Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
More on iPod Updates
- Thread starter arn
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Firewire mic is impossible
The market is probably too small to make a firewire mic. Also, with such a small market, any company would not find it reasonable to pay the royalties due to Apple for implementing FireWire.
This poses another question: Does anybody know if the reason why many hardware makers use "IEEE 1394" instead of using the word "FireWire" is to keep from having to pay royalties? Im unsure about this but i've noticed that Sony and Yamaha refuse to use "FireWire" and opt for "IEEE 1394."
The market is probably too small to make a firewire mic. Also, with such a small market, any company would not find it reasonable to pay the royalties due to Apple for implementing FireWire.
This poses another question: Does anybody know if the reason why many hardware makers use "IEEE 1394" instead of using the word "FireWire" is to keep from having to pay royalties? Im unsure about this but i've noticed that Sony and Yamaha refuse to use "FireWire" and opt for "IEEE 1394."
AlphaTech
macrumors 601
They use IEEE 1394 because that is the actual name of the protocol. I would say about 90% or better of peecee users wouldn't know that Firewire was the same thing if it smacked them upside the head.
The reason you just gave for there not being a firewire mic is also the same why I don't see Apple putting it into the iPod. Too few people would need it, or use it.
The reason you just gave for there not being a firewire mic is also the same why I don't see Apple putting it into the iPod. Too few people would need it, or use it.
Thoughts
The official tech term of the protocol is IEEE 1394. Sony chooses to call it iLink because their executives refuse to market an electronic device with the word 'fire' in it. Afraid that the average consumer will be afraid that it'll catch on fire. Stupid, I know. I believe that everyone still has to pay Apple a small royalty, no matter what name they use (correct me if I'm wrong on that).
As far as new features, here are my thoughts:
1. Internal microphone - I think they will add it. It wouldn't be too big and I think they could fit it in. It would seem a useful addition and would appeal to the education segment that Steve likes to target (imagine: '1000 hours of lectures, in your pocket').
2. Radio - Maybe they'd add that. Probably less important than a microphone, but still pretty cool. I'm not really sure how small they could get the receiver, so it might affect the size of the device. Obviously the interface would be through the screen, with the scroll wheel perfectly emulating a turning dial on a radio.
Now, like someone else mentioned, keep in mind that it is called the iPod and NOT the iMusic or iMP3 or iPlayer whatever. So it seems that it is destined for a future beyond simply being an MP3 player. The question is, what part of the digital hub would it best serve next?
1. Storing/Playing Movies - I don't think so. The technology is just not ready for this to be feasible. Batter power, screen issues, and size issues all make this infeasible. Who would really want to watch anything on a 2in. screen? Maybe in 5 years, but not now.
2. Burning CD's (or DVD's or any media) - Don't think so. Seems to defeat the purpose of the iPod. It is positioned as the one device that you need to carry around with you. It's purpose is to store things and play things - not to create other media that store things and play things. Not to mention the fact that it would kill the size of the player. Maybe it could output directly to a Firewire CDR, but even that seems a little silly. Computers are around for a reason.
3. Storing/Displaying Photos - Aha. Very interesting. This seems to fit *perfectly* with the iPod's purpose. Like others have said, the ability to carry around all of your music AND all of your pictures would be unbelievable. Just add a color screen and you'd be set. People right now are paying ~$50 for a flash card that stores 64 or 128 meg of pictures. With a $500 color iPod, you could store 100 times that many pictures. Your family's entire collection of photo albums - in your pocket. Maybe even an A/V out to show slideshows on a TV (with music, of course). Add a USB 2.0 port (backwards compatible with USB 1.0) and you kill 2 birds with one stone - the ability for current cameras to transfer pictures (practically) infinitely to the iPod plus support for the other high speed standard. It would be tough to cram it all into a small space, but I have faith in the Apple Designers.
So add a 10gig harddrive, internal microphone, (maybe) radio, and a color screen to display photos, and you have the *perfect* consumer device for the digital hub. $500? I'd buy one today.
