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jimthorn said:
That was my first thought too. I hope Apple documents all their experimental projects so that someday we'll see some of the "might have been" goodies.

I'm sure they are all well documented, but we'll probably never see them unless someone leaks them.
–Chase
 
nagromme said:
This also doesn't truly indicate that this position is specifically iPod-related. It's for the iPod division (which for now needs no better name) but I can see the chance of that group releasing other "DLD" products that are NOT iPods sometime.

Agreed. :)

Bendit said:
They're just keeping their bases covered and hiring people with a wide range of knowledge incase they ever need to tap in it.

Nothing to see here.

Agreed again.

Just because they hire someone for their iPod division, doesn't mean it's to work on the iPod. The iPod division will be responsible for a bit more than just the iPod and Mini. If this was all that was coming in the future, they don't need a division of their own. They need production help (in all desktop and laptop divisions, as well as iPods) more than anything else. There's something bigger coming.

Let the rumour games begin!! :)
 
MacBytes said:
Time magazine has hinted that the current version of the iPod is a complete rebuild from the ground up, and may contain more bells and whistles than what is currently known

I see no use for any bells and/or whistles in the next generation of iPods...

Only if there's an emergency in which I want to rock while attracting attention.
 
Wardofsky said:
I see no use for any bells and/or whistles in the next generation of iPods...

Only if there's an emergency in which I want to rock while attracting attention.

ROFL :D

Maybe you could use them to play along to the music??
 
comictimes said:
I personally would much rather have them focus on making the ipod as ridiculously tiny and thin as possible rather than give it more features. Or, if they do make a video ipod, I would like for them to make a related product, but split it off from the ipod line. So that you will be able to have your tiny ipod which plays music and does a couple other spiffy things, or your slightly larger physically ipod which can play movies as well as music... that would be good, I think.

I reckon they'll keep the iPod brand, but otherwise that's exactly what the iPod mini and the iPod are developing into.
 
3G mobile

0 and A ai said:
umm is it just me or did that also say GSM

interesting very interesting

I noticed that as well. I was surprised, because everything else Apple is doing and saying suggested to me that they were going to do a 3G mobile smart phone:

- SJ says PDA's are dead and being replaced by smart phones
- Apple has quietly pushed Quicktime / MPEG-4 adoption into most video capable phones (GSM, GPRS, 3G mobile), whether this be for video calls or video recording / playback
- Made a big deal of their support for 3GPP and other 3G mobile technologies in Quicktime
- released iChat with AV support
- added H.264 support to Quicktime in Tiger (and am sure it will make its way back to Panther at least) and added H.264 support in Tiger iChat
- released the iSight
- released iSync / promised Tiger Sync services, bringing the cell / mobile phone into the digital hub
- tested the waters with iTunes support for Motorola phones

All this basically adds up to me as we are going to do Video-over-IP with iChat/iSight and communication with a yet to be released 3G mobile handset.

Perhaps they got fed up with waiting for 3G mobile adoption, which is going very slowly globally, even in Japan.

Given the size of a 4G iPod compared to say my wonderful new Sony Ericssion P900, its not an outside possibility for an integrated iPod / iPhone, but personally I think it may just be a case of a separate product in the iPod group. May perhaps keep the iPod brand. Unless they find some cunning way to keep BlueTooth battery draining down, then a combined iPod / iPhone will likely be too bulky once you add in all the video, phone, smartphone, etc., circuitry. We'll see.

Sanjay

[Note: when I use the term 3G mobile, I mean the next generation cell phone / mobile phone communication protocol beyond GSM, GPRS, CDMA that's being rolled out in Japan and Europe but is in very early stages in the US, as far as I know. Its confusing given the 3G/4G iPod ]
 
Macrumors said:
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has publicly stated that he feels that video is not in the future of the iPod. However, Time magazine has hinted that the current version of the iPod is a complete rebuild from the ground up, and may contain more bells and whistles than what is currently known.

There was also an article, I can't recall where that stated surprise at the iPod's use of off-the-shelf components. It noted that this allowed the 1G iPod to get to market quickly, but had the down side of using up battery life. This article talked about how much space and battery life they could save by designing single custom ASICs (chips) that integrated the functionality of the multiple chips. It reminded me of the stories of how Woz cut the chip counts in the original Apple I.

Anyway the Time article suggested to me that they had done this at the least, if not add additional functionality as well.

Sanjay
 
comictimes said:
I personally would much rather have them focus on making the ipod as ridiculously tiny and thin as possible rather than give it more features. Or, if they do make a video ipod, I would like for them to make a related product, but split it off from the ipod line. So that you will be able to have your tiny ipod which plays music and does a couple other spiffy things, or your slightly larger physically ipod which can play movies as well as music... that would be good, I think.

iPod mini? :p although i think apple may introduce the iPod "AV" when they can start selling those 60gb models...
 
interesting, but not anytime soon.

Instead, I think Apple should hire chemists to develop a cheap and scratch-proof plastic for the ipod's outershell.
;)

And am I the only one who misses portable AM/FM radio?
 
macridah said:
It doesn't prove or guarantee the new iPod will have WiFi or video integration, but there's a chance. That job posting is 10x better than speculation or rumors.

I dont agree with that.. A company like Apple wouldnt hint the society with a job posting like that, this should be a long-term project which needs extra professional help..

