Apple Releases New iPods
 

Excuse me while I have a geekgasam.

iPod Nano Video

iPod Touch

Also know as the iPhone without a phone.

I have not even come close to filling my current iPod. For now, I will pass.

I have not even come close to owning an iPod...and once again I will pass.

I will be attempting to sell my 60 gig classic video iPod on ebay and buy a nano. I was already going to buy a nano for the non-moving parts. I just held out a few days to buy the new one.

Out with the new, in with the new!

But 4 GB for video? Seems kinds weak.

I'm trying to figure out if the new TouchMe iPod will work with skype. If so, I'll be gettin' me a jebusphone!

Well for me, I just use it for music. And a few random photos. I'm need it more for the flash based memory. And I'll probably get the 8gig.

That would be an interesting combination, does the iPod have a microphone input?

I would bet not. You want an iPhone, you probably still have to buy one.

Wow, I'm glad I purchased a Nano not too long ago. The salesman pointed out I could get a Video iPod with 10x the memory at the same price ... but I told him my primary cocern for a portable device is its miniscule size.

The old Nano is perfect for that. The new Nano (which means the old one won't be available before long) is not. Kinda defeats the purpose of the name. Oh, it's still small. But not nearly as small as the original Nano.

MUSIC is something you can experience on-the-go. Video not so much.

I understand people want video on the go (perfect for an airplane trip, among other things) ... but I have little need for it. I'll be sad to see the original Nano go. It was a brilliant piece of tiny engineering.



On the other hand, I'm always forgetting either my cell phone or my iPod, and I'd love to have them be in one device. I'd be tempted to buy an iPhone if my cell and iPod weren't both practically brand new.

Personally, I think the iPhone is too big for a portable device. (Will it fit comfortably in a pocket? That's my criteria). Maybe the next generation will be smaller.

I'm drooling over the new 160GB iPod 'Classic'.

Also, it appears that the 8 GB iPhone has dropped $200 in price (to $399) and the 4GB model has been discontinued.

So you can get:
an 8 GB iPhone for $399
an 8 GB iPod Touch for $299
a 16 GB iPod Touch for $399

Interesting pricing

From what I understand, the iPhone does not have any functionality if you aren't paying for service and a data plan. If you discontinue your service you lose the iPod, wifi and photo functionality too.

It seems the iTouch has full functionality out of the box.

Except the ability to make phonecalls.


Apple is not marketing to me. And I don't care. I want an iPod with a phone. I don't need internet every frelling where I am. I don't need a crummy camera that suks. I don't need to watch video, um, while I'm talking a walk, driving a car, hanging out with friends, or any other activity I do away from home or office - - where I already have access to video on far larger displays.

As soon as they have an iProduct that's a phone and an iPod - - with no need for me to subscribe to their chosen carrier or to pay for internet access I do not want ... then they've sold me.


It's not so much to ask, and I'm sure such options will be available in the greater-choice future.

For now? Not iNterested.

160 GB will almost fit our music - I like that. as for the ever shrinking devices, I've begun to worry about accidentally swallowing them - those micro Sd cards are just waiting for a trip through my digestive tract.

I just watched the Steve Jobs keynote on these. I stand in awe of this guy's ability to present stuff. I nearly always spend the whole time ooh-ing, aah-ing and drooling, allowing the great one to play me like an iFiddle for an hour or so. Then, for whatever reason, once the presentation is over, the spell is broken, and I immediately put the new toys into the "nifty but I don't need it now" compartment of my brain. Usually, a year or more later, I'll decide I really do have to have one. (And handily, it'll be cheaper and/or more powerful by then.)

So, right about now, I'm slavering over the 13 inch MacBook. (about 16 months after its intro.) All these new pods? Cool, but, don't need 'em.

Somewhat related to my immediate prior post -

In my younger years, particularly when I was twelve or so, I thought the phrase "snow job" was just hilarious. You don't really hear people use it much anymore, and I think the reason is pretty obvious. It's in the same category as "Uranus," a word or phrase whose meaning is far overshadowed by the rude word or phrase it reminds the hearer of.

Anyhow, after spending an hour being coaxed and wooed by the Mac master, it occurred to me that the phrase "snow job" could be replaced.

"I almost believed the guy, then I realized he was giving me the ol' Steve job."

Okay, no, maybe not.

I know I might be BBQ'd for this. But bless Steve Jobs and his team of Apple minions for continuing to create new technology. :snap:
And now we return you to your regular scheduled Apple Ipod thread....:D

The "no sh*t sherlock" headline of the day:

Apple iPhone Owners Outraged by Huge Price Cut

Yes, it links to Fox. The link was on Google news.

Funny timing that as I was starting to compose this response, the iTunes update message popped up. :D

Let's be honest: we don't NEED any of this stuff - it is all just fluff crap. But we love our fluff crap and it is when we accept that it is fluff crap, when can then go acquire said fluff crap.

