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iPod Development Models...
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Originally posted by macMaestro
Interesting...
How long do you think it will take before someone comes along to this thread and shouts, "THE THIRD MODEL MUST HAVE BEEN A VIDEO iPOD!!!"
THE THIRD MODEL MUST HAVE BEEN A VIDEO iPOD!!!
Re: y
I totally agree. My 12" PB is perfect for portable movie-watching. The iPod is not.
I'm all for advancing technology but lets be practical. The only option would be to make the iPod bigger to incorporate a movie screen, but that would suck too. I wouldn't mind having my same iPod functionality and one handed user interface in a smaller, lighter, or more powerful package. But movies are a bit overkill.
I totally agree. My 12" PB is perfect for portable movie-watching. The iPod is not.
I'm all for advancing technology but lets be practical. The only option would be to make the iPod bigger to incorporate a movie screen, but that would suck too. I wouldn't mind having my same iPod functionality and one handed user interface in a smaller, lighter, or more powerful package. But movies are a bit overkill.
Video! Yeay!
If they went for a color screen either for enhanced usability like games, and stuff... or for video playback, I think they should use OLED (which means Organic LED) technology, which provides an amazing picture quality, faaar better than TFT, and with an amazinlgy low power consumption.
Currently there are a few mobile phones with that type of screens, and if a few years we'll see OLED HD TVs. I just can't wait!
As for the iPod, I would LOVE it to play videos, even in a small screen. you could always use the presumed video jack to hook it to any TV and watch your movies. That'd render those portable DVD players laughable.
If they went for a color screen either for enhanced usability like games, and stuff... or for video playback, I think they should use OLED (which means Organic LED) technology, which provides an amazing picture quality, faaar better than TFT, and with an amazinlgy low power consumption.
Currently there are a few mobile phones with that type of screens, and if a few years we'll see OLED HD TVs. I just can't wait!
As for the iPod, I would LOVE it to play videos, even in a small screen. you could always use the presumed video jack to hook it to any TV and watch your movies. That'd render those portable DVD players laughable.
Before we see an iPod AV, we're going to have to see some changes in the entertainment industry. The motion picture industry will be getting involved soon, in a similar fashion as the RIAA. The RIAA went into crisis mode, the MPAA can wait longer since movie files are not perfect quality and are huge downloads, so average computer users aren't swapping them the way they swapped 4MB CD-quality audio files.
Right now, consumers are using an obsolete format with DVD. Mpeg-2 is not modern compression, and Sony may just have something with their 1.8GB PSP optical disc, and their use of Mpeg-4 will allow them to fit a ton of video in that space. Sony is way ahead of the pack in the mobile video area because Apple has focused almost exclusively on the music biz (they made the right choice, the market was soooo ripe and they took full advantage).
So, Apple may eventually make an iPod AV, but then they need to find a legal, DRM-capable way to get movies onto the iPod, and isn't it illegal to use software that decrypts DVDs? How would they distribute? Even broadband doesn't handle 1GB files very well, and consumers don't want to deal with space-hogging movies. Other questions come up too: if the movie only exists in digital format, you are going to need to keep it somewhere because a full collection (I have over a hundred DVDs) would fill up any hard drive. If the device is 40GB, which is generous, that space will be full of music, maybe games, etc. so managing space would be difficult. Disclaimer: yes, I know some people would be happy with low-res, small movies, but most consumers would want to plug into a big TV and replace their DVD player (like the iPod dock replaces your CD player).
Recording video from an external source is something I'm not sure how/if Sony will address. That would add to the bulk of the device significantly, so I'm thinking there may be a recordable model and a play-only model. Good video encoding is processor and hard-drive intensive, so it's really something that needs to be plugged in to an outlet.
I hate to say it, but with current technology, Sony is going to dominate the portable video player market. Movies are going to require removable disks at this point (if you want full-quality so you can plug the device into a TV). Apple honestly doesn't have the capability to move in that direction at this time, because they can't introduce a new media format and expect it to gain any acceptance in the movie industry. Sony can, due to their mindshare. If Apple could partner with Sony or license their disc technology, we may have something...
Right now, consumers are using an obsolete format with DVD. Mpeg-2 is not modern compression, and Sony may just have something with their 1.8GB PSP optical disc, and their use of Mpeg-4 will allow them to fit a ton of video in that space. Sony is way ahead of the pack in the mobile video area because Apple has focused almost exclusively on the music biz (they made the right choice, the market was soooo ripe and they took full advantage).
