Is iPod an iTrojanHorse?
Since the day iPod was announced, I found the name itself to be somewhat odd.
But more importantly, we continue to see new technologies developing (while not yet implemented in iPod) that could easily begin to expand iPod into something else...perhaps the CENTER of the "digital hub" rather than just a spoke on the hub.
Let's take a little trip to "Fantasy Isle"...
iPod 2:
60GB
FW800
USB2
(larger) Color screen
Synching w/iPhoto - slide show capability
QuickTime player
Works w/iSight?
iPod 3:
Bluetooth
- synch wirelessly address book, calendar, etc.
(oh...gee...could my Apple Bluetooth keyboard and mouse talk to
this new iPod as input devices?)
iPod 4:
Safari Lite + Airport: mobile browsing?
Sync Safari bookmarks
iPod 5:
Running a more powerful OS? Open APIs for developers?
Who knows. The point here is that whether or not Apple be growing iPod into something that effectively becomes the center of a personal digital hub. Something that effectively is a new computer platform. Slowly...surely.
Thoughts?
But more importantly, we continue to see new technologies developing (while not yet implemented in iPod) that could easily begin to expand iPod into something else...perhaps the CENTER of the "digital hub" rather than just a spoke on the hub.
Let's take a little trip to "Fantasy Isle"...
iPod 2:
60GB
FW800
USB2
(larger) Color screen
Synching w/iPhoto - slide show capability
QuickTime player
Works w/iSight?
iPod 3:
Bluetooth
- synch wirelessly address book, calendar, etc.
(oh...gee...could my Apple Bluetooth keyboard and mouse talk to
this new iPod as input devices?)
iPod 4:
Safari Lite + Airport: mobile browsing?
Sync Safari bookmarks
iPod 5:
Running a more powerful OS? Open APIs for developers?
Who knows. The point here is that whether or not Apple be growing iPod into something that effectively becomes the center of a personal digital hub. Something that effectively is a new computer platform. Slowly...surely.
Thoughts?
Comments
while it is an digital music player/ HD/ address book, it is certainly open for more things.
maybe it will evolve into a pda...maybe not, certainly it is a trojan horse of sorts, in that, everyone loves it, and once they get their teeth in, they see apple in a new light.
Originally posted by Wrong Robust
[B
maybe it will evolve into a pda...[/B]
PDA?
How about evolving into your computer, and replacing your desktop or laptop?
Plus, she had the Address Book thing and she's also aware that it can hold iCal stuff.
I'm sure, over time, the iPod will acquire more functionality and features, via both software updates and hardware add-ons/peripherals.
From day one, the name "iPod" struck me as meaning "well, it's destined for more than just playing mp3s...otherwise, they would've given it a music-specific name".
It's DEFINITELY a trojan horse and is a great way to easily show the quality and elegance of Apple products to others who have no Mac experience.
After I get my laptop here soon, I will be purchasing the mid-range 20GB iPod for myself as soon as possible! Actually, I came THIS CLOSE to buying one today at Best Buy, but I want to see what happens on Tuesday with the PowerBooks and see what kinds of prices and so forth I have to look forward to on that end of things.
Didn't feel quite right dropping $400 today, considering...
no sales tax(for me at least) and I think they offer free shipping.
that's not a bad deal, 30 gigs, 3g, dock, carrying case, 1 year warranty all for cheaper than the 20 gig.
Originally posted by pscates
I never really "got" the iPod until just recently...a week or so ago. I knew what it did, of course.
It's DEFINITELY a trojan horse and is a great way to easily show the quality and elegance of Apple products to others who have no Mac experience.
I'm right there with you as far as not really "getting" it at first.
But since I took the plunge and got one, I 've never regretted it for a second.
In fact, I just bought one for each of my 2 sons for Christmas gifts.
I remember a thread a while back that a non-Mac user started after he bought an iPod, and stated that he finally "got it" as far as why mac users feel the way they do about the products.
I love to open an Apple product in front of a non-Apple user. They're always so impressed with the way everything is packaged.
So I have to agree totally with the trojan horse analogy.
Originally posted by ryukyu
PDA?
