Apple's iPod....you can't tell me....

[Christopher C. Murphy]

Hey, you can't tell me Apple's NEXT major upgrade version after this brand new one won't have moving images...as in television and film!! The natural progression is from black and white with just music...to color and music...to motion color with music. They deny it of course, but come on.

If they're making a huge spash success with selling music with this thing, and record companies are currently happily on-board....movie studios are next. It's going to happen.1

http://www.apple.com/ipodphoto/

I still don't have an iPod, but once it becomes the "all in one" that it eventually will be...I buy one. :)

Murph

[Joe Carney]

Check out Iriver, they have a portable movie player coming out 'REAL SOON NOW'

IRiver

Called the 'PMP-120'. I can see it now, it will be the number one player for the 'Players' of the world(pun intended). If you don't get it, just add an 'I' to the name.

[Mike Butler]

HAHA! Good one, playa! Actually, Apple does have a pimped-out model of the iPod for U2 fans, all red and black with autographs of Bono & da boyz on the back. Hope they do a Snoop Dogg model encrusted with bling-bling!! :-)

Until they do one that plays movies, I'd at least like to see one that can play a PowerPoint show through a projector and to use as a substitute for the laptop (like I use the iPod as a backup for the laptop for DJing).

[Ed Griffin]

Looks like MP3 players are moving in the direction of PDA's. Something like the iPaq has the music capability as well as the PPT wirelessly to a projector, ability to play WMV video, and all the other email and calendering stuff.

Ed

[Dylan Couper]

Murph, why would I need an Ipod to do that? My cell phone already plays MP3s and video. :)

[Brandon Murphy]

There was an article in the NY Times a week or so ago that talked about cell phones having multiple channels of color TV in them in the next few years. I think eventually almost all forms of communication/media playing will be combined into one piece of equipment. Something that has phone,PDA, gaming, camera, multichannel TV,Internet and mp3 capabilities. Apple has a good part of the mp3 world covered with the IPOD, it would only make sense that they add some other great features to it in the future. If they dont, someone else will.

[Dylan Couper]

Hate to say it, but the Ipod is way behind the times, almost obsolete. What I said about my cellphone in the above post is true. Medium to high end cell phones, or even a half decent PDA blows them away in terms of features. Now that I can put a 1GB card in a cell phone, that's a heck of a lot of MP3's. Most people don't need 5000 songs on hand. Who cares if I can watch photos on an Ipod, I can watch fullscreen video on the Archos player, even Creative Labs has a decent one. Heck, even the Leapster and Juice Box, both kids toys, are better featured than Ipods.

However, you can't beat Apple's fantastic marketing campaign.
Maybe Sony/Ericsson should hire Metallica and Motorola should hire Brittney Spears...

Heck, I don't know why you can't already buy a TV tuner adapter for a PDA.... You can get one for a laptop I think.
My vote is for the cell phone as the future all in one device. Why? It is the only thing I won't leave the house without, besides car keys and sunglasses. I can't put a PDA in my pocket.

[Brandon Murphy]

good point about the marketing Dylan. That is really what it comes down to. Right now we see U2 promoting an IPOD. That sells. We dont see much marketing that can compare to that. Other companies need to step up to the plate in that department to get the ball rolling.

[Jeff Donald]

There's more to the iPod than marketing. The product is best in it's class. The iPod is successful because of ease of use, simplicity and the elegance of it's design.

[Brandon Murphy]

<<<-- Originally posted by Jeff Donald : There's more to the iPod than marketing. The product is best in it's class. The iPod is successful because of ease of use, simplicity and the elegance of it's design. -->>>

it very well may be, but do you even see TV marketing of competing products?

[Chris Hurd]

<< it very well may be, but do you even see TV marketing of competing products? >>

Sure do. The Dell Juke Box for one. Lots of spots for that going on right now.

[Jeff Donald]

Sony has an ad out for their "iPod killer," the Network Walkman. It doesn't even play mp3's.

[Brandon Murphy]

I'll have to keep an eye out for those other spots, I have not seen them yet. Do you suspect they are just not as "catchy" as the vibrant colored U2 IPOD spot or that they are maybe not on TV as often/primetime hours? Or maybe I just do not pay enough attention to them. Anyone have an online link to other spots to view?

[Dylan Couper]

<<<-- Originally posted by Jeff Donald : There's more to the iPod than marketing. The product is best in it's class. The iPod is successful because of ease of use, simplicity and the elegance of it's design. -->>>

Well, I half agree, but half disagree.

Ease of use may be the case for Apple users, but not as much for PC users. Ipods seem to have some compatibility issues with PCs, regardless of what Apple says. I have three PC friends, who have had 7 Ipods collectively over the past 2-ish years. Of those 7 Ipods, every single one they've had has had a serious issue with the PC, right up to the recent Ipod minis. Usualy they just stop wanting to connect, but one would crash my friend's computer. My friends are somewhat loaded, and (believe it or not) just throw out the Ipods and buy new ones (one even threw out his Klipsh 5.1 speakers when he got a new set). I got offered one twice, but I'm not installing anything that crashes my system. Hmm... I just realized I could have sold it on here to an Apple user. Damn.

Anyway, as far as ease of use, I don't think it is any easier or harder to use than anything else out there, but I agree, it is the prettiest. Pretty stuff sells. I like pretty stuff.

Back to marketing, I've counted 4 Ipod commercials in the last hour of channel surfing I've done. I did see one ad for the Dell about two weeks ago. Apple is the US Air Force of marketing and advertising. Total superiority.

There was an Ipod in the first 15 seconds of 50 Cent's smash hit PIMP video last year, seen dozens of times by every single person in it's target market. Played on every pop music station around the world, probably four+ times a day, every day, for months. There's nothing that can compete with that. U2, Lenny Kravits, and others on top of that in some fantastic eye catching commercials? Total marketing superiority.
Heck, I'm a PC lover, but I have to admit, Apple rules for style and marketing. Overall I think their product is no better or worse than anything else. Same stuff, prettier box.

[Jeff Donald]

I understand the iPod has had some issues USB2 issues for PC users. I use FireWire and students that I know with iPods have far fewer issues with their PC's if they use FireWire. However, the latest iPod software address more of the USB issues. Your friends may not me familiar with checking the Apple support site for the latest iPod software.