The new iPod Mini models make my forthcoming iPod purchase a bit more interesting. 512MB Shuffles are at the tip of becoming available, but the new price on the 4GB Mini model is pretty darn sweet (educational is $225 CND).
$90 more to go from 512MB to 4GB of storage? Quite tempting...
Anyone else think that from the look of the pictures, the new blue and green stink? Have to wait until I see them properly, but I am not too keen at first look. Still, the prices and battery life are good. With a student discount, it is only £128 for a 4gb model, and I just paid £99 for a shuffle!
I'm glad you caught that, too, even though you've got it a bit wrong (FireWire is an add-on option).
FireWire may eventually go as an awesome technology that didn't succeed because of marketing factors. There are not enough devices that take advantage of the available bus power and not enough that are configured to be daisy chained. FireWire should be the dominant transfer protocol not only because of its superior real-world speeds, but also because of the added benefits or reducing cable clutter and improving the remote management of devices.
The fact that FireWire 800 is a completely different connector is also a major blunder. The only way Apple could alleviate this problem is to provide free 6-to-9 pin adapters to the higher speed devices can be worked into existing FW400 networks. Surely, the first FW800 devices in the networks will have to be throttled back, but eventually each of the slower devices will be upgraded and the high speeds can be achieved.
It's funny how Apple got it SO RIGHT with AirPort and AirPort Extreme (802.11b and 802.11g), even defeating the mighty Intel's 802.11a, while they have gotten it SO WRONG the FireWire vs USB situation.
Funny, I was thinking that firewire was just starting to become more widespread. Aside from camcorders, my new Epson printer is connected by firewire and scanners with firewire connections are coming down in price. Many hardrives use firewire 800. I just bought a firewire 800 cable to sync files between my PowerMac and my powerbook.
Don't get me wrong, USB2.0 doesn't appear to have anything to fear, but I think firewire has its place.
can the 2G iPod minis be charged AND synced with my firewire cable with dock connector?
Second, can USB 1.x charge devices like Firewire 400 does? How about USB 2?
If anyone can shed some light I'll be grateful.
The iPod works the same with Firewire and USB. Nothing has changed except that a firewire cable is not included standard in the box. Considering the market for iPods, I think it's a good business decision.
The iPod works the same with Firewire and USB. Nothing has changed except that a firewire cable is not included standard in the box. Considering the market for iPods, I think it's a good business decision.
Chris
Thanks for your response. I just didn't know if USB 1.x and 2 were able to charge devices. Thank you.
Funny, I was thinking that firewire was just starting to become more widespread. Aside from camcorders, my new Epson printer is connected by firewire and scanners with firewire connections are coming down in price. Many hardrives use firewire 800. I just bought a firewire 800 cable to sync files between my PowerMac and my powerbook.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I bought an Epson printer with a FireWire 400 connection two years ago and I bought an $80 UMAX 6400 FW400 scanner about 5 years ago.
I think the printer connector is hilarious. The limiting factor isn't the data transfer rate fromthe computer to the printer, it is the speed by which the drops of ink can be sprayed onto the paper. Putting FireWire on a printer is like taking a golf cart to the Indy Speedway.
Let me ask you, does your hard drive have one FW connector or two? In other words, can you daisy chain it with other FW devices or is it a terminator. Do you even have the option to have the drive be bus-powered?
Don't get me wrong: I'm a huge fan of FireWire. I just think Apple has mishandled its own wonderful technology and dooming it the same fate that superior technologies have suffered at the hands of better-marketed, inferior ones (e.g., Betamax vs VHS, Mac vs Windows).
I don't care for the colour of the "new" blue iPod mini, it looks almost...turquoise. Ew.
That being said, I picked up an iPod shuffle (512MB) @ the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue here in Chicago, they had plenty of the 512, but no 1GB shuffles. It will compliment my iPod 20GB nicely.
As for the iPod "update", it's great. But, no firewire cable included? Shame on you Apple.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I bought an Epson printer with a FireWire 400 connection two years ago and I bought an $80 UMAX 6400 FW400 scanner about 5 years ago.
I think the printer connector is hilarious. The limiting factor isn't the data transfer rate fromthe computer to the printer, it is the speed by which the drops of ink can be sprayed onto the paper. Putting FireWire on a printer is like taking a golf cart to the Indy Speedway.
Let me ask you, does your hard drive have one FW connector or two? In other words, can you daisy chain it with other FW devices or is it a terminator. Do you even have the option to have the drive be bus-powered?
