Photo iPod -- Apple's first misguided idea in a while.

[ibrainch]

ipod photo theft?

I will end up buying the ipod photo b/c I am a slideshow fanatic, but I must say it concerns me a little that if it were to get lost or stolen somebody else would have access to all my pics - this was never really a concern with the music. Anyone else share this concern?

 

[rand()]

I will end up buying the ipod photo b/c I am a slideshow fanatic, but I must say it concerns me a little that if it were to get lost or stolen somebody else would have access to all my pics

I guess that depends on if anybody's spying on you. I don't think the average thief is going to care about the pictures on it, unless he stumbles across some nudies of someone.

I don't know if anybody's asked or commented on this, but I'd be surprised if the thing can't run Keynote presentations. On the little screen, useless, but on a TV out - <Elzar>bam!</Elzar>. All you need's a projector and you can basically quit hauling your laptop to those pesky business meetings.

BTW Apple, I don't know if you've thought of doing that (it's probably already a feature), but if not, it's hereby copyrighted rand() (c) 2004, biatch. Evil Software Patent Pending.

-rand()

 

[iMax531]

Remember how the original iPod was a bad idea because it was too expensive? Nobody really used MP3 players anyway.

Remember how the iPod mini was a bad idea because it was more than the flash based players, and for $50 more you could get 20GB?

Remember how ITMS was a bad idea because nobody would pay for music when they could download it for free?

Remember how the cube was so awesome because it was a supercomputer in a 7" cube!?

Remember how the CRT was dead with the new iMac G4?


All I'm saying is that Apple takes a LOT of risks, and almost all of them turn out to be for good, i.e. all things mentioned in the original post quoted here, as well as the whole idea of Apple Stores in the first place.

Apple does make mistakes however, and we all know this. I am the absolute LAST person on earth to predict whether or not the Photo iPod will be a flop or not. Personally I think it will do just ok, not be a flop, but not a record breaking success either. I'd also like to see more bands doing special edition iPods. For instance, if Apple ever gets their stuff with Apple Records sorted out, a Beatles iPod with their entire song catalogue as a download would find a LOT of buyers, myself included.

In any case, we'll just have to wait and see on this one. Apple/Steve is often risky, often right, but not infallible.

 

[Crikey]

video iPod - 'no content'

I think it is, but as Steve said in the speech about it there is no content out there yet really for a mass market video iPod. so it makes sense that this is the next step as there IS lots of digital photo content out there- but i would also agree that most probably don't wan't all their pictures with them on the run.

I know a guy whose Linux machine has a hard disk full of mostly pirated videos -- movies, TV shows, and porn. I bet he'd buy a video iPod the week it was released so he could watch that content on the bus or in class. The content is out there, it's just not legal. According to the RIAA and Steve Ballmer, neither is most of the audio content available, but MP3 players still sell.

I think the iPod Photo is a cool idea. If my aging first-gen iPod bites the dust, I'll consider an iPod Photo along with the 4G regular iPods. I agree that it would be way more desirable if it could snarf pictures off my digital camera, but that will require hardware changes. My understanding is that with USB one device is the "master" and one the "slave" (although my guess is the spec uses more PC terminology), and both an iPod and a digital camera would be "slaves". What we need is some kind of revolt wherein slave devices can become peers.

If the iPod Photo could grab photos off my digicam without computer intervention, I am pretty sure I would buy one over a conventional iPod. I would certainly whine that the screen is too small and the resolution too low, though.

Cheers,


Crikey

 

[mvc]

But its color, so its better ...

...I am the absolute LAST person on earth to predict whether or not the Photo iPod will be a flop or not. Personally I think it will do just ok, not be a flop, but not a record breaking success either....

Truth is, LOTS of people will buy this iPod Photo because :

(A) It's got the biggest Capacity
(B) It's got a colour screen so it MUST be better than an old fashioned black and white one.
(C) It's most expensive so it MUST be the best

And they'll never use it for photos at all.

And they'll only store about 2 gb of music on it.

Which they will listen to over and over and over and over and...

 

[Koodauw]

Truth is, LOTS of people will buy this iPod Photo because :

(A) It's got the biggest Capacity
(B) It's got a colour screen so it MUST be better than an old fashioned black and white one.
(C) It's most expensive so it MUST be the best

And they'll never use it for photos at all.

