It just makes too much sense. Apple has such a growing cadre of technologies they can do just about everything in house except add the Cell Phone support. The iPod needs to go "Smartphone" at the high end. The neverendin quest is to reduce the amount of gadgets a person has to carry around. iPods are great but if I have to carry my iPod, Cell Phone and PDA around eventually I'm going to naturally wish to find a way to combine one or more of my portable devices.
it doesn't make ANY sense. the iPod is awesome because of its industrial design and function. the design itself makes it functionally perfect. it is not designed to be a cell phone and if it were to be redesigned to be a cell phone then you would lose what makes it such a wonderful mp3 player.
the iPod does what it is suppose to better and more elegantly than any other device. Working to reduce price and enhance its original purpose(s) will go a hell of a lot further than adding cell phone capabilities. There isn't a neverending quest to combine gadgets, or at least cell phone and mp3 players. I don't want them joined. I change my cell phone every year, I don't change my iPod. I want my cell phone as small as possible and I want the features I want from any provider I want. a cell phone is a completely different beast than an iPod and the two are never to merge together. It doesn't make any sense at all
Not for transferring songs or the like. But to work with a mobile phone.
The t68i in the bottom of your timbuk2 back and your iPod in its case on your strap. When your mother calls the call is transferred to the headset of the iPod and the music is muted. When you have to call you use the contacts in the iPod to make the call. No need for two headsets (one for iPod and one for the phone). No need for ever getting to your phone except for recharging and no need for microwaves to fry your brain.
The iPod doesn´t need to be a phone but be the software gateway for the phone. I would love my phone to be a little box without a screen I could have somewhere within 10 feet but without the need to have hands on all the time.
it doesn't make ANY sense. the iPod is awesome because of its industrial design and function. the design itself makes it functionally perfect. it is not designed to be a cell phone and if it were to be redesigned to be a cell phone then you would lose what makes it such a wonderful mp3 player.
That's why I said "I don't advocate all the iPods offering this functionality" I realize that some people "just" want music. However don't belive the hype. The iPod is just a music player and people migrate to whatever gets them close to full iPod functionality cheaply. Todays articles praise the iPod but next years can damn it just as easy.
Quote:
a cell phone is a completely different beast than an iPod and the two are never to merge together. It doesn't make any sense at all
Not the most popular word from your post was "I" and that's all you need to be worried about. However "Smartphones" are a legit catagory with PDA/Phone hybrids sprouting like weeds. If the iPod is truly going to be a Platform then it needs to have depth. Apple cannot afford to stand flat footed here while the competition take the next step. Here's what I propose.
Base iPods- Music/Data storage only
20GB-$249.99
40GB-$399.99
iPod Extreme- Music/Data/PDA
20GB- $349.99
iPod Extreme Celly- Music/Data/PDA
30GB- $499.99
Those that prefer to "Componentize" their gadgets simply maintain their purchase of music/data only iPods. Those who need expanded functionality and the ability to run small apps can opt for the pda model.
Those who are Power Users can opt for the model with Cell Phone built in. They are unlikely to want to listen to just music but love the option of having everything in one device and are willing to pay the premium.
That is an iPod platform! Something that can attract users from many areas and actually entice a PC user with a music/data only iPod to seriously considering switching to take advantage of the pda or cell phone capabilities.
Not for transferring songs or the like. But to work with a mobile phone.
The t68i in the bottom of your timbuk2 back and your iPod in its case on your strap. When your mother calls the call is transferred to the headset of the iPod and the music is muted. When you have to call you use the contacts in the iPod to make the call. No need for two headsets (one for iPod and one for the phone). No need for ever getting to your phone except for recharging and no need for microwaves to fry your brain.
The iPod doesn´t need to be a phone but be the software gateway for the phone. I would love my phone to be a little box without a screen I could have somewhere within 10 feet but without the need to have hands on all the time.
That would be the next logic step.
I know that some Saab models have Bluetooh in the car allowing for wireless headsets. Thinking forward a bluetooth enabled device like the iPod could even stream music to a BT enabled head-unit.
PDA features could take advantage of IP over Firewire meaning now your apps from your iPod are on the network with little muss and fuss thanks to IP/FW and Rendezvous.
Apple has ALL the technologies to take the iPod Platform vertical. If they built it will people come? I for one would. I'm not a big phone chatter. I basically need a decent address book and your basic phone features and I'm happy. Very easy to supply IMHO.
Of course I would work my way up from a music/data iPod. With my lineup there's something for everyone. There's iPods for music lovers there's an iPod for those that want computing on the road without a Notebook. Then there's one for someone who doesn't want to juggle devices.