Don't get me wrong: I'm a huge fan of FireWire. I just think Apple has mishandled its own wonderful technology and dooming it the same fate that superior technologies have suffered at the hands of better-marketed, inferior ones (e.g., Betamax vs VHS, Mac vs Windows).
I think you got a very good deal wit your $80 firewire scanner. I just looked quickly at Maczone and couldn't find anything under $249 for a firewire scanner, which is about what I was expecting.
Also, if found this old article on your scanner:
Umax Unveils Budget Firewire Scanner
Fast transfer rate, 1394 port on bundled PCI card distinguish sub-$300 scanner.
"Tom Mainelli, PCWorld.com
Monday, July 17, 2000
Scanners that connect to a PC via the fast IEEE 1394 standard typically carry price tags of around $1000, placing them out of reach for most consumers. But Umax brings IEEE 1394 (also called Firewire and ILink) into the mainstream with its $249 Astra 6400 scanner, due in stores next week."
Again, I think you got a very good deal for $80.
I'll agree with you that firewire isn't an prevalent or cheap as I wish it would be, I just don't think its dying out either.
BTW, my Epson R800 printer is very fast, but I'll take your word for it that it is due to the print technology rather than the transfer rate. I was just trying to make the point that firewire was included, which surprised me.
My external HD has two FW400 ports (Firewire Direct is the manufacturer, I think). I haven't ever had the need to daisy chain it. It is not bus powered, because I went for capacity at a low price over portability when I bought it.
You're welcome. I absolutely sure that USB 2 can charge devices. I am not so certain about USB 1.1 but I don't see why it would be different.
Chris
I believe USB 1.1 can't charge because it doesn't push as much power across the bus. What I've read is only USB 2.0 can charge the iPod. But, hey, I could be wrong too. I thought Apple had topped off at $43 a share (boy am I glad I got out when I did, otherwise I would've made another $40+ a share on the stock, instead of the $3 that I made. I can't be making real money on the stock market, I might get ideas I know what I'm doing).
Why is everybody so up in arms about loosing the firewire cable? If it brings the iPod mini down £40 then hell I don't mind paying the £15 for it! I've already got an iPod, I don't need any more cables at any rate. Every time there is an iPod update, the iPods loose an "extra" like the dock, carry case etc... Not everyone is going to use them, why should they pay extra for it?
my 3G ipod battery is starting to die out. i was waiting for the day for the 2G ipod minis come out, but the colors suck. are those 4 colors really the most popular? they are kinda ugly, for the mini at least. i think it should be a more blue( not turquoise..yuck), maybe a orange and purple, keep the pink and silver. and maybe green. i dono it looks kinda poopy green to me lol
now i dont know what to do. cuz i need a new ipod instead of jus buying a new battery. cuz its 100$ and i would rather jus spend another 100 or 200 and get a really nice one. it makes me mad.
Why is everybody so up in arms about loosing the firewire cable? If it brings the iPod mini down £40 then hell I don't mind paying the £15 for it! I've already got an iPod, I don't need any more cables at any rate. Every time there is an iPod update, the iPods loose an "extra" like the dock, carry case etc... Not everyone is going to use them, why should they pay extra for it?
Well, let's see... I use the dock, the firewire cable, the earbuds, the AC adapter... and now all of that isn't included anymore. The only thing I never use anymore is the remote. If I were to buy a new iPod from scratch (without any of the accesories I have) I would have to pay a whole lot more. I think some people will miss some of the accessories.
my 3G ipod battery is starting to die out. i was waiting for the day for the 2G ipod minis come out, but the colors suck. are those 4 colors really the most popular? they are kinda ugly, for the mini at least. i think it should be a more blue( not turquoise..yuck), maybe a orange and purple, keep the pink and silver. and maybe green. i dono it looks kinda poopy green to me lol
now i dont know what to do. cuz i need a new ipod instead of jus buying a new battery. cuz its 100$ and i would rather jus spend another 100 or 200 and get a really nice one. it makes me mad.
my 1st gen iPod Mini silver is nice... choosing a color was just too weird for me, the way my tastes change. a silver just eliminates the guesswork when choosing a color
So glad I didn't rush out and buy a 1Gb Shuffle. For a few extra bucks you can get an iPOD mini with 3gb more space and a SCREEN.
Have Apple just crushed their own product???