- Ash
The official tech term of the protocol is IEEE 1394. Sony chooses to call it iLink because their executives refuse to market an electronic device with the word 'fire' in it. Afraid that the average consumer will be afraid that it'll catch on fire. Stupid, I know. I believe that everyone still has to pay Apple a small royalty, no matter what name they use (correct me if I'm wrong on that).
As far as new features, here are my thoughts:
1. Internal microphone - I think they will add it. It wouldn't be too big and I think they could fit it in. It would seem a useful addition and would appeal to the education segment that Steve likes to target (imagine: '1000 hours of lectures, in your pocket').
2. Radio - Maybe they'd add that. Probably less important than a microphone, but still pretty cool. I'm not really sure how small they could get the receiver, so it might affect the size of the device. Obviously the interface would be through the screen, with the scroll wheel perfectly emulating a turning dial on a radio.
Now, like someone else mentioned, keep in mind that it is called the iPod and NOT the iMusic or iMP3 or iPlayer whatever. So it seems that it is destined for a future beyond simply being an MP3 player. The question is, what part of the digital hub would it best serve next?
1. Storing/Playing Movies - I don't think so. The technology is just not ready for this to be feasible. Batter power, screen issues, and size issues all make this infeasible. Who would really want to watch anything on a 2in. screen? Maybe in 5 years, but not now.
2. Burning CD's (or DVD's or any media) - Don't think so. Seems to defeat the purpose of the iPod. It is positioned as the one device that you need to carry around with you. It's purpose is to store things and play things - not to create other media that store things and play things. Not to mention the fact that it would kill the size of the player. Maybe it could output directly to a Firewire CDR, but even that seems a little silly. Computers are around for a reason.
3. Storing/Displaying Photos - Aha. Very interesting. This seems to fit *perfectly* with the iPod's purpose. Like others have said, the ability to carry around all of your music AND all of your pictures would be unbelievable. Just add a color screen and you'd be set. People right now are paying ~$50 for a flash card that stores 64 or 128 meg of pictures. With a $500 color iPod, you could store 100 times that many pictures. Your family's entire collection of photo albums - in your pocket. Maybe even an A/V out to show slideshows on a TV (with music, of course). Add a USB 2.0 port (backwards compatible with USB 1.0) and you kill 2 birds with one stone - the ability for current cameras to transfer pictures (practically) infinitely to the iPod plus support for the other high speed standard. It would be tough to cram it all into a small space, but I have faith in the Apple Designers.
So add a 10gig harddrive, internal microphone, (maybe) radio, and a color screen to display photos, and you have the *perfect* consumer device for the digital hub. $500? I'd buy one today.
- Ash
Re: Thoughts
I like. Maybe they would have to add a centimeter to the iPod, but I'm ok with that
I like. Maybe they would have to add a centimeter to the iPod, but I'm ok with that
AlphaTech
macrumors 601
It would probably add to the thickness of the unit as well. All of which takes away from the appeal, and destroys the form factor of the iPod. Remember, Steve Jobs made comments about the size of it (believe he mentioned the deck of cards). We want adult sized cards, not ones for kiddies.
Ash is just about right on. I too would buy one.
Here is the key: the size of the market for a music-only iPod is evidently pretty big, but I am not in it. However, add iPhoto capability, particularly so I can substitute the iPod for memory cards...well, count me in. The market grows by a bunch.
Just think of the cool commercials:
A guy walks up to a friend, pulls out the iPod and shows pictures of his new baby (or whatever).
By the way, a 1gig memory card for your digital camera is over $1,100. Put that capability into the iPod and the market for memory
cards over about 128k dies (except for the poor wintel-addicts).
Oh, one last thought (don't kill me):
Why in the world wouldn't they put some PDA-type of capability into the above device? It's just a few bits of software...almost no add'l cost.
Once again, the potential market grows.
Here is the key: the size of the market for a music-only iPod is evidently pretty big, but I am not in it. However, add iPhoto capability, particularly so I can substitute the iPod for memory cards...well, count me in. The market grows by a bunch.
