iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

In case one was unaware, there was a ipod event this morning at 10 am (-8 GMT)

Major points...

iPod classic has been reduced to a single size (120 gig) for $250 USD

iPod touch adds an integrated volume controls on its side (F**kin finally),
a built-in speaker, ("casual listening, not for audiophiles" - jobs)
Genius playlist integration
genius is a sort of smart playlist, like last.fm or pandora, only it uses the music already in your library and creates a smart playlist from the current track you are listening to. Theyve had it in itunes since version 8
A few games were also introduced for it, Spore Origins, Real Soccer 2009, and Need for Speed Undercover

The Touch is available in 8, 16, and 32GB, for $229, $299, and $399, respectively


the big thing was for the nano, however
returns to a second gen style, a long rectangle, now with a longer screen for video playback
now comes with built in voice recorder
accelerometer for switching between views
shake-to-shuffle - shake the **** out of your nano and randomly shuffle to a new song (via accelerometer and genius)

all products are now arsenic-free glass and materials that are BFR, Mecrury, and PVC-free.

Both the Nano and Touch are getting software updates (v2.1 is free to those who already downloaded 2.0.)
Everyone else pays $9.95

The company also used the event to announce the release of new headphones that feature built-in volume controls and a devoted woofer and tweeter in each ear. The headphones won't come bundled with any of the players, rather they'll be available separately for $79.

all in all, its getting harder and harder to beat ipods price per feature




google is amast with blog reviews of the event if you have any questions
otherwise...flame-on

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

Don't get me wrong, I like my n810, but the iPod touch is a really nice upgrade. Not just for casual listening the speaker is also a huge boon for things like IM clients and YouTube sharing with the crowd.

Sure it's missing BT, camera, and GPS... but seriously the latter two are hardly even worth mentioning with how craptastic they are.

That combined with a growing population of apps which are nice makes it a compelling device.

One outstanding question I had. The Nano is getting a voice recorder application... will the touch be getting that too? and more to the point will the 4 wire headphones work ( and allow mic in ) on the Touch for what could be a very nice VoIP device.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

Well that answers that...

http://www.tuaw.com/2008/09/09/new-i...speakers-nike/

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

True, true, $79 comes out to $38.50/frequency range, and there are few entry-level earphones that have higher price per feature.

Honestly, who wants their playlist shaken (not stirred)? It's a nifty trick, but in actual use, I'd want it off; what if I'm listening to an audiobook and hit a double rail crossing on my bike? Or, worse, what if I've carefully queued up music for the night, taking advantage of that external speaker...
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/important_life_lesson.png

Edit: Ok, I know I mixed the features of the two units up, but it was just too funny this way; if you must, suppose it's in a speaker dock on the head of the bed or something.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

the no bt is a BIG thing, there will always be more apps for mac stuff than for any linux distro...but as a point of comparison look @ palm os and the treo- more apps longer history (cut and paste as well) where is it today? it did not evolve...maemo appears to be evolving ipod touch is still a baby and is growing up who knows if it will evolve or stay sexy for the masses

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

Hmmm... you just say the masses are pedophiles?

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

'lets just say the attraction is not healthy and leave it at that

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

@prk60091

are you implying that the ipod will stop evolving?
taht just seems silly to me
look at where it started at
its not a growing technology, it is the bleeding edge there of (atelast of pmps)
I mean, there are other platforms with larger screens, more features and so forth, but none with half of the marketing of the ipod

one point jobs made that I found very interesting, and in my opinion sort of nullifies your tero argument, over 90% of the cars in teh united states can now interface directly with the ipod
manufacturers are copying the ipod, not the n800, not the irivier or anythign else
it is the top dog, and it is what pushes technology forward, as far as mass acceptance

maemo will grow andI love the commuity, but short of them stopping the manufacturing of the touch, it will sell, and sell alot no matter what
if it gets too weird, they will stop that generation and come up with a new weirder one

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

Car Manufacturers are using the iPod dock interface because it's what the masses have (the iPod). It's the same reason why you see so much stuff that supports iPod docking. Because since Apple's marketing appeals to so much people that alot of the masses have some iPod device (and I think all of them except the iPhone 3G) all share the same connector dock.

I just avoid it all and buy stuff that isn't limited to just the iPod. (for example if a stereo has a line in option). Which is why when I'm buying a car, it won't matter if it has an iPod interface (heck I might negotiate not to have it included to lower the price). What I want is an input for audio. (right now I'm using this old tape plugin since my 94 camry does not have a modern stereo).

Edit: I find the speaker interesting though. I wonder how loud it is in comparasion to the IPhone's speaker. (cause I've compared that to the n800's speaker).

