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Wireless Internet iPods?

cwoloszynski said:
...That would allow users to turn off the computers and still have their full library.
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How is that an advantage? I currently have access to my full library with the computer off.

Or did you mean access to the full ITMS library? In that case you run up against the well-known power considerations that have been discussed here and elsewhere for the last two or three years.
 
asxtb said:
First of all, (not sure about everyone) but if I was 2,000 miles away from my home, my computer would be off. So am I streaming from my turned off computer?
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Firstly, you could use a wake-on-lan (wan) feature to wake up your computer. Alternatively, as cwoloszynski points out, Apple could provide some mechanism so you can upload your library file to the iTunes music store or .mac and then provide you with access to your music while the computer is off.

Second, how would one stream from their computer while on a plane. I pretty sure a wireless network is hard to comeby 30,000 feet in the air above the Pacific ocean.
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Some airlines are providing WiFi service on their 'planes:

http://compnetworking.about.com/b/a/087455.htm
http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/12/boingo-puts-wifi-in-the-air/
 
kugino said:
umm, asxtb - many people travel and still leave their home desktops on...i know my PM is up and running even if i'm gone for a week or two. how else can i remotely access files on my home powermac?
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Yes, many people do travel and leave their computers on, but I'm sure just as many people travel and turn their computers off. But I do suppose if this did come about, it wouldn't be too hard to leave the computer on.
 
Stella said:
Problem with adding wireless is going to increase the price of the iPod by quite a lot. Perhaps it'll be an add-on? Oh, and battery life would be reduced.
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802.11 wireless chips are already available below $4 in small quantities. They could drop below $2 in large quantities by the end of the year. I don't know how much those tiny hard disks cost, but I bet it is more than that. Wireless chips that consume tens of mA are available now. Again, I would expect that the power consumption of those iPod hard disks are higher than that.

So overall, a switch like this could actually improve battery life and reduce the bill of materials. However, I agree that it would likely be a new iPod range rather than replace the existing designs.

As others have pointed out, in addition to access to a huge library of tunes, one would potentially be able to listen to podcasts, Internet radio and make voice or video calls via iChat with this thing wherever the user has a signal. Hmm, just like a 3G 'phone ;)
 
Gherkin said:
Verizon (and someone else I think?) already have wireless broadband networks. Forget about getting a iPod with a 200 GB harddrive. You won't need it. You will just stream your music and videos ANYWHERE to your iPod. The future of the iPod is without a hardddrive. All the iPod will be in the future is an antenna and a screen, receiving a hi-speed stream of all your music and media files.
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I am not sure if I like this idea, at least not yet. One of the problems with a network-connected iPod is that sometimes, you will be without a connection. Then what? I take the L (metro) in Chicago every day, and it would be unacceptable if I couldn't listen to my iPod there, just because I have no connection.

It's just a matter of time before we see iTMS somehow getting incorporated directly into the iPod. However, having network connection as the only listening option will not suffice. At least not for me...
 
Gherkin said:
Eventually you will have your iPod and be able to stream your iTunes library from your computer anywhere you want. [snip] The future of the iPod is without a hardddrive. All the iPod will be in the future is an antenna and a screen, receiving a hi-speed stream of all your music and media files.
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I'm also seeing a new "wireless everything, everywhere" scenario. And also a huge change in the ISPs landscape.

http://www.wimaxforum.org/about/
 
mdavey said:
Firstly, you could use a wake-on-lan (wan) feature to wake up your computer. Alternatively, as cwoloszynski points out, Apple could provide some mechanism so you can upload your library file to the iTunes music store or .mac and then provide you with access to your music while the computer is off.
Click to expand...

And Apple just increased the storage capacity and bandwidth speed for .Mac too... Just before MWSF2006, where some people say there was supposed to be more products announced.... Coincidence?
 
