Apple Releases New Touch Screen iPod

JSM writes to tell us that Apple released a new version of their popular iPod music player today that boasts, among other things, an iPhone-like touch screen and Wi-Fi capabilities. "The iPod Touch will feature the Safari Internet browser and, like the iPhone, play YouTube videos. Apple also announced a new version of its iTunes music store that will allow users to buy songs wirelessly. iTunes will also sell customizable 99-cent ringtones for the iPhone."

Take That

Take that Zune!

Re:Take That

The Zune just squirted itself.

(Sorry, sorry)

Re:Take That

But really, this looks like a little more than "just" an ipod. I mean, which ipod comes with a (fully functional) web browser? I assume it also runs on this iphone lean OS X. So it's like an UMPC. No microphone though, not yet (although some ipods have them as acc.), I'm thinking skype here...

B.

Re:Take That

Yeah, it's notable that they've kept the "iPod Classic", as well as this new model, which seems to be aiming for a market between the iPod and WiFi tablets like the Nokia 770. Also the new iPod Nano looks a bit... retarded.

Re:Take That

It could be because the maximum capacity of the touch iPod is 16GB.

Skype that!

I bet Apple plans on keeping VOIP on the IPodtouch as a threat to keep ATT in line on the iPhone.

One key feature missing...

A microphone. VOIP with WIFI is kinda useless without a mic...

Re:One key feature missing...

Right. I think the comment was meant to indicate the threat of Apple installing a microphone would keep AT&T in line. I think it's more a matter of just not wanting to piss off their new playground buddy. OTOH, it probably won't be long (next week, maybe) before some enterprising fourteen-year-old cracks the iPod Touch open, finds the chip connector for "mic" and solders one on. From there, a minor hack into the software to enable the non-existent microphone (you know the driver is there), and the Apple WiPhone (tm) will be born.

Re:One key feature missing...

No bluetooth on iPod.

Re:No, it's genious.

Lisa? [wikipedia.org]

Re:One key feature missing...

A microphone. VOIP with WIFI is kinda useless without a mic...

You could record your side of the conversation on your computer before calling somebody, put it on your iPod as an MP3, and then play it back for your friend via VOIP! Just leave a lot of pauses, they'll never know the difference...

It looks like an iPhone.

Great. - I've always said something like this: one day they'll build cell phones that can do nearly everything except making a phone call, and now they did it. I'm speechless.

Re:It looks like an iPhone.

It's not a cell phone - it doesn't even have a camera!

Re:Take That

The iPod Touch uses a flash drive, whereas the now "Classic" uses a platter-based hard drive.

Apart from the price differences on these, there's also the size and power consumption to consider.

Re:Take That

My music collection was once 1000 songs too. Ahh, 1999. A great year. I guess this is why there are different iPods for different tastes. The Touch is for people who love eye candy (and possible the bigger screen for movies) the shuffle is for joggers and athletes, and the nano is for people who like cute things. For me, I'll probably always stick with the iPod Classic for its huge capacity, as my music collection is about 20 gigs and growing by about 25% each year. For me, the best part of having an iPod is bringing EVERYTHING with me because I'll never know what I want to listen to/watch while I'm on the go.

Re:Take That

Yeah, but does the SD card have an aluminum case, color screen, control wheel, or LiPo battery?

Re:argh

I have one thing to say... Gmail

Re:argh

Actually, there are three. You can set up your own GMail POP client instead of using the built-in GMail one--I chose Door #3 so that I could use my permanent email address, not my gmail.com one.

Yes, there are shortcomings using either the Safari or POP version of GMail, but (and maybe I'm fanboi rationalizing), POP works for me for my mobile email needs...

One more thing. I think the iPod Touch is very cool, but I'm not complaining about shelling out more for the iPhone--email (yeah, yeah, they could put the email client on the Touch), camera, sms, and...phone make it worth the extra bucks...

Re:argh

like m.gmail.com ?

Re:argh

That would be rather more harsh than the traditional coal in the stocking, I'd have to say.

-jcr

Re:argh

When you post anonymously, it's OK to say that you work for Microsoft. ;-)

-jcr

Re:All I want for Christmas, or any day before tha

I want a replacement for the crappy itunes app which grabs all my stuff from all my nice, neat little folders and throws them willy nilly into a screen which is extremely hard to use for re-organising.

2001 called. It wants its whine back. And throw in a little cheese while you're at it.

In other words -- get over it already. You're not unique or interesting because you developed a filing system in your head that's less intuitive for 99.9% of the rest of the world.

Here's an idea!

While they're at it, they should build mobile phone capabilities into the thing as well. Then they'd have something!

Re:Here's an idea!

An iPod with a phone? That will never sell! Now give me a phone with an iPod and we'll talk

Re:Here's an idea!

