The Future of the iPod
Now this may have been said before, but it occured to me the obvious future intended for the iPod. First let me say I do not think this will make it into Mondays release.
But iPod now is a vehicle for iTunes. Just imagine it as a vehicle for all iLife apps (save for iDVD). When you plug iPod into computer is syncs not only your iTunes library, but your iPhoto libabry and iMovie or movies folder (Quicktime not DV formats).
So as you are about town, you can listen to your music and show anyone pictures of your latest trip or the movie you made from it.
I think all this is currently technically feasable. Two bariers are cost and hard drive size which really is cost. The color screen needed would be a big price increase, and hard drives big enough to hold music and movies and pictures.
Anyhow this is what I see as the future of the iPod- not a PDA.
But iPod now is a vehicle for iTunes. Just imagine it as a vehicle for all iLife apps (save for iDVD). When you plug iPod into computer is syncs not only your iTunes library, but your iPhoto libabry and iMovie or movies folder (Quicktime not DV formats).
So as you are about town, you can listen to your music and show anyone pictures of your latest trip or the movie you made from it.
I think all this is currently technically feasable. Two bariers are cost and hard drive size which really is cost. The color screen needed would be a big price increase, and hard drives big enough to hold music and movies and pictures.
Anyhow this is what I see as the future of the iPod- not a PDA.
Comments
Originally posted by salmonstk
Now this may have been said before, but it occured to me the obvious future intended for the iPod. First let me say I do not think this will make it into Mondays release.
But iPod now is a vehicle for iTunes. Just imagine it as a vehicle for all iLife apps (save for iDVD). When you plug iPod into computer is syncs not only your iTunes library, but your iPhoto libabry and iMovie or movies folder (Quicktime not DV formats).
So as you are about town, you can listen to your music and show anyone pictures of your latest trip or the movie you made from it.
I think all this is currently technically feasable. Two bariers are cost and hard drive size which really is cost. The color screen needed would be a big price increase, and hard drives big enough to hold music and movies and pictures.
Anyhow this is what I see as the future of the iPod- not a PDA.
I think that you are probably right. The iPod is perfect for being that device and we may see that when the HD sizes of the iPod are in the 40, maybe, 50 or 60 GB range. I was thinking the exact thing and I'm sure that this has probably crossed Apple's mind as well.
Originally posted by salmonstk
Now this may have been said before, but it occured to me the obvious future intended for the iPod. First let me say I do not think this will make it into Mondays release.
But iPod now is a vehicle for iTunes. Just imagine it as a vehicle for all iLife apps (save for iDVD). When you plug iPod into computer is syncs not only your iTunes library, but your iPhoto libabry and iMovie or movies folder (Quicktime not DV formats).
So as you are about town, you can listen to your music and show anyone pictures of your latest trip or the movie you made from it.
I think all this is currently technically feasable. Two bariers are cost and hard drive size which really is cost. The color screen needed would be a big price increase, and hard drives big enough to hold music and movies and pictures.
Anyhow this is what I see as the future of the iPod- not a PDA.
Technically feasible, don't doubt it. Watching movies on a screen that small, not worth it in my opinion.
Originally posted by iBrowse
Technically feasible, don't doubt it. Watching movies on a screen that small, not worth it in my opinion.
Remember this is like a wallet for pictures and movies. Not to watch a DVD, but to show someone a quick iMovie of your vacation and some pictures.
Now, my predictions on what we'll see on Monday.
Probable:
3 new models, 10, 20 and 30 Gig. Larger screen. Thinner case. Backlit buttons. Dock. Dual Use (Win/Mac).
[B]The iPod will remain a music machine. Video will come along with another device.
I think some of you are confusing my "video" ideas. i don't think the iPod will become a DVD player or any serious video machine. But as hard drives get bigger, why not use that space to carry abound your latest movie and pictures to show friends at work etc. Like pictures in a wallet.
Originally posted by salmonstk
I think some of you are confusing my "video" ideas. i don't think the iPod will become a DVD player or any serious video machine. But as hard drives get bigger, why not use that space to carry abound your latest movie and pictures to show friends at work etc. Like pictures in a wallet.