Not the most popular word from your post was "I" and that's all you need to be worried about. However "Smartphones" are a legit catagory with PDA/Phone hybrids sprouting like weeds. If the iPod is truly going to be a Platform then it needs to have depth. Apple cannot afford to stand flat footed here while the competition take the next step. Here's what I propose.
PDA/Cell phone makes sense. Cell phone/hard drive based MP3 player does not.
iPod does not need cell phone capabilities to become a platform. It already is a platform. Any features it has outside of playing music are just added benefits of the technologies it uses to serve its main purpose, playing music.
Apple can not afford to make the same stupid mistakes that everyone else makes by creating bloat and ruining the simplicity that makes iPod great.
Quote:
Those who are Power Users can opt for the model with Cell Phone built in. They are unlikely to want to listen to just music but love the option of having everything in one device and are willing to pay the premium.
no "power user" is going to want a brick that is a cell phone.
this cell phone connection i find completely bizarre. the iPod just does not translate to a cell phone.....at all. Video capabilities I could see, I doubt them, but at least they are logical. There is no need to make the iPod a cell phone.....and to be honest....I don't even hear any desire for that.
Apple makes single window apps that do their one purpose extremely well. They make digital devices that carry out their one purpose extremely well. Apple does not benefit from cell capabilites.
I know that some Saab models have Bluetooh in the car allowing for wireless headsets. Thinking forward a bluetooth enabled device like the iPod could even stream music to a BT enabled head-unit.
Holy Mackerel it looks like I'm not the only one looking for an Apple smartphone
Quote:
The Treo 600 showed some promise; that is, until I noticed that it doesn't include Bluetooth. And it doesn't exactly sync seamlessly with my data. I can pick apart every other device in that space too.
If I had a phone that synched via Bluetooth with my Address Book, iCal, and iPhoto -- and one that was software updateable so I wouldn't have to buy a new one six months up the road, I would buy it. Apple can bring some sanity to this market in the same way they brought sanity to digital music, laptop computing, Unix on the desktop, and consumer applications.
Coming from a Mac user who has yet to buy an iPod, here is what I want. A return to the 5gb model at a much smaller price for users like myself who do not need all of that storage space. And maybe throw in an am/fm tuner.
Coming from a Mac user who has yet to buy an iPod, here is what I want. A return to the 5gb model at a much smaller price for users like myself who do not need all of that storage space. And maybe throw in an am/fm tuner.
Yeah how about a 10GB for $199. Or if Apple is feeling quite randy $149. Man they'd fly off the shelves.
I really wouldn't be surprised if Apple released one larger iPod (60-80 Gig) and reintroduced the 5 Gig at a price point under $200. Of course, they'll wait until after Christmas.
Holy Mackerel it looks like I'm not the only one looking for an Apple smartphone
Right on Derrick!
um.....he didnt mention making one from an iPod anywhere and he didn't mention it being an MP3 player
apple can go ahead and make a phone. they wont make any money off of it but let them do it if they want to. but you are wrong in that it will be an iPod
this cell phone connection i find completely bizarre. the iPod just does not translate to a cell phone.....at all. Video capabilities I could see, I doubt them, but at least they are logical. There is no need to make the iPod a cell phone.....and to be honest....I don't even hear any desire for that.
I couldn't agree more, but I do have one wish for the next gen iPod that does have something to do with cell phones. I would love to see Apple include bluetooth into the iPod. Not for the normal reasons that you hear, "BT headphones, grab music from another iPod, ect" but so that when I get a call the iPod pauses the music. The iPod could also act as a bluetooth headset for the phone not the music.
That's just my selfish request and about the only thing that would make we want a new iPod.
I would like the ipod bluetooth enabled so that i can use my phone as a remote. If my ipod is in my pack or something, I always have my phone in my front pocket. Or if the pod is in its dock for my AV receiver, i could use my cell as a remote from the couch or kitchen. I think that's reasonable
iPod/cell phone - not interested... but then again, I am yet to succumb to a mobile phone.
iPod - needs to evolve to an iLife portal - be able to integrate seamlessly with other iapps, such as iPhoto. It does extremely well with iTunes, iCal, iSync and Address Book. Just whack a colour screen on there, and give me video out to show the images of my Photo Albums on a TV (Any ordinary digital camera can show the pictures, I want the iPod to have this capability and the smarts to keep track of the iPhoto albums as well.). Also, in the future, let it handle iMovie and even Keynote presentations. You could run your presentation off of it and also use it as a slide clicker.
Integrated Bluetooth would be cool to act as a cell phone gateway (as mentioned by Anders and hmurchison) and to even act as a DVD remote for your Mac (hey, great idea Mac+ ). But don't make the iPod into a cell phone. Yech!(chalk one up applenut)
Just make it the ultimate iLife Portable Organisational Device! iPod Extreme - I'd buy one of those! (chalk one up hmurchison)
I used a Tungsten T3 the other day. FOr the first time I'm starting to like a PDA. The screen really is rather useable. It folds down small and light, and you can actually read comfortably from it (for it's purposes). Even the built in mic isn't that bad.
