True Video iPod Soon?

[jaigo]

I really hope the Zune becomes a real competitor and threat to Ipod. I am sick of apple sitting on their ass and giving us minimal improvements to the ipod. I want a wide screen, good battery life, THIN and sleek and sturdy. I will not buy a zune but I hope this pushes apple to bring us the goddamn widescreen ipod.

 

[lunarworks]

At this point I've lost all interest in iPod rumours. Such repetition, and rarely anything right.

"The boy who cried wolf."

It'll show up when Jobs wants it to, and no sooner.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

I really hope the Zune becomes a real competitor and threat to Ipod. I am sick of apple sitting on their ass and giving us minimal improvements to the ipod. I want a wide screen, good battery life, THIN and sleek and sturdy. I will not buy a zune but I hope this pushes apple to bring us the goddamn widescreen ipod.

Don't get your hopes up too high, since the iPod's screen is the same resolution as the Zune, it has better battery than the Zune and its thinner than the Zune.

 

[ianogden]

I think this might be ready at MWSF. If they release MBP's, iPhones, and vPods before MWSF, what the heck are they gonna surprise us with there? Nothing.

I think you are forgetting about the TOP SECRET feaures of Leopard, iWork 07, iLife 07 and the actual release of the iTV with a new name.

ha!

 

[bdj21ya]

exactly. I am tired of these damn rumors.

You're joking, right? If you're tired of rumors, it's just so easy to stop directing your browser to a site called macRUMORS.com

 

[milo]

No freaking way. Even thanksgiving is a long shot, early next year is more likely (which would be around the same time as iTV).

You're joking, right? If you're tired of rumors, it's just so easy to stop directing your browser to a site called macRUMORS.com

People aren't tired of rumors. We're just tired of the same old repetitive, idiotic, blatantly wrong rumors. I don't want to hear rumors unless they have a reliable source and have a solid chance of being accurate. This one is just stupid.

 

[prady16]

I am leaning towards a new iPod product before the end of the year for two reasons:

1) Zune is being release, Apple needs to steal the limelight here.
2) The last iPod update was a huge deal for the Nano and a non-event for the 5G iPod.

Thats a good call!

 

[Rocketman]

and whenever somebody claims to have a "reliable source" I really doubt it, especially those Chinese sites.

Actually the chinese sites are direct sources. These are trade newspapers reporting the contracts the local factories have received. As such they are accurate and timely for forthcoming products.

Of course it does not addrerss specific features of the device, but if 20 truckloads of iPods leave the factory we KNOW about it, then Steve announces them 2 weeks later, when the boat arrives.

The Foxconn announcement on MacBooks indicates Apple is trying to meet demand by adding another factory for a particularly popular item. Switchers join us!

Rocketman

 

[Chundles]

Actually the chinese sites are direct sources. These are trade newspapers reporting the contracts the local factories have received. As such they are accurate and timely for forthcoming products.

Of course it does not addrerss specific features of the device, but if 20 truckloads of iPods leave the factory we KNOW about it, then Steve announces them 2 weeks later, when the boat arrives.

The Foxconn announcement on MacBooks indicates Apple is trying to meet demand by adding another factory for a particularly popular item. Switchers join us!

Rocketman

Except Digitimes - those guys are terrible. My G5 iBook is now over a year overdue.

 

[iflipper]

Yeah, Apple isn't going to sit back and let Zune steal its lunch!

Those who bought the 5.5g ipods lately probably are going to feel bummed.

I've just bought one, but I bought one in the full knowledge that the 6g may be appearing soon. I've had a true PMP in the past and I just didn't use it, as what I want is primarily a music player with very occasional videos. Unless this has some real killer feature no-one has thought of yet (and I'm including all the wild speculation in this) I will be perfectly happy.

 

[Mac-Addict]

Well, the difference there is that Microsoft used Engadget and others as part of their marketing campaign - "leaking" product information and photos to them to try and drum up interest. They did the same thing before with their "leaks" of Origami to try and build up hype. Of course, Zune seems to have gained more traction than UMPC (perhaps because the Zune is basically using a model that has been proven successful by the iPod).

