Media Event, iMac, iPod Details and Notes

[groovebuster]

Its disappointing that iPod won't downsize videos to the 320x400 ( or whatever ) resolution.

I thought you'd be able to upload a home movie ( for example ) and just play it without any conversion.

:-(

What do you expect? Downsizing would mean that the iPod has to decode into the original resolution before it can downsize the video... This would need a lot or processor power which an iPod doesn't have... and even if, the battery would be drained within a very short time. The 320x240 are a compromise...

But that underlines agai that I find the video feature of the iPod pretty much useless, if not to say stupid...

groovebuster

 

[g4cubed]

I feel like it's Christmas night and all the presents have been opened... now it's time to go back and drool at what we got.

Well I'm glad Christmas was good for you. But I feel like the kid who wanted a bike but got roller skates. Very disappointing.

 

[cgmpowers]

Why no camera on the video iPod?

I constinately use my iMic on my iPod. I love to import audio lectures and what not into my iPod. But where is the Belkin (or even Apple made) camera for the iPod?? I want to capture video with the iPod. If I can do it with a cell phone then certainly I can do it with an iPod...

Christopher

I'm waiting to see if video podcasting takes off. How many amateur documentary, animation, and experimental video makers are out there that would love an easy way to distribute their stuff? I see this as a potentially big deal...

Isaac

 

[groovebuster]

Well I'm glad Christmas was good for you. But I feel like the kid who wanted a bike but got roller skates. Very disappointing.

I'm with you...

 

[Fotek2001]

In reading this thread, the following things occurred to me:

1. If Apple can fit a G5 processor into the new, slimline iMac, putting one into a Powerbook shouldn't be that much more problematic.
   
2. The new iMac with FrontRow is exactly the kind of thing that college students will be looking for in their dorm rooms and it's release is ideally timed to coincide with the holiday season.
   
3. Apple should seriously consider building a wireless implementation of FrontRow as a set-top box and allowing DVD ripping in iTunes (MS plans to add ripping with DRM in Windows Vista).
   
4. Apple doesn't seem to like producing different hardware configurations for different regions. This seems to be the reason there's no TV tuner in the iMac because countries and regions all over the world are settling on different standards for high definition and digital TV delivery. The same issue applies to the iPod and radio tuners / Satellite radio support.
   

 

[groovebuster]

Apple doesn't seem to like producing different hardware configurations for different regions. This seems to be the reason there's no TV tuner in the iMac because countries and regions all over the world are settling on different standards for high definition and digital TV delivery. The same issue applies to the iPod and radio tuners / Satellite radio support.

Apples target is always the US market first, that's why many features don't work in other countries. In my book this is pure ignorance by Jobs Inc...

Supporting multiple standards is no problem. It is performed in many ways already. Today in most cases it is just a question of software.

How many HDTV standards are there today? As far as I know only two that will survive on the long run... The US and the European standard. What's the problem to support both software wise? Same apllies to satellite radio...

And traditional radio broadcasting is the same all over the world... between 87,9-108MHz FM.

groovebuster

 

[Stella]

Ah, but your forgetting something.. Desktop can get hot, laptops cannot, apple wouldn't be popular with reports of G5 PBs burning its customers legs...

It may not still be possible for G5s in a laptop due to heat. I doubt whether a G5 will ever make its way into a PowerBook.. the Intel processors will arrive sooner..

In reading this thread, the following things occurred to me:

1. If Apple can fit a G5 processor into the new, slimline iMac, putting one into a Powerbook shouldn't be that much more problematic.

1. 
   
   
   Apple have got DRM for movies now, so the ripping of DVDs could be possible, with the movie industry approval.
   
   Apple, so far have missed the boat slightly with the media centre software - it looks really good, but you must be able to hook it up to your TV ( wirelessly - video airport express?) . I'm sure many people won't want their iMac in front of their sofa, rendering a lot of what Steve was saying yesterday, useless. For music its, fine, for DVD and photos, probably not so useful.
   
   

   Apples target is always the US market first, that's why many features don't work in other countries. In my book this is pure ignorance by Jobs Inc...

   
   Yep, especially 'you can now play shows on your iPod'... only if your american, because its the only store to offer such downloads. Even Canada doesn't have it.
   
   I hope BBC gets on board, even if I had to pay for content - BBC shows are on the whole, are very good quality. Paying for BBC shows in the UK this way wouldn't go down too well because they already paid the license fee ( which is a complete bargain - something that british people forget - they've never had to watch north american channels - some good content, but mostly, crap ).

 

[840quadra]

Apples target is always the US market first, that's why many features don't work in other countries. In my book this is pure ignorance by Jobs Inc...

groovebuster

Well actually this is quite rare in the consumer electronics industry. That being a company that builds computers and small electronics more directed at the US population as opposed to others. Sony ( a company from Japan) makes many products that cater only to Japan, and ignore other markets (such as the US) with some of them. Toshiba Hitachi and others are very similar.

Speaking of which, my German made Siemens phone has features that only work in Europe, and not the US.

Apple like Siemens, Toshiba, Sony and the likes, is going to make products that work better in it's land of origin, and will work (sometimes slowly) to adapt them to other countries.