They will have to drop the price of the Shuffles to compete with themselves
You have it backwards. They'll have to drop the size and weight of the mini by about 80% to compete with the shuffle. Seriously, the two products don't overlap and the shuffle is in no danger.
Comments
$90 more to go from 512MB to 4GB of storage? Quite tempting...
the blue does look a little bit brighter and lighter, but im just wondering if its the photography's brightness
can anyone confirm?
can the 2G iPod minis be charged AND synced with my firewire cable with dock connector?
Second, can USB 1.x charge devices like Firewire 400 does? How about USB 2?
If anyone can shed some light I'll be grateful.
Originally posted by macFanDave
I'm glad you caught that, too, even though you've got it a bit wrong (FireWire is an add-on option).
FireWire may eventually go as an awesome technology that didn't succeed because of marketing factors. There are not enough devices that take advantage of the available bus power and not enough that are configured to be daisy chained. FireWire should be the dominant transfer protocol not only because of its superior real-world speeds, but also because of the added benefits or reducing cable clutter and improving the remote management of devices.
The fact that FireWire 800 is a completely different connector is also a major blunder. The only way Apple could alleviate this problem is to provide free 6-to-9 pin adapters to the higher speed devices can be worked into existing FW400 networks. Surely, the first FW800 devices in the networks will have to be throttled back, but eventually each of the slower devices will be upgraded and the high speeds can be achieved.
It's funny how Apple got it SO RIGHT with AirPort and AirPort Extreme (802.11b and 802.11g), even defeating the mighty Intel's 802.11a, while they have gotten it SO WRONG the FireWire vs USB situation.
Funny, I was thinking that firewire was just starting to become more widespread. Aside from camcorders, my new Epson printer is connected by firewire and scanners with firewire connections are coming down in price. Many hardrives use firewire 800. I just bought a firewire 800 cable to sync files between my PowerMac and my powerbook.
Don't get me wrong, USB2.0 doesn't appear to have anything to fear, but I think firewire has its place.
Originally posted by monkeyastronaut
So... I have two questions now...
can the 2G iPod minis be charged AND synced with my firewire cable with dock connector?
Second, can USB 1.x charge devices like Firewire 400 does? How about USB 2?
If anyone can shed some light I'll be grateful.
The iPod works the same with Firewire and USB. Nothing has changed except that a firewire cable is not included standard in the box. Considering the market for iPods, I think it's a good business decision.
Chris
Originally posted by chabig
The iPod works the same with Firewire and USB. Nothing has changed except that a firewire cable is not included standard in the box. Considering the market for iPods, I think it's a good business decision.
Chris
Thanks for your response. I just didn't know if USB 1.x and 2 were able to charge devices. Thank you.
Originally posted by Carson O'Genic
Funny, I was thinking that firewire was just starting to become more widespread. Aside from camcorders, my new Epson printer is connected by firewire and scanners with firewire connections are coming down in price. Many hardrives use firewire 800. I just bought a firewire 800 cable to sync files between my PowerMac and my powerbook.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I bought an Epson printer with a FireWire 400 connection two years ago and I bought an $80 UMAX 6400 FW400 scanner about 5 years ago.
I think the printer connector is hilarious. The limiting factor isn't the data transfer rate fromthe computer to the printer, it is the speed by which the drops of ink can be sprayed onto the paper. Putting FireWire on a printer is like taking a golf cart to the Indy Speedway.
Let me ask you, does your hard drive have one FW connector or two? In other words, can you daisy chain it with other FW devices or is it a terminator. Do you even have the option to have the drive be bus-powered?
Don't get me wrong: I'm a huge fan of FireWire. I just think Apple has mishandled its own wonderful technology and dooming it the same fate that superior technologies have suffered at the hands of better-marketed, inferior ones (e.g., Betamax vs VHS, Mac vs Windows).
Originally posted by monkeyastronaut
Thanks for your response. I just didn't know if USB 1.x and 2 were able to charge devices. Thank you.
You're welcome. I absolutely sure that USB 2 can charge devices. I am not so certain about USB 1.1 but I don't see why it would be different.
Chris
That being said, I picked up an iPod shuffle (512MB) @ the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue here in Chicago, they had plenty of the 512, but no 1GB shuffles. It will compliment my iPod 20GB nicely.
As for the iPod "update", it's great. But, no firewire cable included? Shame on you Apple.
Originally posted by macFanDave
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I bought an Epson printer with a FireWire 400 connection two years ago and I bought an $80 UMAX 6400 FW400 scanner about 5 years ago.