Apple on the other hand just doesn't seem to leak product information ahead of time any more, and they also don't seem to need to do that kind of thing to generate hype and excitement for their products.

-Zadillo

But apple doesn't need to drum up any excitement for the products, leaking just makes people think.. wow.. thats really nice (10 seconds later) yeah seen it, boring! So apple doesnt leak much makes everyone think hmm i wonder what apple has in store for us next.. could it be a ipod the size of my house or whatever. The way apple deal with there products is the way they create these communities.

 

[slffl]

Man I think this 'true' video ipod thing is dumb. Are widescreen TV's called 'true' TVs? Until ALL video content is 16:9, you're going to have black pillars on half your content whether it's 4:3 or 16:9.

Screw a widescreen ipod. Give me the current ipod video with the screen turned sideways and made larger like the zune.

 

[jephrey]

Even though Apple has a good foothold, and the current iPod can probably hold off the Zune for a while, I don't think Apple will even let the Zune get any kind of momentum. If Apple wants the iPod to continue to be THE music/movie player for everyone, they at least should be able to match the wifi and larger screen. This really isn't a rumor, more of just logical speculation. The 5.5G really isn't major enough. I believe that the only major improvement was the firmware aside a bigger drive and brighter screen. Basically, I don't think that will have any bearing on a G6. It would be nice if there was more difinitive evidence of this, but I don't mind the speculation. It just shows that others are thinking like me, and that hopefully Apple is too.

J

 

[amin]

Don't get your hopes up too high, since the iPod's screen is the same resolution as the Zune, it has better battery than the Zune and its thinner than the Zune.

A bigger screen than the iPod's would be preferable, even without an increase in pixel count. A 320x240 video on my iMac display is far easier on the eyes than a 320x240 video on my iPod when both are set to the same brightness. Why? Because the iPod display is too damn small for long-term comfortable viewing.

 

[Macnoviz]

A bigger screen than the iPod's would be preferable, even without an increase in pixel count. A 320x240 video on my iMac display is far easier on the eyes than a 320x240 video on my iPod when both are set to the same brightness. Why? Because the iPod display is too damn small for long-term comfortable viewing.

Yep, I fear that the Zune may let the iPod screen look small. Now is Apple's turn to make people think the Zune has a small screen in comparison to the vPod

 

[OdduWon]

yea! comming zoon

MAC: wait PC... pC are you ok.
PC: no, i had zune for lunch and .. ugggh,, oooh gawd, i think im going to blue screen

 

[nemaslov]

what's to be pissed about..

we all know this was (is) coming so if you just bought an new updated iPod so what? I just bought an 80GB which is already full of music. I don't want a wide screen TV Movie version. For me "it's the music stupid." *

I for one feel that this wide screen video pod should be just another great option but please keep the other ones too.

* the last time i wrote this line, someone in the UK got pissed that I was calling people here stupid. Those in the US should recall the Clinton 92 campain..."it's the economy stupid."

 

[berkleeboy210]

Thats a good call!

They did this same thing last year. in September held an event for the nano and the itunes phone.

and in october an event for the ipod w/ video and for the imacs....

 

[bloodycape]

I kinda of find it odd that the Best Buy's Insignia player called the DVxG comes with bluetooth and ogg support. I have a few ogg files so that is key but bluetooth is not when I am looking to make my next video player purchase. But the surprising thing is the fact that a major brand generic like player has bluetooth and ogg support which is rare(separately but even more rare together).

If Apple want to compete they should look at some of the Korean players specs to see what they need to compete with.

 

[EagerDragon]

If the rumor is true and the video iPod is relased soon, Microsoft better be ready to lose more than $50.00 a unit. Apple may lower the price of the older iPods and the the Video iPod around the same price of their top level iPod (5.5G).
That will throw another monkey wrench on the works, LOL.