How about evolving into your computer, and replacing your desktop or laptop?
This is EXACTLY what I am thinking.
What the heck!! I know I am going to buy them - whatever they are - Hmm... time to burn some more bucks on apple...
there will no longer be standalone pdas within 3 years.
mobiles already have a growing array of pda functions including to do/ schedule/ a variety of kinds of addresses.
the screen on my mobile is 2.1 inches diagonal already.
it takes digital photos (with 1.3 megapixel camera)l it takes movies; it even has digital photo retouch software that is downloaded over the net; it has brew (and others have java); it can play mp3 (and other mobiles can already play mp4); other fones already have video fone transmissions built into them; and in korea they are beginning to stream movies to mobiles.
think about it; dramatic advances in hard disk capacity into smaller disks; in the future, we will download iTunes directly onto yr fone - this will be here sooner than we get colour screens onto an iPod.
its all been discussed before: jobs has foreseen the future, and he will not get into the fone business.
There's some great ideas there Chris, we all know Apple could implement those features well.
I think i'm going to try and get one for Christmas, save up a little.
I think the iPod is destined to be a Personal Organisation Device (as opposed to a PDA
C'mon, it can sync with iTunes, address book, to do lists, iCal and it can even be used for back-up now (Backup 2 beta).
I think Apple is slowly adding to the functionality of this device so that it can become a portable extension of the Mac digital hub experience. Seriously, I don't expect 40G HD sizes are just for Music.
I personally won't spring for an iPod until it gets a colour screen and complete integration with one other iApp, namely: iPhoto.
(Ridiculous thought and *long shot*: Maybe it will be possible to show brief iMovies on your iPod in a few years time! Heck, they can do it already with Media Player on Palm devices I believe!)
I could also see the iPod as being a great way to integrate with your .Mac account - storing email, and perhaps those iPhoto based web pages... if only to show one photo at a time.
I also like Matsu's idea (if I remember correctly) where he likened the iPod to being a digital wallet. I think he proposed the concept of being able to download images directly from your digital camera to free up memory card space. Now that would be a handy feature too!.
Oh well, ... wait and dream.
I just plunged right in with this thread and didn't read Chris's initial post in enough detail.
Good proposals!
(Personally, I'd like to see iPod 2-4 as one super iPod unit... then I'd buy for sure!)
Originally posted by Mac+
Whoops
I just plunged right in with this thread and didn't read Chris's initial post in enough detail.
Good proposals!
(Personally, I'd like to see iPod 2-4 as one super iPod unit... then I'd buy for sure!)
I think it will be one unit the "2-4" was intended to indicate the generational evolution of the product. I pray there will never be an "iPod 2". Just iPod. But clearly they will ahve to evolve it along some path. This one seems as reasonable as any.
It would be interesting to see iPhoto get ported to Windows too. After all, much like iTunes being "just another QuickTime application" isn't iPhoto basically "just another QuickTime application" too?
So now you have iPod, iTunes, iPhoto and QuickTime all working with (running on) Windows. All linked (quite elegantly) to this nifty little "iPod" device...perhaps with its own peripherals.
It starts looking a lot like Apple is slowly but surely shifting the emphasis from the thing that sits on your desk (or on your lap for that matter) to the thing that sits in your shirt pocket.
Arguably, this is a path that Palm and Windows CE devices are taking as well. We'll see how it all plays out.
We all know how the story finishes, the rest is future history!