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

I'm not much of a video gamer, so the new touch just makes me yawn.
For me, it's the built in keyboard that makes the N810 so useful. I don't see the touch ever having one, so I'll never pay for one.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

i do not know what steve jobs plans to do with the ipod touch...who knows he may make it into the best gaming platform around beating the cr@p out of nintendo and alike or he may kill it like the newton

all i am saying is that once mighty and unbeatable 'top dog' platforms have died because they did not evolve

a ipod touch is not a IT
once again an ipod touch is not a IT

which will survive? only time will tell

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

It'll never beat Nintendo and Sony. The iPod touch will actually need buttons for that. Not to mention Nintendo has already played around with the idea of tilt games (Kirby tilt and Tumble I think) for the original Gameboy. The problem with them is once you tilt to a certain degree, it begins to affect how much of the screen you can see.

Already companies have problem with tilt controls for turning (like for FPS). Though that problem can be fixed (I believe companies are already working on a solution for it). (right now it's to fast so when you tilt the screen your view literally flys across making it hard to aim properly).

It will be a device that you can play games on though. Just not enough to rival Nintendo or Sony (or maybe even not enough to threaten them). I see gaming on the iPod touch more like games people have on their cell phones (or the games we have on the tablet). At most it might chip a little out of Nintendo's "casual" market.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

the way i see it, the touch will keep staying the little brother of the iphone, for fear of undermining sales of the latter.

and it does not help that i suspect apple have the touch in the works before they started considering making a phone, and bolted on a gsm radio to the existing touch prototype.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

A pmp without a2dp is pretty much not cutting edge. And add to it absencse of fm radio, full bluetooth and no expandable memory...... may be your definition of bleeding edge is a little different ....

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

Yeah, not having those features has been such a drag on iPod sales and the development of a robust developer community.

People want solutions, just because we can do amazing things on the Nokia's doesn't mean that I would recommend them to anyone.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

The iPod interface isn't just line out though... it's a control interface and charging as well. You can likely control your tunes with the buttons on the steering wheel. The consistent docking interface is a real masterstroke, IMHO. They learned from Palm's massive mistakes.

My point is, don't think you'll get the same experience with a bunch of cables and a 12v lighter plug.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

A bunch of cables? No, that'd be more like A2DP, AVRCP, and a power jack. Of course, that would involve open standards, and make the iPod-compatible cars also be compatible with the competition. The way Apple's doing it leaves customers with an inferior product, but as long as their marketing keeps people buying it, they're better off that way.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

any mediaphile will probably tell you that ad2p is inferior to a wired connection anyways.

yes, the connector is indeed a masterstroke. even more so that it seems to cost nothing to get a license to use it as long as they dont try so on a rival product to the ipod.

also, we humans seem more adept at putting plug a into socket b, then do the mental gymnastics that it takes to pair up two devices over bluetooth. just watch the number of threads here on the forum where people get the pin for the bluetooth pairing mixed up with the pin to lock the tablet and so on.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

True enough; but most people aren't audiophiles, and (I think) would go for the ease of tossing the iPod in and hitting a connect button. I'd do this, if
I had reliable A2DP support and an A2DP-cassette adapter.

Apple isn't marketing to audiophiles, as evidenced by the speaker. (AFAIK, the Karma or maybe that Vibez thing with improved karma firmware is still audiophile king.)

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

nope, most people are not, but given the chance they want to appear as if they are.

sad to say, these days appearance counts as much as actually knowhow.

if you dress right and talk right, you can get in and out of places, and get things done that you have no real clue about...

i would say that for each artist using a apple device to make art, there are 5-10 wannabes that just hang around all day with a apple device to make it look like they are artists.

but then maybe its the same for the tablets? that for each geek that actually (ab)use it, there are 5-10 people that own one so that they can appear knowledgeable in the ways of computers?

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

Perhaps I mispoke
What I meant was that while there are better features on other devices, it is the iPod that defines what is "required" so to speak

They drive demand, and that demand lowers parts cost (see multitouch screens for a perfect example)

I have yet to see them completely introduce an idea, but very rarely does anyone

All i meant by bleeding edge was that they are the bleeding edge to the mainstream, my paretns still dont know the differance between an mp3 player and an ipod, as does alot of the worlds older population

ipods drive the bottom line, or raise the bar depending on which way you look at it


but in retrospect my phrasing was really poor

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

what worries me is not that the older part of the population have this issue, but that apparently, the younger one have it...

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

May be the ipod is such a big hit despite its inadequacies in the US and maybe the Uk.... But in most developing nations....the most popular mp3 player is the nokia phones...


Just because apple is big in the US does not mean that it is the only thing used in the entire world.

