iLounge

21

I disagree with Jason’s comment.  I think this is the next logical step for the iPod, and the time is right. 

Video in this format is ready to explode.  Everyone in Hollywood is trending to this downloadable type format - everyone.  They are all jumping on the bandwagon and are doing so fast. 

Moreover, Apple is seeking to use the iPod as a fulcrum in its effort to become the media center of the living room, and that is the holy grail!

I believe the rumor, although the exact time of the release remains in question.  It makes emminent sense.  My guess is this baby will have an 80gb and 100gb hard drive.

Posted by Obadiah on February 9, 2006 at 1:24 PM (PDT)

22

bah!  the video quality blows ### outside of the ipod.

Posted by schiano on February 9, 2006 at 1:50 PM (PDT)

23

The click wheel has got to go, if Apple really intends on being revolutionary. If you lay out a 3.5 inch screen on the form factor of the iPod you will have about .7 of an inch left on the bottom.

If they change the controls to be like a small dot used as a mouse (style the IBM notebook eraser mouse), we could be looking at a truly unique device. If you think of it, with a pointing devide and click buttons you can have much more control than what we have today.
They can’t shrink it more because the 1.8” drives are still the only option (NAND memory is still way more expensive). If you think of it further, looking at a 4GB SD card makes me think they can have a 100GB iPod based on flash memory, but the price would than be in the sky.

Posted by nyalien in New York on February 9, 2006 at 2:12 PM (PDT)

24

I agree that an iPod PDA is a great idea. Apple is a great brand and the way Jobs is working his guys gets great results… usually. But keeping the form and function of such an iPod is a mistake. The way it is constructed is in no way suitable for easy acces when all you have is a touchscreen. PDA’s look like they do because form always follows function if you want to be ergonomical. I don’t think Apple will ever make an iPod with a stylus so I agree that a control system like the IBM dot is a good idea. We’ll have to wait and see but my guess is a device with a digital clickwheel wil be a really quick failure. I mean, no sane PDA user would ever use his finger to push on the screen… come on!

Posted by Just me on February 9, 2006 at 2:28 PM (PDT)

25

Geez…What ever happened to just listening to music?

Posted by curveball429 on February 9, 2006 at 2:31 PM (PDT)

26

First stop to failure:

1) making something that is not music focused.

Posted by mokey man on February 9, 2006 at 2:44 PM (PDT)

27

alot of you guys here hate this idea, whereas since 3G there’s been no real reason to actually upgrade the ipod. this for me is a damn good reason to. The only thing i’d ever want added to this is wireless transfer, which is coming too.
By the end of 2006 i think the only thign appl ecan add to the ipod is small silly functions, or making the existing functions better.
Dan x

Posted by Dan/Spooky2k on February 9, 2006 at 3:23 PM (PDT)

28

“First stop to failure:

1) making something that is not music focused.”

Where does this little nugget of irrefutable knowledge come from? The Dali Lama tell you himself or did you read it in a fortune cookie?

A Video focused iPod will do just fine, and then everyone will run around congratulating Steve on what a genius move it was.

Ya know, a product doesn’t necessarily have to reach iconic status like the original iPod to be successful in the eyes of a company. Sometimes selling a lot of something is just as good.

Just a thought.

Posted by AH on February 9, 2006 at 3:34 PM (PDT)

29

Did anyone check out the patent apple put out on a click wheel?

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/02/apple_tablet_patent.jpg
(fig. 27D)

It seems like a perfectly reasonable extrapolation to say that that could be used in an iPod setting. If apple does do this, I’ll be one step closer to buying a new iPod over a PSP. If this thing had games it’d be a sure thing! And with the rumors of Apple buying Palm, is Graffiti 3 on an iPod too far off? X\ *holds breath*.

Posted by Special_K on February 9, 2006 at 4:55 PM (PDT)

30

of course, if it had a touch-screen, the thing would scratch up and smear like crazy, especially with the new ultra-sensitive screens that apple thought would be a good idea (or at least cheaper.) but when has extreme-scratchability ever stopped apple?