<div class="quote-block">
<i>Originally posted by IQatEdo </i><br />
<b>The Trojan War began when prince Paris of Troy (Gates of Microsoft) abducted the beautiful Helen (GUI experience), wife of Menelaus (Jobs) of Sparta (the free world). Menelaus persuaded his brother Agamemnon (Apple) to lead an army against Troy. Great Greek heroes including Achilles (John Sculley) and Odysseus (Mike Markulla) took to the field of battle but to no avail. After years of fighting (an epic) and appearing to give up thoughts of winning (%), the Greeks sailed away (Opendoc, Taligent etc). They left a parting gift for the Trojans (and the free world) to enjoy, a beautiful wooden horse (iPod) as testiment to their skill as craftsmen and as a token of their good sportsmanship. However, hidden within the Trojan Horse was one of their greatest, most skillful warriors (Jonathan Ive) and his companions (the Apple design team). After the Trojans had accepted the gift (iPod for Windows), had become drowsy (Windows XP etc) and nodded off (insert your MS favourite story here), the brave Greeks quietly opened the city gates, allowing Greece (the free world) to enter and overcome the Trojans.<br />
<br />
We all know how the story finishes, the rest is future history! <img src="/images/smilies/1smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="aSmile" class="inlineimg" /> </b>
</div>
</div>
<br><b><font color="red">[size=large]<img src="/images/smilies/lol.gif" border="0" alt="" title="LOL" class="inlineimg" /><img src="/images/smilies/lol.gif" border="0" alt="" title="LOL" class="inlineimg" /><img src="/images/smilies/lol.gif" border="0" alt="" title="LOL" class="inlineimg" /> That was absolutely brilliant!!</font></b>[/size] <img src="/images/smilies/1biggrin.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Big Grin" class="inlineimg" /> <img src="/images/smilies/1biggrin.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Big Grin" class="inlineimg" /> <img src="/images/smilies/1biggrin.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Big Grin" class="inlineimg" />
The Trojan War began when prince Paris of Troy (Gates of Microsoft) abducted the beautiful Helen (GUI experience), wife of Menelaus (Jobs) of Sparta (the enlightened ones). Menelaus persuaded his brother Agamemnon (Apple) to lead an army against Troy. Great Greek heroes including Achilles (John Sculley) and Odysseus (Mike Markulla) took to the field of battle but to no avail. After years of fighting (an epic) and appearing to give up thoughts of winning (%), the Greeks sailed away (Opendoc, Taligent etc). They left a parting gift for the Trojans (and the free world) to enjoy, a beautiful wooden horse (iPod) as testiment to their skill as craftsmen and as a token of their good sportsmanship. However, hidden within the Trojan Horse was one of their greatest, most skillful warriors (Jonathan Ive) and his companions (the Apple design team). After the Trojans had accepted the gift (iPod for Windows), had become drowsy (Windows XP etc) and nodded off (insert your favourite MS story here), the brave Greeks quietly opened the city gates, allowing Greece (the free world) to enter and overcome the Trojans.
We all know how the story finishes, the rest is future history!
Originally posted by IQatEdo
A correction to a couple of typos.
The Trojan War began when prince Paris of Troy (Gates of Microsoft) abducted the beautiful Helen (GUI experience), wife of Menelaus (Jobs) of Sparta (the enlightened ones). Menelaus persuaded his brother Agamemnon (Apple) to lead an army against Troy. Great Greek heroes including Achilles (John Sculley) and Odysseus (Mike Markulla) took to the field of battle but to no avail. After years of fighting (an epic) and appearing to give up thoughts of winning (%), the Greeks sailed away (Opendoc, Taligent etc). They left a parting gift for the Trojans (and the free world) to enjoy, a beautiful wooden horse (iPod) as testiment to their skill as craftsmen and as a token of their good sportsmanship. However, hidden within the Trojan Horse was one of their greatest, most skillful warriors (Jonathan Ive) and his companions (the Apple design team). After the Trojans had accepted the gift (iPod for Windows), had become drowsy (Windows XP etc) and nodded off (insert your favourite MS story here), the brave Greeks quietly opened the city gates, allowing Greece (the free world) to enter and overcome the Trojans.
We all know how the story finishes, the rest is future history!
I think that the iPod is if anything a trojan horse for iTMS on PC. And I think that this was thought up after the fact. Remember, the iPod wasn't a PC device at first, this was something that was added on afterwards.
I do think that Apple has come to view the iPod as a trojan to infiltrage the PC market, but not to produce lots of Mac sales, but to hook people on iTMS.
So here is what you should look for: bundling.
If Apple bundles an iPod, iTMS and say the first twenty songs are free, then you know that Apple is trying to invade the PC desktop (I think that Apple should make iTunes PC free, or risk going the way of Netscape- after all, iTMS pays for itself).