And they'll only store about 2 gb of music on it.

Which they will listen to over and over and over and over and...

Yep. Thats me more or less. Although I do have this plan.

Impress girl with color iPod.

Show her pictures of my one legged dog "lil brudder" with some nice sensitive music.

Its gonna work like a charm.

 

[Ugg]

I love Apple, I love the iPod, I even like the idea of a color iPod screen. But, I just don't think that portable photos are the NEXT BIG THING.

I agree, but this is a way to get more people to pay more money to buy more iPods. I don't think that is a bad idea. Should every product from Apple be the NEXT BIG THING? I don't think so. Were you kvitzing about the iSight or the Airport Express or, or......

It is an incremental step. Period.

Let's go back to January of this year. G5s. Major iBook and eMac revisions, substantial PB revisions. G5 iMac?!?!?!? HP iPod, iTMS Europe, Apple stores in Japan and UK, iTMS and iPod for PC.

Apple has been busting its collective butt and this has been simply the most spectacular year ever for the company. There have been very few reports of problems in any of the processes although TNT needs to get its act together with Apple for European deliveries. WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT!!!!

I totally and utterly fail to see how anyone can see the photoPod as misguided. Incomplete maybe but misguided no.

 

[angelneo]

I agree with most of the posters that viewing slideshow on ipod is pointless but i think the main point of this new update is not the slideshow but that ipod has evolved from a black/white screen to a color screen. Its a natural step to take. The slideshow is just another function that they try to market with the new update.

 

[rainman::|:|]

Heh, I was waiting for one of these threads.

Remember how the original iPod was a bad idea because it was too expensive? Nobody really used MP3 players anyway.

Remember how the iPod mini was a bad idea because it was more than the flash based players, and for $50 more you could get 20GB?

Remember how ITMS was a bad idea because nobody would pay for music when they could download it for free?

Need I go on?

Precisely.

I don't personally see the appeal of a photo iPod... Video, i could definitely see. photo, no. But, I have the utmost confidence in Apple's market research and will be more than glad to quote this thread once the iPod photo takes a strong hold. I think to even be a nay-sayer at this point, in anything iPod, is to set yourself up for failure.

paul

 

[rainman::|:|]

Heh, I was waiting for one of these threads.

Remember how the original iPod was a bad idea because it was too expensive? Nobody really used MP3 players anyway.

Remember how the iPod mini was a bad idea because it was more than the flash based players, and for $50 more you could get 20GB?

Remember how ITMS was a bad idea because nobody would pay for music when they could download it for free?

Need I go on?

Precisely.

I don't personally see the appeal of a photo iPod... Video, i could definitely see. photo, no. But, I have the utmost confidence in Apple's market research and will be more than glad to quote this thread once the iPod photo takes a strong hold. I think to even be a nay-sayer at this point, in anything iPod, is to set yourself up for failure.

paul

 

[stcanard]

Remember how the cube was so awesome because it was a supercomputer in a 7" cube!?

Remember how the CRT was dead with the new iMac G4?

In a perverse way, the cube reinforces my point, everybody loved the cube, yet thought the iPod was a mistake... (and actually, I think they were right on the death of the CRT -- when was the last time you saw someone buy even a low-end PC with anything other than an LCD?)

Definitely Apple makes mistakes sometimes. My examples were carefully chosen ... notice how _every_ _single_ _move_ Apple has made with Music/iPod was considered a mistake by general consensus?

That's the pattern I'm getting tired of.

 

[musikman_ie]

I agree on the all your photos is going to be an under-used idea for alot of customers but it has potential ...an Art gallery for example wanting to run a slideshow from a plasma screen without leaving a laptop in view...?

Also one possible feature that people are ignoring is the music end of the IPOD Photo....is there not a third party remote for the IPOD ...now with the video out ...APPLE have given people the home jukebox they have been requesting .....can't figure out where AIRPORT is going to slot into these stategies ..the wireless music doesn't work without a video link in the interface

This is my first post by the way ......DUAL 1.8 on the way from apple ( first purchase ) , U2 IPOD ordered also

 

[iMan]

Remember how the cube was so awesome because it was a supercomputer in a 7" cube!?

Man, the Cube is still awesome... My father has one of those - and he won't exchange it for anything yet - he even paid good money to upgrade the harddisk, buy DVD-R and such so it runs Panther even if just for a little more he would get the brand new G5 iMac.