That's possible with the current iPods. You just can't show it on the IPod's screen.
Quote:
I think some of you are confusing my "video" ideas. i don't think the iPod will become a DVD player or any serious video machine. But as hard drives get bigger, why not use that space to carry abound your latest movie and pictures to show friends at work etc. Like pictures in a wallet.
haha because people don't want to have to pay an extra $50-$150 dollars to be able to have pictures on their iPod
i definatly dont think there is a big enough demand for it
as for the screen size (hopefully it gets a bit bigger and color too, but)...have the iPod cable connect to TVs or computers to see larger and have the screen on the iPod for looking at when no tv nor computer is near by...not great for watching a hollywood movie, but fine to have a friend or co-worker preview...hell, when apple streams it's web events i have a 2 by 2 image of that on my computer and i am more than happy cuz i get to see choppy images of stevie drinking water...
g
Originally posted by thegelding
hell, when apple streams it's web events i have a 2 by 2 image of that on my computer and i am more than happy cuz i get to see choppy images of stevie drinking water...
LOL
Originally posted by ast3r3x
haha because people don't want to have to pay an extra $50-$150 dollars to be able to have pictures on their iPod
i definatly dont think there is a big enough demand for it
Well, you're wrong there. I had sever people ask (when I worked at an Apple reseller) if they could use an iPod to save their digital images from a camera, instead of the CF card. Quite a few people would love to run a USB cable from their camera to their iPod, and let it store each image instead of swapping cards.
I think this is a swell idea. I even mocked something up a few months ago.
But the kicker is that firewire port, firewire is good, especially for HHD devices and charging, BUT for a digital wallet it's the pits. It MUST HAVE USB to be of any use in the digital camera scene, right or wrong, that's the way it has to be.
Some will say that you don't need USB because you can put the photo's on your computer and use the iPod as a transfer/display device. But that is precisely the most USELESS application of a digital wallet. You want to have it to drop pics directly from your digital camera to the pod, so you can keep shooting. Flash mem isn't keeping up with even prosumer file sizes, an iPod that doubles as a digital wallet is the perfect accessory for amateur and pro photographers alike. The screen is stricly to review what shots you've got, quick searches, etc etc, definitely NOT for sharing/displaying.
Such an update would be fairly cheap to implement, and incredibly functional, but firewire is standing in the way. Either Apple needs to add a USB port or some sort of USB to firewire bridge or hybrid firewire plus USB port (and you carry the appropriate dongle)
But it could - and should - also act as sort of a neat "wallet" or display-oriented thing as well, for the photos you have that have been retouched, cropped, corrected, etc.
It could do both:
- act as a temp holding place (letting you do quick previews or searches, like Matsu said)
and
- when you've made them all pretty in iPhoto or Photoshop, you can transfer them back on, put them in little albums (like iPhoto) and show them to buddies, co-workers, classmates, the hooker you woke up nex...
Being on a music-oriented device like the iPod, people might even like a function that - in addition to any sort of abstract visuals like iTunes has - maybe some sort of crossfading "slideshow" thing could be implemented. As you're sitting at your desk on riding the bus or hanging out in the park, you can listen to Korn and watch a cute array of photos from your nephew's fourth birthday party. If you were so inclined.
The possibilities are endless, cool and pretty much "there".
That's why I STILL believe the iPod was given such an open, generic (in other words, non-music-specific) name: Apple knew, from the get-go, that this would ultimately be more than just an mp3 player.
That's my take on it, anyway.
I'd just like to add some thoughts on the digital wallet idea that's been presented here, from the point of view of a digital camera owner...