Just think of the cool commercials:
A guy walks up to a friend, pulls out the iPod and shows pictures of his new baby (or whatever).
By the way, a 1gig memory card for your digital camera is over $1,100. Put that capability into the iPod and the market for memory
cards over about 128k dies (except for the poor wintel-addicts).
Oh, one last thought (don't kill me):
Why in the world wouldn't they put some PDA-type of capability into the above device? It's just a few bits of software...almost no add'l cost.
Once again, the potential market grows.
AlphaTech
macrumors 601
Why do so many people want to convert the iPod into a PDA???
To really have PDA functionality it will take more then just a software update. If you want a PDA, then get a PDA, don't expect Apple to corrupt a wonderful product with converting (or perverting) it into one.
Maybe this analogy will help it to sink in... You have a tv, cable ready, you get your normal channels with it. But if you want to get the movie channels (and this is true in MA at least and probably more states too) you need to get a decoder/cable box. They are typically provided by the cable company. If you change companies, typically, you need to return theirs and get one from the new company, even if they use the same box. Would you expect the tv makers to allow you to upgrade the tv you purchased x years ago to make it so that you don't need the box???? Not gonna happen.
Apple has said it before... no more PDA products...
To really have PDA functionality it will take more then just a software update. If you want a PDA, then get a PDA, don't expect Apple to corrupt a wonderful product with converting (or perverting) it into one.
Maybe this analogy will help it to sink in... You have a tv, cable ready, you get your normal channels with it. But if you want to get the movie channels (and this is true in MA at least and probably more states too) you need to get a decoder/cable box. They are typically provided by the cable company. If you change companies, typically, you need to return theirs and get one from the new company, even if they use the same box. Would you expect the tv makers to allow you to upgrade the tv you purchased x years ago to make it so that you don't need the box???? Not gonna happen.
Apple has said it before... no more PDA products...
ok I don't own a PDA so maybe they do a lot of things that shouldn't be put on an iPod.
So try this one on:
I would love to be able to carry a few bytes of info, namely: addresses, phone #s and my schedule. As a self-employed business owner who is out of the office several times per day, this would be terrific.
As an adjunct to that here is another thought:
I already carry a cell phone in my pocket and I am not thrilled about that but its a necessity.
I really don't want to carry even one more device, but I sure wouldn't carry two more (iPod and PDA).
Ok, now you can flame me, but what would really turn me on is an iPod like Ash describes with calendar-stuff like I described AND its my cell phone. Seriously, I would gladly pay about $799 for that.
So try this one on:
I would love to be able to carry a few bytes of info, namely: addresses, phone #s and my schedule. As a self-employed business owner who is out of the office several times per day, this would be terrific.
As an adjunct to that here is another thought:
I already carry a cell phone in my pocket and I am not thrilled about that but its a necessity.
I really don't want to carry even one more device, but I sure wouldn't carry two more (iPod and PDA).
Ok, now you can flame me, but what would really turn me on is an iPod like Ash describes with calendar-stuff like I described AND its my cell phone. Seriously, I would gladly pay about $799 for that.
AlphaTech
macrumors 601
They have PDA, cell phone combo devises. See the Handspring Treo for one. There are also PDA like add-on devices for many cell phones that allow you to keep info on them.
Check out http://www.handspring.com/ for the Treo.
I have a Motorla Timesport phone, which has a clip on organizer that ads many PDA type functions. It is also available for others in the Startac family as well... details at http://commerce.motorola.com/cgi-bi...h_string=29,238320,24,26,27,28,25&type=217947
I carry my cell phone with me, and my pager for work (so that I can receive severity pages) all day at work, Monday thru Friday.
When it comes to small tech devices, I prefer to have ones that are as small as is reasonable (some phones are just too small for me). I am about to order up one of the carry cases that will allow me to carry my iPod anywhere I want to as well as on my belt.
Check out http://www.handspring.com/ for the Treo.
