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New iPod Peripherals?

Originally posted by Le Big Mac
All this speculation is interesting, but could I place a vote for "lamest thread ever"? It's a rumor about nothing. Apple will introduce an iPod related product, but we don't know what. It's entirely useless.

But I do hope there's something good. Or maybe even a couple of good things.
Click to expand...

I don't know. I think open-ended threads like this are really interesting because they trigger people's imaginations. So instead of analysis, which you can get anywhere else, you get new ideas.

If I was Steve Jobs, I would leak rumors like this just so I could read the message boards for ideas.
 
AMI: MIMH

Starting to sound like the rumored Apple MisInformation department, the Men In Monochromatic Hue.

Yes, surprisingly enough as it seems, that Apple may indeed leak false rumors and specs on occasion not only to keep rumormongerers on their toes, but will leak different misinformation to different groups at apple. So usually when you hear the Axe fall, that's MIMH at work.

If any of you are under NDA's, follow them. :)

Jaedreth
 
Update: Appleinsider provides some independent confirmation of iPod peripherals coming. One "suggestion" is an input dictation device, but this information appears to be speculative.

The only additional information MacRumors can provide at this time is that the upcoming peripherals will require an iPod software update to utilize the new hardware.
 
Originally posted by applekid
To add to that, maybe they'll release a FW800 Cable? 6 for regular Firewire, add another 6, and you could get FW800 with my naive thinking ;)
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Allow me to make you slightly less naive: :)

FW400 is two data pairs + power + ground for power = 6 pins. (4-pin connectors leave out power and power ground--signal ground is provided by the [metal] shell.) FW800 is more complicated, but I know it involves nine pins. I'm too lazy to look in the Dev Note of an Apple product with FW800, but that would be the fastest way to find out the pinout of 9-pin connectors if you're that interested. :)

HTH
WM
 
Chalk me up as someone who would greatly appreciate the addition of a COMPACT wireless remote with a small LCD with the current track name, and controls for track forward, track back, stop, play, pause, and volume. Basically just a slightly more sophisticated version of what they currently have - something in the vien of those groovy Sony remotes for their CD and MD players (I have one with my Japanese D-EJ885, and it's adorable as well as functional). The reason I'd really like the remote to be wireless is because I would like, at some point, to get an iPod and a portable amp for use with some non-iPod headphones. If I plug the portable amp into the iPod's heaphone/line out jack, then I have no way of plugging in the remote (for use when I am on the go, and my player would be in my bag).
 
There are already lots of options for getting music to your car stereo, I doubt Apple will go there. FW800 is superfluous for the "slow" drive in the iPod.
A multi-use "superDock" would be great, as would a mic input.
I'd really like to have a way to hook an external drive to the pod for more tunes, from there it should be easy to allow USB/FW file transfers, like from a camera/vidcam.
Hope they aren't too cool/expensive, I'm already gonna spend too much on a DP2GHz box and a butload of RAM.
 
Originally posted by Phil Of Mac
I don't know. I think open-ended threads like this are really interesting because they trigger people's imaginations. So instead of analysis, which you can get anywhere else, you get new ideas.
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I didn't mean the ideas, i meant that the rumor was pretty uselessly vague.

I figure this thread should be titled: What accessories/peripherals would you like to see for your iPod?
 
What Peripherials do you want on your iPod?

Keep in mind, not accessories.

Headphones are accessories.

A Microphone is an accessory. (Unless Apple decides to call it a peripherial by simply not including it with the iPods, but then again this is kinda like Gates declaring Darkness an industry standard instead of changing the fargin' light bulb...)

A dock is an accessory, even if it is a superdock.

A peripherial has its own functionality and is merely connected to a computer or device.

A recording management unit would be a peripherial. It would have a minimal HD (5 gb or less) or have lighter storage so that it's smaller than a HD, has a decent quality built in microphone, runs firmware similar to the ipod, has a screen, and you use it to manage recording memos, notes, even a capella singing if you like the sound of your voice. It would have to have a high ram to storage ratio, and then save the file on your iPod, and update the iPod list...


Now that would be a peripherial, not an accessory. Dependent upon being used with the iPod, but it has functionality separate from the iPod.

Let's see, there were supposed to be two of them... Let's think...

What besides Memo-note taking do we want to do with our iPods?

Dare I say video? How about a 10" widescreen format lcd screen device with cover, built in graphics card, it's own firmware, etc.

The iPods will then be updated to support .mp4, .mov, and (please) .avi (not likely though) file formats, though you can only manage them from the peripherial.