The whole time I used it though, I thought this thing would be perfect with the iPod's HDD and firewire/USB charging/datasync system.
Comments
Originally posted by hmurchison
It just makes too much sense. Apple has such a growing cadre of technologies they can do just about everything in house except add the Cell Phone support. The iPod needs to go "Smartphone" at the high end. The neverendin quest is to reduce the amount of gadgets a person has to carry around. iPods are great but if I have to carry my iPod, Cell Phone and PDA around eventually I'm going to naturally wish to find a way to combine one or more of my portable devices.
it doesn't make ANY sense. the iPod is awesome because of its industrial design and function. the design itself makes it functionally perfect. it is not designed to be a cell phone and if it were to be redesigned to be a cell phone then you would lose what makes it such a wonderful mp3 player.
the iPod does what it is suppose to better and more elegantly than any other device. Working to reduce price and enhance its original purpose(s) will go a hell of a lot further than adding cell phone capabilities. There isn't a neverending quest to combine gadgets, or at least cell phone and mp3 players. I don't want them joined. I change my cell phone every year, I don't change my iPod. I want my cell phone as small as possible and I want the features I want from any provider I want. a cell phone is a completely different beast than an iPod and the two are never to merge together. It doesn't make any sense at all
Not for transferring songs or the like. But to work with a mobile phone.
The t68i in the bottom of your timbuk2 back and your iPod in its case on your strap. When your mother calls the call is transferred to the headset of the iPod and the music is muted. When you have to call you use the contacts in the iPod to make the call. No need for two headsets (one for iPod and one for the phone). No need for ever getting to your phone except for recharging and no need for microwaves to fry your brain.
The iPod doesn´t need to be a phone but be the software gateway for the phone. I would love my phone to be a little box without a screen I could have somewhere within 10 feet but without the need to have hands on all the time.
That would be the next logic step.
it doesn't make ANY sense. the iPod is awesome because of its industrial design and function. the design itself makes it functionally perfect. it is not designed to be a cell phone and if it were to be redesigned to be a cell phone then you would lose what makes it such a wonderful mp3 player.
That's why I said "I don't advocate all the iPods offering this functionality" I realize that some people "just" want music. However don't belive the hype. The iPod is just a music player and people migrate to whatever gets them close to full iPod functionality cheaply. Todays articles praise the iPod but next years can damn it just as easy.
a cell phone is a completely different beast than an iPod and the two are never to merge together. It doesn't make any sense at all
Not the most popular word from your post was "I" and that's all you need to be worried about. However "Smartphones" are a legit catagory with PDA/Phone hybrids sprouting like weeds. If the iPod is truly going to be a Platform then it needs to have depth. Apple cannot afford to stand flat footed here while the competition take the next step. Here's what I propose.
Base iPods- Music/Data storage only
20GB-$249.99
40GB-$399.99
iPod Extreme- Music/Data/PDA
20GB- $349.99
iPod Extreme Celly- Music/Data/PDA
30GB- $499.99
Those that prefer to "Componentize" their gadgets simply maintain their purchase of music/data only iPods. Those who need expanded functionality and the ability to run small apps can opt for the pda model.
Those who are Power Users can opt for the model with Cell Phone built in. They are unlikely to want to listen to just music but love the option of having everything in one device and are willing to pay the premium.
That is an iPod platform! Something that can attract users from many areas and actually entice a PC user with a music/data only iPod to seriously considering switching to take advantage of the pda or cell phone capabilities.
Originally posted by Anders
Bluetooth! The iPod needs bluetooth!
Not for transferring songs or the like. But to work with a mobile phone.
The t68i in the bottom of your timbuk2 back and your iPod in its case on your strap. When your mother calls the call is transferred to the headset of the iPod and the music is muted. When you have to call you use the contacts in the iPod to make the call. No need for two headsets (one for iPod and one for the phone). No need for ever getting to your phone except for recharging and no need for microwaves to fry your brain.
The iPod doesn´t need to be a phone but be the software gateway for the phone. I would love my phone to be a little box without a screen I could have somewhere within 10 feet but without the need to have hands on all the time.
That would be the next logic step.
I know that some Saab models have Bluetooh in the car allowing for wireless headsets. Thinking forward a bluetooth enabled device like the iPod could even stream music to a BT enabled head-unit.
PDA features could take advantage of IP over Firewire meaning now your apps from your iPod are on the network with little muss and fuss thanks to IP/FW and Rendezvous.