I have a Motorla Timesport phone, which has a clip on organizer that ads many PDA type functions. It is also available for others in the Startac family as well... details at http://commerce.motorola.com/cgi-bi...h_string=29,238320,24,26,27,28,25&type=217947
I carry my cell phone with me, and my pager for work (so that I can receive severity pages) all day at work, Monday thru Friday.
When it comes to small tech devices, I prefer to have ones that are as small as is reasonable (some phones are just too small for me). I am about to order up one of the carry cases that will allow me to carry my iPod anywhere I want to as well as on my belt.
NO PDA on iPod
Will you guys stop with the whole PDA business already? In order to have PDA capability, you need a large screen. And people relate PDA with thinness. Not only that, but the PDA market is shrinking. Plus, if Apple really wanted to create a PDA, they would do so. Why make a PDA/iPod that sells for $500 when you can make an iPod for $400 and an iPDA for $300?
I would like simply an iPod that plays music and maybe record lectures. And maybe display and store photos.
Apple does not want to complicate the market by creating too many options and products. If they put PDA capabilities into the new iPod as a standard, then they would surely raise the price. If they do, poor schmucks like me who simply want to listen to music will be forced to fork over $500-$600 for the extra PDA capabilities that I dont want. And what about options you ask? Apple does not want to complicate the market with many options. This is exactly what they did in the mid '90s with the Performa 6400, 6500, 6116CD, 6115, 6114, the Quadra Series, not to mention the array of processors such as the 601, 603, 603e, 604, 604e, etc, etc. They nearly repeated this mistake with the slew of iMacs with colors, processor choices, and even a Special Edition whose price went against what the imac originally stood for, which was an economic computer made for first time users.
SIMPLE. is that too much to ask? The problem with technology is not that they can't do enough for our lives. It's simply that we ask too much of them. Why not everyone here simply email Apple and ask that the new iPod also include an electric razor cause thats what I'd like to see. And instead of the usual buzzing sound that a razor makes, how about the electric razor play music while you shave. Now that would be worth $600.
-Cal Student, studying biology, premed.
Will you guys stop with the whole PDA business already? In order to have PDA capability, you need a large screen. And people relate PDA with thinness. Not only that, but the PDA market is shrinking. Plus, if Apple really wanted to create a PDA, they would do so. Why make a PDA/iPod that sells for $500 when you can make an iPod for $400 and an iPDA for $300?
I would like simply an iPod that plays music and maybe record lectures. And maybe display and store photos.
Apple does not want to complicate the market by creating too many options and products. If they put PDA capabilities into the new iPod as a standard, then they would surely raise the price. If they do, poor schmucks like me who simply want to listen to music will be forced to fork over $500-$600 for the extra PDA capabilities that I dont want. And what about options you ask? Apple does not want to complicate the market with many options. This is exactly what they did in the mid '90s with the Performa 6400, 6500, 6116CD, 6115, 6114, the Quadra Series, not to mention the array of processors such as the 601, 603, 603e, 604, 604e, etc, etc. They nearly repeated this mistake with the slew of iMacs with colors, processor choices, and even a Special Edition whose price went against what the imac originally stood for, which was an economic computer made for first time users.
SIMPLE. is that too much to ask? The problem with technology is not that they can't do enough for our lives. It's simply that we ask too much of them. Why not everyone here simply email Apple and ask that the new iPod also include an electric razor cause thats what I'd like to see. And instead of the usual buzzing sound that a razor makes, how about the electric razor play music while you shave. Now that would be worth $600.
-Cal Student, studying biology, premed.
iPod vs Cell Phone vs PDA
I agree that having an MP3 player/picture viewer/cell phone/PDA would be cool.
BUT
It would cost $800 and the market for that high-priced device would be way too small. You can almost buy a laptop for that much. Plus, other than the screen, the devices don't really complement each other that well.
Instead, I'd produce 2 devices:
1. iPod (MP3 Player/Picture Viewer) - Primary focus is huge storage and display/playing. Simple navigation. Syncs with iTunes and iPhoto. $500 (mostly to pay for hard drive and screen).