It is an awesome computer, only a tad early to the market. Look at all the "clones" popping up on the other side these days


But there is always risk in bringing totally new products to market. Any adjustments to the basic iPod is a risk; the mini, the photo, the coming Flashversion... but I think Apple has some gut feelings about this, they float on the wave now, they still keep the music only pod and just adds on to widen the targetgroup bit by bit. There WILL be a videopod some day - but only when video content is widely common... but I would also really like the possibility to download directly from the digicam (without that stupid mediareader thingie) - that is a nifty function, and would make me buy a photopod at once

 

[wordmunger]

I would pay $100 for a device that would let me carry around a few hundred photos and show them to friends or hook it up to a TV on special occasions. I don't need or want an iPod, so I'm not going to pay $500 for such a device, but I suspect a lot of people who DO want an iPod will pay $100 extra for the added feature of being able to use it to share photos.

 

[wPod]

i think the photo iPod is an AWSOME idea!!! i just think it is marketed wrong. i think for a true 'photo' iPod it should pull pics off digital cameras or at least have a built in card reader to pull of pics. BUT. . . what would have gotten my attention more is if they advertised the 'iPod color' it should just be the next step in the evolution of the iPod. add color tags to your playlists and song ratings. color interface with the calander. . . AND as an added bonus you could store and view photos! i just dont think mom and pop will trade in their 4x6 photo prints for a 2" screen. i have trouble enough showing friends and relatives my pics on a 12" pb screen!

overall. . . great revolution of the iPod. . . only one step away from vPod (videoPod) and then one final step to the ultipate wPod (wonderfulPod . . .that does EVERYTHING!)

if my 1st gen iPod goes out on me(which i hope it doesnt), i would consider a photo iPod but i would first have to see one in person!

 

[FlamDrag]

Now, if the iPod had the ability to download photos from your camera - that would be something else. I'd love to have a portable harddrive when I am out shooting, and the ability to review what I save to the harddrive (even in RAW camera format.)

This is the ONE functionality that I want. I nearly wet myself when I saw the release if the iPod Photo, but then had to take a Xanex when I realized that it couldn't do this. To use the iPod as a digitalPhoto dump would be the best thing EVER. Not only do they keep the iPod as music player market, but they make roads into the digital camera storage market.

The least expensive 1GB SD card I can find on a quick froogle is $79. This would turn even the 60GB iPod Photo into a - GASP - Value!! I guess that's all the more reason it won't happen.

Seroiusly, this is the next baby, baby step. It should happen sometime after Christamas I'm guessing. Everyone has new cameras... (and new iPods...) VOILA! The perfect thing to go with your new digital camera.

 

[SiliconAddict]

This is the ONE functionality that I want. I nearly wet myself when I saw the release if the iPod Photo, but then had to take a Xanex when I realized that it couldn't do this. To use the iPod as a digitalPhoto dump would be the best thing EVER. Not only do they keep the iPod as music player market, but they make roads into the digital camera storage market.

The least expensive 1GB SD card I can find on a quick froogle is $79. This would turn even the 60GB iPod Photo into a - GASP - Value!! I guess that's all the more reason it won't happen.

Seroiusly, this is the next baby, baby step. It should happen sometime after Christamas I'm guessing. Everyone has new cameras... (and new iPods...) VOILA! The perfect thing to go with your new digital camera.

So you don't mind a 1" thick iPod. Cool.

 

[alfonsog]

It was my birthday yesterday (oct. 27) so I took a ride to Tampa to the Apple store to buy something. They had iPod photo on view and in stock!! they didn't even have signage for them but they were on display!! It is so much better in person, its truly amazing how fast the pictures scroll and how good they look on the small screen. And the regular song browsing looks so much better in color and everything. Its definately worth the extra $100, it is so much more refined and not as much bigger as I thought. I would have bought one right then even though I have a 3g iPod except for the fact they had a iMac 20 with bluetooth option (keyboard/mouse too) in stock
This will be a hit and when you get one in your hand you won't want to put it down. I am not a photo person and barely have any iPhotos but I would still get this when I pay off my iMac.