I think the printer connector is hilarious. The limiting factor isn't the data transfer rate fromthe computer to the printer, it is the speed by which the drops of ink can be sprayed onto the paper. Putting FireWire on a printer is like taking a golf cart to the Indy Speedway.
Let me ask you, does your hard drive have one FW connector or two? In other words, can you daisy chain it with other FW devices or is it a terminator. Do you even have the option to have the drive be bus-powered?
Don't get me wrong: I'm a huge fan of FireWire. I just think Apple has mishandled its own wonderful technology and dooming it the same fate that superior technologies have suffered at the hands of better-marketed, inferior ones (e.g., Betamax vs VHS, Mac vs Windows).
I think you got a very good deal wit your $80 firewire scanner. I just looked quickly at Maczone and couldn't find anything under $249 for a firewire scanner, which is about what I was expecting.
Also, if found this old article on your scanner:
Umax Unveils Budget Firewire Scanner
Fast transfer rate, 1394 port on bundled PCI card distinguish sub-$300 scanner.
"Tom Mainelli, PCWorld.com
Monday, July 17, 2000
Scanners that connect to a PC via the fast IEEE 1394 standard typically carry price tags of around $1000, placing them out of reach for most consumers. But Umax brings IEEE 1394 (also called Firewire and ILink) into the mainstream with its $249 Astra 6400 scanner, due in stores next week."
Again, I think you got a very good deal for $80.
I'll agree with you that firewire isn't an prevalent or cheap as I wish it would be, I just don't think its dying out either.
BTW, my Epson R800 printer is very fast, but I'll take your word for it that it is due to the print technology rather than the transfer rate. I was just trying to make the point that firewire was included, which surprised me.
My external HD has two FW400 ports (Firewire Direct is the manufacturer, I think). I haven't ever had the need to daisy chain it. It is not bus powered, because I went for capacity at a low price over portability when I bought it.
Originally posted by chabig
You're welcome. I absolutely sure that USB 2 can charge devices. I am not so certain about USB 1.1 but I don't see why it would be different.
Chris
I believe USB 1.1 can't charge because it doesn't push as much power across the bus. What I've read is only USB 2.0 can charge the iPod. But, hey, I could be wrong too. I thought Apple had topped off at $43 a share (boy am I glad I got out when I did, otherwise I would've made another $40+ a share on the stock, instead of the $3 that I made. I can't be making real money on the stock market, I might get ideas I know what I'm doing).
now i dont know what to do. cuz i need a new ipod instead of jus buying a new battery. cuz its 100$ and i would rather jus spend another 100 or 200 and get a really nice one. it makes me mad.
Originally posted by danielctull
Why is everybody so up in arms about loosing the firewire cable? If it brings the iPod mini down £40 then hell I don't mind paying the £15 for it! I've already got an iPod, I don't need any more cables at any rate. Every time there is an iPod update, the iPods loose an "extra" like the dock, carry case etc... Not everyone is going to use them, why should they pay extra for it?
Well, let's see... I use the dock, the firewire cable, the earbuds, the AC adapter... and now all of that isn't included anymore. The only thing I never use anymore is the remote. If I were to buy a new iPod from scratch (without any of the accesories I have) I would have to pay a whole lot more. I think some people will miss some of the accessories.
Have Apple just crushed their own product???
They will have to drop the price of the Shuffles to compete with themselves
Originally posted by Ferali
my 3G ipod battery is starting to die out. i was waiting for the day for the 2G ipod minis come out, but the colors suck. are those 4 colors really the most popular? they are kinda ugly, for the mini at least. i think it should be a more blue( not turquoise..yuck), maybe a orange and purple, keep the pink and silver. and maybe green. i dono it looks kinda poopy green to me lol
now i dont know what to do. cuz i need a new ipod instead of jus buying a new battery. cuz its 100$ and i would rather jus spend another 100 or 200 and get a really nice one. it makes me mad.
my 1st gen iPod Mini silver is nice...
Originally posted by Bart Smastard
So glad I didn't rush out and buy a 1Gb Shuffle. For a few extra bucks you can get an iPOD mini with 3gb more space and a SCREEN.
Have Apple just crushed their own product???
They will have to drop the price of the Shuffles to compete with themselves
You have it backwards. They'll have to drop the size and weight of the mini by about 80% to compete with the shuffle. Seriously, the two products don't overlap and the shuffle is in no danger.
Chris