Gherkin said:
Verizon and other companies have wireless broadband networks though. I'm not talking about a coffee shop hot spot. I'm talking you could be standing in a field in the middle of Kansas and you will still be streaming all the music from the iTunes Music Store and from your computer.
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But would such a network have the capacity to broadcast, say, 100 000 different streams at once? Remember, with digital radio there is only one stream per channel, that several people can hook into.

I also believe the internet as a whole would take a big hit with this technology. Much bandwidth would be used, and building better lines is not free. I don't know about the US, but in Norway almost one tenth of the population got an iPod for Christ-mass. Now, what if one tenth of all Norwegians suddenly started streaming one stream each at the same time, I guess the more popular broadband networks would collapse, choppy music etc.
 
Lacero said:
Podcasting for XM radio would be what this iPod could turn out to be. Overblown and pointless. I have no idea what's the fascination with wireless audio, except for bluetooth headphones, which would be great. I hate wires dangling in front of me while working out. But I don't want a wireless iPod. How would you charge them? With microwaves?
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Yeah, this one is going to be hard to get right. Have you seen the BT handsfree thingies that all the phone carriers and putting out there? D-O-R-K-Y. Straight out of Star Trek. I just don't see Apple going for something like that.

A halo/headband of some sort seems a little dated and a little too Walkman, but what else can you do?

As far as charging it, seems like a USB with a short rip cord that hides inside the device would make more sense than a clunky charger, but maybe the new iPod boombox has some kind of charger built into it.

The more I think about how BT headphones could work, the more I hate the idea.

Jonathan Ive, wow us. Or don't bother.
 
Gherkin said:
Dude. You never have to sync up with your iPod ever again. Stream isn't such a good word to use, it has bad connotations (drop outs, inferior quality). I don't know if the wireless broadband networks are this good yet, but I'm talking about a constant, instant connection to your library at home on your iPod, WHEREVER you are. No dropouts, perfect quality.
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Well, Dude, you seem to be daydreaming then...this is NOT gonna happen anytime soon, forget it. Not even mobile networks (which are far more widespread than any WWAN in the world) work in such a perfect way...

Besides, I am surely not buying an iPod that I cannot use when travelling to remote places, exactly the kinds of places where I feel like listening to some good music...go figure, guys.

Bottomline: file this under "utopian Flash Gordon gadgets", please...
 
is there a wireless basestation for the iPod? i've just started to get used to being mobile and not being plugged in with my laptop, now that I have an airport express. however, if i did finally get an iPod, i would essentially use it as my music hard drive (using the highest capacity iPod of course), and after copying all my music off my computer and onto the drive, i would delete the music from my computer. of course, to play back my music, i would like to still use iTunes and airport express, and i would like to still be wireless.

i guess i'm picky. i guess that's why i haven't gotten an iPod yet.
 
Did anyone read the article?? If Disney buys Pixar most likely Jobs will end up chairman of Disney! iPods for sale at Disneyworld. All Disney movies available on iTunes video. Macs all over the theme parks. A new theme park named Jobsland. ;)
 
I think this is all part of Apple's future Mobile Me strategy.

I just read an interesting story discussing apple's search for RF engineers.

http://www.gadgetsonthego.net

the article links to a Mobile Mag story which speculates the 'Mobile Me' trademark news relating to apple incorporating EDGE technology into the iPod:

http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/337/C6076/

Apple definitely has a vision about the future of mobile devices and entertainment, which they beginning to execute. It's interesting to see where this goes, but could Apple be taking staking a claim in the wireless universe and taking on the Wireless Carriers?

In the next few years we will all be enjoying mobile internet access with EDGE/WiMax and many other flavors which will enable some pretty exciting possibilities on handheld devices whether it be ipods/cell phones/treos or the next big thing Apple can dream up.

This is all very cool stuff!
 
BINGO!

sbarcelona said:
I think this is all part of Apple's future Mobile Me strategy.