No skewering for that; I think most here are impressed by the consistent level of innovation that comes out of One Infinite Loop

Anybody who is surprised that there is a major price drop shortly after the introduction of a shiny new and popular technology is deluding themselves. If you are going to be an early adopter, you are going to pay the price. I have zero sympathy.

Caveat emptor!

As the guy in the article said... fanboy tax indeed.

Always wait. Always.

Yep, price drop is one reason to wait. Glitch fix is another.

Early adoptors are nimrods. They are indicating their I'm So Frelling Rich status by buying new toys as soon as they are introduced. Complaints fall on deaf ears.




Of course, Apple stock took quite a dive when the price cuts were announced. Job's assertions that it was a Christmas Marketing Strategy fell on deaf Wall Street ears.

Sales of the iPhone are sucking, and there's no two ways about it.



Surprisingly (to me), I hear no complaints about the screen being unreadable in daylight or skin oils being a problem from any of the people I know who own one. But I recall reading lots of complaints about AT&T and the primitive internet functionality.


It seems Apple did its part with futurificness, and their partner was behind-the-times.

Except that AT&T was the only provider willing to shell out the cash to put the technology in place to support arguably the coolest feature of the iPhone, visual voice mail. So "behind-the-times" kinda depends on your perspective.

Hmm which on to get. I'm tempted by the touch iPod just for its fun and coolness. However, 16gigs is a bit limiting I suppose...

Go fondle play with one in the store.

Of course, if you wait a lil while a new, larger version will come out.

larger, cheaper, better.



With apologies to the Six Milliion Dollar Man.










(who will soon be offered as the Four Million Dollar iMan by Apple)

Nice... Question,

Does anyone know if you can turn in an old ipod for the $50 credit, and apply that to the student discount... that would save me like $100 off an ipod classic, but it doesn't say anything about discounts and rules.

maybe now that people have hacked it to work on other GSM networks around the world they dropped the price to open it up better... that and my T-mobile wave cost around $400 with tax... and its got many features of the iphone just down sized.

Apple is now giving a $100 credit to people who previously purchased iPhones.
Link

The student discount is no longer. The only discount on the iPod is for turning it in. I would suggest selling it on eBay. I sold a broken iPod on there and got $60 for it. Clearly listed as broken.

are you sure, i looked at the student store... looked like there was a discount.

Never mind, now i'm unhappy, I liked student discounts and was going to get a new ipod (upgrade from 3rd gen)...

After a strong surge on Apple Stock over the last few weeks, there was relatively small adjustment over the last two days.

Aug. 16 close: $117.05
Sept. 4 close: $144.16 (a net gain of $27.11 or 23.2%)
Sept. 5 close: $136.76
Sept. 5 close: $135.01


Yep - Wall Street really doesn't like Apple

They're pussies for offering the $100 rebate.

Agreed.
Don't apologize for being technologically advanced! And don't apologize for making money!

And don't apologize to the fanboys and people who have money to burn who want it want it NOW!!!!!!!!!

Without the "fanboys" of the world and the innovators, the market would have little need to progress. You need the innovators and early adopters to help the majority and the laggards get a high-quality product that's been road tested by those who are into the massive innovation. Without the earliest of consumers, many manufacturers would be without a good portion of the motivation to innovate.

Though I may not ever be an innovator and at this point can't afford to be an early adopter, I'm not about to knock those who help me get a great product at a price I can afford.

Oh, and on the flipside, you'd think the fanboys and those who could afford should realize that their early purchases are in-essence, an investment - a sign to the financial world that this product or company is creating something with decent potential.

Sooo... boo-freakin'-hoo to those who bought it on Day 1 expecting water to be turned into wine with the iPhone.

DAMMIT! You mean it doesn't turn water into wine?

Ah hell! Why didn't someone tell me that to begin with!

Exactly. Fanboys know what they are doing when they buy a Gen1 product right out the door. They know the price is going to drop, and probably drop by Christmas. Perhaps 2 months is a bit harsh and perhaps Apple did good by offering a $100 credit (not refund, but credit) to those who did purchase the iPhone. But no apology necessary. They knew what they were doing.

I'm sorry, but the early adopter they talk about in this article is a damn IDIOT
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20624042/

I think the $100 credit offer is brilliant. 2-months is not a decent early-adopter window. Hell, I barely knew it's been 2 weeks since the iPhone debuted.

Why piss off your early adopting customers if you're a company selling technological innovation TOYS?

Why are early adopters pissed off for being an early adopter? Tell me a new technology that didn't get cheaper after its introduction? People were paying PREMIUM pricing for the XBox 360 and Wii Systems when they first came out.

Buying first generation of ANYTHING electronicswise is just a recipe for disappointment.

