?
So, lighten up people. Go spend time with your family, go out on a date, buy some pimple cream, come out into the sunshine. Instead of bitching about what Apple is doing, educate yourself about why Apple is doing what it is. Or, if you don't want to do that, buy 51% of Apple stock and release only thing things you want... I'll bet if you did that, Apple stock would once again be a penny stock, worth less than the Apple Time Traveller you market and try to sell. Apple Time Travel - A Different Time Travel Experience.
eeesh.
Bobajobbob said:
Are you kid'n me? Bose has some of the best sound on the market. Bose is one company that charges the price it's worth. I have a bose at home and it fills the whole living room kitchen and hallways with sound. The accoustics and bass of that little box is incredible.