I just read an interesting story discussing apple's search for RF engineers.

http://www.gadgetsonthego.net

the article links to a Mobile Mag story which speculates the 'Mobile Me' trademark news relating to apple incorporating EDGE technology into the iPod:

http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/337/C6076/

Apple definitely has a vision about the future of mobile devices and entertainment, which they beginning to execute. It's interesting to see where this goes, but could Apple be taking staking a claim in the wireless universe and taking on the Wireless Carriers?

In the next few years we will all be enjoying mobile internet access with EDGE/WiMax and many other flavors which will enable some pretty exciting possibilities on handheld devices whether it be ipods/cell phones/treos or the next big thing Apple can dream up.

This is all very cool stuff!
Click to expand...
 
Bingo

arn said:
I think the bigger picture is streaming your music from iTunes Music Store itself, and have access to every song.

arn
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I think Arn is right. That was the first thing I tought, access to iTunes for music, podcasts, and video from almost anyplace. I'm guessing they are talking about Wi-Fi, not cell service.

Someone mentioned streaming. I guess streaming from the iPod to an AirPort Express could another use.

This feature as described above removes the need for a computer. Which means, people without computers have an easier entery to iPod ownership, thus opening up the market. Although, without a way to enter data, you can not register for iTunes.

Come to think of it, to be able to order a song via iPod from iTunes, means you would have to be able to at the least move a curser to point and click, that or have a touch screen to select what you want. Either way, that means you will need more than a scroll wheel.

Also, once you can surf iTunes from your iPod, why not allow people to access more: the rss feeds, the web, blogs, photo blogs... holy crap, I think I see where this could be going--the iPod as internet device.

It's also a big step to the iPod becoming a PDA of sorts--oh the irony if that every happened!
 
iPod vision

I like the idea of an iPod w/ iSight and iChat built in.... and a slim down OS X that runs them, plus iTunes, iPhoto, iCal and Pages w/ Ink... uses a stylus for input and connects w/ WiFi at either a hotspot or other wireless network (home, office, plane). It's now a PDA with a huge following that guarantees success. Welcome back Newton! Jobs you sneaky bastard!

Now if Apple will finally launch their communications Satellite to support .Mac users... add in Satellite network for synching and it's suddenly worth the .Mac subscription for anyone.
 
nagromme said:
Also, browsing a "universal jukebox" of music on an iPod, with just a wheel and no keyboard to search with sounds like a pain. What would be better is to do your searching ahead of time on your computer with its nice big screen, keyboard, mouse, and existing Internet connection. Then load your iPod from that. Oh, wait... we already can do that...
Click to expand...

What about voice recognition? Cell Phones can do it. Why not an iPod linked to a music library?
Hell, why not make it a cell phone, too? ;)
 
sbarcelona said:
I think this is all part of Apple's future Mobile Me strategy.

I just read an interesting story discussing apple's search for RF engineers.

http://www.gadgetsonthego.net
Click to expand...

Huh. I was thinking Wi-Fi, but RF on an iPod? Now that is weird, why RF on an iPod, people whould have to pay for service. That takes the iPod down the road of becoming a phone.
 
asxtb said:
First of all, (not sure about everyone) but if I was 2,000 miles away from my home, my computer would be off. So am I streaming from my turned off computer?

Second, how would one stream from their computer while on a plane. I pretty sure a wireless network is hard to comeby 30,000 feet in the air above the Pacific ocean.
Click to expand...

Anyone know whether a 'Wake on LAN' facility could be available? Surely your computer would not be off?!!! more like on sleep... now imagine you're in a coffee shop in upstate New York, and your dual intel Imac is sitting in your London appartment sleeping, gently breathing, only to wake up when it receives impulses from the ethernet cable. If this technology was available for wifi (wake on wifi) then it would just be the coolest thing ever!

I, for one, have a large 600 cd collection, all imported with Apple Lossless onto an external hardrive, connected to another computer which is on constantly. Now considering the huge file sizes, any iPod is just going to be too small a capacity, and it's annoying to have to choose what you want to listen to before you go out. ... Feels like i have a shuffle hehe hehe.

Streaming from your music hub/mac mini however would be a different story.
 
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