2. iTalk (Cell phone/PDA/Wireless email device) - Primary focus is communication and organization. Imagine more of a cell phone with a PDA instead of a PDA with a cell phone. Similar to the Treo, but a better design. Slightly larger screen than current cell phones with a Blackberry (http://www.rim.com) type keyboard. Input via keyboard, stylus, or job wheel. Small hard drive and monochrome display. Syncs with iMail and iCalendar. $300 plus monthly service.
It seems to make sense to split these devices. If you're a 15 year old kid who wants an MP3 player, you don't need to pay for an overpriced cell phone that your parents won't let you use. If you're an executive, you might not have any use for an overpriced PDA that stores 1000 times more data than you could possibly put in it.
Wireless email is really the key to producing the cell phone. I used a Blackberry when my company would pay for it, and it was amazing. A whole new world. Schedule an appointment on your computer and the Blackberry would buzz you when it was time to go to it. Get bored during a meeting (or during class), take out the Blackberry and type a message. Receive email in the bathroom. It was great. The only thing that was bad is that I had to carry a separate cell phone. The pocket brigade got a little heavy.
- Ash
I agree that having an MP3 player/picture viewer/cell phone/PDA would be cool.
BUT
It would cost $800 and the market for that high-priced device would be way too small. You can almost buy a laptop for that much. Plus, other than the screen, the devices don't really complement each other that well.
Instead, I'd produce 2 devices:
1. iPod (MP3 Player/Picture Viewer) - Primary focus is huge storage and display/playing. Simple navigation. Syncs with iTunes and iPhoto. $500 (mostly to pay for hard drive and screen).
2. iTalk (Cell phone/PDA/Wireless email device) - Primary focus is communication and organization. Imagine more of a cell phone with a PDA instead of a PDA with a cell phone. Similar to the Treo, but a better design. Slightly larger screen than current cell phones with a Blackberry (http://www.rim.com) type keyboard. Input via keyboard, stylus, or job wheel. Small hard drive and monochrome display. Syncs with iMail and iCalendar. $300 plus monthly service.
It seems to make sense to split these devices. If you're a 15 year old kid who wants an MP3 player, you don't need to pay for an overpriced cell phone that your parents won't let you use. If you're an executive, you might not have any use for an overpriced PDA that stores 1000 times more data than you could possibly put in it.
Wireless email is really the key to producing the cell phone. I used a Blackberry when my company would pay for it, and it was amazing. A whole new world. Schedule an appointment on your computer and the Blackberry would buzz you when it was time to go to it. Get bored during a meeting (or during class), take out the Blackberry and type a message. Receive email in the bathroom. It was great. The only thing that was bad is that I had to carry a separate cell phone. The pocket brigade got a little heavy.
- Ash
Im a Pirate
Krosfyter: Ay ay captain. It has gotten out of hand (or hook).
Hehe, I always wanted to be a pirate.
-CalStudent
Krosfyter: Ay ay captain. It has gotten out of hand (or hook).
Hehe, I always wanted to be a pirate.
-CalStudent
krossfyter
macrumors 601
by the way welcome to the boards cal studnet...
you seem like you are going to make a nice..interesting addition to these forums. please by all means express what you wish how you wish. looking forward to hearing more on what you have to say.
😉
you seem like you are going to make a nice..interesting addition to these forums. please by all means express what you wish how you wish. looking forward to hearing more on what you have to say.
😉
what????
What do you mean a CD writer drive for the iPod. the iPod is not even powerful enough to put a writer attatchable. Where do you people get your ideas?
What do you mean a CD writer drive for the iPod. the iPod is not even powerful enough to put a writer attatchable. Where do you people get your ideas?
