“Nearly everyone who has had a chance to use Apple’s newest, video-enabled iPod has fallen in love at first sight, myself included. Like the original music player of 2001, the new iPod does things that others have done before, but it does them vastly better,” Stephen H. Wildstrom in his article “Video iPod, I Love You” writes for BusinessWeek. “How is it that Apple manages to stay so far out front in the hotly competitive field of digital entertainment?”
Wildstrom writes, “I think there is actually a surprisingly simple answer: Apple Computer’s products and services are designed with the single overarching concern of delivering a great consumer experience.”
“The iTunes Store offers hundreds of music videos, movie trailers, a bit of original Pixar Animation Studios content, and — most important — five top-rated TV shows from ABC and the Disney Channel available for download the day after they air,” Wildstrom writes. “Getting these shows requires two simple steps: You download the video to the iTunes software in your PC or Mac, then you transfer it from the computer to the iPod. And while the initial content is limited, it won’t stay that way for long. Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice-president for iPod marketing, says Disney is the only player right now simply because it is the only studio Apple told in advance about the video iPod.”
Wildstrom writes, “The iTunes video is 320×240 pixels, about a quarter of the information in a DVD-quality image. When I connected the iPod to 19- and 27-in. standard TVs, the picture looked about as good as a broadcast. It was grainy and fuzzy on a 32-in. high-definition liquid-crystal display — but that’s just for now. Over time, as network connections get faster and studios grow comfortable with the idea of high-quality downloads, high-resolution versions will become available… Microsoft has been unable to duplicate Apple’s single-minded focus on consumers. The software giant’s partners, mainly engineering-driven Asian manufacturers, design great hardware. But so far they haven’t been able to match Apple’s user-friendliness. Looks like Apple could be in for a good video ride.”
Full article here.
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Related articles:
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Thurrott: Apple iPod ‘the new standard by which all are measured – highly recommended’ – October 26, 2005
Chicago Tribune: Apple’s new iPod is a showstopper – October 26, 2005
PC Magazine review gives Apple’s new video-capable iPod 5 out of 5 stars – October 21, 2005
CBS News: New iPod shows ‘Apple will continue to dominate portable digital media player market’ – October 21, 2005
Apple’s video-capable iPod and iTunes are first vital link in new distribution paradigm – October 21, 2005
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Comprehensive review of Apple’s iPod 5G with Video – October 20, 2005
The Motley Fool: ‘Apple’s new video-enabled iPod is about to save the televised content industry’ – October 20, 2005
Ars Technica reviews Apple’s new video-capable iPod – October 20, 2005
NY Times Pogue: ‘watching video on new iPod’s 2.5-inch screen is completely immersive’ – October 19, 2005
MSNBC columnist: after initial coolness wears off, Apple’s video iPod will wind up in dresser drawer
Apple’s $1.99 iTunes TV show downloads may be ‘the savior of good television’ – October 17, 2005
Apple opens Pandora’s box for the media business, could have profound long-term consequences – October 17, 2005
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Podfather: iPod porn is going to be huge – October 14, 2005
Forrester Research: Apple transformed music distribution, now it is doing the same for video – October 14, 2005
Watching episode of ABC’s ‘Lost’ on 2.5-inch iPod screen surprisingly compelling – October 13, 2005
Get ready for the iPod video torrent search sites – October 13, 2005
Apple’s new iMac G5, iTunes 6, iPod video designed to bait Hollywood – October 13, 2005
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Using QuickTime Pro to create videos for playback in new Apple iPods – October 13, 2005
Analyst: Apple has just produced ‘the tipping point’ for entertainment content – October 13, 2005
Apple’s video play likely to unsettle movie, TV, advertising and retail markets for years to come – October 12, 2005
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I think that is the idea. See if the time is right to begin the path to digital TV. It’s a new era. It feels like MS arriving late to the party but this time the party was dead until Apple arrives.
First post? Dingo does it.
Well I can’t resist. Second Post. *cries with happiness*
Well I must really miss hockey. There been an NHL hat trick yet? Third post lucky.
Now off to read the rest of the article, I usually do that first, honest.
it’s going to interesting to see if apple allow video produces to bypass the networks and go directly to itunes. especially for show’s that only lasted a season but had a good cult following. it would be great to download shows like fireflly via itunes.
Quote from the article above:
“Microsoft has been unable to duplicate Apple’s single-minded focus on consumers. The software giant’s partners, mainly engineering-driven Asian manufacturers, design great hardware. But so far they haven’t been able to match Apple’s user-friendliness.”
Actually, I would say that Microsofts partners have not been able to match Apple’s software OR hardware.
Apple is going to own this market, just like music.
Wow, seventh post!
Road Warrior:
Don’t know if it was the first of the season, but Red Wings center Jason Williams got his first career hattrick against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct22.