Rumored iPod Flash Leaked 511
An anonymous reader writes "Apparently a -->detailed design of the new Flash-based iPod--> has been leaked. It doesn't have a screen and is this size of a cookie!" With size estimates ranging from 256 megs to a gig, it will have a much lower price point, and can be worn around your neck. Assuming it's not just a rumor. Update: 12/07 19:31 GMT by M : Temporary working link.
Didn't last long. (Score:2, Informative)
Daring Fireball covered this (Score:5, Informative)
Here [daringfireball.net]
Re:True purpose of the flash iPod (Score:2, Informative)
Otherwise, I agree with you.
Re:Better place to wear your player (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Sexist (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Daring Fireball covered this (Score:1, Informative)
Article Text (Score:4, Informative)
When I first heard about the iPod Flash, I met it with the same scepticism as Daring Fireball did.
AppleInsider brought you the basic concept, but TheMacMind is here to let loose about how the new iPod works, what it looks like, and how it feels! And we're looking forward to being there when it's released at MacWorld San Francisco! (Sorry Steve, we couldn't resist!)
The Meat: Milano cookie. That's the basic principle. I like Tim-Tams, but that's just me. Rounded edges, flat, and tiny. We're looking at something that is about 2.5" long, 1.5" wide, and just
Get this: NO SCREEN. Got a cellphone with one of those flat joysticks? This is apparently how you'll get around on the screenless iPod. Left and right move between songs, up and down change the volume, and pressing straight down will play/pause your music. With any other company, I'd be incredibly doubtful that their techs would be able to pull off anything useable. Scroll through 250 songs in one big list? We're betting Apple has something better up their sleeve, and we'll hopefully be able to tell you about the interface in the next few days. Evenything goes in and out through a full-size FireWire port. Apparently, they are also virtually indestructible. We did a mock up of the iPod Flash in 3D. You can see how big it is compared to a business card (the same size as an iPod mini) and an Apple Firewire cable.
What does that tiny size mean? Well, the iPod Flash is meant to be worn around the neck. Yep, a nice little lanyard will keep the smallest of the iPod family twirling around your neck while jogging.
AppleInsider said "less than $200", but we we're told that the Flash iPod will be priced at $99. Freaking sweet, we're hoping that that's right on the money! There have been reports of storage capacities from 256 MB - 1 GB, which would correlate with that price. This release will make an iPod available to people in any price range.
TheMacMind
Image by Robert Padbury
rpadbury@themacmind.com
Another Site with Flash iPod info. (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Now this is exciting but.... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:No screen? (Score:4, Informative)
Disclaimer: I am not an employee of Phatnoise, I'm just a very, very satisfied customer.
Re:Daring Fireball covered this (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Daring Fireball covered this (Score:4, Informative)
Re:So, is this how Apple Marketing Works? (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Daring Fireball covered this (Score:5, Informative)
However, having your iPod start to flake out an hour in is also a real downer, and I've experienced a lot of problems with them while running that I never experienced just playing them stationary or walking around. Everything from lockups and reboots, endless skipping, to playing with no sound. Usually a reset or a "timeout" where I hold it stationary does the trick, but I would probably agree that a hard drive based player is not ideal for running. The 10GB seemed to have the least problems among the lot.
I'm definitely in the market for a flash player.
Re:Daring Fireball covered this (Score:4, Informative)
Concept Image Mirror (Score:5, Informative)
TMM switched hosting companies recently, and they've taken us offline. We thought we could survive a slashdotting, alas, we cannot.
Here's a mirror of the image (hosted on .mac)
http://homepage.mac.com/dark_lotus/ipodflash.jpg [mac.com]
Official mirror for image (Score:2, Informative)
Re:So, is this how Apple Marketing Works? (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Daring Fireball covered this (Score:5, Informative)
The iPod suffers from the same problems any lithium battery-powered device does. If you use it certain ways, the battery will quickly die, the same as ANY MP3 player with that type of battery.
RE: hd players (Score:3, Informative)
I've lost a fair amount of data on my Sony camera's memory stick when it started going bad and quit saving things reliably on parts of it.
You can only rewrite/erase flash so many times before it fails, and from my observations - some cards out there fail long before they should.
Re:Sexist (Score:3, Informative)
I was with you right up to here (my mom was once denied a library card because she wasn't married and thus didn't have a man to guaruntee her penny a fucking day library fines).
Physical force only rarely, even in the bad old days, plays a role in the interaction between the sexes, and women are just as likely to apply it as men, to the extent that the shrew weilding a rolling pin is just as much a stereotype as a wifebeater.
My welder wife will also take me 10 out of 10 in arm wrestling and my aunt worked loading dock at the Post Office, one of the most back breaking jobs in existence.
Your statement is sexist. There is too much variation in individuals for it to be true, and thus also quite a bit of variation in the composition of tribal members/partners. There are also any number of examples of matriarchial societies.
It also cuts both ways. It's just as easy to say that men are stronger for the benefit of women as it is the other way around.
"Yo, Harry, go fetch me that mastadon!"
Squish!
"Oh, bummer. Oh, Thoooooooomas!"
Among the higher order animals the men may fight for mates, but it is the rule that women make the choice.
Leading to the inexorable conclusion that women have, over the millenia, bred men to be big, strong, stupid and pliable.
Every plan can backfire now and again. Be careful what you wish for.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have my knitting and spinning (seriously) to get back to. Go catch your own damned mastadon.
KFG
Re:Better place to wear your player (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Daring Fireball covered this (Score:5, Informative)
Actually that's completely wrong. Lithium batteries only have so many charge cycles, and it's better to leave them charged and drain them rarely. Your method was great for old batteries, but not new ones.
www.Apple.com/batteries/
Re:Daring Fireball covered this (Score:5, Informative)
*) High charge state in warm/hot conditions
*) Deep discharge cycles
*) Extreme discharge (not possible with most modern electronics - built in safety circuits prevent this)
Two generally recommended practices are:
1) Charge early and often. Keep the battery at close to full charge.
2) When storing the battery for long periods of time without use (more than several weeks), discharge to about 40% of capacity and store in a cold location. Avoid freezing the battery, but down to 40-50 degree F will help preserve the charge capacity.
The reason people see their laptop batteries fail quickly is because they keep high charge levels with high temperature for months on end. This will shorten the useful life dramatically.
Take it or leave it, but I work in the consumer electronics industry and deal with the technical issues related to Lithium-ion batteries frequently.
Re:*Phew* (Score:1, Informative)
at least it looks cool
well, you gotta have something, i guess