I've recently bought a Canon 10D, 6.3 megapixel DSLR, and in the top quality JPEG mode, the files are around 2.2MB each - if you use the RAW mode, they are even bigger (6.6MB!!!). So having a digital wallet type device would be really useful, giving me the ability to store (potentially) thousands of images - great for use on holiday
As far as connections go, the existing firewire port could be used on the top end DSLR's as they're firewire equipped, but like Matsu said, you would need a USB port for the majority of cameras out there. However, the best option (as I see it, anyway
As for the suggestion about connecting the iPod straight to the camera to replace the storage device, this would be useful in some situations. However, I think that most people wouldn't want an extra cable connecting the camera to the iPod, as it would get in the way
Viewing images on the iPod display wouldn't (IMHO
So what I'd like to see in an iPod update would be (from the digital camera point of view):
1) compact flash card port (or a firewire adaptor for specific card types)
2) The ability to check files after transfer. A simple file list would do the job, but the ability to check the pictures, even at small size, would also be cool.
If Apple could include those features on the current iPod's, I'd get one. For the cost, it's about the same as the other digital wallet solutions that are available now, plus you could put music on there too 8). If they were to make some more changes in addition to the features above (colour screen, larger HD, lower cost
I think that should just about cover it
Cheers,
Dave.
Card readers? The only problem with this is that there are about 6 different formats out there. Still, this could potentially be solved with a type of firewire connected flip over case. In the flip over portion you would have the different slots down both sides. It might even be possible to retrofit old iPods, but no color viewing, strictly storage in that case.
I think it simpler to just have both a USB and firewire, or some kind of hybrid port and be done with it. Also, you wouldn't have to take the card out of your camera, just connect a Cable, dump the contents and keep shooting. OTOH, the slot idea would let you quickly change cards (if you have a second card) and worry about DL'ing later. You could even sell different versions of the wallet cover to hold specifically one or two card types rather than all 6. My bro has this neat littl card sized holder that holds 6 SD cards (3 down each side) so he can swap one out and have them all in one holder.
I think the two port solution is the Most Apple, as it's the cleanest and requires the least amount of appendages.
Card readers, picures in viewer etc. will make the iPod something very different than it is today. Different as in not as good.
A place to dump the data from firewire equipped cameras etc. could be implemented without any hardware hacks (Can´t it be done today already? Isn´t firewire supposed to work without a computer in either end?) so perhaps they will do that.
Besides if they release a new iPod tomorrow wouldn´t it be counterproductive to let it do all sorts of things when the main thing is the music service? I know it isn´t the geek thing to think about marketing and cleaness in design but Apple is more about these things than geekiness.
Pscates: LOVE your concept. Especially the navigation and the small dock. You press menu and then use the wheel to choose the function right?. But it needs to look less like a Nokia 3650 and more like current iPod.
The HD of the iPod still puts limitations on how much load you can put it through. There is a reason why you can´t use your iPod as a start up disc anymore. To flip through pictures that are over 2-3 Mb will put it under as much stress as 30 minutes of MP3 listening.
Originally posted by Anders the White
Card readers, picures in viewer etc. will make the iPod something very different than it is today. Different as in not as good.
A place to dump the data from firewire equipped cameras etc. could be implemented without any hardware hacks (Can´t it be done today already? Isn´t firewire supposed to work without a computer in either end?) so perhaps they will do that.
Yep, except that firewire cameras are rare (expensive) pieces. For it to have any kind of consumer appeal it needs to be able to store images from a USB camera. A color screen is a cheap upgrade. Plenty of OLED phones out there have more than suitable screens, just a small preview screen basically.
I could see Apple putting a firewire port on the top (as it is now) and a USB port on the bottom. Then you could have music and a digital wallet in one small sleek device. I agree that a card reader would be very un-Apple and not too good. But a low power OLED color screen wouldn't hurt funtionality or price at all.
I agree that it would be simplest if you could just connect the camera to the iPod and dowload from there. My suggestion for the card reader came from the fact that the exisiting digital wallets I've seen use the card slot idea, so I just extended that across. Thinkng about it, the card reader doesn't really fit in with the original iPod idea I guess. The key feature for me would be the ability to somehow get images from the camera to the iPod - I'm not too worried about how it's done, as long as I can get them in there so I can clear the card and keep shooting
Cheers,
Dave.