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The attorney, Steve Berman, is on retainer at Microsoft!

And relatively low S/N ratio, i.e. shitty sound.

Unless the 5G iPod is different than the 4G, the iPod's s/n ratio is 98-100db. It doesn't get a lot better than that in portable players.

I'm not sure where people get the idea that the iPod has a low s/n ratio - I see people who obviously dislike the iPod bring that up a lot. Probably just one of those internet myths that gets passed around, based on the fact that Apple doesn't put this spec on their specs page (neither do most other portable player makers. When listening with all but the most expensive headphones, it's a pretty irrelevant stat). I don't know if the 5G's s/n ratio is still 100db, but it would surprise me if they actually downgraded the sound while upgrading everything else.

Use lossless compression and really good headphones (or the stereo output) and the iPod is as high-quality a playback device as most home CD players.

That looks interesting but the mac mini connecctor has 20 pins, while the ipod dock connector has 30 pins. The placement of the firewire pins are also different - the mini has the data on pins 1,2,11, and 12, while the ipod has them on 3,5,7, and 9.

That looks interesting but the mac mini connecctor has 20 pins, while the ipod dock connector has 30 pins. The placement of the firewire pins are also different - the mini has the data on pins 1,2,11, and 12, while the ipod has them on 3,5,7, and 9.

The hardware looks really nice -- smaller, lighter, longer battery, and a magnesium case. (it's also $100 more). The only drawback is the stupid file format choice. How long is it going to be until someone hacks this to play standard MP3's? Figuring that out may be enough reason for me to buy one (heh!).

Side note: it's pretty neat that they made it smaller. Assuming that it uses the same 1.8" drive, the ipod is already pretty close to that size, so there isn't much remove for improvement.

Sorry, I was referring to information I received here, among other places. It may not be a CompactFlash card, but apparently has a similar form-factor.

The Ipod mini uses a hard disk.

I compared it to the price of Microdrives and other compact flash form hard disks, not compact flash RAM. Sorry for the confusion. The drive inside is a 4GB Hitachi Microdrive.

The iPod mini drive is reportedly NOT working in digital cameras, something to do with formatting..

Wired News has more on this whole thing about the MuVo2..

Guess I'll have to use this damn iPod mini for listening to music, instead of.. um.. tolkien ring??

Here is another one.

I read the article, and it is full of holes.

First, since they know about the "Amateur Neurosurgery" (hardly), they may have read it on a forum such as iPod Lounge or iPoding. This implies they knew of services that will replace the battery for you for a small fee instead of you doing it yourself. The brothers conveniently forget to mention that because it would show how cheap they really are. Also the rumor mill knew of Apple supplied replacements and warrantee's for months.

Casey (22) is probably a smart person and probably knew of those rumors but went ahead anyway. When the "patient died on the table", he said how cries unfair it is he has to spend $400 on a high end replacement. How many slashdotters have $400 to blow on a second MP3 player. If I was so serious about how Apple is cheating me, I wouldn't go out and purchase the same product from the very same company I felt was screwing me over? I'd buy a Dell, Creative, Nomad, Rio, or whatever.

(Then again, if he and his brother Van (29) are indi-film artists that they claim to be and use iMovie, they got a lot more learning (and purchasing of hardware/software) ahead of them of which $400 is nothing. Unless they want to be making wedding videos all their life.)

Second the response from Apple Store is hearsay. I have no doubt that they were told that the only solution available at the time from Apple was to purchase a new one (good advice, because a repair would cost more). However, I question the language and whether or not Apple Store employees would have mentioned the existence of 3rd party suppliers. Heck, perhaps that is where they tried the "Amateur Neurosurgery".

I didn't see the entire movie, but depending on where the signs they spraypainted, it could be considered more than just "merry pranksters". I was under the impression that they stuck to the wallpaper type ads. If that is the case, it's perfectly okay. And shame on Apple for using those sort of ads.

Casey claims to have bought the iPod "early in 2002" shortly after the iPod came out. It's just as likely he bought the iPod off someone else who purchased it early in 2002. Besides, the iPod came out the previous year, by that ruler, everyone who has bought an iPod, purchased it "shortly after it came out". I recall the first batch of 1G iPods (5GB) had a battery problem that was noticed as soon as it came out. Apple honored replacements on those even after the warrantee expired (at the time, those were sold under a 90 day warrantee, now they are a year). Why? new battery technology meant the failure was high for a consumer electronic device and Apple had since improved the quality of battery.

Also, it is implied the movie spread in a grass roots manner "within days". Hardly! The website was finished on November 23rd, three days after the domain was registered (20th). It started with an announcement on November 23rd which was picked up by nearly every Mac news site on the 24th (and also by apple.Slashdot). This is hardly a grass roots thing.

Next, they implied that Apple changed the warrantee rules and batter replacement rules "days after the movie made the wrong". This is an egregious error. An Apple-supplied replacement program was announced on the November 14th and the AppleCare extension on the 21st, both before any movie was created. In fact, the chain of events is that Apple announced these solutions which spurred the brothers to register their domain name, finish their movie, and get as many people to download it before it became common knowledge of how immature they actually are.