Some of the rumors, on the other hand, comes from insiders of Apple or their relatives or people who somehow are have relationship with Apple and can be more short-term or accurate..
 
el greenerino said:
interesting, but not anytime soon.

Instead, I think Apple should hire chemists to develop a cheap and scratch-proof plastic for the ipod's outershell.
;)

And am I the only one who misses portable AM/FM radio?

As Guns n Roses said in "November rain" You're not the only one"

I wish I had AM/FM radio to listen soccer matches or TV programs broadcasted via radio and other stuff but probably Apple thinks that adding the radio feature would harm the "high quality image" of iPod somehow.. :(
 
MentalFabric said:
iPod mini? :p although i think apple may introduce the iPod "AV" when they can start selling those 60gb models...

an AV model would start at least at 600 USD and I would buy a palmtop instead of iPod AV for that price.. I wish Apple would bring Newton back.. it was "Newton" right?
 
dont think so

i really don't think the iPod will ever play movies on its screen. the main places the iPod is made to be listended to is in the car and whilest walking in the streets. neither of those i expect will be usefull for watching movies, on contrary it will be colliding with the laws as it is dangerous whilst driving.

what could be the case though is that in futur you can connect your iPod to your tv and use it as a media player. that would be quite something if they do it.

a wifi ipod>? yeah why not i like the idea ;)
 
I've seen an iPod-sized "portable media player" (not my name for it, I swear) that is currently in development by a Taiwanese company that makes laptops for other companies like Toshiba and Acer. It's about the same size as a 3G iPod, a little bit wider and sports the following features: 2 megapixel camera, video recording, MP3 playback, audio recording, PIM info, regular old file storage, and "DVD playback" (where the software interface in Windows rips the dvd and then puts it on the P.M.P). The LCD screen is about 3 x 3 inches. It also is WiFi ready. The OS is custom built Linux, so the Windows interface has to re-encode everything that gets transfered over to it via the USB cable. The whole package will probably retail for 750 bucks. I'll post pictures within a few days.

So, it's entirely likely iPod may be going the video/wifi route. Other companies are doing it. Personally, I can't imagine watching video on such a tiny screen. It's almost pointless. But, the tech-addicted won't care. They'll shell out for stuff like that. This particular device will probably fail only because of the propriety OS it's using and the fact that it ONLY works on Windows XP and 2k.
 
If nothing else, video capabilities in either current or future iPods might be pushed by the established habit to link new songs to videoclips, which seems to be the next profitable market for music entertainment. And then, independently from any Job's assessment, we would be very close to having our Apple PDA.
 
Macrumors said:
Apple Insider has made note of an Apple job listing for an iPod engineer. Readers speculate that the inclusion of several key elements may point at a new direction for the iPod.

While it's not unusual to see job listings for engineers requiring certain skills, this listing marks the first seeking these specific communication protocols in regards to the iPod.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has publicly stated that he feels that video is not in the future of the iPod. However, Time magazine has hinted that the current version of the iPod is a complete rebuild from the ground up, and may contain more bells and whistles than what is currently known.

OK, If i had a 4G I would take it apart right now and tell you if it had wifi or bluetooth. Someone with a 4G can open the thing and look for an antenna.

It is interesting they looking for someone with GSM background when the licencsed AAC to mortorola. Perhaps they are related.
 
The Dock

Regarding the Video iPod, surely I'm not the only one who can figure out that the whole idea behind the Dock Connector was to add more pins for different functionality (i.e. the Flash card reader for photos). Plug iPod into computer, transfer iMovies (etc.). Bring iPod with Dock (so as not to clutter iPod with extra ports) and plug into TV. My personal favorite idea is to be able to hook the iPod up to TiVo and use it as a transportation device to watch TiVo recordings on a TV without TiVo.
Tom
 
comictimes said:
I personally would much rather have them focus on making the ipod as ridiculously tiny and thin as possible rather than give it more features. Or, if they do make a video ipod, I would like for them to make a related product, but split it off from the ipod line. So that you will be able to have your tiny ipod which plays music and does a couple other spiffy things, or your slightly larger physically ipod which can play movies as well as music... that would be good, I think.

So, you mean there'd be an iPod and a..[wait for it]...PowerPod? :)
 
Macrumors said:
...the current version of the iPod is a complete rebuild from the ground up, and may contain more bells and whistles than what is currently known.

If Apple is hiring a guy/gal now to put wifi in the 4g. iPod, then they are a little late because my 4g. iPod is sitting right next to me. It would definitely have to be for the 5g., 6g. or 39g. iPod or whatever. So whatever the "bells and whistles" these 4g. iPods have, it likely isn't wifi. That is, if they even have any secret funtionalities. Any newbie here can speculate with just as much accuracy as some dude over at Time magazine. :)
 
Sigh.

When will you understand? The ipod will never capacitate video! At least not in the near future! If you haven't noticed, the *new* ipod still had a monochromatic screeen.

Call me crazy, but with Palm's abandonment of Apple, I'm sure they're *developing* some type of handheld. All those characteristics listed should be used in a handheld. Bluetooth, wifi, flash... c'mon, everyone.
 
I like the idea of being able to purchase music from your ipod over wireless. Can you imagine showing that off to your friends. Of course the song would have to sink in to your library whenever you connect your ipod (something ipods don't do right now). But otherwise, I think that that would be a nifty feature. Also, the video out idea appeals to me as well, as I can put video's I've made onto my iPod and play them through someones TV. Of course I would like it if the size could be lowered without quality loss.
 
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