I'm talking about the 2-month window being particularly lame.

Did game systems drop $200 after 8 weeks?

Well, in some respects, yes... but that's more of a black market issue than a suggested retail price issue.

What I take to issue is that someone - for however much time - got to be the "cool kid" on the techie block. They shelled out major bucks for it, so therefore it must have been worth it then. It is their mistake for making a purchase that they likely weren't entirely convinced of the value of.

I had a feeling this would happen - not the price drop, but some form of buyer's remorse. It seemed, at least from my standpoint, that the number of those falling into the "innovator" category was WAY too high. There weren't nearly the numbers (at least my impression of it, I have no hard data to back my statements up - media wasn't as hep on the iPhone after a couple of weeks post release) of the the follow-up I would have expected; if this was statistically normal in any way, sales should only be increasing.

They probably HAD to drop the price - the innovators were the only ones willing to buy the product. Early adopters and early majority weren't following suit, and they certainly don't want another Newton on their hands. Meh, I'm just speculating on why such a move would be made. Interesting topic, though. I might just see if I can find anything else about it.

Oh hey, there was an OP!

I'm not buying one of the iTouchyFeelies. I still just want a stupid Shuffle, even if I can't justify it. I'm sick of lugging around my other iPod. Wow, I'm complaining about lugging around a frigging iPod... how spoiled am I?

There are a lot of new toys I have to have when they first come out. Thankfully, phones aren't one of them (says the woman with the brand new Blackberry).

Why would you need a touch screen on a music player? So you can see all your playlists at once without having to -gasp!- scroll thru them!?

No, it's only because the internet is attached.


I know folks who say they LOVE the internet at their fingertips at any time. But I can only think of a few moments of any given week where I'd want or need the 'net when I'm out on the street. And so, to me, it's just another bill I didn't have to pay before.

Bah.on.that.

Pretty much my entire life for the last decade has been on the internet (most of my friends are there and it has been my source of employment for the whole time) and I haven't yet developed a need to be able to get on the internet while at the grocery store. Sure there are times when easy internet access would be nice (seeing all movie listings easily rather than dealing with MoviePhone guy) but never particularly important.

Sometimes being lost (figuratively or literally) is fun anyway. I'll never have a navigation system in my car but I suppose someday I'll be have to always have the internet with me (if for no other reason than that I imagine eventually all phones will have it).

You know, I never appreciated the phone internets as much as I did when Sprint wrongly stripped me of my ability to access it.

Still, decided I don't really need it.

I like my phone internet - it lets me go places my work internet won't

Eh, I really am split on this. At first, I thought the same thing. Those people who sepnt $600 on a phone did so willingly and were outwardly proud to do so. So why are they suddenly unhappy with their purchase? Did they not realize the costs would come down? Sure, no one expected it to happen this fast, but no one forced them to make their purchase.

On the other hand, I think this was a good move by Apple and their always uber PR department of rock star spinsters. Apple's PR events get the kind of coverage that is rare, dare I say totally unique, in the electronics world. This is why they are so protective of their "secrets" and continually fight to prevent details from being released prior to an event (except that which they seed to build anticipation). Now, the press gives Apple millions upon millions in equivelant media dollar spend every time they come out with a new purple whosey-whatsit. And the press coverage is overwhelmingly positive, ususally.

In this case, the press started to quickly pick up on the story about all the pissed off fanboys. The story of the new iPods quickly drowned out. So, Apple makes a strong business decision.

1. Offers a refund in the form of store credit. This forces people to come back into the store and likely spend much more than the $100 voucher.
2. This then generates goodwill among existing customers and the ever allegiant fanboy base. As anyone in marketing will tell you, the cost of acquiring a new customer is 3-5 times more than the cost of retention.
3. The Apple PR gods spin their story upon the press who immediately do a 180. Now, the negative press has turned positive and additionally, now they get a second wave of press on the new iPods and the new iPhone.

I declare it flatly brilliant.

It was a good short term PR move, but a weak business decision, the kind of "appeasing the hardcore geek base" that's gotten them in trouble in the past. If they're going to compete in the cell phone world, they need to be able to have the balls to be like the other cell phone giants, and one of those characteristics is total price discrimination. Oh no, the price changed in 2 months!! Um, so? Everyone's completely okay with the fact that on any given day, two different people will pay wildly different prices for the exact same phone. Sometimes as dramatic as paying $400 vs. getting it for free. So a 30% price difference after a couple months in the cell phone market is nothing.

Now Apple's just set themselves up for future nightmares as consumer know that if they whine loud enough to a few choice reporters, they can force Apple's hand regarding price choices. It was a panic move by there PR department to quiet a minority segment ("early adopters" is a small segment to begin with, and among THAT small segment, the opinion was pretty much split, so it was half of a THAT). The success of the iPod was driven largely by Apple's bold and uncompromising moves. No tentativeness, no listening to people trying to put price pressure on them. They made decisions and stuck with them. An appeasement move like this does not bode well for the future.

i love my iPhone.