 

[Jo-Kun]

I'm not waiting for a Photo iPod (my files are to big to use anyway...+40mb/piece )
but the fact that they have a 60Gb sounds nice because of the storage possibiliies, my full library from iTUNES +40GB AND ENOUGH SPACE LEFT TO PUT FILES ON TO MOVE TO A CLIENT!

but for now I'll stick with my 30GB...

 

[SiliconAddict]

I wish people would get over themselves. I was reading a thread the other day from when the iPod was first release back in 2001. These same exact, in some cases almost verbatim, complaints were being used.

What people aren't clueing into and something that Jobs stated in the presentation, if you bothered to watch it, is that this is another line of iPods that sit on top of the existing line.

iPod Photo
60GB ($599)
40GB ($499)
---------------------------------------
iPod
40GB $399
20GB $299
---------------------------------------
iPod Mini
5GB $249


There's your choices. You don't want the iPod Photo get a B&W iPod. You want a 60GB iPod. Pay the extra $200. We aren't talking brain surgery here. The 60GB is part of the high end features of the iPod Color. It will prob make its way into the B&W iPods eventually but for now it’s a high end feature. Deal with that fact. Apple has all their bases covered with this spread other then the uber low end which I think WILL occur in the next 6 months. (1GB CF based iPod.)

As for the photo features. AGAIN. This is a new line of iPods that is out there and, IMHO, it’s a progression that needed to happen. The completion is starting to include more features in their devices. Apple doesn't have to have everything and the kitchen sink in the iPod but they do need to show more value for their products. If they continue with the current line of iPod, pre-Photo ipod, indefinitely they risk losing part of their market share to other players. By offering a pro line if you will they are taking a stab at the heart of the players on the market that offer better features. Now obviously it isn't matching these other players feature for feature. They don't have to. They simple need to take best of breed options and do what Apple does best. Jobs explained why they didn't go with a video iPod. For now I agree. A 2" screen would suck to watch movies on and video outing onto an external screen would in all likelihood require a better CPU == kill the battery. I think, obviously pure speculation at this point using the PIDOOMA model, it will happen in the next 2 years with a setup like this:


iPod Video (New larger form factor
100GB ($599-$699)
---------------------------------------
iPod Photo (/w Video out)
40GB $399
20GB $299
---------------------------------------
iPod Mini Photo (/w on device viewing only.)
20GB $249
---------------------------------------
iPod Micro
1GB $125

OK. So a couple of those options are wishful thinking but it shows a similar pattern to how Apple's current line-up is setup. It gives the consumer options and is segmented enough that Apple can say, OK. We are pretty sure we will only need X number of this model, Y of this model, and Z of this model. Apple is going to exploit the sales of the iPod and the iPod Photo shows the beginnings of a mutation of their line that is going to stay competitive with Windows Media Center Devices.
Right now they are bulky and cumbersome. This is EXACTLY where the Palm Sized PC was in before it was rebranded into the Pocket PC. You can see where Palm is now with almost no forward momentum in their hardware. Eventually the Windows Media Center Devices will shrink, become more powerful, become cheaper, etc. Apple is staying competitive and that means going beyond simple music. Again if you don't like the high end devices then don't buy them. I on the other hand will be enjoying my 60GB iPod Photo on the 3rd.

 

[Lloyd1994]

Status Symbol

Part of the reason for the rise in popularity of the iPod is its exclusivity. It has become a status symbol and by just wearing white earbuds down the street you get nods and smiles. People don't just pay for the music. Spending $600 on an electronic toy the size of a deck of cards probably isn't the best investment you can make, but there are people that don't really care how much it costs if it puts them ahead of the Jones'. Shallow maybe, but more power to Apple if they can get people to shell out. I would venture to say that most people in this forum show for the best value, and the iPod Photo doesn't really appeal to them, but the iPod Photo looks like it is a great device and there is definitely a market for it. When you rant about the cost of the iPod (and iPod Photo for that matter), keep in mind that there are reasons for its high price. Jobs said he would like to make an iPod for a hundred bucks and I don't soubt that he'll provide, but a hundred bucks means that everybody and their grandma will have one, and when grandma has one the cool factor goes down a little bit

 

[iMeowbot]

This is the iPod my mom will want, so she can take every single one of the thousands of shots of her grandkids and pets around -- and I suspect the headphones will never leave their sealed pouch.

Other people will want this model because it's the bling bling color one that not everyone else can afford.