So, Apple may eventually make an iPod AV, but then they need to find a legal, DRM-capable way to get movies onto the iPod, and isn't it illegal to use software that decrypts DVDs? How would they distribute? Even broadband doesn't handle 1GB files very well, and consumers don't want to deal with space-hogging movies. Other questions come up too: if the movie only exists in digital format, you are going to need to keep it somewhere because a full collection (I have over a hundred DVDs) would fill up any hard drive. If the device is 40GB, which is generous, that space will be full of music, maybe games, etc. so managing space would be difficult. Disclaimer: yes, I know some people would be happy with low-res, small movies, but most consumers would want to plug into a big TV and replace their DVD player (like the iPod dock replaces your CD player).
Recording video from an external source is something I'm not sure how/if Sony will address. That would add to the bulk of the device significantly, so I'm thinking there may be a recordable model and a play-only model. Good video encoding is processor and hard-drive intensive, so it's really something that needs to be plugged in to an outlet.
I hate to say it, but with current technology, Sony is going to dominate the portable video player market. Movies are going to require removable disks at this point (if you want full-quality so you can plug the device into a TV). Apple honestly doesn't have the capability to move in that direction at this time, because they can't introduce a new media format and expect it to gain any acceptance in the movie industry. Sony can, due to their mindshare. If Apple could partner with Sony or license their disc technology, we may have something...
four words hahahah thats awesome
What about playing music videos? Then the iPod would remain a music player, just with some sweet features
What about playing music videos? Then the iPod would remain a music player, just with some sweet features
4th gen
just increase the frickin' battery life, and lower the price. maybe change the backing so it doesn't suck up every oil droplet from my skin.
just increase the frickin' battery life, and lower the price. maybe change the backing so it doesn't suck up every oil droplet from my skin.
better battery would be nice, definatly. I don't know what you are talking about sucking up the oils off your skin, but w/e, I'm happy with the backing lol
Re: 4th gen
I agree 100%
Battery Life and Price are the reasons I don't get an iPod.
The 10 gigger wouldn't be big enough for my music collection. What would help is if Apple would add a feature to iTunes so we can specify songs NOT be synced. I have songs in my music collection I don't see myself wanting to take me everywhere. If there were just a check box in the info panel to say "Don't Sync with iPod" many people could get by with a smaller capacity iPod with sacrificing ease of use.
Also, I want line-in recording built in. To MP3 and/or AAC.
I agree 100%
Battery Life and Price are the reasons I don't get an iPod.
The 10 gigger wouldn't be big enough for my music collection. What would help is if Apple would add a feature to iTunes so we can specify songs NOT be synced. I have songs in my music collection I don't see myself wanting to take me everywhere. If there were just a check box in the info panel to say "Don't Sync with iPod" many people could get by with a smaller capacity iPod with sacrificing ease of use.
Also, I want line-in recording built in. To MP3 and/or AAC.
Re: Re: 4th gen
This is already possible in the current iTunes version. When you plug the iPod in, you can choose to either only update songs with a check in that little check box next to their name, or you can choose to update only certain playlists.
This is already possible in the current iTunes version. When you plug the iPod in, you can choose to either only update songs with a check in that little check box next to their name, or you can choose to update only certain playlists.
or you could unclick the preference that automatically syncs altogether and just drag in whatever playlists or song you prefer
it's nice to see that Apple is playing around with new ideas even if (in my opinion) some of it might be insane ideas like a video player (2in screen is not a great way to watch movies). They still have to let their engineers go wild and come up with wackie ideas. I think the iPod sounded like a pretty insane idea in the first place, but look where it went. Just as long as they don't release the silly stuff I'll be fine.
It Was A Nuke
Plain and simple, the 3rd design was some kind of nuclear bomb or something- they just decided that mankind wasn't ready for that kind of responsiblity. Silly Apple and their nuclear weapons program!
Plain and simple, the 3rd design was some kind of nuclear bomb or something- they just decided that mankind wasn't ready for that kind of responsiblity. Silly Apple and their nuclear weapons program!
why not? travels
I think it's interesting how much "no video ipod" there is around. Yeah, maybe the market in the US isn't that big but you see other markets around the world and it's huge. I mean, look at the minidisk, it died in the US. But it's huge in europe and asia. It's a lifestyle thing. I just graduated from college and spend like 3 and a half years traveling all over the world doing studies. A video iPod like device would have been great for the airplane, or the subway, or the metro, or whatever transport you have. I was looking at the specs for the upcoming Sony PSP, the portable playstation deal. Plays proprietary 1.8gig discs yeah but you and do a dvd into mpeg4 and fit it onto one, fit a good load of mp3s on there and play games. I'd be pretty happy with that on any trip.
