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iPod Possibilites?
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Isn't this new H.264 QT supposed to be able to produce CD quality sound at only 64 kbps? Hence a new flash 2 gig ipod with aacPLUS files at 64 kbps would be able to still give you 1000 songs in your pocket.
This information's all on that website that agentmouthwash gave the link to.
http://www.apple-x.net/modules.php
Really cool stuff.
This information's all on that website that agentmouthwash gave the link to.
http://www.apple-x.net/modules.php
Really cool stuff.
My thoughts:
1.> Probably not an actual XM/iPod combo unit. The original stories that slipped late last week were that XM would announce a new XM receiver that would include "TiVo-like features" and that said unit would be in the style of a walkman. Comments were made suggesting that this may open the market to more portable devices having TiVo/iPod-like features. What that would be, I don't know. But I don't think that the Roady2 enclosure is what was rumored. Kits that do this have been around in a home-made variety for a while. Since the SkyFi came out people have been slapping a battery pack on it and using it as a walkman.
Check the 5th post on this page (after mine with all the stars)
http://www.xmfan.com/viewtopic.php?p=245638
If that price info is correct, along with all the other info, there's no way that the Roady2 enclosure is it. A Roady2 sells for about $130. I find it hard to believe that the enclosure would cost a hundred bucks.
2.> Apple is dumb
to not make a cheaper/smaller iPod. My wife and I use iTMS alot, but I would never pay $300 for something that could so easily be rendered inoperable. I don't need to have 5,000 songs. I don't think that between me, my wife and her brother back in the heydays of Napster and KaZaA, we ever got anywhere near that combined. Give me something where I can choose the capacity, even if it means changing cards for another 20 hours of music, and I just might go for it. Besides, a flash-based player would use significantly less power as well, and thus last longer. I have a Sony discman that's four years old that can play for 70 hours on TWO AA batteries. Why buy something that holds 13 times more music than it can play on one set of batteries?
1.> Probably not an actual XM/iPod combo unit. The original stories that slipped late last week were that XM would announce a new XM receiver that would include "TiVo-like features" and that said unit would be in the style of a walkman. Comments were made suggesting that this may open the market to more portable devices having TiVo/iPod-like features. What that would be, I don't know. But I don't think that the Roady2 enclosure is what was rumored. Kits that do this have been around in a home-made variety for a while. Since the SkyFi came out people have been slapping a battery pack on it and using it as a walkman.
Check the 5th post on this page (after mine with all the stars)
http://www.xmfan.com/viewtopic.php?p=245638
If that price info is correct, along with all the other info, there's no way that the Roady2 enclosure is it. A Roady2 sells for about $130. I find it hard to believe that the enclosure would cost a hundred bucks.
2.> Apple is dumb
to not make a cheaper/smaller iPod. My wife and I use iTMS alot, but I would never pay $300 for something that could so easily be rendered inoperable. I don't need to have 5,000 songs. I don't think that between me, my wife and her brother back in the heydays of Napster and KaZaA, we ever got anywhere near that combined. Give me something where I can choose the capacity, even if it means changing cards for another 20 hours of music, and I just might go for it. Besides, a flash-based player would use significantly less power as well, and thus last longer. I have a Sony discman that's four years old that can play for 70 hours on TWO AA batteries. Why buy something that holds 13 times more music than it can play on one set of batteries?wishful
i'd be excited if the mini's switch from a hard drive to a compact flash drive would drop the price, but it's hard to imagine that apple would drop the price before Christmas. the ipod and the mini are still hot items, and a price drop seems too good to be true. we can hope
i'd be excited if the mini's switch from a hard drive to a compact flash drive would drop the price, but it's hard to imagine that apple would drop the price before Christmas. the ipod and the mini are still hot items, and a price drop seems too good to be true. we can hope
If Apple were to make a $99 dollar iPod (not saying it wouldn't be sweet - I would totally get one), the demand would be too enormous to be feasible. I'd predict that there would be demand for 15-20 million units. There's no way Apple can produce that many units between now and when the jolly man in the red suit comes flying into town. If Apple were to release a flash iPod, it come in at a minimum price of $149. Knowing Apple, it'd be $199 (which, I might add, would make economical sense, much though a $99 dollar iPod would be so much better for the poor college students).
By the way, I haven't read the 11 previous pages, but I figured that though people were sure to point out the issue of margins, not many were likely to throw supply & demand out there. Apologize if redundant.
