iPod password & other future features?

giaguara · February 10, 2003 5:23AM

What will or would you like as features in the future iPods?

I wonder if e.g. a password could be implemented to it = you couldn't use ipod unless you identify yourself. I don't know how the password could be typed, maybe choosing letters or numbers from the list like when browsing with the pod.. something that the mobile phones have had for ages and they still have, even when they cost less than an ipod. Having the serial visible is nice - especially if you have 2 or 3 ipods of the same size in the same house, but .. has anyone seen any password protection or similar in an ipod?

I'd also like to add things to the address book - if that browse-typing (choosing letter to letter..) would work, i guess i'd use the address book more. Now that's often still on paper.

costique · February 10, 2003 5:47AM

Why should I want to protect songs on my MP3 player with a password?

I am sure iPod has to get cheaper instead of getting crazy features. Down with the address book!

Low-end model: as it is, just cheaper.

Mid-range one may get either FM radio or recording capabilities.

High-end iPod should become a digital recorder and get either FM radio or file sharing.

No video on 3-inch monitor!!!

spin · February 10, 2003 5:58AM

[quote]Originally posted by Mulattabianca:

<strong>What will or would you like as features in the future iPods?

I wonder if e.g. a password could be implemented to it = you couldn't use ipod unless you identify yourself. I don't know how the password could be typed, maybe choosing letters or numbers from the list like when browsing with the pod.. something that the mobile phones have had for ages and they still have, even when they cost less than an ipod. Having the serial visible is nice - especially if you have 2 or 3 ipods of the same size in the same house, but .. has anyone seen any password protection or similar in an ipod?

I'd also like to add things to the address book - if that browse-typing (choosing letter to letter..) would work, i guess i'd use the address book more. Now that's often still on paper.</strong><hr></blockquote>

iPod to iPod communication, even though I know this will never happen. Many times I want to trade files (maybe not even songs, iPod is sort of the new medium of the sneakernet) and I always have to bring along an iBook to make sure to be able to grab files from my buddies iPod.

Better battery life and indication. My iPod's battery life is down to about 4 hours now, and the indicator reads full for about 3h30m of that time, then drains to zero in the last 30 minutes.

AAC support, along with misc other codecs.

I don't care about video at all. I think playing video on an iPod is sort of a kooky idea.

My biggest complaint with the UI is that I tend to jump around in songs. I'll start it playing, jump forward , jump back, or whatever. The problem is that sometimes I misjudge the amount of time that the UI stays in "scrolling through song" mode and jumps back to the volume mode. At least once a day I blast my eardrums out when I inadvertently set volume to max when I really wanted to skip forward in a song. I would like this fixed, somehow.

The ability to display text files stored on the iPod could come in handy now and then.

An iPod SDK would be VERY nice. Myself and pretty much all of my developer friends have wanted little utilites that would be easy to write for the iPod but there seems to be no SDK.

stunned · February 10, 2003 9:04AM

I dun think I would want a password function. Its troublesome.

But I really hope for a FM/AM tuner. Its nice to listen to radio once in a while. And of course, listen in to lottery results.

whoami · February 10, 2003 10:04AM

i just want audio in...

i could care less about anything else being added!

jared · February 10, 2003 10:19AM

It would be easy to implament a password interface. Just think of what kind of locks the lockers in high schools use. You would have 000 then you would use the scroll wheel and it will change the first number, press the middle button, goes to the next number do the same, so on and so on

lungaretta · February 10, 2003 11:19AM

most importantly, removing that annoying half second silence between tracks!

second support for Ogg Vorbis.

oh and a proper fix to the 'battery' problem.

this could all be achieved with a software/firmware update and would make SO many people happy.

macman424 · February 10, 2003 1:01PM

I think you should be able to view the composer while playing. You can browse by them, but not view.

imacfan · February 11, 2003 6:22AM

A password doesn't really matter if you are just using MP3z, but if you want to protect personal files, contact info or appointments, then it would make the iPod that extra little bit more secure. It's not like you would HAVE to have it on...

David

myahmac · February 11, 2003 1:11PM

i dont see why people complain about a 3 inch screen for video. look at litlle handheld tvs. the bigest is a 3" screen. the other are 2, 2.2 , 2.7, or somewhere aorund there. and people by enough of those.

thefly · February 11, 2003 2:37PM

I think a password would be a great feature in that it would prevent other people from using the device. Here's why:

I accidentally left my digital camera in a rental car. When we inquired about it a couple of days later (I know, I should have noticed immediately, but...), nobody had seen it, employees or customers.

Uhm, okay.

So a password would at least give me the satisfaction that they wouldn't be able to USE the camera. Sure, they'd be able to get the pictures off the media card. Nothing personal there, but if they're going to steal something, I'd like the ability to make it useless (actually, I'd like the ability to make it blow up, but that's another story).

One thing though, once you set the password, it's keyed to a specific account on the mac, so if you forget the password, you can connect it to your mac, log in and reset it.

Now that would be cool.

Fly

thunderpoit · February 11, 2003 2:46PM

heh, i can see it now, some govt. operative places some confidential info about a major govt. cover up on his ipod from his computer in his office, locks it with the pw, and then is killed, now the only other person who can save the day must sneak into the office building, past the stupid, yet heavily armed, guards and get to the office where the computer is so that the info can be extracted and the bad guys can be brought down. Sounds like a good movie

thefly · February 11, 2003 2:50PM

Well, the wish for the device to blow up would also fit in that movie.

Or make it a TV series where the guy has 24 hours to extract the data...hmm...24 hour, eh...

Fly

vicho · February 15, 2003 8:25AM

[quote]Originally posted by whoami:

<strong>i just want audio in...

i could care less about anything else being added!</strong><hr></blockquote>

I agree with you, there should be a analog and digital audio input (to be able to convert audio cassettes and others) and microphone input, to be able to record voice or a long lecture with turning tapes will be great.

os10geek · February 15, 2003 9:09AM

The audio-in is a needed and usefull feature that will be completely possible with the implementation of the new, large buffer Toshiba 1.8 inch drives. As for a password, entering it would be almost impossible with the "wheel-input" of the current iPods. You could not enter a password without an on-screen keyboard, and the iPod screen is way to small to display a 26+ character input set. Anyway, what is so confidential about your music and contact files? The iPod has a security feature built in- it is always in your pocket. <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />

mightymo · February 17, 2003 4:32AM

Looks like there won't be that many amazing new features on the new iPods...

<a href="http://www.thinksecret.com/news/februaryipods.html"; target="_blank">http://www.thinksecret.com/news/februaryipods.html</a>;

os10geek · February 17, 2003 10:56AM

It also says that "there will be radically different successor to the current iPods" by the end of this year.

iPod password & other future features?

Comments