Others will just want the pretty colors on the screen because, well, there's pretty colors on the screen. See: iPod mini

 

[dornoforpyros]

I'm personally taking the iPod photo as the precuror to a few things:

1)2-3 years from now it cam be assumed that all iPods will have the full colour screens and the abuility to view photos. So this is really just a natural progression for the iPod.
2)Video. Yes the technology may be to battery hungry at the current time but I bet in 5-6 years we're all carrying around our entire DVD collection saying "Remember when you needed a TV to watch movies?"

So I although I personally think shelling out extra cash to display photos on your iPod is a little lame I do see why they introduced iPod Photo. On it's own it's not that much greater than the regular old iPod. But it will eventually become the standard.

 

[lem0nayde]

A lot of interesting points. I'd like to respond to some.

1.) I always thought the iPod was a good idea, so I am definitely not a naysayer on new technology. I think the original iPod was a brilliant right-place-at-the-right-time product, hence it's success. Same goes for the ITMS -- brilliantly concieved and carried out.

2.) I think many make a good point that the real importance of the Photo iPod is the color screen. It's an obvious advancement (though color and font choice are questionable -- I love myriad but think it is a little bulky for an iPod.)

3.) The Photo iPod also - as someone else suggested - has another thing going for it, it is the NEWEST AND BEST. Frankly, if I hadn't just bought an iPod three weeks ago (curse my luck) I would be going with the Photo iPod just because it was the most advanced. I would never use the Photo slideshow function, but I don't ever by yesterday's technology.

4.) Dude, that Keynote idea has some serious merit! I will remember your post when Apple announces that functionality in the future. Especially if they could get a dock-connector-to-DVI output thing going on, they'd be in serious business for high quality presentations in your pocket. But then again - does the iPod have the processing power to run a quicktime-heavy Keynote presentation?

5.) The color choices for the U2 iPod are based on classic design principles (some design theories considers black, white and red the only colors necessary for effective design.) Sadly, it doesn't translate well from print design to portable hardware. That thing is just ugly. Then again, I think all of the mini iPods are ugly too, with their strange metallic-pastel colors. They look like they were painted with 99 cent nailpolish.

6.) I fully agree with Jobs on the Video iPod. I'd never watch videos/movies on a screen the size of the iPod's. In fact, the absolute minimum screen size I would consider would have to be the size of the entire iPod

Incidentally - the iPod's dimensions are very close to 16:9 -- the aspect ratio of widescreen video. hmmmm.....

 

[lem0nayde]

Great responses...

What a fun thread, there's a lot of interesting points. I'd like to respond to some.

1.) I always thought the iPod was a good idea, so I am definitely not a naysayer on new technology. I

think the original iPod was a brilliant right-place-at-the-right-time product, hence it's success. Same goes

for the ITMS -- brilliantly concieved and carried out.

2.) I think many make a good point that the real importance of the Photo iPod is the color screen. It's an

obvious advancement (though color and font choice are questionable -- I love myriad but think it is a little

bulky for an iPod.)

3.) The Photo iPod also - as someone else suggested - has another thing going for it, it is the NEWEST

AND BEST. Frankly, if I hadn't just bought an iPod three weeks ago (curse my luck) I would be going

with the Photo iPod just because it was the most advanced. I would never use the Photo slideshow

function, but I don't ever by yesterday's technology.

4.) Dude, that Keynote idea has some serious merit! I will remember your post when Apple announces

that functionality in the future. Especially if they could get a dock-connector-to-DVI output thing going on,

they'd be in serious business for high quality presentations in your pocket. But then again - does the

iPod have the processing power to run a quicktime-heavy Keynote presentation?

5.) The color choices for the U2 iPod are based on classic design principles (some design theories

considers black, white and red the only colors necessary for effective design.) Sadly, it doesn't translate

well from print design to portable hardware. That thing is just ugly. Then again, I think all of the mini

iPods are ugly too, with their strange metallic-pastel colors. They look like they were painted with 99

cent nailpolish.

6.) I fully agree with Jobs on the Video iPod. I'd never watch videos/movies on a screen the size of the

iPod's. In fact, the absolute minimum screen size I would consider would have to be the size of the entire

iPod

Incidentally - the iPod's dimensions are very close to 16:9 -- the aspect ratio of widescreen video.

hmmmm.....