Apple has ALL the technologies to take the iPod Platform vertical. If they built it will people come? I for one would. I'm not a big phone chatter. I basically need a decent address book and your basic phone features and I'm happy. Very easy to supply IMHO.
Of course I would work my way up from a music/data iPod. With my lineup there's something for everyone. There's iPods for music lovers there's an iPod for those that want computing on the road without a Notebook. Then there's one for someone who doesn't want to juggle devices.
Not the most popular word from your post was "I" and that's all you need to be worried about. However "Smartphones" are a legit catagory with PDA/Phone hybrids sprouting like weeds. If the iPod is truly going to be a Platform then it needs to have depth. Apple cannot afford to stand flat footed here while the competition take the next step. Here's what I propose.
PDA/Cell phone makes sense. Cell phone/hard drive based MP3 player does not.
iPod does not need cell phone capabilities to become a platform. It already is a platform. Any features it has outside of playing music are just added benefits of the technologies it uses to serve its main purpose, playing music.
Apple can not afford to make the same stupid mistakes that everyone else makes by creating bloat and ruining the simplicity that makes iPod great.
Those who are Power Users can opt for the model with Cell Phone built in. They are unlikely to want to listen to just music but love the option of having everything in one device and are willing to pay the premium.
no "power user" is going to want a brick that is a cell phone.
this cell phone connection i find completely bizarre. the iPod just does not translate to a cell phone.....at all. Video capabilities I could see, I doubt them, but at least they are logical. There is no need to make the iPod a cell phone.....and to be honest....I don't even hear any desire for that.
Apple makes single window apps that do their one purpose extremely well. They make digital devices that carry out their one purpose extremely well. Apple does not benefit from cell capabilites.
Originally posted by hmurchison
I know that some Saab models have Bluetooh in the car allowing for wireless headsets. Thinking forward a bluetooth enabled device like the iPod could even stream music to a BT enabled head-unit.
bluetooth is apparently too slow.
The Treo 600 showed some promise; that is, until I noticed that it doesn't include Bluetooth. And it doesn't exactly sync seamlessly with my data. I can pick apart every other device in that space too.
If I had a phone that synched via Bluetooth with my Address Book, iCal, and iPhoto -- and one that was software updateable so I wouldn't have to buy a new one six months up the road, I would buy it. Apple can bring some sanity to this market in the same way they brought sanity to digital music, laptop computing, Unix on the desktop, and consumer applications.
Right on Derrick!
Originally posted by DanMacMan
Coming from a Mac user who has yet to buy an iPod, here is what I want. A return to the 5gb model at a much smaller price for users like myself who do not need all of that storage space. And maybe throw in an am/fm tuner.
Yeah how about a 10GB for $199. Or if Apple is feeling quite randy $149. Man they'd fly off the shelves.
Originally posted by hmurchison
Holy Mackerel it looks like I'm not the only one looking for an Apple smartphone
Right on Derrick!
um.....he didnt mention making one from an iPod anywhere and he didn't mention it being an MP3 player
apple can go ahead and make a phone. they wont make any money off of it but let them do it if they want to. but you are wrong in that it will be an iPod
Originally posted by applenut
this cell phone connection i find completely bizarre. the iPod just does not translate to a cell phone.....at all. Video capabilities I could see, I doubt them, but at least they are logical. There is no need to make the iPod a cell phone.....and to be honest....I don't even hear any desire for that.
I couldn't agree more, but I do have one wish for the next gen iPod that does have something to do with cell phones. I would love to see Apple include bluetooth into the iPod. Not for the normal reasons that you hear, "BT headphones, grab music from another iPod, ect" but so that when I get a call the iPod pauses the music. The iPod could also act as a bluetooth headset for the phone not the music.
That's just my selfish request and about the only thing that would make we want a new iPod.
iPod/cell phone - not interested... but then again, I am yet to succumb to a mobile phone.
iPod - needs to evolve to an iLife portal - be able to integrate seamlessly with other iapps, such as iPhoto. It does extremely well with iTunes, iCal, iSync and Address Book. Just whack a colour screen on there, and give me video out to show the images of my Photo Albums on a TV (Any ordinary digital camera can show the pictures, I want the iPod to have this capability and the smarts to keep track of the iPhoto albums as well.). Also, in the future, let it handle iMovie and even Keynote presentations. You could run your presentation off of it and also use it as a slide clicker.
Integrated Bluetooth would be cool to act as a cell phone gateway (as mentioned by Anders and hmurchison) and to even act as a DVD remote for your Mac (hey, great idea Mac+
Just make it the ultimate iLife Portable Organisational Device! iPod Extreme - I'd buy one of those!
The whole time I used it though, I thought this thing would be perfect with the iPod's HDD and firewire/USB charging/datasync system.