Just like from the memo device is how you record or listen to memos. The memo device should be able to hold a good number of small memos, but for any lengthy ones, it would have to store on the iPod, though the Video peripherial would have to have everything stored on the iPod, having an internal drive large enough to do otherwise wouldn't make it a peripherial to the iPod, but a separate device independent of it.

So, the iPod Recorder, and the iPod Video Display could be names for these.

Again, going by semantics, logic, and a little bit of Apple knowledge... If those rumors are true about two iPod peripherials, not accessories, then that's what I'd expect. Such would greatly enhance the digital lifestyle.

Jaedreth
 
Re: What Peripherials do you want on your iPod?

Originally posted by jaedreth
A recording management unit would be a peripherial. It would have a minimal HD (5 gb or less) or have lighter storage so that it's smaller than a HD, has a decent quality built in microphone, runs firmware similar to the ipod, has a screen, and you use it to manage recording memos, notes, even a capella singing if you like the sound of your voice. It would have to have a high ram to storage ratio, and then save the file on your iPod, and update the iPod list...
Click to expand...

Why not just include a microphone and let the iPod itself do these things?

Originally posted by jaedreth
The iPods will then be updated to support .mp4, .mov, and (please) .avi (not likely though) file formats, though you can only manage them from the peripherial.
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Why bother with AVI? That's the old-school WMV. All it's ever used for anymore is Divx. It's not worth it.
 
if it doesn't support Divx, then they're screwed. they won't mention it as a a feature, but it would be in the notes. a lot of movies are divx, and it's becoming a "pirate standard" if you will.
 
Originally posted by bennetsaysargh
if it doesn't support Divx, then they're screwed. they won't mention it as a a feature, but it would be in the notes. a lot of movies are divx, and it's becoming a "pirate standard" if you will.
Click to expand...

I don't know about you, but I doctor my Divx, with Divx Doctor.
 
The iPod itself is a peripheral. Can you really get a peripheral for a peripheral?

Anyway as many have said I would love to see an LCD remote control.

It would be interesting if the LCD remote had a built in FM tuner. Because then it could be used independently as a radio and then also used as a remote for the iPod. So you'd have a small remote/radio unit with a headphone socket and another socket which you can plug in a cord to then connect it to the iPod as a remote but unplug this cord from the remote/radio unit when you want to use it independently. A firmware update would then allow the iPod to record off the radio in the remote.
I would seriously consider getting a device like this.
 
Peripheral

I'm guessing that in this case the peripheral/accessory distinction is between things like cases and headphones (accessories) and recording interfaces (peripherals).

My guesses:

1. A digital audio recording dock, with inputs for microphones, stereo components, etc.

2. A TV tuner dock with a coaxial TV in and out, PVR software, and a QT encoder.
 
Voice Navigation???

I've never read of anyone who thought that the voice recording found in the new generation of iPods (which is six seconds) could mean that Apple is developing a second way for us to navigate --- voice recognition.

Think about it: why only 6 seconds? That's enough time to hold a button, speak the artist/song/album, release the button, and have the iPod search for that query. Cell phone carriers already have voice recognition dialing - why not iPod navigation?

Of course, if I'm wrong, then someone should forward this on to Apple and tell 'em to "get on the ball!" (Which would mean deployment in ... what? ... January 2006???):rolleyes:

What do you think?
 
Re: What Peripherials do you want on your iPod?

Originally posted by jaedreth
A recording management unit would be a peripherial. It would have a minimal HD (5 gb or less) or have lighter storage so that it's smaller than a HD, has a decent quality built in microphone, runs firmware similar to the ipod, has a screen, and you use it to manage recording memos, notes, even a capella singing if you like the sound of your voice. It would have to have a high ram to storage ratio, and then save the file on your iPod, and update the iPod list
Click to expand...


Yeah, all good ideas, but I still think Apple isn't thinking that way. Remember too that Steve has already said many times that he's going after DJs with the iPod. Consumers - yes. DJs - whole new target market/audience. Voice Navigation would be a huge plus for a DJ to sift through thousands of songs instantaneously.

:D
 
I doubt voice recognition would be of much use for DJs...the whole job of a DJ is to play loud music (i know i know, and mix and stuff) so voice recognition wouldn't work too well.

Also, don't most cell phones with voice recognition require you to record the voice tag first? That would suck to have to voice tag 40GB of music...

Another thing, I really think a microphone should be built in. I find that when I buy peripherals/accesories for small items that are supposed to be portable (like a cell phone) after the novelty wears off I stop carrying the things around with me. Then when I really need it I won't have it.