Where are these pictures
anybody know where i can get any pictures of those iPad and iWalk PDA devices. I think people are yanking us but maybe they are coming out. I have an eMate, I love the PDA aspect, it is awesome, but its so damn big, I hate that.
anybody know where i can get any pictures of those iPad and iWalk PDA devices. I think people are yanking us but maybe they are coming out. I have an eMate, I love the PDA aspect, it is awesome, but its so damn big, I hate that.
krossfyter
macrumors 601
International Pricing Differences
Here the iPod costs A$895 ($470.00 USD) and it's way too expensive! The iPod's fine as it is, just bring the price down. If the iPod retailed for A$599 ($300.00 USD) I'd buy one immediately!!
Here the iPod costs A$895 ($470.00 USD) and it's way too expensive! The iPod's fine as it is, just bring the price down. If the iPod retailed for A$599 ($300.00 USD) I'd buy one immediately!!
krossfyter
macrumors 601
they should bring down the price on the original when they release the rev. b iPod.
assuming this happens.
assuming this happens.
AmbitiousLemon
Moderator emeritus
Krosfyter: this IS getting out of hand. jeez. what happened to the voice of reason? out the door i guess. the weekend comes and all the reasonable people go home where they dont waste time on message boards.
People, listen to Alpha. you are all destroying the form factor of the ipod.
1) look the ipod already has a remote port. so either apple give us the remote
2) or take the port out and drop in a mic. with no loss of form factor.
3) there are plenty of third party revisions to connect to a stereo through firewire so no problem there. whats wrong with picking up a centimeter long adapter to connect to your stereo. apple is right on the mark here, let the third parties take care of this so they can concentrate on more important things.
4) USB2!?!?!?! um... no. try firewire2 sometime in the distant future. usb2 has far too many problems with it, in addition to competing with firewire. until firewire 2 rears its head no usb2.
5) the ipod ISNT just a mp3 player already! most people i know use it as a data shuttle. you can drop photos on it just as you can drop a startup disk on it. but being able to shoot and store photos... apple cant help because they doesnt make a camera and current camera makers have been stupid and havent delivered high speed transfer via firewire yet.
As for a pda. Id would be overjoyed by an apple pda. nearly all the tech is ready. use an ibm microdrive (1gig in a square inch) airport, firewire, touchscreen for stylus with newton style handwriting recognition. and thats all you need for a reva apple pda. more to come in revb.
but dont pervert the ipod into a pda. what i would like to see is some third party software. third parties could give us a small day planner/ addresses book for the ipod. i think this would fit in nicely.
you guys need to remember the third parties out there. let apple do its thing and let third parties take up the slack. why? because apple makes the product what it needs to be, and third parties pervert it into what a select group of people want.
People, listen to Alpha. you are all destroying the form factor of the ipod.
1) look the ipod already has a remote port. so either apple give us the remote
2) or take the port out and drop in a mic. with no loss of form factor.
3) there are plenty of third party revisions to connect to a stereo through firewire so no problem there. whats wrong with picking up a centimeter long adapter to connect to your stereo. apple is right on the mark here, let the third parties take care of this so they can concentrate on more important things.
4) USB2!?!?!?! um... no. try firewire2 sometime in the distant future. usb2 has far too many problems with it, in addition to competing with firewire. until firewire 2 rears its head no usb2.
5) the ipod ISNT just a mp3 player already! most people i know use it as a data shuttle. you can drop photos on it just as you can drop a startup disk on it. but being able to shoot and store photos... apple cant help because they doesnt make a camera and current camera makers have been stupid and havent delivered high speed transfer via firewire yet.
As for a pda. Id would be overjoyed by an apple pda. nearly all the tech is ready. use an ibm microdrive (1gig in a square inch) airport, firewire, touchscreen for stylus with newton style handwriting recognition. and thats all you need for a reva apple pda. more to come in revb.
but dont pervert the ipod into a pda. what i would like to see is some third party software. third parties could give us a small day planner/ addresses book for the ipod. i think this would fit in nicely.
you guys need to remember the third parties out there. let apple do its thing and let third parties take up the slack. why? because apple makes the product what it needs to be, and third parties pervert it into what a select group of people want.
mischief
macrumors 68030
iPod. Just what DOES that mean?
