Rumors of Mini iPods

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Posted by michael on Tuesday December 23, 2003 @08:30AM from the vaporware dept.

TheKidWho writes "According to Thinksecret: 'Reliable sources inside and outside of Apple have confirmed Apple will announce the new pocket-size iPods in a number of capacities and in various colors, including stripes. Capacities will be 2 and 4GB -- meaning users could store some 400 and 800 songs, respectively. Prices will start at around $100US, Think Secret has learned. It is not known if the new product line will be available immediately after introduction. It is also expected that current iPod models will be revamped to add body colors as well.' With the $99 price tag, it seems these rumored iPods could make big headway in the low end mp3 player market."

10 of 621 comments (clear)

$99 iPod by hendridm · 2003-12-23 08:31 · Score: 0, Troll

Well, since the iPods are disposable, this will make it a little easier to swallow when you have to buy a new one in 18 months.

Or maybe they're using a similar model as printer manufacturers. Sell the device cheap, make money on the replacement batteries?
1. Re:$99 iPod by wackybrit · 2003-12-23 10:24 · Score: 0, Troll
  
  Face it, the iPod is totally let down by its battery. 500 cycles? That sucks! My NiMH cellphone can do far more (and it's at about 500 now, I've had it four years, still holds as much charge as it ever did).
  
  And 8 hours battery time on a charge? When I flew to LA I got up at 5.30am and was out of the door, with CD player, at 6am. Got to the airport at 8am, flight left at midday. Flight then took 10.5 hours, and then had to wait an hour at LAX. An iPod would have barely lasted until I GOT ON THE FLIGHT. It's ridiculous. Carrying a stack of CDs is hardly fun, but even Minidisc players or portable MP3 CD players can get 40 hours or so battery time. And you can always carry spare batteries to use!
  
  I think most of the people who buy iPods are either part-time music listeners (no problem with that) or dumb style-schmucks. It's not a viable purchase for those of us who can't recharge at every single place we go.
  
  Thankfully Apple is clearly targeting the iPod at the trendy people, so those of us music lovers with more practical needs can stick with our MP3 CD players and still have music going half way across the Atlantic.
  
  --
  mogorific carpentry experiments
Ooooh... ipods for the Philistines!!! by cnelzie · 2003-12-23 08:34 · Score: 0, Troll

...and unwashed masses that aren't 'rear-conscious' enough to spend the exhorbinant fees attached to the full-size ipods...

--
If you ignore the other uses of a tool, does that make the tool less useful, or you less useful?
Re:Mini iPod by yoriknme · 2003-12-23 08:53 · Score: 0, Troll

Why would you care what my cock looks like? Just out of curiosity. Nothing personal intended.
Re:Batteries? by CSharpMinor · 2003-12-23 08:57 · Score: 0, Troll

The iPod doesn't "already do this."

The iPod recognizes two different kinds of files: data, which are files stored using the iPod as a removable drive and that can be transferred to any computer of your choice; and music, which are loaded onto the iPod through iTunes/Musicmatch/whatever and that cannot be transferred to a different computer.

You can load anything as data (including MP3s and AACs), but the iPod will only play files loaded as music.

So no, it certainly doesn't "already do this."

--

Whatever it is I'm complaining about, I'm sure the Republicans did it. This is /., after all.
Apple to offer a budget product? Ha! by xtermin8 · 2003-12-23 08:58 · Score: 0, Troll

Yeah right. This seems highly unlikely, unless Apple is going to tie a subscription to Itunes to the product. The company has never been able to compete by discounting its products. A Ipod "Zire" for doesn't make business sense, unless extra income can be guarenteed by Itune purchases
Re:Finally! by fleener · 2003-12-23 09:46 · Score: 0, Troll

Yeah, it sounds affordable until they announce the price of the battery.
Re:Brand Dilution by filmsmith · 2003-12-23 09:51 · Score: 1, Troll

*Sigh* for the last time:

Oh, don't worry. It won't be the last time. Stupids and their misinformation never die.

fs
Re:Creative offers replacable batteries by JK+Master-Slave · 2003-12-23 11:17 · Score: 0, Troll

No. Apple absolutely cannot put a replacable battery in the iPod now.

Attention has been drawn to the fact that their current model does not have a replacable battery.

The priesthood at Apple has explained why it is a good thing that it is not replacable.

The idea for a replacable battery did not come from within Apple (the Apple NIHNI* tradition) ((* Not Invented Here, Not Interested!)

An illustration of this sort of entrenched design decision, look to Apples single-button-mouse tradition.
Re:OGG support? by AstroDrabb · 2003-12-23 15:14 · Score: 0, Troll

Probably not. Yes, OGG is an open standard. Yay. That's nice. I don't feel like re-encoding 10GB of songs.
Just because you do not feel like it, doesn't mean that there are not many out there that WOULD rather use Open Source.
This is the same question you just asked. Are you expecting a different answer?
I thought I read in a post that if you copy music to the iPod as a regualer hard drive, then the iPod won't play it. If that is the case, then it is pretty worthless IMO.
What does the Neuros run on? Happy rays of sunshine?
Well, according to the Neuros Products faq, it has 10 hours of continuous playback. The NiMH batteries in the Neuros and the Lithium Ion battery in the Neuros HD are expected to last at least 1 1/2 - 2 years.

Oh, and their batter replacement policy is FAR cheaper then Apples:
Within Warranty (90 days parts, 1 year labor) -If within first 90 days of purchase - NO CHARGE -Past 90 days, but within 1 year- $7 Outside of Warranty Neuros 128- $8 Neuros HD- $12
$7 - $12 dollars compared to $50 for the iPod.

--
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land,
it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. -James Madison