Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MWSF: New Product?

Re: iPod Update

Originally posted by astomatous
Has anyone considered adding cell capabilites to the iPod to allow for the new sherlock to be a part of the capabilites. Sherlock is pretty useless now with internet explorer next to it on the Dock on my iBook, but would be pretty nifty as a PDA web browser . . .
Click to expand...

Well, Apple could go one of two routes: add phone capabilities to the iPod directly, or just enable iPod to do things via a Bluetooth connection to a mobile phone. Personally, I prefer all in one devices. Since a phone is the only device I'll carry with me at all times, I like everything integrated into a phone device: MP3 player, PDA, camera, etc. For this reason the SonyEricsson P800, Nokia 3650, and Kyocera 7135 are looking mighty tempting (though the Nokia doesn't include an MP3 player and the Kyocera doesn't include a camera). But if Apple could pull off an iPodPhoneCam with video recording capability (like the Nokia) and at least 5GB storage, that would trump them all!
 
It's not gonna be a PDA, folks...

Originally posted by Centris 650
Personally I hope it's NOT a PDA. I've spent the last year and a half telling myself I don't need one.
Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly agree. It's not going to be a PDA, and not a single rumor actually substantiates this. I don't know why people even want one... a PDA isn't very useful. Cell phones have replaced the useful portions of a PDA. The PDA will eventually die out. A good cell phone can sync, it can use your calendars, contacts, and address book. It can even play games, surf the web, and take crappy pictures. So, why do I need a PDA? Um, I don't. Apple's much smarter than that. If they come out with a device that's hand held, it will in no way represent what we curently think of as a PDA.
 
Re: Re: iPod Update

Originally posted by lmalave


Well, Apple could go one of two routes: add phone capabilities to the iPod directly, or just enable iPod to do things via a Bluetooth connection to a mobile phone. Personally, I prefer all in one devices. Since a phone is the only device I'll carry with me at all times, I like everything integrated into a phone device: MP3 player, PDA, camera, etc.
Click to expand...

While mp3 playback sounds intriguing, that must have a massively different power requirement than a standard phone. I don't think I'm as interested in this as you, because I don't see the sound quality or the usefulness. A cell phone does all it needs to without being my entertainment center. Yes, I can surf the web and get info, but for Audiophiles, mp3 playback on a cellphone ain't gonna cut it.
 
Why a phone

Why does Apple need to make a cell phone?:confused:
While I did like the look of the concept pictures posted earlier, the screen on them (with a trademark Aqua interface) suits something with PDA functions in it.
Maybe we're looking at something like the Treo, but a plain old cell just doesn't make sense, and a cell/iPod makes even less sense.
 
you haven't seen the typical japanese cell phone!

now with movies! mp3 player, smart card slot, remote control and headphones. and still camera of course, but thats so 90's.
 
Originally posted by neilg
All the ideas to extend the functionality of the ipod are great but as far as I'm concerned until Apple sort out the ipod's battery life-expectancy problems, it's all wishfull thinking.
I bought a 10gb ipod in October and after only a few months use I'm getting only about 2 hours max use from the battery - it's advertised as having 10 hours!. Check on any of the ipod sites that are around and you'll find that lots of people are having the same problem.
I love my ipod and don't regret for a minute the money I spent on it, but if you wanted to add any extra features- especially recording, or colour screens- I can only see battery life expectancy plummeting to something that would make the unit practically useless!
This battery life issue is a problem that Apple need to address and which they overtly have not done so (there is NO official mention of the issue anywhere on the Apple site)- it is also an issue that could harm sales of the current model, and any future 'enhanced' models, should rumour of it get out to mainstream consumers...
Click to expand...

I raise the same concern earlier. One solution would be to have a removable lithium ion battery, which can make replacing them much easier and obviously cheaper albeit not by much. Even better, have a battery bay that takes lithium ion, Nimh or regular batteries.

As I said before, an iPod may be the most expensive thing you can buy from Apple if you intend to keep the thing more than 5 or 6 years. ($499 + several battery replacement each ~$100) It adds up. Be that as it may, most people will not face this problem because the very people that buys the iPod will find something else more cool or they will have outgrown this phase of their lives. How many 40 year old person(s) do you know that listen to music on the subway? I don't see the iPod as just a mp3 player, but rather a storage device, or (with a larger screen) a photo album.
 
True, I haven't seen any Japanese cell phones recently, but American phones are only just starting to see color screens and cameras. Because of PDAs, I think we're looking at Palms with phones (once again, like the Handspring Treo), instead of phones with Palm-like features.
Also, I'd be interested to know who would provide this phone service? I don't think Apple would. So who?
 
Originally posted by pyrotoaster
True, I haven't seen any Japanese cell phones recently, but American phones are only just starting to see color screens and cameras. Because of PDAs, I think we're looking at Palms with phones (once again, like the Handspring Treo), instead of phones with Palm-like features.
Also, I'd be interested to know who would provide this phone service? I don't think Apple would. So who?
Click to expand...