By the way, I haven't read the 11 previous pages, but I figured that though people were sure to point out the issue of margins, not many were likely to throw supply & demand out there. Apologize if redundant.
New iPod? Probably not
I was looking for a cell phone (left my in my pocket as it went through the wash cycle) and came across articles about Motorola having iTunes on their phones.
So it's my belief that there isn't going to be a flash based iPod. Instead Moto is coming out with a cell phone that's a 256MB mp3 player. Also notice that those video standards coming out of Apple are geared towards mobile video.
I think the confusion comes from the over-seas people seeing the word Apple iTunes and thinking it's Apple that's going to have a new iPod.
Just my 2 cents.
I was looking for a cell phone (left my in my pocket as it went through the wash cycle) and came across articles about Motorola having iTunes on their phones.
So it's my belief that there isn't going to be a flash based iPod. Instead Moto is coming out with a cell phone that's a 256MB mp3 player. Also notice that those video standards coming out of Apple are geared towards mobile video.
I think the confusion comes from the over-seas people seeing the word Apple iTunes and thinking it's Apple that's going to have a new iPod.
Just my 2 cents.
Hobgobble said:
Does a Dual G5/2.5GHz PowerMac looks less cool if you put a G4 eMac next to it?
No?
Then stop complaining about the possibility of Apple making low-cost versions of their existing lineup.
Even car companies do this. Take Nissan's cars: Sentra, Altima and Maxima. Heck, even BMW makes a "low-cost" car.
Would you choose the best of Kia's car lineup, or a low-end Nissan Sentra?
In short: Apple's low-end is still better and more stylish than the other's middle (and sometimes top) models, so who cares?
If you really want to be flashy because you're rich, get your 4th gen. 40GB iPod gold-platted or something.
whens this suppose anouncement of the u2 ipod by jobs coming out?
so if this does happen... the speculation says that the u2 ipod is a mini and possibly flash based?
so if this does happen... the speculation says that the u2 ipod is a mini and possibly flash based?
krossfyter said:
The Media event is at 1:00 PM eastern time.And I doubt it will be a flash based unit but have no idea.
TVGenius said:My thoughts:
2.> Apple is dumb
They will.
As for music collection - I have 11 GB worth and none of it pirated, encoded at 128 aac. If you see my collection of CDs I bet yours would be bigger.
20 GB is a minimum for music fans.
The benefit is always having any song or album with you when you want to hear it.
macMaestro said:
You are nuts. You don't think MPIO makes money on flash MP3 players? If they cost 99 retail they cost 20 to make. Every time I go to CES there is an ancillary hall full of korean MP3 player companies - you think they are losing money? The flash based players are 1 chip plus RAM.
This is where the majority of players are sold - in the low end. Apple has 93% of HD mp3 players, not total. If they do flash they can own 90+% of EVERYTHING.
This is not the Mac platform - the volumes are way bigger.
Even if Apple's bill of materials is higher (likely) the volume will make up for it.
If Apple sells 10m flashPods/QTR do you knwo what that will do? Think about it.
Volume will make iTMS profitable.
Yvan256 said:Does a Dual G5/2.5GHz PowerMac looks less cool if you put a G4 eMac next to it?
No?
Then stop complaining about the possibility of Apple making low-cost versions of their existing lineup.
Even car companies do this. Take Nissan's cars: Sentra, Altima and Maxima. Heck, even BMW makes a "low-cost" car.
Would you choose the best of Kia's car lineup, or a low-end Nissan Sentra?
In short: Apple's low-end is still better and more stylish than the other's middle (and sometimes top) models, so who cares?
If you really want to be flashy because you're rich, get your 4th gen. 40GB iPod gold-platted or something.
EXACTLY - What do you do when you have 70% of trhe mp3 player market?
EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO GET THE OTHER 30%
This won't be the Mac - Apple have to press the advantage. Stop thinking like a Mac user, start thinking like an Apple user (you know, the company that reinvented the way people enjoy music).
I would love to have a set of Bluetooth headphones so I could put my ipod safely away in my pack and then control it with my BT phone. That would be so very nice.
Here's The Problem...
No, I, at least am not ignoring it all. I don't think others are either. What I hope is that Apple will *learn* something from that 20 year history.