 

[weazle1098]

It'll get here when it gets here

I'd like to see this thing come out soon, but I'm not in the market for anything of the sort, unless it's more like a PDA than the current iPods. But, for now, let's all let it go, the prophecy will come true. Besides who's actaully going to buy that brick of a MP3 player anyway, it looks thicker than my Powerbook. Micro$oft hasn't gotten the whole elegance thing down yet, so no worries.

 

[whatever]

Disagree strongly. There are PLENTY of times when people are doing things that go perfectly with the video iPod (airplane travel, roadtrips, commuting via bus or carpool, just to name a few). Just because it doesn't fit into your lifestyle doesn't mean it won't be the greatest thing since sliced bread to a whole lot of others. When you miss a show you want to see (I still do occassionally, even with a DVR) it is AWESOME to be able to get it quick and easy on iTunes, at a pretty dang good quality.

Also, have you TRIED watching TV on an iPod. Even the current screen at 320x480 looks great with as bright and high resolution (per inch) as they've made the current iPod. If Apple really does go wide screen as so many are hoping, the picture may look nicer than a big screen TV (since any screen gets smaller the further you get from it).

Hey don't you watch Heroes? The Japaneese guy watches his porn on a iPod.

 

[whatever]

It may kill the first iteration of the Zune, but MS has stated it´s a multiple years effort – they acknowledge it´s going to be hard to beat the iPod bastion, and if at all possible it will take time. But, I suspect Apple have plenty of different prototypes in their labs, ready to be launched to complement new market demands.

For starters I think it's odd for MS to state publicly that they expect the Zune to have poor sales. Talk about lack of faith in their marketing department. The product is half bad, they should have been pushing this product's launch in commercials and made prototypes available to retail chains in preparation for it's launch. But for some reason, MS has lost confidence in it's marketing team. I bet if the co-branded it with the X-Box product line it would sell quite well. What do you buy the spoil brat with all of the latest X-Box toys, an X-Box Zune. But that's just me.

Microsoft is know for killing a product (see: BOB) after a lackluster launch. Don't be surprised if the Zune fades away.

 

[clintob]

I'm not sure I understand the people who (a) don't believe this is coming soon, or (b) don't believe it's coming at all because "people won't use it - it's too small." That's garbage.

Not everything Apple releases has to be an "earth shattering" revolution. Some stuff can just have a niche market and be better than what's out there. They're in it to make money first and foremost. And frankly, if people could carry an iPod-sized object, with wireless headphones, and that could play widescreen movies on a 4" or so screen (AND, oh by the way, carry their iTunes library to boot), it would be the death of the portable DVD player.

No, that's not a huge market, or a cash cow by any means. Nor is it a revolutionary product. But at the end of the day, it's pretty damned cool which means most of us will buy it (despite our attempts not to), and it's certainly another cha-ching to add to the list for Apple.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

I'm not sure where you got those criteria... but those aren't the criteria for which story make the first page.

Readers aren't asked to blindly believe page 1 rumors... Whether Page 1 or Page 2, rumors are presented in their context.... with historical context of the sites involved. Engadget generally has pretty low standards regarding rumors - in that they will post whatever they want on their site if they find it remotely interesting -- that being said, I've not seen them post Apple Rumor items using their own sources with any degree of certainty before. As a result, they get this front page spot. If "joerumorblogIveneverheardof.com" posts a rumor from "reliable" sources, it won't even get a mention on Page 2.

arn

From the very top of "Page 2":

Page 2: Uncertain news and links

I always took that as an implication that page 1 rumors were from more reliable sources, and should be considered more likely to be true. I didn't say that they were guaranteed to be true, just that they are more reliable.

You also (used to, at least, I can't see any current stories that do,) have disclaimers on Page 2 stories stating that the sources were unreliable, so that's why they were on Page 2. Again, implying that page 1 rumors were more reliable.

Ever since Macslash went downhill, and the significantly more frequent postings of Mac "news" on page 1, I had taken page 1 to be a "news and reliable rumors" page, while Page 2 was a good old fashioned "random rumors of questionable accuracy" page.