iPod as digital wallet.

tonton · October 17, 2003 10:53AM

This is an awesome feature! Now I don't have to take my PowerBook with me on a trip at all. Just bring my digital camera, iPod and the Belkin card reader, their respective power adapters and WHAM! Unlimited (almost) storage solution.

Looks like it's finally time to get that 20GB iPod.

The last remaining killer feature, of course, would be stereo recording on the fly. The Belkin voice recorder seems to be mono, and low bitrate. Not great for those concerts. Still need my MD for that, I guess.

firehc · October 17, 2003 9:14PM

couldnt agree with you more, tonton,

the last feature i wanted is here, time to get the 20G one,

but i was thinking instead of a card reader a connector to connect the DC (usb for most of the DC i suppose) to the dock, power by the DC (no extra batteries), and now it's the size of an iPod....hmm.... is this feasible? correct me if i m wrong!

maybe i'm just greedy.....

escher · October 19, 2003 1:00PM

I'm overjoyed that we can now use iPods to store digital images with the Belkin card reader. However, I am sorely disappointed by its design. It's twice the size of the iPod and only attaches to it by a cable "arm." So you're essetially carrying two devices connected by a cable. I was hoping for a reader that would attach to the iPod, kind of like the expansion jackets that came with early Pocket PCs.

Escher

grapegraphics · November 4, 2003 6:51PM

Geez, if they can make a Cardbus CP reader (as smal as what fits in the Cardbus slot) you'd think they could make a reader for the iPod at least twice or even three times that thickness... It could be designed to have the iPod slip into it like a pocket... could double as a case... ah, but power may be the issue... Firewire powers the card reader on the laptop... how much power consumption would a reader take?? i am sure it is possible... I can envision this...

Jb

eugene · November 4, 2003 6:55PM

The Belkin card reader is apparently slow as **** and really nasty on the iPod's battery...despite having its own power source...

matsu · November 4, 2003 8:07PM

That's neat, but if Apple wanted to, they could do it better, or let some third party in so they could do it even better!

How? With software and a Cable.

The Connector is already there and ready for USB1.1/2.0 and/or firewire. So if Apple could just write an appropriate little program to take advntage of mass storage protocols, you could get a little converter cable (for the smaller unpowered plugs in most cameras) and just plug in the camera, scroll down a menu to "wallet" and hit DL. Info transfers to the iPod, you erase the card using the cameras format feature, and you've instantly transfered all your "film" without ever removing and re-inserting any card. No fuss, no risk of loss, no dust, no risk of broken doors/port covers. Very slick, very Apple. So WTF is taking so long?

matsu · November 4, 2003 10:24PM

Are you so sure?

It needs a controller, yes, but not a "hardware" controller, the CPU could handle it so long as it can talk to the port.

USB mass storage protocols can be made to work with little overhead. The iPod has on it a CPU capable of decoding MP3, running an OS, playing games and managing a recording function. I'd say the horsepower is there for it to also run a driver for USB mass storage protocols.

grapegraphics · November 5, 2003 5:19AM

There is a controller of some sort built into the iPod... if not, we wouldn't be hearing music... The Firewire/USB(1.1-2.0) interface connects to the IDE drive internally... I believe the only hinderance would be the power supply... hence the iPODpocket idea... The shell of the pocket could house the electronics and slots for the memory cards and two AAA or AA batteries... or even put on another Firewire or USB connector for memory sticks...

Now, the problem lies in making it too easy to swap songs from iPod to iPod...

Jb

iPod as digital wallet.

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