“In a nation obsessed with having the biggest television possible affixed to a wall, a new device that fits in a palm is now the most discussed video player,” Eric Benderoff writes for The Chicago Tribune. “Apple Computer Inc.’s mighty line of iPod digital music players has taken another remarkable evolution, this time introducing brilliant color to display music videos, TV shows and even junior’s first steps. Available this week, the new video iPod is a surprising delight to watch–and, of course, listen to. At 2 inches wide, the screen is slightly wider than on previous iPods and it sparkles in color. Videos have the clarity one would expect from a much larger screen.”
“That the new iPod plays videos is not startling. Portable video players have been available for several years, much like digital music players were before the iPod was introduced in 2001,” Benderoff writes. “But what separates the iPod from those players and even video-playing mobile phones is how easy it is to download videos. Making music a simple download defined the iPod over competing products; the new model will likely do the same for video. In tests of the iPod, the device performed as it always has: flawlessly. About 2,500 songs, a handful of music videos, one episode of the TV drama ‘Lost’ and a video podcast were downloaded into a 30gb player from this reviewer’s laptop in about 25 minutes.”
Benderoff writes, “Once loaded, the iPod is a showstopper.”
Full article here.
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I am partyin’ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I saw one for the first time yesterday. I had been skeptical beforehand, but was quite impressed once I saw it for myself. I actually could enjoy watching video content on that size of a screen. I also have a Palm LifeDrive and have been watching video content on it for some time. The screen is bigger (and landscaped), but I did not feel that the iPod screen was less veiwable or enjoyable. The only problem is with dark content (low lighting in the movie scenes, such as a dark room). It is difficult to distinguish details on such a small screen, but it is a problem with any small screen, so not a particular problem with the iPod.
It is a very nice player. You have to see it to believe it!!
SirROM
Showstopper. Flashy videos. Yeah, yeah. Of course it’s great. We expected otherwise?
Who cares? Where’s the language lessons? The free Podcast language lessons? Gimme, gimme, gimme. There’s a couple of good Chinese language lesson Podcasts and maybe one ok French language lesson Podcast and then .. seemingly not much else except English.
C’mon, you edu type people. Submit some decent Spanish lessons and stuff, eh? Let’s get the show on the road here, k?
gwm –
what’s stopping you from making that content? Apple provides all the software you need in iLife. Get a decent mic, find a language instructor at your local school and make your own. Start a blog, podcast, or just a website to promote it and get the thing up on iTunes for free…or use CDBaby to publish it on iTunes and make a buck or two.
That’s the beauty of Apple’s innovation here. ANYONE, even you, and do it!
MDN word: stood
I bought one. I picked it up at an Al and Ed’s Auto Audio in Santa Monica of all places. They didn’t have them at the Apple Store or my favorite Mac dealer.
I’ve got to say, it’s an impressive device. It’s thin, elegant, and when you hold it, you get a sense of “this is right.” The device just seems as if it couldn’t have been made any other way. It’s dimensions are somehow perfect. The video is pristine. It gives the impression that it dropped through a portal from the future, where form and function have finally met on the battle field of egalitarianism, and settled their differences.
I purchased the black one. It is a beautiful onyx repository of much of my life already.
Everyone I’ve shown it to has gone nuts over it. It is far more attention commanding than the original iPod. I’m totally surprised how few people have heard of it.
Last night after a long day of “what I do” I took my 220HP supercharged 2005 Mini Cooper out on Pacific Coast Highway. It has a top speed of 140mph, but I don’t have the feel of the car well enough to try that yet. Nonetheless it ran beautifully and hugged the road like a slot car.
I stopped in a little sushi restaurant that I frequent, where the waitresses are that special kind of exquisite that makes you remember what the differences are between men and women again. It’s refreshing.
As I ate, I set the iPod up against the bar in front of me and watched an episode of the Nightstalker. It was a perfect use for video. I tend to eat alone most of the time, when I eat with another person, there’s ususally business involved.
The waitresses kept gathering. They were fascinated by the iPod with video. One of them was extraordinarily beautiful. Every move she made created a perfect geometric photographer’s S curve. I kept wondering where do these women come from? It’s as if the master of the restaurant has some secret garden in the back where they’re cultivated. She was so beautiful that if she’d asked in that soft voice of hers, I’d have given it to her. I wouldn’t have had a choice.
When I got back into the cooper, I inserted the iPod back into the Dension cradle that allows me to control it from the steering wheel. Unfortunately the system doesn’t allow the iPod to play video when driving, probably just as well.
These will be good sellers for Apple.
I’ve had it and the Nano for more than a week now.
Somehow, even with my bumbling, not a scratch on either of them.
I was assuming he wanted to TAKE the courses… meaning, he might not have the knowledge to produce a language lesson. That ANYONE can make a podcast is as much a negative as a positive.
me:
heh. Thanks for the nod, but I’m not competent to put out educational material. There’s already a quite a few folks making admirable, but low quality, efforts at presenting educational Podcasts.
It’s none too soon for the legitimate educational community to grab this phenomenal distribution resource and and start pumping major content into it. Time’s a-wastin’.
Stanford’s farting around (generously) with presenting some old lectures and for that I’m grateful .. but Jesus Christ! .. Jobs has opened iTunes to them!?!?! It’s schooltime! Let’s get with it!
TMac – so you have the John Cooper Works version of the Mini? And a new onyx iPod with video. You suck!
Just kidding
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” /> The JCW Minis are awesome! I so want to get one and tear up the PCH.
And my trainer at the gym showed off his new black iPod this morning. I already have three of them but I may have to splurge for another one.
3G 40GB, 60GB iPod Photo, iPod Shuffle 1GB
I know what you mean Angelus520,
I have a shuffle, a mini, and a 20GB color and I want a nano and a new white iPod. I just can’t seem to justify the purchase.
Of course, my son turns 6 next month, maybe I can pass on the shuffle and get the nano? He wants an iPod, too.
Why do you people have so many iPods? Isn’t one enough?