News Apple's new iPod, iTunes are damp squibs

[WilHarris]

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2005/10...d_imac_squibs/

[allforcarrie]

I agree, video ipod is pointless. my 40gig black and white G4 treats me fine even after a year of everyday use.

[planki]

i agree with so many points of that article!

a full on widescreen running the length of the ipod would have being much cooler.

[Tomm]

But to me, the industrial design doesn't really work. In a world where HDTV is slowly becoming prevalent, why on earth is the display 4:3, and not wide screen? The rectangular face of the iPod was the perfect surface for a gorgeous wide display - perhaps with something revolutionary like a 'virtual' scroll wheel. Instead, Apple has just added width to the existing iPod design to accommodate the display. It looks, in my opinion, a bit ugly. Fat. Unwieldy.

True, but you're talking about the iPod video 1st gen. We've all seen Apple release product after product that is a slight improvement on the last, making people spend money on the newer version. Do you think that the release of the nano was accidentally about a month before this one? There was just enough time for all the iPod fashion victims to buy a nano before anyone knew anything about this one coming out. I would not be at all surprised to see those features you describe in the 3rd, 4th or 5th incarnation of this in a few years time, when people have got slightly bored of the current incarnation.

Also, it's not really any more expensive than the colour iPod anyway, so it's not like you're paying loads for the ability to play video. And at least you can get it in black now. Does that mean you get black headphones too?

[allforcarrie]

Originally Posted by Tomm®

Does that mean you get black headphones too?

only in a dream world...

[Flibblebot]

I agree with the article. The video screen is far too small, especially when you compare it to the size of screens on existing video players, like Archos or even the PSP.
I can't help but feel that the video on the new iPod is a bolt-on, a feature - it's not a USP. And yes, Apple do make advances in models, but to get to a point where video becomes the iPod USP, it's going to take more than a little tweaking.

Just my ever so 'umble opinion, of course

[Cheese]

Well Steve did say the focus of the new ipod is music, this is a next gen music ipod which is also capable of playing videos. If you were hoping for a video ipod then I think you're entitled to feeling a little let down.

However the new ipod does have some funky new features, it's a nice size and it's a good price, so I think there are a lot of pros.

In regard to the point of downloading tv shows, I think the nice thing here is being able to download them at random, catch up on a missed episode or just pick something at random when you're bored. As single shots they're inexpensive, now there's a real, legal, alternative to downloading a torrent of a random episode of your favourite show. I really liek the idea. I won't be buying an ipod to watch them on of course.

[r00t69]

I have to agree with all the points here in particular Cheese's. This is not a vPod it a next gen iPod with a new feature.

Steve Jobs siad the market was not mature enough for a vPod and this iteration is simply testing that theory.

This product is simply plicating the shareholders without ending up with a turkey.

[Kameleon]

Originally Posted by Tomm®

Does that mean you get black headphones too?

Yes. It's called a shop

On topic, I just don't see the point. Not in video, not in photos. I have an mp3 player to play music on, it does that, I don't need or want anything else. Why not try perfecting that before adding features that nobody really cares about, Apple?

[EarlGrey]

How will it fare against Creative's Portable media players, or even the PSP? I can't really see the point in having such a small screen to watch videos on, what it needs is a port to plug in some glasses that project the image onto your retina.
However, does it reduce the video's resolution to match the screen? If you're planning on only watching it on the Pod, it could mean a lot of wasted space.

[Jamie]

It would be interesting to see if the purchased TV episodes will play on the PSP.

[Darv]

I like watching films on my phone, it's a nice feature but it's not something I use regularly.

As for downloading TV epsiodes for your Ipod I think it's a total rip off. Just like paying to download an MP3 is a rip off. With an MP3 you get something that just isn't up to the quality of a CD yet it's nearly as expensive. And for films, you get an even worse quality copy, it'll probably be made for the exact size of the Ipod making it useless for anything else if you have to scale it up. You also loose sound quality, bonus features, surround sound, widescreen. I'd rather get a far more practical and better value DVD then convert it for the Ipod.

It's the same with UMD's they cost more than normal DVD's but are inferior to them

[Confused Fishcake]

i can't see why anyone would prefer it over a psp, or good phone, as £300 just because it is an ipod seems slightly mad..

[swazi]

The previous incarnation 20gb iPod Photo costs the same as the new 30gb version with a nicer screen. Whatever you may plan to do with it, the newer version is nicer. Plus you get at least a color option. Don't be surprised to hear in a month from now that black outsold the white 5 to 1. Plus the size is a big improvement.

So ignoring the video features. This is a all-round better iPod IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET TO BUY A MP3

Will you rush out to buy a new iPod even though you do not own a MP3 or own another MP3. Or said a different way - how much value do the new video features add? Here it gets more personal...

[DreamTheEndless]

Originally Posted by Darv

I like watching films on my phone, it's a nice feature but it's not something I use regularly.

As for downloading TV epsiodes for your Ipod I think it's a total rip off. Just like paying to download an MP3 is a rip off. With an MP3 you get something that just isn't up to the quality of a CD yet it's nearly as expensive. And for films, you get an even worse quality copy, it'll probably be made for the exact size of the Ipod making it useless for anything else if you have to scale it up. You also loose sound quality, bonus features, surround sound, widescreen. I'd rather get a far more practical and better value DVD then convert it for the Ipod.

The TV episodes are h264 mpeg. They are better quality than broadcast television. (the first episode was 42 minutes long and about 220 mb encoded in h264 which is known for its high compression. It looks really really good fullscreen on my NEC monitor.)

First season of lost costs $35 on itunes and $50 at best buy on DVD.

There is one point that has not yet been mentioned yet:
You can plug an svideo cable into the ipod and play videos on any screen available. It's a little teeny tiny VCR that you can take anywhere.

That's all.

[akanekal]

why dont they use the flexible screens, that are being developed, in the iPod Video. that way you could have it small and pull something down and the screen extends... that'd be cool!

[stephen2002]

Originally Posted by DreamTheEndless

The TV episodes are h264 mpeg. They are better quality than broadcast television. (the first episode was 42 minutes long and about 220 mb encoded in h264 which is known for its high compression. It looks really really good fullscreen on my NEC monitor.)

I don't see how you think that 320x240 resolution is better quality than broadcast television. If you have good signal quality then you should be able to get 720x480 out of your broadcast. If you are in an area that has digital broadcasts then you can get 1080i or 720p HD for most of the prime-time shows, such as Lost. I see the new iTunes videos as being built specificially for their new iPod. I wouldn't touch them for computer display with that low resolution. Now if they were nice 720p encoded with h264, then home theater enthusiasts would be flocking to this new service, even if they don't have iPods.