News Touchscreen iPod coming?

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/10/18/Touchscreen_iPod_coming/

 

I might consider an ipod if it had hdmi and svideo out and at least a hundred gig drive. till then I find such small video devices of little use.

 

Will we get a free virus with this one too?

 

personally i dont like touchscreen devices when they are n everyday thing, i had a touchscreen phone and the screen got scratched and ruined. okay i could have got a screen protector but at the end of the day the touch screen gave no benefits over a good key layout.

 

at this point, it seems like Apple has to produce a touch-screen video Ipod similar to all the mock-ups eventually. Either that, or produce something better (bigger screen, more sleek and stylish somehow, maybe one of those roll-up screens that have been 'just around the corner' for the last 3 years, etc).

The real question to me is: did Apple think of the idea first, or did they get the idea from all the rumors and photoshopped pictures that showed up on the web?

 

if this device is released, don't be surprised to see the mini, or something along those lines (slightly smaller, cheaper than touchPod, but more space than nano) being reintroduced.

a lot of people just want a nice mp3 player - video does nothing for em.

 

Which is the iPod's strength, and IMHO they should stick to it. The problem is they've already started to transition with the fairly pointless video capabilities of the current iPod - I really don't understand who is paying $2 a go to watch Lost on a postage stamp. If they're serious about video, and if they ever intend to do full length features, a screen covering the full face of the device is essential.

 

As a matter of interest, why do you say it would require "too much storage space" - 480p video in decent quality using h264 could easily be 1-2GB/hour. That gives a fairly decent capacity on an 80 gig device like the current top end 5.5g iPod.

 

Heck, I bet the file size could be smaller than that - 2hr long movies look pretty good at <1GB. Granted, it ain't 480p, but still very do-able for something with this size screen.

I don't know, with the current Nano offerings only getting larger in capacity, the need to justify the excess footprint of the larger iPods becomes important.

I think the concept of the full-face iPod (while nothing new, its been talked about since Gen 1) is a great idea and a natural evolution of the product line. It combines all the good ideas of the iPod, sleek, sexy design, in what is still a pocket-sized product.

I do agree that I would like to see some kind of digital signal path (a new dock or dock cable perhaps) that would improve on the analog versions that we have now.

I think I would have to seriously look at such a device.

 

i have two words: SCRACH MAGNET!!!!!!

 

Scratch magnet? Thats not a nano!

Seriously, waste. Why would you want to smear your greasy finger all over the screen youre struggling to read anyway? What they need is a full keyboard and a laptop style mouse-nib, that would solve any problem. Works for 99.9% of PCs.

 

Oh, h264 will be far lower than that.
Think 300-700MB/hr.

 

I don't think a touch screen would be too good due the scratching, fingerprints etc on screen has been said already, but having it full screen is definatly a good idea. So how about you combine a couple of image ideas from trusted reviews article link take the way the number pad is hidden, from the iPhone, but replace it the the oh so loved "standard" ipod interface.
WHAM!!! full screen video iPod but still with all the usablity of the current version, complete with slide out interface.

note: I copyright this idea, so when it comes to life I want all you guys as witnesses that apple owe me money!

 

My brother once had one of > These < It was quite interesting to say the least. Though I hope apple will use their touch sensitive technology to use the tap, not the resistive touchscreens found on most touch based devices.

I do not see the lcd as being much more power sucking than the ones in the iPod's already. As far as I can tell its the HDD and its enormous power requirements that really drain the device. Recall the exemplary battery life the iPod Nano gets.

 

I'll believe it when i see it.

 

a two and a half hour movie is like a gig on my friends ipod.

i think you can buy an adapter to transfer video to an external monitor, but im probably wrong.

 

The iPod photo dock connector has provisions for svideo (chroma, luminance) I cannot say however whether or not that actually worked as I have never owned an iPod photo.

But lets just say the obvious.
1) Is there a large market for a portable device that plays video?
-Not really considering that the iPod video already does that, just most people will end up listening to music rather than watch video on a 3'' lcd.

2) Will the interface be likeable?
-Probably not, the iPod 3g had touch sensitive buttons and wheel and was not quite as popular as its 4g counterpart with touch wheel and actual click style tactile buttons. the same style to appear on the photo and video

3) What about the lcd scratching?
-Knowing apple and virtually every iPod they have made, scratching will be nothing new. It will be the same everyday battle to keep it from being scratched. It would be nice to see apple use a stronger plastic, or even glass that would resist scratching far better

 

Hum, yeah, it does look like the future - might even work. Don't want to bash something I haven't used yet and do like the iPod.

However...

I'm not so must worried about the scratching, with a screen covering the whole device you're more likely to crack it. (Although saying that, it shouldn't be in your pocket if you're watching videos!)

 

Would be a good buy if the price is the same as the current 5g ipod. I'm not planning to watch movies on it, but I would love to have my own personal 'Proper' video player to watch 24 while on occasional short european trips(plane or train).

 

Apple have two new patent's for touchscreen.

First

Second

That's really good. But price ? And start produce ?