“Apple Computer is preparing to unveil the 4th-generation of its flagship iPod music player, reliable sources told AppleInsider last week. Excluding the introduction of the iPod-mini in January, over half a year has passed since the company last update the iPod product-line on September 8th,” Kasper Jade reports for AppleInsider.com.
“While sources could not pin-point a specific day or month of introduction, they said the soon to be released player would boast a 50GB hard disk capable of holding 12,500 songs and carry an approximate cost of $499,” Jade reports. “Unlike the recent capacity-centric revisions to the iPod line, the 4th-generation iPod will host a number of architectural advancements and new features. Most apparent, sources say, is the presence of a 2-inch color screen for displaying photos stored on the pod, from the palm of your hand.”
Full article here.
Jack A – You can do all that on your camera. Just buy a mimi ipod, tear it apart and pop the hard drive into your camera.
“…something more Earth-shattering would be to slowly fade out the older larger iPods and upgrade the mini line…”
I’m with Aryugaetu on this one. With Toshiba’s recent announcement of their 0.85 in HD, I think that it’s only a matter of time before the capacity of the mini increases dramatically, and it effectively supplants its larger sibling as a music player, with the larger model being repositioned as a more multipurpose media device. I’ve always felt that Apple have had a trick up their sleeves regarding the iSight and iPod (remember that it’s basically a FireWire drive). I envision them making the ‘Pod capable of recording video with an iSight camera.
Or better yet, eventually teaming with camera makers to produce digicams that have a dock into which you could snap an iPod, thus providing storage and power with one unit.
I don’t know about anybody else but this sounds like a crock of sh*t.
Glick7 – If I buy you a voice recorder will you please stop posting the same ‘I can make the obscure iPod a success’ thing for a month or two?
And then just removing the ‘Pod and plugging it into a murtipurpose dock to see your video on your TV, listen to your music etc. I suspect that the iPod may well prove to be the “Digital Lifestyle Device”.
(Sorry about the disjointed posts, one thought keeps leading to another. Man, this thinking stuff is fun!)
Glick, apple never makes mistakes. The iPod cannot be more of a success. Do not ever post anything here that upsets the awesome originality of everyone else’s.
I would really like to see an iPod dock with video capabilities. That way, I could take my iPod to Blockbuster, download the movie I want to the iPod (guarranteed in stock, obviously) and take it home. I could plug it into the dock and select which movie to play. The movie would self-destruct after three days, so the rental price could be quite low.
This is really the only way a video iPod could work, I think. A screen big enough to make a movie enjoyable is definitely not portable. The only portable thing about movies is the DVD. Until badwidth can handle movies…
Perhaps the dock could work with Tivo. You buy the PPV, upload it to your iPod from the Tivo, and walk. Interesting, but I don’t see a big market for it.
Another thing that would be nice is to take maps with you. A microphone would definitely help if the iPod held a map of your entire state. Speak a target address, and the address where you are, and read or hear directions.
I really think that the big iPod will move toward PDA-dom. Steve just has to figure out what functions a “Palm for the rest of your life” should have.
Interesting rumor. I think that good battery life could be acheived even with a color screen addition to the next gen ipod. Case in point, I have a Sony Ericsson T610 and it gets great battery life, I believe this is helped by the fact that the screen dims all the way to black when not in use or no key is touched. This technique could be useful in extending battery life on a next gen ipod color with other energy saving techniques that all mac PB & ibooks currently enjoy. Give Apple’s engineers their credit, they’ll keep it’s energy efficiency at a reasonable level. Cheers!
The iPod needs haptics technology. I’d like to feel my iPod vibrate in the groove!
Slow rumour month over at the rumour sites, so guess what they do? Yes, you got it – role out the PHOTO iPod rumour. There are always a flock of chumps willing to suck it up.
It wont happen
I wouldn’t bet against the photo iPod. It is eminently do-able with an OLED screen, which is where display technology is heading anyway.
Check the link:
http://www.universaldisplay.com/tech.php
i’d like to feel my mini vibrate in my groove too :O
i was SOOO disappointed that it doesnt do that 🙁
New features are probably useless but I am sure they will come in handy for something. Time to sell my 3rd gen 30gb and get ready for the 50.
How about the awesome home to go feature hinted at previously? I would LOVE that.
i’d like to feel my mini vibrate in my groove too :O
i was SOOO disappointed that it doesnt do that 🙁
Mac Beth,
There are more appropriate, far less expensive devices. Admittedly less stylish as well, and they can’t play music. You’ve really gotta stop getting the poor, impressionable geeks all hot and sweaty. I’m still laughing, by the way.
KennyLucius: “If you need one so bad, why don’t you have one? If you don’t need it bad enough to settle for what is available, then you don’t need one at all.”
What kind of nonsense is that? (1) If I had one, I wouldn’t need one. (2) What’s available doesn’t meet my needs. At least not what I’ve found. (3) I’d hate to hear this applied to tech in general. “Edison, why does the world need a light bulb? If it needs one so bad, why doesn’t it have one? If they don’t need it bad enough to settle for what is available, then they don’t need one at all.”
I Love Vivien and Scarfe G and Quosees!!!!!!!!!!
Even if it was a rival company, it woudn’t be smart because the people that would possibly buy their product would wait to see what apple has that is new.