You are right in this...Apple certainly has no short-term financial incentive to deliver cheaper iPods. No question. Just as they had no short-term financial incentive to license the Mac OS or produce cheaper hardware. But it *will* shoot them in the foot, eventually, if they don't.
Apple is close to having digital music wrapped up. They've got the best player, they've got the best store. The problem is that that was largely true of the Mac, too. If the stores get thronged with cheap iPod alternatives, people *will* buy them. A few at first, but more and more and, eventually, despite its superiority and despite the huge profit margin, Apple will have (just as with the Mac) nearly closed itself out of a market it pioneered.
If Apple has learned from their own history, then they will release a cheap, flash-based alternative to innoculate against this possibility. The *only* inroad MS and other have right now is the relative high cost of the iPod compared to other players. If Apple chooses to plug this one vulnerability, then its game-over for digital music. Apple will become the MS of that arena.
Its up to us to decide whether that's A Good Thing or not. Personally, I think it would be nice to have one segment of the digital world that Redmond doesn't swallow whole.
snahabed said:
No, I, at least am not ignoring it all. I don't think others are either. What I hope is that Apple will *learn* something from that 20 year history.
You are right in this...Apple certainly has no short-term financial incentive to deliver cheaper iPods. No question. Just as they had no short-term financial incentive to license the Mac OS or produce cheaper hardware. But it *will* shoot them in the foot, eventually, if they don't.
Apple is close to having digital music wrapped up. They've got the best player, they've got the best store. The problem is that that was largely true of the Mac, too. If the stores get thronged with cheap iPod alternatives, people *will* buy them. A few at first, but more and more and, eventually, despite its superiority and despite the huge profit margin, Apple will have (just as with the Mac) nearly closed itself out of a market it pioneered.
If Apple has learned from their own history, then they will release a cheap, flash-based alternative to innoculate against this possibility. The *only* inroad MS and other have right now is the relative high cost of the iPod compared to other players. If Apple chooses to plug this one vulnerability, then its game-over for digital music. Apple will become the MS of that arena.
Its up to us to decide whether that's A Good Thing or not. Personally, I think it would be nice to have one segment of the digital world that Redmond doesn't swallow whole.
mhouse said:
EXACTLY!
The arguement against the flash and inexpensive iPod is like saying that the BMW 3 series prevents people from buying the 7 series because it is cheaper.
Cheap players is a new market for Apple. People who can buy more storage will. This is a fragmented market.
Apple must particpate at all levels!
Apple must invent the cheap iPod alternative.
Well I guess we will all find out tomorrow because as of right now, I cannot order one off of the Apple Store. If one were to try to order an iPod and continue without engraving and continue without iTunes certificate, it just goes to an empty link. This means that they will probably be introduced tomorrow and shipped 6 months from then.
Fat_Tonie
Fat_Tonie
Yvan256 said:
Apple doesn't need to go less than $199 to make AAC a strong player--that ship has sailed.
The market for ALL non-iPod players combined is 38% of units sold. Flash players are less than that. And in dollars (instead of units), FAR less than that. Plus not all Flash players are under $199 anyway. So the segment that's sub-$199 is smaller still. Now how many of THOSE buyers would have spent a little more if they could gave gotten a real iPod for $199?
If and when Apple can sell a Mini of some kind (1-2 GB flash?) for $199 that will be a good thing. Lower than that isn't necessary right away--you're just not talking about a huge chunk of sales.
And Apple selling a low-capacity player (less than 500 songs) seems unlikely, given what they've said (and fairly) about how useless that really is to most people.
I also doubt there will be replaceable flash cards. A nice idea, but same goes for replaceable batteries.
Regarding the pricing-issue..
Sony is to release two new flash-players.
NW-E99 is a 1GB flash-player retailing at about $200
NW-E95 is a 512MB flash-player retailing at about $130
Sony is to release two new flash-players.
NW-E99 is a 1GB flash-player retailing at about $200
NW-E95 is a 512MB flash-player retailing at about $130
Regarding the market share..
People seem to forget that it is only in the US that Apple has 70% of the marketshare on all mp3-players. In the rest of the world, even though the iPod is the most popular player, it is far away from having the same, big marketshare..
People seem to forget that it is only in the US that Apple has 70% of the marketshare on all mp3-players. In the rest of the world, even though the iPod is the most popular player, it is far away from having the same, big marketshare..