Yeah ... then that would be an iPod, a phone,

AND A PORTABLE INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE! OMG!!!!!!!1111 lim(x->0,sin(x)/x)

(Someone link the Maddox piece)

Re:Here's an idea!

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=ip hone [thebestpag...iverse.net]

Re:Why not update the official ipod site?

That's nothing. Look what they did to the regular iPod [cnn.net]. It's as big as Steve Jobs! How am I supposed to take that on the bus?

Re:Why not update the official ipod site?

Actually, that's just a SteveJobsNano standing in front of it. He's only 15mm high, but has nearly the same RDF as the classic!

4GB iPhone on sale for $299

For those that are interested, the 4GB iPhone is on sale for $299 while supplies last: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/A ppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=BC784DCD&nplm=MA501LL/A [apple.com] The price of the 8GB iPhone dropped as well to $399.

Re:4GB iPhone on sale for $299

I feel sorry for those early adopters who paid $499 or $599. I am going to go now, I have to break the news to one.

Re:4GB iPhone on sale for $299

If you didn't think the phone was worth $600, why did you pay that much for it?

Re:4GB iPhone on sale for $299

Parent has a good point. Good things happened to other people, bully for them. No reason I should be any less happy just because others are now better off. Unless they're better off because they're taking something from you that you didn't want to give, why not just be happy for them? There's plenty of things to be upset about, no need to add to the list.

Re:4GB iPhone on sale for $299

I fail to see why you would be upset at this. So what that another guy can buy that iPhone at a deep discount? You too can buy another phone for $200 less, so you also benefit from the price drop as much as the next guy.

Remember, they aren't really taking anything away from you by lowering the price of their current/future products, they are simply giving everybody more value for their money.

Re:4GB iPhone on sale for $299

That's irrelevant.. you should only pay as much as an item is worth *to you*. If it was worth the price you paid, then you've lost nothing. If not, you should have waited longer and/or bought something else. Just because you didn't properly anticipate the rate of decay doesn't mean Apple has somehow wronged you -- it was your mistake, not theirs. People make the same mistakes every day in the stock market, so you're not alone. Some people bought houses anticipating a continuing price increase. At least you only bought a phone and you (hopefully) realized from the start that you wouldn't be able to resell it for more than you paid.

At any rate, I'd bet that if you're persistent enough, you can probably get a refund for the difference and/or make an exchange for the next model up. It's in Apple's best interest to keep happy customers, so they'll probably do what they can to make you happy.

Re:4GB iPhone on sale for $299

Yeah, and after years, Cmdr Taco finally has to eat his words about the iPod being lame because it doesn't have wifi.

so close.. needs more GB

For a device that seems to play video well (and made for it) 8/16 GB doesn't seem like enough. Especially since the "ipod classic" comes in 80/160GB flavors at the same price point( with a small not so good for video screen).

Otherwise it looks nice.

Re:so close.. needs more GB

Actually 16GB of flash memory probably costs more than a HDD. My guess is battry life and size are the reasons for sticking with flash. A HDD version later on wouldn't suprise me though. And for the people thinking about skype and whatnot...I don't think they even said if it has a microphone...it looks like it does not from the spec page.

Re:so close.. needs more GB

Nope, no speaker. No bluetooth, either. And apparently removed some apps that the iPhone has, too.

No camera, either. That's a heck of a loss.

Guess Apple has to leave people some reason to buy an iPhone instead.

Re:so close.. needs more GB

I have an iPhone, and this isn't as much of an issue as I thought it might be. At these resolutions, with Apple's codecs, you get a remarkable amount of video into 8 GB. I tend to have a few podcasts, and a couple of DVDs, and I still have a couple of gigs to spare. You can't carry your collection, but you can carry everything you might want to watch until you get back to your computer to re-synch.

Supply, demand, repeat

Yes, 16GB of flash memory isn't enough.

Yes, they could jam a hard drive in there.

BUT ... by creating a huge demand for flash (or other suitable) memory, there's more motivation to produce higher capacity & lower prices thereon.

Yes, you might not have the capacity you want now ... but this tact will get you something better sooner.

Wasn't long ago the idea of a flash-based iPod was seriously scoffed at on /. ... but by creating the demand, the supply has appeared.

The bigger story of the day..

iPhone 8GB price drop from $599 to $399.

At that pricing, they could sell 5M units by the end of the year. That's a very aggressive move for market share.

-jcr

Have they started with the subsidizing?

That truly is a steep drop in price. Have their supply and production costs dropped that much, or are they sacrificing margin in the expectation of recovering it in subscription fees? I tend to suspect the latter, which amounts to subsidized pricing.

Of course, it's also possible that they inflated the initial sale price a little to allow for the steep drop. This would seem like a good way to make a little extra money and reinforce the exclusivity of iPhone ownership, but dropping the price now has to piss off existing customers, who must feel like they've been had.