 

[rockthecasbah]

In reading this thread, the following things occurred to me:

1. If Apple can fit a G5 processor into the new, slimline iMac, putting one into a Powerbook shouldn't be that much more problematic.
   
2. The new iMac with FrontRow is exactly the kind of thing that college students will be looking for in their dorm rooms and it's release is ideally timed to coincide with the holiday season.
   
3. Apple should seriously consider building a wireless implementation of FrontRow as a set-top box and allowing DVD ripping in iTunes (MS plans to add ripping with DRM in Windows Vista).
   
4. Apple doesn't seem to like producing different hardware configurations for different regions. This seems to be the reason there's no TV tuner in the iMac because countries and regions all over the world are settling on different standards for high definition and digital TV delivery. The same issue applies to the iPod and radio tuners / Satellite radio support.
   

It's not just the size and heat though, you can't just stick a desktop processor in a portable, it wouldn't have enough power. iMacs plug into the wall so they can use as much power as necessary. Laptops have to fit batteries in and make the processors low enough power.

 

[Fotek2001]

It's not just the size and heat though, you can't just stick a desktop processor in a portable, it wouldn't have enough power. iMacs plug into the wall so they can use as much power as necessary. Laptops have to fit batteries in and make the processors low enough power.

Good point!

 

[Sbas]

cannot watch event

hi all,

I am unable to watch yesterday's presentation at the apple side. I already upgraded quicktime. When use the link to the stream, the former presentation of the nano is popping up. Somebody knows what is wrong?


Thanks!

 

[840quadra]

In reading this thread, the following things occurred to me:

1. If Apple can fit a G5 processor into the new, slimline iMac, putting one into a Powerbook shouldn't be that much more problematic.
   
2. The new iMac with FrontRow is exactly the kind of thing that college students will be looking for in their dorm rooms and it's release is ideally timed to coincide with the holiday season.
   
3. Apple should seriously consider building a wireless implementation of FrontRow as a set-top box and allowing DVD ripping in iTunes (MS plans to add ripping with DRM in Windows Vista).
   
4. Apple doesn't seem to like producing different hardware configurations for different regions. This seems to be the reason there's no TV tuner in the iMac because countries and regions all over the world are settling on different standards for high definition and digital TV delivery. The same issue applies to the iPod and radio tuners / Satellite radio support.
   

1. Making something work in a portable solution is not the same as a desktop market. For one thing the iMac does not need to run off of batteries. Secondly, The area inside of the case would be much smaller for a powerbook or other portable for cooling. The iMac case contains both the display and the internals of the system board. The combined space leaves enough room for airflow and cooling.

2. Couldn't agree more. it wiill also help people out that have small apartments, or offices / bedrooms. Indeed a great deal!

3. Good idea and I would love this to be OEM as opposed to having to run OSEx or other programs. However just because the system will have DRM for ripped DVD files, it will not mean that I can't take your DVD after you are done and rip it myself. I think Apple is going to wait on Blu-ray before they start to work on adding this function. Since Blu-ray has advanced DRM features built in, it should make the job much easier for Apple, and get them into less legal trouble.

4. I think regions are part of it, the other issue with having an OEM TV tuner is most likely the TV and Movie industry wanting to pose sanctions on Apple if they do so. Apple did have TV tuners in Macintosh computers (with Recording capability) back in the 90's, (and earlier) but all of those products were killed shortly after Jobs came back to Apple. There are many rumors as to why, but I am sure that one of them was due to legal issues.


Just my thoughts, nothing more.

 

[Fotek2001]

Supporting multiple standards is no problem. It is performed in many ways already. Today in most cases it is just a question of software.

How many HDTV standards are there today? As far as I know only two that will survive on the long run... The US and the European standard. What's the problem to support both software wise? Same apllies to satellite radio...

And traditional radio broadcasting is the same all over the world... between 87,9-108MHz FM.

The problem isn't so much the software but the way the data is delivered. In the UK for example, most (not all) satellite TV channels are encrypted and the only way to decode them is with a subscriber card meaing you have to have a Sky subscription, each country and broadcster has its own methods and supporting them all would be a nightmare.

I'd love to see Apple release a PVR but I can see a lot of hurdles in the way of a successful product.

Going back to iPods... As for analogue (AM/FM) radio, it's history! Most European countries will be aiming to go entirely digital by 2012 and some parts of the UK are already completely digital.

Satellite services like XM and Sirius only work in North America (and even then only outdoors or near a window) so there are problems aparrent there too from a compatibility and interoperability standpoint.

 

[groovebuster]

Well actually this is quite rare in the consumer electronics industry. That being a company that builds computers and small electronics more directed at the US population as opposed to others. Sony ( a company from Japan) makes many products that cater only to Japan, and ignore other markets (such as the US) with some of them. Toshiba Hitachi and others are very similar.

Speaking of which, my German made Siemens phone has features that only work in Europe, and not the US.

For example?

Apple like Siemens, Toshiba, Sony and the likes, is going to make products that work better in it's land of origin, and will work (sometimes slowly) to adapt them to other countries.