What would I do with a name like iPod if I were Steve Jobs? I'd put it on a bootable device just big enough for all my iApps, a system folder, a few files and my utilities. Say 5-10Gb. If it works ONLY as an MP3 player while not hooked into a Mac then my Data is safe cuz it's all password protected through the OS X on the iPod and the iPod has no interface beyond MP3's anyway. At this point your wondering "Why the hell would I want a computer with no extra space and no actual parts?".
Remember meta-pad? A little device IBM came up with: Take your machine's brain with you and just click it into a pad, portable, base station or Tower and BINGO! Instant machine. The IBM product had a few flaws. How does the average consumer not lose, break or otherwise fubar the little thingy itself? What if I need more than the little guy can provide?
iPod fits this model nicely. It's just storage for all your "user specific" data.
If I get an iPod and (assuming Apple does a Browser to complete the iApps), move all the iApps onto it after installing X, move all my utilities and a small playlist of MP3's............I can simply install all my task-specific SW on task-appropriate HW at my various locations. This would allow people to eliminate their redundant SW and keep all their settings the same on EVERY Mac they use.Plug the iPod in, select it as boot disk, restart. Voila, I have MY machine plus whatever I have installed and stored on the machine it's plugged into. Better yet, all the data I don't want available about myself is locked away on the iPod, completely inaccessable while I'm using it for music.
What would I do with a name like iPod if I were Steve Jobs? I'd put it on a bootable device just big enough for all my iApps, a system folder, a few files and my utilities. Say 5-10Gb. If it works ONLY as an MP3 player while not hooked into a Mac then my Data is safe cuz it's all password protected through the OS X on the iPod and the iPod has no interface beyond MP3's anyway. At this point your wondering "Why the hell would I want a computer with no extra space and no actual parts?".
Remember meta-pad? A little device IBM came up with: Take your machine's brain with you and just click it into a pad, portable, base station or Tower and BINGO! Instant machine. The IBM product had a few flaws. How does the average consumer not lose, break or otherwise fubar the little thingy itself? What if I need more than the little guy can provide?
iPod fits this model nicely. It's just storage for all your "user specific" data.
If I get an iPod and (assuming Apple does a Browser to complete the iApps), move all the iApps onto it after installing X, move all my utilities and a small playlist of MP3's............I can simply install all my task-specific SW on task-appropriate HW at my various locations. This would allow people to eliminate their redundant SW and keep all their settings the same on EVERY Mac they use.Plug the iPod in, select it as boot disk, restart. Voila, I have MY machine plus whatever I have installed and stored on the machine it's plugged into. Better yet, all the data I don't want available about myself is locked away on the iPod, completely inaccessable while I'm using it for music.
Mischief, youre idea sounds great. However, it only sounds great to people like you. You can't simply come up with a product and expect it to sell. What you have to understand is that there are millions of us who wouldn't give a hoot about such a disk that can keep personalized info and make it mobile. Not to mention the millions of us who aren't that tech savvy (or if youre like me, you dont want to be tech savvy).
If anything, Apple will upgrade the iPod only in small increments and these small increments will have to be related somehow. Digital music and digital photography is a hot sector and they are a sector that overlaps quite well meaning the market who would likely use an mp3 player would also use a digital camera.
"If you don't expect too much of me, maybe you won't be let down." -Gin Blossoms
-CalStudent, Bio Midterm on Friday, March 1. Wish me luck guys. And please, dont post something so rediculous that I'll be compelled to reply cause i need to study.
If anything, Apple will upgrade the iPod only in small increments and these small increments will have to be related somehow. Digital music and digital photography is a hot sector and they are a sector that overlaps quite well meaning the market who would likely use an mp3 player would also use a digital camera.
"If you don't expect too much of me, maybe you won't be let down." -Gin Blossoms
-CalStudent, Bio Midterm on Friday, March 1. Wish me luck guys. And please, dont post something so rediculous that I'll be compelled to reply cause i need to study.