Apple today unveiled the second generation iPod(R) mini lineup with a new 4GB model priced at just $199 and a new 6GB model with 50 percent more storage priced at $249. Both iPod mini models feature increased battery life of up to 18 hours, USB charging and an ultra-portable, lightweight design available in four vibrant colors.
“The iPod mini is now available at the magic price point of $199,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO in the press release. “At this breakthrough price point, and with more than twice the battery life, the new iPod mini should appeal to even more music lovers.”
iPod mini works effortlessly with Apple’s iTunes, providing music lovers with access to the iTunes Music Store, the number one digital music service in the world. iPod mini features Apple’s patent-pending Auto-Sync which works seamlessly with iTunes to automatically download an entire digital music library onto iPod mini with just one click, keeping it up-to-date whenever iPod mini is plugged into a Mac or Windows computer using USB 2.0. In addition to keeping the iPod mini up-to-date, plugging directly into the USB 2.0 port will also conveniently charge the iPod mini-so, one connection does it all.
Apple’s iPod, the iTunes jukebox and the iTunes Music Store are leading the digital music revolution. With over 10 million iPods sold to date, the iPod is the world’s most popular digital music player, and the iTunes Music Store is the number one online music store with over 70 percent market share.
The new iPod mini is a member of Apple’s wildly popular iPod family for both Mac and PC which includes the fourth generation iPod, the iPod photo, the iPod U2 Special Edition and iPod shuffle.
The 4GB and 6GB models of iPod mini for Mac or Windows are available worldwide immediately for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) and $249 (US) respectively, in a choice of silver, pink, blue or green through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iPod mini includes earbud headphones, a belt clip case, a USB 2.0 cable, and a CD with iTunes 4.7.1 for Mac and Windows computers.
An optional USB power adapter is available for $29 (US) which easily charges iPod mini when traveling. Other accessories include the iPod Dock for $39 (US) for desktop syncing and charging, in-ear headphones for $39 (US), an arm band for $29 (US), a lanyard for $19 (US) and FireWire cable for $19 (US). Laser engraving is available for iPod mini for free from the Apple Store and can include two lines of text with up to 23 characters per line.
iPod mini requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port or FireWire and Mac OS X version 10.2.8 or 10.3.4 or later; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 or FireWire port, or USB 2.0 or FireWire card and Windows 2000, with Service Pack 4 or later, or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later.
See the new Apple iPod mini here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Petition to Apple for iPod FireWire support posted online – February 23, 2005
Apple knifing its own FireWire baby? Pushes USB 2.0 as iPod family’s primary connectivity option – February 23, 2005
Apple updates ‘iPod photo’ family with new slim 30GB model, debuts new iPod Camera Connector – February 23, 2005
woooooooo! fp! no color?
No firewire. Interesting….
Wow, the rumors sites continue to screw up their predictions for updates to the iPod line…
Whoa — just noticed the lack of a FireWire connection! That’s STUPID! How many Macs actually have USB 2.0? Syncing your iPod Mini just got REALLY slow if you don’t have a new Macintosh!
Oh never mind — FireWire is available, it’s only the CABLE that’s no longer included with the Mini. (Check the specs page for the Mini.)
Give me just ONE rational reason, why somebody need COLOR DISPLAY on iPod mini? Just one!
Tired from color displays and so called digital cameras everywhere…
palle: How about viewing album artwork? Or being able to tell the difference between the suits in solitaire?
I can come up with some new uses for colour that Apple should think about adding:
– Use colour to highlight songs by rating. Brighter shades of say green or red for 5 stars, faded shades for 1 star, black for no rating.
– Use colour to highlight songs by genre. Let the user define what colour represents which genre.
—
Magic word: more. “The more Apple gives us, the more we want!”
You have to buy teh firewire cable separately – that is pretty mean of Apple.
Most people in the Mac communiity have Firewire not USB2 because they stayed faithfull to Apple, and now they get a kick in the teeth. Sheesh. At least they could have the Firewire/USB2 choice as an option?
why color? because it’s pretty (just like so many other elements of apple products). if you’ve seen a ipod photo with the backlight on, you’d understand
OUCH, Apple wants $19 (US) foir the FireWire cable for the iPod mini!
palle,
Since the iPod mini doesn’t have color screens anyway, what’s the problem?
No color screen.
Hmmm…ThinkSecret reports from a reliable source that Apple is going to release an iPod Mini with a color screen tomorrow.
Hmmm…Steve makes phone call and dumps color iPod Mini and more heads roll.
Hey Steve, just hire the damn kid, afterall he’s going to Harvard.
I thought it strange that they would colorize the mini and leave the regular iPod monochrome. The 40 gig is gone from the line up too. That would seem to suggest it will be back again at sometime since 10,000 songs sings so well. Kinda a bummer about the firewire but I suppose they had to drop something to hit the new price points. It would have been cool to let you choose Firewire or USB but the logistics of that would be a mess. I guess this means 3rd party Firewire sales are gonna be good.
Overall this feels like another transitory stage. Look to see more major changes at the WWDC or soon after (just in time for back to school?)
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
This is a lot of hysteria over a very small point.
Most people with older Mac equipment (sans USB 2.0) probably already have iPods and should probably be out of the upgrade cycle for a while.
Well over 75% (probably 90%, truth be known) of iPod purchasers are Windows users.
This is a common sense move.
If you’re that attached to FW, go buy the cable – it’s $19: you could spend $19 of your time whinging about it.
DIFFERENT TOPIC…
I’m very upset about the colors. How are these new colors? They just got rid of the gold mini. They had blue before (although from the pictures it looks more like turquoise). They had green before (previously pastel green, now light chartreuse). They had pink before (previously light fuschia, not hello kitty pink). And silver has been around the block for a while.
Has anyone noticed that they sell a yellow and orange armband? How about those colors? I WANTED AN ORANGE iPod mini. I feel dissappointed. I guess I’ll go with the silver… cause the rest are too effiminate.
I guess almost everyone missed out on the fact that along with the firewire being removed as standard accessory, the AC charger has also been removed.
So now as a standard, you’re only supposed to use USB as yr iPod mini’s primary charging port.
A petetion has been launched to get Apple to bring back the firewire for the iPod mins.
http://www.petitiononline.com/firewire/petition.html
“I can come up with some new uses for colour that Apple should think about adding:
– Use colour to highlight songs by rating. Brighter shades of say green or red for 5 stars, faded shades for 1 star, black for no rating.”
Minor grumble: Don’t use only color to give information. Remember that a certain percentage of the population is colorblind.
(Fun story: A friend of mine is red/green colorblind and was working with a device which would display a red light if a circuit was not working or a green light if it was working–one light, two colors. Needless to say, he had no idea whether the circuit was working or not–the light was grey to him.)
Kinda a bummer about the firewire but I suppose they had to drop something to hit the new price points.
YOu obviously don’t know how much of a cash cow the iPod is for Apple… they make a lot of profit on these units.
crying about the cable set aside, Apple now offers an iPod at the following price points:
$99
$149
$199
$249
$349
$449
Great job of covering all areas here, IMO. I can feel my Apple stock getting fatter already…
oops, forgot the $299 model as well
Here’s a good overview article:
http://news.com.com/Apple+pipes+in+new+iPods/2100-1041_3-5586848.html?tag=st.num
Prices for the 4gig remain the same in Australia????
Rayzor:
Check again dude. $299 down from $399
Sign the petition for firewire cables going back in!
http://www.petitiononline.com/firewire/petition.html