Video ipod for the US market? I dunno... for an overseas market, might be a heck of a lot more popular. I'd use one. It'd be great if they had a quicktime movie site, or even somewhere where you could get news or whatever, daily video news on your video ipod in the metro and i'd be happy as anybody
I think it's interesting how much "no video ipod" there is around. Yeah, maybe the market in the US isn't that big but you see other markets around the world and it's huge. I mean, look at the minidisk, it died in the US. But it's huge in europe and asia. It's a lifestyle thing. I just graduated from college and spend like 3 and a half years traveling all over the world doing studies. A video iPod like device would have been great for the airplane, or the subway, or the metro, or whatever transport you have. I was looking at the specs for the upcoming Sony PSP, the portable playstation deal. Plays proprietary 1.8gig discs yeah but you and do a dvd into mpeg4 and fit it onto one, fit a good load of mp3s on there and play games. I'd be pretty happy with that on any trip.
Video ipod for the US market? I dunno... for an overseas market, might be a heck of a lot more popular. I'd use one. It'd be great if they had a quicktime movie site, or even somewhere where you could get news or whatever, daily video news on your video ipod in the metro and i'd be happy as anybody
I would personally LOVE to have my iPod be capable of directly absorbing uncompressed video off of my GL-1 via firewire. Logging tapes is the biggest chore of making videos. With the iPod disc providing rapid, random access memory this could be made a LOT easier. I cannot see any real market for watching movies on that itty bitty screen BUT being able to store 40 DVD's worth of movies on the IPod would be a real boon when traveling with my PB. Who wants to carry all those discs? As storage capacity grows towards 100GB these concepts don't seem out of reach. As for the DVD licensing I would think that using the PB for actual playback would provide a place for embedding some sort of anti-piracy provisions and also supply the tool for decoding the DVD and moving the data to the iPod in the first place.
I wish that Apple would team with Bose to create a set of ultra-compact speakers that were a match for the iPod. That way I could plug 'em into my solar charger ( which BTW is perfect for extending iPod battery life indefinitely) and listen to music sans headphones while on a wilderness beach somewhere.
I wish that Apple would team with Bose to create a set of ultra-compact speakers that were a match for the iPod. That way I could plug 'em into my solar charger ( which BTW is perfect for extending iPod battery life indefinitely) and listen to music sans headphones while on a wilderness beach somewhere.
Your point is WELL taken- see I've been sitting in front of this (and other) computers tooooooooo long - hence an upcoming four week kayak paddle along Costa Rica's coast- after a couple of weeks diving in Ecuador. Maybe then I will forget about all these electronic aspirations...but then again there are those DIVE computers to wrestle with. See! You can't escape any more!! (in fact it is apalling the amount of hitech electronic crap gets hauled on these wilderness trips these days)
video iPod. I don't know, people.
First off, it'd hafta be BIG. Even WITH no-need-for-a-backlight ultra-thin OLED screens. I believe on http://www.ipodlounge.com, there's a 3G iPod dissection. Ever wonder WHY the iPod's battery life got cut by so much? Look at its innards. Notice the size of the battery.
If you want a video iPod, you'd need to AT LEAST add the thickness of an extended battery to the current iPod's specs.
On the DVD decryption issue, Archos, with their AV3x0 series HDD-based personal video players, has announced that it plans to release a patch/hardware attachment module which will allow dubbing of DVD-quality movies. There goes the DVD decryption problem. (Of course, Archos has no stake in the success of the movie/music industries) Of course, for any sizable movie collection, you'd need DivX and XviD support, things I suspect Apple isn't eager to endorse.
Admittedly, I'd jump at the chance to buy a well-implemented iPod-esque PVP. :-D
First off, it'd hafta be BIG. Even WITH no-need-for-a-backlight ultra-thin OLED screens. I believe on http://www.ipodlounge.com, there's a 3G iPod dissection. Ever wonder WHY the iPod's battery life got cut by so much? Look at its innards. Notice the size of the battery.
If you want a video iPod, you'd need to AT LEAST add the thickness of an extended battery to the current iPod's specs.
On the DVD decryption issue, Archos, with their AV3x0 series HDD-based personal video players, has announced that it plans to release a patch/hardware attachment module which will allow dubbing of DVD-quality movies. There goes the DVD decryption problem. (Of course, Archos has no stake in the success of the movie/music industries) Of course, for any sizable movie collection, you'd need DivX and XviD support, things I suspect Apple isn't eager to endorse.
Admittedly, I'd jump at the chance to buy a well-implemented iPod-esque PVP. :-D