Why the "minipod" is not going to happen:

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  • Reply 21 of 73
    pbg3pbg3 Posts: 211member
    Honestly, who the f*** has 100GB's of music? There has to be a point where the harddrive size needs to stop increasing, and more features start getting added to the product. I know a lot of people would rather have built in radio, screen on remote etc...than a 100GB harddrive.
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  • Reply 22 of 73
    Quote:

    Originally posted by PBG3

    Honestly, who the f*** has 100GB's of music? There has to be a point where the harddrive size needs to stop increasing, and more features start getting added to the product. I know a lot of people would rather have built in radio, screen on remote etc...than a 100GB harddrive.



    That's absolutely true. Removable batteries, out-of-the-box voice recording, iSight connectivity, etc.
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  • Reply 23 of 73
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by @homenow

    I see no problems with releasing a lower capacity, lower priced iPod.



    The problem would be that it wouldn´t be cheaper for Apple to produce.
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  • Reply 24 of 73
    bigcbigc Posts: 1,224member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by PBG3

    Honestly, who the f*** has 100GB's of music? There has to be a point where the harddrive size needs to stop increasing, and more features start getting added to the product. I know a lot of people would rather have built in radio, screen on remote etc...than a 100GB harddrive.



    I have a 120GB of music, but I also carry my iPod as a backup of my Home HD for my PB when I'm working in the field. I CCC my complete HD with Apps and all which takes up about 25GB. Before I used to (actually still do) carry a 120GB FW drive as a second back-up with me but that is not always possible when traveling by plane. A bigger iPod would allow me to bring my music Library with me also (i.e., one for music, one for files).



    For me, I'm not interested in a smaller iPod.
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  • Reply 25 of 73
    sunreinsunrein Posts: 138member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by PBG3

    Honestly, who the f*** has 100GB's of music? There has to be a point where the harddrive size needs to stop increasing, and more features start getting added to the product. I know a lot of people would rather have built in radio, screen on remote etc...than a 100GB harddrive.





    I'm positive that I've potentially got well over 200 GB of music in my CD collection, but I don't think I'd necessarily need to cart it around in a single device. Of course, just wait until they come out with something like that and I'll probably come a running. I'm such a good little consumer... it's sad really.
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  • Reply 26 of 73
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Hobbes 2GB miniPod, $149. 4GB miniPod, $199. Range of colors.



    Clarify, please? Is this honest-to-goodness, true hardcore inside info...or delusional spouting off and postcount-padding?







    If it IS true, inside info (congrats for being so "in the loop", BTW), who in the hell would ever buy the 2GB for that price, when $50 more doubles your capacity?



    If the 2GB cost $99, then yeah...I could see.







    Although I guess that may be the point, right? Sell the living crap out of the 4GB and just let the 2GB act as bait, and only actually produce about 12 of them worldwide?



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  • Reply 27 of 73
    Quote:

    Originally posted by tompage



    Now that online music sales are taking off, digital music portfolios will graduate away from unprotected MP3s to either WMA or AAC. Once a user has a significant collection of one or the other, he or she is very unlikely to buy an MP3 player that does not work with that format.





    This is the most important point of this whole discussion.



    They way DRM is working now you can't sell your music to someone else, or transfer it to a different format. Switching formats once you're heavily invested will be out of the question for most people. Once you have a customer they are likely to be a customer for life.



    This is why Apple needs to grab as many iTMS customers as they can right now. Even if Apple lowers their average margin on iPods, it's worth it because that customer will buy songs, and more iPods down the road.



    I see the Pepsi giveaway and the miniPod as being closely linked. Both will probably ship in February, and both are bait to hook potentially life-long customers.



    Personally I think that we're going to need some legislation laying out more fair use rights because of this issue. You should be able to sell your songs and transfer them to a different player. I don't think consumers will put up with lock-in for long, and I'm also worried that the WMA pack will slam Apple on this... and that it'll work.
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  • Reply 28 of 73
    @homenow@homenow Posts: 998member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pscates



    Although I guess that may be the point, right? Sell the living crap out of the 4GB and just let the 2GB act as bait, and only actually produce about 12 of them worldwide?







    I don't think Apple ever learned that lesson, though it works great for Car dealers. Ever look for one of the "Advertised" models? They never have them on the lot, just ones with more features. It works for them.
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  • Reply 29 of 73
    For me, a smaller iPod 128meg to 1gig would be perfect for what I want my music for. Working out. I run and lift weights... No way am I going to risk shock damage to a larger iPod, and the larger ones, so times get in the way of my exercises when I'm using free weights. Plus I don't need 10 gigs of music for an hour work out. I would gladly have a larger iPod, and a smaller one. Also, I have roughly 450gigs of Music. All WAV format and ripped from Vinyl.
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  • Reply 30 of 73
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Hobbes

    2GB miniPod, $149. 4GB miniPod, $199. Range of colors.



    Either:



    1. Apple will produce a flash memory based device (256MB) at say $249 or $199 designed to play Apple's AAC formatted music.