For example, I bought this clip on thumboard keyboard type thing (Ericsson ChatBoard) for my cell phone (T39) but I never use it. It was cool for awhile but I didn't use it enough to justify bothering carrying it around. Also, an MP3 player for the cell phone. It was kinda of cool but the features didn't outweigh the drawback of carrying it around all the time (it practically doubled the length of the phone, and the stupid jack was 2.5mm instead of the standard 3.5mm, plus I could hold, oh 15 songs on the 64MB MMC card). However, if either of these features were built in I'm sure I would use them all the time.


I would really love an improved remote control. A small LCD screen (MiniDisc style) would be very very useful and I think I would find myself using it a lot more.

Bluetooth should also be built in. Of course it would be extremely slow for transfering songs, but it would be great for syncing contacts/calendar/notes/whatever with both your computer AND other PDAs or iPods or cell phones.

Another idea I just came up with is a Bluetooth wristwatch. It wouldn't be only for the iPod (most people wouldn't bother wearing a watch if all it had was time and an iPod remote), but it would also have other features:

1) Standard watch functions (time, date, alarm, stopwatch, etc)
2) Bluetooth iPod remote. You could change tracks, volume, play, pause, etc. It would also show you what was playing and you could essentially browse through your music. Also, there are programs that allow you to control your computer's audio, movie, DVD players with a Bluetooth cell phone. The watch could controll your computer's applications. If other home entertainment devices start getting Bluetooth, it would work with them too (TVs, DVD players, VCRs, etc)
3) Bluetooth flash drive. Decent amount of memory, maybe 16 or 32MB. Could connect to any Bluetooth enabled device (computer, PDA, cell phone, etc) and mounted on a computer. Bluetooth is slow so it would be for small amounts of data.
4) Contacts, Calendar. Sync with iSync or directly with iPod/whatever Bluetooth devices. Store in flash drive. iCal alarms would work. Maybe dial a Bluetooth cell phone (Address Book style)
5) Connect to Bluetooth enabled cell phone. When your phone rings glance at your watch to see who's calling. Press a button to ignore the call/silence the ringing

Think about it. Don't you ever wish you had certain things with you all the time and easily accessible? The flash drive and contacts, calendar, etc would be very useful to have at all times. You would never be without your address book, your iCal alarms would always be heard (they're useless if you're not at your computer otherwise), you could always have important data with you and always have a way to transfer data. The remote control would be very easily accessible, so would the cell phone caller ID and reject call function.

It wouldn't be TOO big but it would be reasonable. Hopefully it wouldn't stand out too much, and it would look like pretty much any other digital watch, or maybe a classy analoge watch but with an LCD screen and buttons. Possibly taking style from the G5, brushed aluminum or something.

Since it's got Bluetooth the batteries would have to be damn good, maybe rechargable. That would be the only downside. Bluetooth should be able to be turned off to conserve battery life.

Dammit I hate when I come up with ideas that I would really really like to have, but I know no one will ever make them. Hell, that's partially why I'm studying computer engineering/computer science in college :D


A few improvements on the iPod OS I would like to see:

1) Allow input of data. Even if it's only using the scroll wheel, I would like a limited way to enter things into the Contacts and Calendar functions. Notes would be tedious, but simple contacts and calendar events wouldn't be too hard using the scroll wheel.
2) Include groups in the Contacts function. The Calendar lets you see events in individual calendars (or "All"), but the Contacts don't let you see groups, only "All".


As far as peripherals for the iPod go, here are a few ideas I like:

1) The memory card reader. This would be awesome for people with digital cameras on vacation. My family had to buy this stupid Iomega Fotoshow thing when we went to Italy for a month. The iPod would be perfect to store photos. It's got a large hard drive and it extremely portable. If the 4G iPods have a color screen (replace the scroll wheel and buttons with a color touch screen that goes across the entire front of the iPod) you could even view the photos. AND if the iPod had composite video out (like one of those iBook ports that looks like a regular headphone plug/jack but also has video out) then you could present your photos on a TV or projector without a laptop or Fotoshow type thing. AND :D if it had video you could view movies either on the color screen or via video out. Plus you could present Keynote presentations with the video out and a TV or projector. Combine that with the Bluetooth watch remote dealy and you've got a complete (and awesome) solution.
2) As mentioned a microphone would be cool, but I still think it should just be built in.
3) The DJ idea is cool. They had DJs at the iPod event in May. The DJ had two iPods, but wouldn't it be better if they could just use one iPod? It maybe be too processor intensive and complicated UI wise, but it might work. Pitch control would be awesome. Maybe a built in BPM counter, mixer with treble/bass control (for each song), pretty much all the standard turntable/mixer features. Maybe looping or something too. If this was all in an external console type thing that would solve the problem of trying to mess with the controls.
4) It's 4:30 am and I've spent way too much time typing this so maybe I'll add more later.


