iLounge

1

I understand that these mockups are in the name of fun.  But it has lead me to speculate as to what a mini ipod would not look like.

It strikes me that with all of these interpretations of what the mini ipod might look like there are some things that have been missed.

The mini ipod will be a budget version of the ipod as we know it. 

So, it would have to be manufactured more cheaply, and I’m guessing that the 3 hardware elements that contribute to its current high cost are:

- Hard drive
- LCD screen
- Job wheel (maybe)

I would imagine that the mini ipod will be missing some if not all of these, contrary to these mockups.

Anybody agree?

Posted by RainDog on January 2, 2004 at 12:31 PM (PST)

2

I claim no expertise, but I’m going to mostly agree.

Hard drives are expensive no matter how big they are.  They’re intruicate and whatnot.  I don’t think the new iPods will have hard drives if they do indeed cost significantly less than current models.

Current iPods have pretty high res. LCDs.  I’d venture to say that more res. means more money and vice-versa.  I do see an LCD on a miniPod, but I don’t think it’ll be as huge as we’re used to, and I don’t think it’ll be as crisp as we’re used to.

I’m betting that there won’t be a jog wheel (or whatever they’re technically called).  I wouldn’t bet that they’re hugely expensive, but I don’t think they’ll fit nicely with any design.  A lot of these composite designers have tried really hard to put one in, and none of them look like the “masterpiece” that Apple would dream of.

But I could be wrong…

Posted by dethbrakr on January 2, 2004 at 1:26 PM (PST)

3

The paper iPod really made me laugh (which is a good thing of course)!

Now, I agree the jog wheel will have to go in order to retain the LCD at a higher resolutions.

If I didn’t know Apple always comes up with something original and beautiful I’d say it would probably replace the jog wheel with a scroll wheel on the side… very much like a Sony Clié. Mind you, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea in my opinion.

Posted by Mahler_seele on January 2, 2004 at 2:08 PM (PST)

4

gdshrdyfjhgfj

Posted by A on January 2, 2004 at 6:47 PM (PST)

5

if apple were to make a new ipod, i’d hope it would look different… all those pictures were somewhat disapointing. they all just cut off the bottom of the original ipod

Posted by aswimmer94563 on January 2, 2004 at 7:28 PM (PST)

6

Yeah, all the works shown here are highly derivative of the current iPod, while most likely, Apple will wow the public with something radically different, just like the transition between gen2 and gen3 iPods.

Posted by Sraphim on January 2, 2004 at 9:14 PM (PST)

7

i agree. perhaps it will be as drastic as the transition from the old iMac to the new iMac?

Posted by Harrison in Melbourne, Australia on January 2, 2004 at 9:19 PM (PST)

8

I sought some of ‘em were pretty cute, and somethihng I would like to buy. Especially if it cheep (or not to exprensive
  I think some of the desigers got a pretty good idea. Looking forward to the real “miniPods” release.

Posted by Rasmus on January 3, 2004 at 4:56 AM (PST)

9

I disagree with removal of the jogwheel.  It is a major user interface advantage over other approaches.  A circular motion is continuous and can react properly to speed of movement.  Scroll pads/wheels will cause RSI in no time flat.

Strangely enough, none of the mock-ups brought back the mecanical buttons of the original iPod.  Those buttons used up a lot less real estate than the current “no moving parts” buttons.  The touch sensitive buttons were not realy added to improve usability (they actualy reduced it).

The hard drive is the most expensive part of the iPod (more than 80% of the cost) so I don’t think Apple will sacrifice user experience to save on the buttons/jogwheel assembly.

I also don’t expect Apple to build an iPod so radically different that existing R&D could not be leveraged.  Instead I would not be surprised that they introduce some original and less expensive storage strategy such as the 1.5GB 1” HDs from Cornice.

Posted by altos on January 3, 2004 at 4:51 PM (PST)

10

check this for alternate designs:
http://www.spymac.com/gallery/showgallery.php?ppuser=29791&cat=500&thumb=1

Posted by doogle on January 4, 2004 at 12:56 AM (PST)

11

umm… where did spymac go?  Lot -o- good it did linking to all those images…

Posted by m. sherman on January 4, 2004 at 1:20 PM (PST)

12

bookmark it dickhead

Posted by m. sherman on January 4, 2004 at 10:24 PM (PST)

13

idiot.  I meant the site is gone.  Check it.  Try clicking on those image links.

#####.  of course i know the address.

Posted by m.sherman on January 5, 2004 at 11:57 AM (PST)

14

Here ‘s an hypothesis on the price of mini iPods given the Cornice 2GB drives at 70$:

Assuming that the HD represents 80% of the cost, the non-HD parts of a 10GB iPod would be worth 60$ (selling price).

Now, if Apple uses the Cornice HD for 70$ cost and maintains its usual 40% margin we would need to add 116$ for a total price of 176$ for about 500 songs. (probaly 179.99$ to mislead buyers by 10 bucks as usual).

This yields a 35cent/song average as opposed to the 10G iPod which costs 12 cent/song for 5 times more songs and less than double the price.  Plenty of opportunity to upsell the larger models so that mini-iPods don’t canibalize the 10+ GB models.

We’ll see tomorrow…

Posted by altos on January 5, 2004 at 3:14 PM (PST)

15

WHERE DID SPYMAC GO?  It’s just gone like,...GONE!

Posted by Bobensein on January 5, 2004 at 3:55 PM (PST)

16

I don’t know why nobody makes the connection with Toshiba.

Toshiba announced 2-4gig Hard Drives at CES. 

Apple already has a partnership with Toshiba for the current iPod drives. 

Ya think just possibly maybe that Apple will use these new 2G and 4G drives in the MiniPod?

2+2=5 folks.

Lawrence.

Posted by Lawrence on January 5, 2004 at 5:04 PM (PST)

17

Those Toshiba micro drive will not be in mass production until 2005 and will cost around 280$.

(nice try)

Posted by altos on January 5, 2004 at 6:29 PM (PST)

18

idiot. I meant the site is gone. Check it. Try clicking on those image links.

#####. of course i know the address.

...bookmark the link and look at it later sherman my man…spymac runs its own game - the world doesn’t always work to shermans rules.

Posted by m. sherman on January 6, 2004 at 1:23 AM (PST)

19

why I am abusing myself?

Posted by m. sherman on January 6, 2004 at 1:25 AM (PST)

20

Who are you, you freak! Leave the Shermster alone!

Posted by m. sherman on January 6, 2004 at 1:33 AM (PST)