Normally complex consumer electronics are specifically adapted for a certain market. Most of the SONY TVs you can buy here in Europe you will not find in the US or Japan and the other way around. I don't see why this shouldn't apply also to the gadgets Apple is developping? If I have to pay the same prize as a US customer while getting loads of features which are not working when not using the computer in the US, I think it is ignorance not more and not less... We even pay more for Apple products compared to the US...

As I said before... I love the Mac platform, but I hate the company...

groovebuster

 

[macam]

literally on the floor laughing out this one

a brittney ipod would sell like crazy

or a michael jackson......

but a beatles ipod would be the huge one

John & George would have a problem signing the iPod back!?

I say a Take That one... seeing as they're reforming for a Christmas show!!!!!

I'll chuck my nano in the bin for these puppies!!!!!!

macam

 

[840quadra]

hi all,

I am unable to watch yesterday's presentation at the apple side. I already upgraded quicktime. When use the link to the stream, the former presentation of the nano is popping up. Somebody knows what is wrong?


Thanks!

Could be a local issue with your Akami stream, I am sure it will work in an hour or so.. You should also try searching for "One More Thing" in the search function of Apples website, see if one of the other links works for you.

I just tried it and it appears to be working fine for me.

 

[groovebuster]

The problem isn't so much the software but the way the data is delivered. In the UK for example, most (not all) satellite TV channels are encrypted and the only way to decode them is with a subscriber card meaing you have to have a Sky subscription, each country and broadcster has its own methods and supporting them all would be a nightmare...

I totally forgot about PayTV! Sorry... you are right!

I am not that much into watching TV. PayTV never was an option for me so far, just felt like a waste of money and I like to do more useful things with my time than watching TV...

groovebuster

 

[vrabz]

What about FrontRow + the Mini?

"Apple should seriously consider building a wireless implementation of FrontRow as a set-top box and allowing DVD ripping in iTunes (MS plans to add ripping with DRM in Windows Vista)."

it seems like the Mini would be nearly ideal for this. if they could find enough room for hardware decoding (ie Tivo) as well as tv tuning, then it would be a coup IMO. even without wireless streaming of content (802.11g too slow for this), as I would be happy with the ext firewire HDD for extra storage of content.

 

[Yvan256]

Thing is, I could watch Steve Jobs do a presentation for hours without getting bored.

Indeed, Steve knows how to talk to an audience.

But that Disney CEO? He says too many things at once and uses way too many buzzwords. Hey, dude, this is a public presentation, not a board meeting where you have to impress others with how many buzzwords you can fit into a single sentence.

I couldn't watch him, I just had to fast-forward his part.

 

[Fotek2001]

For example?

Normally complex consumer electronics are specifically adapted for a certain market. Most of the SONY TVs you can buy here in Europe you will not find in the US or Japan and the other way around. I don't see why this shouldn't apply also to the gadgets Apple is developping? If I have to pay the same prize as a US customer while getting loads of features which are not working when not using the computer in the US, I think it is ignorance not more and not less... We even pay more for Apple products compared to the US...

As I said before... I love the Mac platform, but I hate the company...

groovebuster

Don't forget that Sony and the others sell much, much large volumes of hardware than Apple, it would not be as ecomomically viable for Apple to design, develop, manufacture and MOST importantly support different hardware configurations across regions as it is for Sony etc.

Having said that, we do get ripped off on price in Europe. I can get a 60GB iPod for £228 ($399) in the US but it costs £299 in the UK.

 

[Evangelion]

Having said that, we do get ripped off on price in Europe. I can get a 60GB iPod for £228 ($399) in the US but it costs £299 in the UK.

The Euro-price includes VAT, US-price does not.

 

[svenas1]

Everyone should check out Steve's presentation. The stream is posted on Apple.com.

weird - I still get the nano presentation stream. same as you, Sbas.. are you in the US or someplace else ? I'm in the UK.

 

[Evangelion]

In reading this thread, the following things occurred to me:

1. If Apple can fit a G5 processor into the new, slimline iMac, putting one into a Powerbook shouldn't be that much more problematic.

1. 
   
   Yes it is. the new iMac is about 1.5 inches thich (actually, it's thicker in the middle), while PowerBook is 1 inch thick. Right there, you have 50% advantage on the iMac. And that's HUGE. Not to mention that is also otherwise bigger than the PowerBook is, so there's lots more room for components and cooling inside iMac than in PowerBook.

 

[Yvan256]

Just remember who has the rights to the beatles music....Micheal Jackson. Yup, non other than the weirdness himself. so maybe send in a little boy that would sub-consiously keep saying.... beatles on itunes...beatles on itunes.. and maybe it might happen

If it's really Micheal Jackson who has the rights to the Beatles music, then why is his music on the iTMS, but not the Beatles'?

 

[svenas1]

hi all,

I am unable to watch yesterday's presentation at the apple side. I already upgraded quicktime. When use the link to the stream, the former presentation of the nano is popping up. Somebody knows what is wrong?

Thanks!

Hi - I had the same problem (see prev post). Try this: go to the stream site where it shows SJ with the nano. Then hit reload. That did it for me - boom, the red curtain appears.

HTH,
S.