OK I went a little overboard. But wouldn't these features be cool? :cool:
 
oh another cool idea is the Airport card. You could either broadcast to computers or home audio peripherals, OR recieve internet streams. That would be cool.

Is anyone even still reading this thread?
 
im on the market for my first ipod
i follow this thread like a religion - all these ideas on new ipod periph have gotten me so excited. i just dont wanna blow my load before tuesday. hows that for a subtle metaphor?

seriously though - i think the periph would deifnatley have to work with all the ipods out now - i mean the airport card is a great idea, but i dunno how that would work with current gen ipods. also, the bluetooth idea would work great if the current ipods had bluetooth built in already - since there are no pci slots i am aware of an ipod, my guess is soome kind of DJ table + software where you can blug in one or 2 ipods and mix using them.

i do think the watch remote is a great idea! i wish it was what we would see, but i think we're gonna see something more basic then something that wild.

i dont want to sound pessimistic, but i dont think we should expect the world from the ipod periphs - i think we're up for a mediocre announcement at best.

i hope im proved wrong though
 
Originally posted by cheesy
I doubt voice recognition would be of much use for DJs...the whole job of a DJ is to play loud music (i know i know, and mix and stuff) so voice recognition wouldn't work too well.

Also, don't most cell phones with voice recognition require you to record the voice tag first? That would suck to have to voice tag 40GB of music...
Click to expand...

Your first point may be right; I just was thinking about how much easier it would be to navigate in an instant by speaking the song/artist/album you wanted.

On the second point, Mac has been developing voice recognition software for years for disabled people. There's no "learning" of your voice involved, so this may still be a viable option for Apple to develop. Also, it seems that Apple spends a lot of time developing new ideas that are not initially embraced by the many, and years later it either pops up in a new fashion by them or another company (the Newton vs. the Palm Pilot for example).
 
Originally posted by Schtu
Your first point may be right; I just was thinking about how much easier it would be to navigate in an instant by speaking the song/artist/album you wanted.

On the second point, Mac has been developing voice recognition software for years for disabled people. There's no "learning" of your voice involved, so this may still be a viable option for Apple to develop. Also, it seems that Apple spends a lot of time developing new ideas that are not initially embraced by the many, and years later it either pops up in a new fashion by them or another company (the Newton vs. the Palm Pilot for example).
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention on the 2nd point that i think most voice recognition needs a dictionary of words to work with. it might be hard for voice recognition to recognize certain band names and stuff.

another thing is, i don't know how receptive people would be to talking to small electronic devices in public. i know i would be a little self conscience sitting in public talking to my ipod :D

it would be nifty though :)
 
Originally posted by Phil Of Mac
If I was Steve Jobs, I would leak rumors like this just so I could read the message boards for ideas.
Click to expand...

There are more Apple employee lurkers here than you think.
 
Originally posted by cheesy
I forgot to mention on the 2nd point that i think most voice recognition needs a dictionary of words to work with. it might be hard for voice recognition to recognize certain band names and stuff.

another thing is, i don't know how receptive people would be to talking to small electronic devices in public. i know i would be a little self conscience sitting in public talking to my ipod :D

it would be nifty though :)
Click to expand...

It's still puzziling why there was that six seconds of recording ability found though. Why such a short amount? What can someone do with that in all honesty? Is it safe to say that it was put into the 3rd gen. iPods so that a new software update could take advantage of it? I haven't been satisfied by many explanations as to what this is since I first heard about it. And I'm not saying that I'm right about voice recognition navigation - but I find it an intriguing idea. Giving people multiple ways to navigate through any GUI enhances the usability aspects for both product and user.

(Maybe they'll create a "whisper feature" so that you wouldn't feel too self-conscious) ;)
 
Originally posted by cheesy
another thing is, i don't know how receptive people would be to talking to small electronic devices in public. i know i would be a little self conscience sitting in public talking to my ipod :D
Click to expand...

I dunno, I feel like a stud when I'm voice-controlling my iMac. It's something I definitely plan to show off when I get my PowerBook.

Originally posted by lewdvig
There are more Apple employee lurkers here than you think.
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Didn't Steve say in a keynote once that they read the rumor sites?
 
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