I have to disagree here. I really wouldn't want to be in the Palm or PocketPC market right now - I think the new phones are going to pull the rug right out from under them. The new phones have Address Book and Calendar features - basically the main things people use their Palm for. I don't even think Palm phones like Handspring Treo or the Kyocera Smartphone stand much of a chance. Take a look at the interfaces and built-in functionality for the SonyEricsson P800 or Nokia 3650 - they are all 90% of consumers need. And they support the SyncML standard so they can sync with iSync on the Mac, and in the Windows world they will certainly sync with Outlook if they don't already. Plus they run the Symbian operating system and Java, which means they will very quickly have a myriad of Java apps that they can run, and will quickly catch up to the Palm and PocketPC.

In terms of carrier partners for an iPhone, I would predict AT&T. AT&T is working with DoCoMo to build a 3G network in the US, and DoCoMo is already an Apple partner in Japan.

An interesting question would be what operating system an iPhone would run. Whatever it is, I would bet it would support Java like the Nokia and SonyEricsson phones. Applications written with the Java Mobile APIs should be able to run on any Java Mobile compliant phone. So maybe just a few key apps would run "natively" on the iPhone, but otherwise Apple would be piggybacking off the success of the other Java phones.
 
Originally posted by pyrotoaster
True, I haven't seen any Japanese cell phones recently, but American phones are only just starting to see color screens and cameras. Because of PDAs, I think we're looking at Palms with phones (once again, like the Handspring Treo), instead of phones with Palm-like features.
Also, I'd be interested to know who would provide this phone service? I don't think Apple would. So who?
Click to expand...

Apple announced a partnership with both SonyEricsson and Cingular at MWNY02
 
was it a partnership? or did they just show that the phone was iSync compatible?

also what is the nature of the DoCoMo/Apple partnership in Japan? I have been shopping for a phone/service for a few weeks now, and have seen no evidence of such a thing.

I don't see any japanese phone listed as compatible with iSync, among the many features available.
 
the apple docomo partnership is a recent anouncement. they will use mp4. not quite sure what for since they already have a video format for phone to phone video. I can only assume it's for i-mode streaming downloads.

are you really considering FOMA? it's so expensive!
 
iPhone or no phone?

I have to agree with kansaigaijin on the deal with Cingular and Ericsson, although I admit that Cingular would be a good candidate for iPhone service.
But the Ericsson deal brings up more doubt. Anything Apple introduces would have generally what their partnership with Ericsson offers, and the cell phone market is much more brutal than the PDA one.
An Apple phone couldn't just innovate, it would have to revolutionize cell phones as we know it. I have a cheap Nokia phone that serves my needs (calling people) perfectly. I can get calendar and other features from a cheap Palm (like the Zire) or my iPod.
Cell phones have small screens, clunky text entry, and short batteries (I know not all cells have short batteries, but many of the small new color ones do). Apple would have to put an iPod size battery into a generally small space, find a way to integrate much better text entry, and provide a splashy interface (along the lines of an OS X lite).
I probably wouldn't buy an Apple cell phone.:(
 
not looking at FOMA.

what I hate about mobiles (Keitei)

all the different plans and scams and b*lls#$t.
and games (not the fun kind) Tu-Ka appears to be the cheapest, but you are locked in for two years.
 
STILL haven't bought a cell phone. I'm waiting to see what happens next week. If anyone can make one--or create some new kickin' tech' that would draw me to buy a cell phone--it's Apple.

Yep. Dassssit. I'm tellin' da troof, yo.
 
henagaijin> yeah they all suck in their own way. i have been j-phone yor over a year now and don't see any advantage in changing. you'd want to have a good handle on japanese though... anata ha sege nihongo! so no problem. (i suck frankly)

docomo has great gaijin support. but you gotta support the underdog ya'know!
 
.mac seller

How about this:

iPhone: wi-fi phone for household that of course sinks with the mac and uses the mac as a voice mail system with all the bells and whistles like individual message boxes for different callers, etc. The whole system would run off the internet (so would be best for broadband users).

But get this: subscription to the whole service would be part of the .mac $99 price tag. no extra monthly fee.
 
wi-fi phones

sorry talon I beat you to it. Maybe it was in another thread. I guess you can say great minds think alike. I am surprised no one else picked up on it everyone seems fixated on mobile phones and PDAs. If apple would do this then I could cancel my yahoo and switch to Fibre 100mbps service! they don't do phone service unfortunately.
 
Re: wi-fi phones

Originally posted by kansaigaijin
sorry talon I beat you to it. Maybe it was in another thread. I guess you can say great minds think alike. I am surprised no one else picked up on it everyone seems fixated on mobile phones and PDAs. If apple would do this then I could cancel my yahoo and switch to Fibre 100mbps service! they don't do phone service unfortunately.
Click to expand...

Well, speaking for myself, I'm fixated on a mobile phone because I don't even have regular phone service. Why pay money for regular phone service? Mobile phone service is cheap and if I call on nights and weekends, I get free long distance (within the U.S.). I suppose if I had to make more internatiinal calls, I would find the idea of an Apple internet phone much more appealing. I think I read somewhere that an estimated 15% of international calls were already being through the internet. As it stands, though, I wouldn't buy an Apple internet phone (unless it was dirt cheap), since I already get everrything I need from my mobile phone.
 
i agree. personally i have no need for an internet (voip?) phone. however it is essentially an untapped market waiting to be exploited. and if any one could do it apple could.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back