Just heard unverified scuttlebutt that the price will drop again in December and a newer version with more storage will be available

Heard indirectly from someone at AT&T. Take it for what it's worth.

I wouldn't doubt it.

..but do you love your $100 rebate ?;)

The $100 is not a rebate, but an Apple credit.

Unless you purchased the iPhone in the last 14 days, then you get a $200 refund.

A guy at work told me it was a rebate.
My bad.

I would not doubt it, considering the ipod touch is an iphone with no phone and has a 16gb model...

I'm waiting for the 1 TB model

I'd rather have my Creative Zen, it has an fm radio and voice recorder, and the sound output is better (imho).

But does it have 1 TB capacity?

I have seen this model modded to 160gb, and a new 320gb hd that matches size/pinout specs has just come out, so I'd imagine that would be the next step.

But it still isn't 1 TB

How long until we exabyte sized drives for our 'puters?

It took 16 years to get from 1GB hard drives to 1TB hard drives, so assuming similar pacing for similar proportional leaps:

32 years.

Though more interesting is whether, at least for home use, such storage would ever make any sense. 1 exabyte would hold about 35.7 million HD-DVDs.

Also amusing, since I got to poking around, using the benchmark here for the current 1TB hard drive.

In fastest write speed from an external source it took 31 seconds to write 1GB of data. That means 31,000 seconds to write one terabyte; 31,000,000 seconds to write 1 petabyte; and 31,000,000,000 seconds to write on exabyte.

31,000,000,000 seconds equals about 982 years. So, not only do we need to wait for the exabyte hard drive, but we'll need to live a lot longer if we want to ever fill it. (I know, if such a thing ever came to be, write speeds would presumably have increased immensely as well).

Also from poking around, the current "pie in the sky" data density for hard drives is (I think) 1 terabit/in^2. That would be an 8,000 square inch hard drive just to get to a petabyte, and 8 million square inches for an exabyte. That would a hard drive 1.2 acres in size.


(And, of course, having wasted my time doing math with big numbers it will turn out that I forgot to carry a zero or something and everything is way off.)

All I know is I'm glad I got my Nano when i did. I hate the new square design.


I've played with iPhones ... and they do nothing for me. I guess I really don't care about the interface, and am only interested in function.

iPhone- $599

8gig iPod Touch (with WiFi)- $299

So, the phone component is $300 ($200 now, I guess after seeing this $100 rebate thingy)? I can buy a wirelss phone for $20, why are cell phones so expensive? I know the parts are smaller, and have to reach a cell site much further away than a cordless base, but come on. The iPod touch has the transmitter and reciever parts for the WiFi already. And it probably has the same battery which can be expensive.

Is part of the cost going to the cell phone company for royalties to use their software?? Or are they pricing it at $299 (making little- to no profit) knowing most people wouln't spend much more (hell, I don't have an iPod because I can't afford it now- and I don't listen to music on headsets anyway. I never had a personal radio at all, and never will unless I use a base at work).

Actually, the iPhone had a $200 price drop to $399 - what most of the fuss is about (the people who paid $599 for it within the last two months). So the phone component is worth $100 - well within the realms of reasonableness considering that one is getting much more functionality than a $20 phone.

To further clarify: there is a $200 REFUND for anyone who purchased an iPhone within 14 days of the announced price drop and and there is a $100 Apple CREDIT for all other iPhone purchasers.

So then they are admitting that they were overcharging then? Or were they not selling well, and lowered the price? I have a hard time beliving they are able to manufacture them for $200 les already............

I don't believe that Apple (nor most other technology based companies) sell based on manufacturing costs. I am sure it is a careful balance between market based pricing and manufacturing AND development costs.

Is anyone else puzzling over why the iPod Touch has such a smaller capacity? I'd love to play with it, but what's the point of getting that when I need so much more space? My 80 gig iPod got stolen last week (left it in the daycare van, unlocked in the driveway, not smart, but something we've done for years with no problem) so I'll be replacing it with the 160 instead.

The smaller models have flash-based storage instead of hard drives. The hard drives can have much higher capacity, at the cost of size and reliability.

I'd forgotten that part. I still wouldn't mind the size to gain the capacity though.

One thing I've wondered is why not put multiple flash memory chips in? Is this a possibility (from a technological standpoint)?

Sure, but again the tradeoff is physical size.

I'll probably get an iTouch sooner than later.

What really makes me drool is this story in today's New York Times.

Ooooo

Yeah, that's cool.

I like it better for home or office based computer storage than for portable. I don't really need the Library of Congress when I'm out for a stroll.

Where's the geekgasam smilie?