This is a common mistake made by americans ..... they think whatever is popular in the US is popular in the entire world.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

Not a big deal for people who have devices with built-in speakers already.

I guess that they decided to join the rest of the mp3 manufacturers with this "Johnny-come-late" feature.

They stole this idea from Sansa. My daughter's Sansa Shaker does this exact same thing albeit without the accelerometer.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

Heh. Reminds me of an Apple fan I know. You're probably right.

No way; for one thing, how come there are so few sold, then? I mean, wannabe geeks has to be a huge market; who doesn't want to be a geek?!

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

the worst part is when the press elsewhere thinks americans are right...

like how the iphone was the best thing since sliced bread, when symbian phones had been doing what both the iphone and iphone 3G up to 5 years before.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

You're thinking like a geek (I say that with profound respect, of course :) ) Think like an end user. Unless you have wireless power happening somehow, you have to plug it in anyway, so which is better; plugging it in to a dock and getting all that other stuff (plus more) or sticking to your "technically superior" guns and having to do the bluetooth pairing dance, a non-integrated power cable, and some velcro so you can stick it to your dash?

Besides, doesn't the dock also output video? So it can display your playlists and cover art in the dash, if so equipped. My, for an inferior product, it's pretty awesome.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

I know. That's why I've been looking at bluetooth solutions for remote controlling. There's alot you can do with scripting.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

As for playlist display, that's covered in AVRCP; for general video output, though, you've a technical point. My use cases generally involve being in the car less than an hour, with power available at both ends; you don't necessarily have to jack in for power, and with AVRCP, you don't need dash velcro; you could leave it in your pocket, throw it in the console, etc.

But you've got a point with the pairing issue; crazy how something you just do once can be a source of so much frustration to people, but it is. (And it's not entirely fair to suppose that Apple could have made it just work, without sacrificing compliance.)

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

in my opinion the thing that apple got right- was itunes. very easy to import your cd's and seemless adding to the ipod. very very easy to buy tunes and import... americans are stupid - how many vcr's still blink 12:00? steve jobs figured that out and easied up the process and is making boatloads of money because of that.

-----
linux did not make inroads into the general population until ubuntu made it easy to use.
-----

the NIT wont get "popular" until it is as easy as ubuntu/ipod----in my opinion.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

simple solution, make canola the default interface. problem, that makes the talets jaust another pmp...

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

Of course that means developers will have to lean yet another quirky API to make their apps integrate well.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

The thing developers need to remember is that users aren't dumb, they just have better things to do. I've been using Linux since about 93 IIRC and sometimes I just wanna give it all up, it can be a colossal waste of time. I'll be switching from Ubuntu to Mac OS X for desktop use this year. (Though you can pry my MythTV box from my cold, dead, ssh & bash abused fingers)

A2DP may be great, theoretically, but look at the threads about getting it 'working'. Yikes. I'll stick with wired headphones, thanks. Plug and play.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

btw, i should probably state that i much prefer the default media player or youamp over the fullscreen apps like canola or ukmp.

yes, i know canola can be run in a window, but for that it needs a cli switch so...

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

if nokia took the time to properly implement it in the maemo gui, it would be no harder to use then any other bluetooth handsfree.

the problem is that they dont, so someone else have to do all the work of getting it to work in the first place, and then come up with a way to get it into the ui...

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

I guess, I like the concept. I just hate how that's the only way to do things (you can't drag and drop as far as I know). Not to mention iTunes is bloated.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

But it works. The utility of mobile devices is inversely proportional to how stable and how long things take to work. You can have every feature in the world, but if it takes 10 minutes ( like the GPS ) or is unreliable ( Diablo reboots anyone? ) it severely diminishes the value.

While iTunes is mac/win and slightly bloated ( it's actually not that bad if you don't use coverflow ) that's only a problem for a tiny segment of the computing marketplace as much as linux people would like to believe otherwise.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

yep, the rest just buy bigger hardware when they wonder why their year or two old current gear is no longer up to the task...

*baaaa*

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

Well, when I consider why I bought an n800 it was:

web browsing
instant messaging
voip

Many of the other things it can do are added value to me (I do like having a mini-computer with me to run my own software on).

However, with the iTouch now having mic and etc. it now can do what I wanted in my n800 and if I were choosing today between the two the new (not previous) iTouch would win out.

Re: iPod Let's Rock Event - UPdates to nano and touch
 

The task in this case is simply analyzing, indexing and serving their tunes... which iTunes does quite well. I'd love to find a Linux equivalent that handles the smart playlists, cover art, ratings and syncing options, but I don't think it exists. Songbird is close, but they blew it when they changed the API for all of the plugins.

I wonder if iTunes will come up with a way to sync over wifi - even to a non-iPod. That would (literally) rock.