    OR:



    2. Apple will produce a mini iPod based around the new 1-inch Toshiba microdrives. These will have lower capacities than their larger siblings. Possibly starting at 1.5GB and costing $249 or $199.



    I expect that the iPod line to eventually migrate to the smaller drive size/format, so I'm sure that No.2 is surely in the cards at some point in time. What is more interesting is if Apple will persue the flash memory player market. i.e. No.1.



    We shall all find out I guess in a few days
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  • Reply 31 of 73
    Quote:

    Originally posted by gcarswell

    1. When the original ipod came out, Jobs said Apple looked at the marketplace of MP3 players and decided they could add significant value and differentiate themselves by going with a non-flash based, high quality, large capacity player. This they did, but introducing the type of low cost, flash-based (or small HD based) player that everyone is speculating about goes back directly on their original intention.



    And here's what Steve Jobs said at his kenote when introducing the iMac G4 with the LCD screen. "The CRT is dead".



    Then only a few months later, the eMac popped up, (though Apple weren't planning on designing a CRT Mac, demand from schools made it happen).



    So, what someone saysisn't necessarily a good reason. m.
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  • Reply 32 of 73
    As the days pass by, I'm sorta leaning to think that miniPods will be flash-based. I just don't think they'll be able to pull it off with HDs and still make them cheap enough to justify not purchasing a regular iPod instead.



    Just a gut feeling. \



    I think I've just spent too much time on the subject.
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  • Reply 33 of 73
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by monkeyastronaut

    As the days pass by, I'm sorta leaning to think that miniPods will be flash-based.



    No they are rumour driven.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by monkeyastronaut

    I just don't think they'll be able to pull it off with HDs and still make them cheap enough to justify not purchasing a regular iPod instead.



    You are halfway there.



    What can Apple offer that will justify them making a flash based iPod? Nothing! What makes the iPod superiour?



    -The size. Don´t want them smaller than the current small flash players.

    -Extra functions, like doubling as boot disk, home folder etc. Needs a HD to have any meaning.

    -Great navigation system. No need if you only have 50 songs on the player AND it needs a large screen, making the idea of a small player moot.



    Instead Apple should do what they are about to: Add features to the original iPod to justify its steep price tag.
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  • Reply 34 of 73
    rhumgodrhumgod Posts: 1,289member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by monkeyastronaut

    As the days pass by, I'm sorta leaning to think that miniPods will be flash-based. I just don't think they'll be able to pull it off with HDs and still make them cheap enough to justify not purchasing a regular iPod instead.



    Why does everyone think that flash-based means cheaper? It is the other way around, people. Currently, a 1G flash card (not flash-based DRIVE) retails for ~$299.00. How is Apple going to put that in a minipod and sell it for less?
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  • Reply 35 of 73
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Rhumgod

    Why does everyone think that flash-based means cheaper? It is the other way around, people. Currently, a 1G flash card (not flash-based DRIVE) retails for ~$299.00. How is Apple going to put that in a minipod and sell it for less?



    They don't have to bundle the 1G flash card with the player. So they can actually sell it for less. It can be done. Here's hoping they prove me wrong and pull out an amazing, affordable, miniPod with a HD.
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  • Reply 36 of 73
    Quote:

    Originally posted by monkeyastronaut

    They don't have to bundle the 1G flash card with the player. So they can actually sell it for less. It can be done. Here's hoping they prove me wrong and pull out an amazing, affordable, miniPod with a HD.



    I'm guessing that's the exact route they will be taking, actually. Apple should and I think could roll out an iPod with all the same fucntionality as the original 5 GB iPod and sell it for 100 dollars.
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  • Reply 37 of 73
    rhumgodrhumgod Posts: 1,289member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by monkeyastronaut

    They don't have to bundle the 1G flash card with the player. So they can actually sell it for less. It can be done. Here's hoping they prove me wrong and pull out an amazing, affordable, miniPod with a HD.



    You mean, basically, an empty minipod? Huh?!



    Quote:

    Originally posted by monkeyastronaut

    As the days pass by, I'm sorta leaning to think that miniPods will be flash-based.



    Ok, so which is it, flash-based or HD?
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  • Reply 38 of 73
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Rhumgod

    You mean, basically, an empty minipod? Huh?!







    Ok, so which is it, flash-based or HD?




    Yup, I mean an empty miniPod, so it can be cheap. I know, that sucks. All flash-based mini players have built in memory or a card bundled in.



    I think it will be flash-based. However, that's just my uneducated guess. As I said, I'm hoping they prove me wrong. HD iPods are great the way they are.
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  • Reply 39 of 73
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    It could be one that took both types of cards, both HD and flash medias.



    But then it would only add "pc-like hack" to the huge number of reasons why Apple won´t do anything less than the current low end iPod.
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  • Reply 40 of 73
    Quote:

    Originally posted by PBG3

    Honestly, who the f*** has 100GB's of music? There has to be a point where the harddrive size needs to stop increasing, and more features start getting added to the product. I know a lot of people would rather have built in radio, screen on remote etc...than a 100GB harddrive.



    Exactly...



    (Heck, I've got a 120GB HD, and I've barely used a quarter of it for my entire comp!!)
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