Posted by Bradley on February 9, 2006 at 5:08 PM (PDT)

31

How would you make a case for one of these things that leaves access to controls?

Posted by JoshSpazJosh on February 9, 2006 at 5:39 PM (PDT)

32

Of course, there is nothing that dictates that the click wheel needs to be on the front of the device…

Posted by zapod on February 9, 2006 at 6:33 PM (PDT)

33

PDA screes don’t scratch very easily… which they will probably use.  I am extited that they are going back to strictly touch sensitive.  Yep, 3G owner right here.

Posted by Jegero on February 9, 2006 at 6:42 PM (PDT)

34

Good thing i bought this at Best Buy with a 3 year warranty. I can always exchange for the newer one or pay the difference

Posted by Jhego on February 9, 2006 at 7:06 PM (PDT)

35

“Of course, there is nothing that dictates that the click wheel needs to be on the front of the device…”

So what are you going to do, keep flipping the iPod over and over just so you can watch a widescreen video?

Posted by Nobody on February 9, 2006 at 7:34 PM (PDT)

36

“Did anyone check out the patent apple put out on a click wheel?

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/02/apple_tablet_patent.jpg
(fig. 27D)

It seems like a perfectly reasonable extrapolation to say that that could be used in an iPod setting. If apple does do this, I’ll be one step closer to buying a new iPod over a PSP. If this thing had games it’d be a sure thing! And with the rumors of Apple buying Palm, is Graffiti 3 on an iPod too far off? X *holds breath*. “

Notice that one pic of the screen shows a program that looks like iTunes, so I think that might be a patent for a tablet Mac

Posted by Nobody on February 9, 2006 at 7:48 PM (PDT)

37

Hmm, I wonder if they used a click wheel for video, all those VCRs which used to come with jog shuttle wheels could be considered infringing on a patent to control video with a wheel.

Can you do a spinning motion on the click wheel to fast forward the video?  That is how those jog shuttle wheels on the VCRs worked.

Anyways, rather than a dedicated video product, they should make one which docks with the 5G.  Use the storage in a 5G to store video and a bigger display when the 5G is docked.

The bigger form factor would allow a bigger screen and bigger battery.  But when you just want to use it for music, you undock it and just take the iPod.

Because I agree, the focus should be music and portable video should be a sidelight, something that only a subset of the iPod installed base would use.

Posted by wco81 in West Coast on February 9, 2006 at 8:02 PM (PDT)

38

“So what are you going to do, keep flipping the iPod over and over just so you can watch a widescreen video?”

Eh?

No, you simply make a circular motion with your fingers on the back of the unit. You don’t need to see your fingers do this, especially if the screen is giving you feedback at the same time.

Posted by zapod on February 9, 2006 at 8:26 PM (PDT)

39

“Eh?

No, you simply make a circular motion with your fingers on the back of the unit. You don’t need to see your fingers do this, especially if the screen is giving you feedback at the same time. “

Even so, the only I can see this happening if people started using their index finger to scroll instead of their thumbs, which does not seem natural at all. Nor does holding an iPod horizontally, it just doesn’t go with the natural contours of your hand.

Posted by Nobody on February 9, 2006 at 8:43 PM (PDT)

40

I’m pretty skeptical about this for a number of reasons. Firstly, it seems to me you could fit a 3.5” display on the current iPod and still have a “real” clickwheel down the bottom. If they wanted a 5” display - well okay, but why bother for a 3.5” display?

Secondly, sticking your fingers on the display doesn’t seem like a sensible idea. The display will get mucky. And it seems highly doubtful to me that this could be made to work through some kind of a case. I don’t know what technology would detect your finger on the screen, but making it work reliably through a case seems difficult. As someone else said, having a real clickwheel on the back seems better than something like this.

Thirdly, it doesn’t seem likely Apple would release a whole new ipod so soon after the 5G release. Even if they _could_ release, I think they would wait a little longer just to have reasonable product cycles.

Posted by Countach on February 9, 2006 at 8:48 PM (PDT)