New itunes!!!! New ipod nano!!!!!!

3stripe

itunes gets an update (goodbye chrome)...

ipod gets thinner...

nice! when there's a 20gig version of the nano i might buy one.

Kosmo

I'm as happy as the next guy about the nano, but I'm just wondering, why just push out new slightly different versions of the same product? iPod nano is just a smaller iPod, maybe they should really go further to see what they can really do with their product, do something they did back when they lauched the first iPod, something revolutionary.

lech

it's the ipod mini replacement, and god damn they still want an arm and a leg for one of these... I wonder if the batteries can finally be replaced...

3stripe

i think it's getting harder to do something revolutionary given the advances in mp3 players in the last 5 years... if apple wanted to change the whole game again it would have to be some crazy size player that fitted into a pair of headpones or something? (although this has been done already) i'm just waiting for an ipod phone/camera to come out and then everything will be in 1 gadget, convergence has gotta be the way forward i think...

Kosmo

But I think Apple is just trying to swim deep and not far. The first iPod was not actually revolutionizing as is, but it was more like a logical step that revolutionized the whole thing, put a harddrive in to a media player. Ofcourse the next logical step was to get videos to play in the player, but that has already been done so what would be next, we added cameras to cellphones, what is the thing that people actually need? Since the dawn of PDAs I have dreamed of functionality beyond support, so that I could just control my tv and computer from single PDA even if they didn't support it straight away, when I come to work I'd like to have all my calls, messages and ta-da lists to my PDA/Cellphone to quickly prioritize my day. All this is in our grasp, but there has not been a company that has been crazy enough to wander there, to actually make something like that. But I'm just waiting for Apple to realize the potential they have in their hards, if they just looked beyond the entertainment value of their iPod and just combine it with features from a PDA. Information is what I want and need.

3stripe

I guess maybe there's more money for apple in music than information?

Kosmo

But that is what bothers me, mainly if you look at Apple, iPod is their only product that relies solely on entertainment, they don't do games themselfs, their machines are the standard in almost every part of design industry. Only part that combines them to the iPod is that they are considered "hip" and cheaper models are directed at young trendy people.

3stripe

Fair point dude, I see your beef here!

Kosmo

But I'm not saying that they shouldn't make iPods or it is bad that they make iPods, I mean alot of companies make products outside their own main line of products, like Peugeot and Mercedes with bicycles and that stuff. But it would be nice if they combined their expertice and what they have learned from iPod, I'd like an Apple PDA *meow*

nathan

Newton. :P

FLC

No one remembers the newton...

Eat Up Martha

Kosmo

I actually remember Newton, I still have a finnish computer magazine (Mikrobitti) where it was reviewed, that machine was so awesome :D There also was another piece of hardware that is now forgotten, it was called eMate 300, small "PDA/Laptop" or something like that. It was mainly sold for schools and administrations but it didn't get much attenttion. I'm still looking if someone sells them, it would be a cool novelty to have.

Minisweeper

I'd like to have similar features to those you listed on my pda, kosmo. There will always be the debate of when one piece of technology becomes too powerful or does too much for us, but it would still be cool. I love systems where everything is connected and it just *works* together to do exactly what i want. Unfortunately i dont have one. I continue to be surprised that apple havent released a PDA yet, and i would be interested to see what they could come up with. A camera/etc in an ipod would be mostly redundant in an ipod imo. And fyi 3stripe; although i dont entirely agree with convergance, more with connectivity (as mentioned earlier - though it does get irritating carrying 101 gadgets), apple and motorola are releasing an 'ipod' phone in the near future. Alternatively there is the SonyEricsson w800i which is a 'walkman' phone (both are pretty much phones with 512meg card)

3stripe

i've got a nokia 7610, which is a phone/poor camera/limited mp3+video player/limited web browser/limited pda ... i'd just be interested to see if apple could do something like this as well... either a phone or a pda i guess would be pretty cool

Minisweeper

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000887049175/ The w800 is a phone/2mp camera which i've been rather impressed with/mp3 player with 512meg. Not really overflowing with web or pda functions but i have a pda for that :)

Kosmo

Yeah but that is it, when iPod came all mp3 players used some tiny memory cards and that is why it was so cool. So why the hell are we just taking steps back (phones as mp3 players with small storage). There are some PDAs with cameras, and you can play music on them, watch videos, you name it, but the main attraction is missing and iPod has it, the HDD and the sleek design. And besides, there are PDAesque features in iPod, calendar, contactlists and whatnot, so just put a big touchscreen and stylus to it, make it wirelessly connect to your mac realtime (not just some synchronizing bullshit) and it's almost there.

naveen

I like there promotion and regarding there pricing it seems ok for a 2 gb, color display, thin handy model with photo integration....

schell

it's the ipod mini replacement, and god damn they still want an arm and a leg for one of these...

4Gb USB flash drive @ CompUSA: USD 431,99-

iPod nano 4Gb @ Apple: USD 249,-

go figure.

I wonder if the batteries can finally be replaced...

the batteries in the iPod were always replaceable, they were never soldered to the logic board. you can open the case with a plastic screwdriver, and you have to do that every 2-3 years, no big deal. (the only model where you can't change the battery, is the iPod shuffle.)

dknowles

Am I the only one who thinks the new iTunes is damn ugly?

I think it's mostly just the blue menu on the left. The small, clean lines are nice, but that blue thing really makes me uneasy.

Mark

I know it's just gloss, but why the hell haven't they improved their visualizations yet?

Mark

Oh man. That's nasty. I wish I never upgraded.