Apple's engineers sat down one day, desinged the cheapest battery in the world that barely met all the requirements

iPod batteries are manufactured by Sony. Sony rates them for "more than 500 charge/discharge cycles". But - as it often happens with the batteries - for a 1% of luckless customers this could be just 100 cycles, while another 1% will be the lucky bastards still getting full 8 hours in 2012 on their '2002 iPod. The former 1% are the guys who complain, but you rarely hear the voice of the remaining 99%.

But, what is stunning is the obvious fabrication. The twelfth paragraph reads:
"The person who said 'Beauty is only skin deep' certainly never popped the cover off an iPod. The design is just as jewel-like inside as out--packed, but definitely a gem of space conservation."
It's just that anyone who has actually popped the cover off would know that Wes did no such thing. He goes on to describe the innards of the pre-Dock iPod:

But, what is stunning is the obvious fabrication. The twelfth paragraph reads:
"The person who said 'Beauty is only skin deep' certainly never popped the cover off an iPod. The design is just as jewel-like inside as out--packed, but definitely a gem of space conservation."
It's just that anyone who has actually popped the cover off would know that Wes did no such thing. He goes on to describe the innards of the pre-Dock iPod:

This may be evidence, if not proof:

ipoding.com

"Can you direct me to the rumor site (or Apple announcement if its official) regarding being able to record?"

How To Record Right Now With New iPod.

Speakers work surprisingly well as microphones.. the newest iPods have a hidden feature which lets you use one of the headphones as a microphone and record as MP3.

Plug in earphones

Activate Diagnostic Mode - Reset (hold MENU and PLAY) and hold down PREVIOUS, NEXT and CENTER buttons at Apple logo - Release buttons and you'll hear a chirp and Diagnostic mode will appear

Use Next button to navigate to "J. RECORD"

Speak into Left earphone when "BEGIN..." appears

You'll get about 6 sec. of record time and then "DONE"

Press center button for playback

Press Play/Pause to return to list of tests

This is just the mono record feature... as noted here there is also a stereo line-in but that is in the dock connector and activated by "F. LIN REC"

Unofficial confirmation here: http://www.ipoding.com/...article&sid=1138&mode=th read&order=0

"...iPoding says that it has unofficial confirmation from 'sources' at Apple that full support for stereo recording will be available later this year..."

Plug in earphones

Activate Diagnostic Mode - Reset (hold MENU and PLAY) and hold down PREVIOUS, NEXT and CENTER buttons at Apple logo - Release buttons and you'll hear a chirp and Diagnostic mode will appear

Use Next button to navigate to "J. RECORD"

Speak into Left earphone when "BEGIN..." appears

You'll get about 6 sec. of record time and then "DONE"

Press center button for playback

Press Play/Pause to return to list of tests

This is just the mono record feature... as noted here there is also a stereo line-in but that is in the dock connector and activated by "F. LIN REC"

Unofficial confirmation here: http://www.ipoding.com/...article&sid=1138&mode=th read&order=0

"...iPoding says that it has unofficial confirmation from 'sources' at Apple that full support for stereo recording will be available later this year..."

Yep, it was mentioned a few days on various mac sites.

E.g. www.ipoding.com

It only seems to be on the most recent revision of iPod released.

ipoding.com is reporting that by accessing the diagnostic mode of the new iPods, you can indeed record audio! From what they're hearing, Apple will release a firmware update and a "line-in" addon to record audio in the near future.

Well, it looks like they may be able to record with a firmware update: iPoding article

The new iPods can record, but the feature is hidden away in the diagnostic menu...


Linkage:
Diagnostic mode with mention of line-in recording
Mono recording short clips with diagnostic mode and earbuds

Maybe something Apple has planned for the next software update?

The new iPods can record, but the feature is hidden away in the diagnostic menu...


Linkage:
Diagnostic mode with mention of line-in recording
Mono recording short clips with diagnostic mode and earbuds

Maybe something Apple has planned for the next software update?

Seems somewhat primitive at this point, but has possibilities!

Don't be so sure that you can't record on the new Gen 2 iPod as a LINEIN setting has been discovered in Diagnostic Mode.

iPoding has a page on the diagnostic mode. It contains a brief description of each test along with its expected results.

It also has the following notes at firmware versions in which it works:
Note: It's back in version 1.1
Note: This function has been disabled in version 1.0.4

Buying a WinPod (or getting a MacPod and using the WinniePod Updater to make it a WinPod) allows you to use it on both Mac's and Wintel machines.
It's well documented at Ipoding, IpodHacks, IpodLounge, and the EphPod Forums that a Mac can read a WinPod. Thus, it works on both, and utilities are available to get your calendars and contacts on.
The only thing you give up with this arrangement is the ability to use "smart playlists"- at this time, the EphPod folks are trying to figure out why a FAT32 Ipod doesn't seem to write back how many times you played a specific song.

Not til August :(

According to AppleCare. Confirmed on the MWNY floor.

WinPoding forum at Ipoding.com

Apple Ipod Forums

Ipodhacks

IpodLounge forumss at IpodLounge.com

Everything Ipod-accessories

specs link and image

No Mac support!

• iPoding.com
• iPodlounge.com

Pictures and Article link (print ver still up at timecanada)

Here are some more pictures to fuel the fire... Steve Wozniak playing with a device that looks very similar to the mystery unit...

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