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Rumors of iPod mini, 100 Million Songs, Xserve G5 All True
The mini is anodized aluminum and comes in silver, gold, blue, green, and pink. Accessories include a dock and armband. It can be connected to the computer via FireWire 400 or USB 2.0.
Jobs also announced some changes to the existing iPod line, including a bump from 10GB to 15GB for the $300 version, and new in-ear headphones for $40.
The Xserve G5 is, like the previous Xserve, a 1U server. It can hold up to 8GB of ECC DDR 400 memory, and up to 750GB of storage. It includes an unlimited client license for Mac OS X Server 10.3, and comes in three configurations: 2GHz for $3,000, dual 2GHz for $4,000, and cluster node dual 2GHz for $3,000.
The Xserve RAID got a bump, too. The 3U RAID has a 500GB increase in capacity to 3.5TB for $11,000; 1.75TB for $7,500; and 1TB for $6,000. And, it is now certified for use with some versions of Windows and Linux.
Jobs, with the help of recording artist John Mayer, introduced the newest member of the iLife media application family: Garage Band. It is a music instrument and recording tool, that can mix up to 64 tracks, comes with 50 software instruments, over 1,000 professional loops, and 200 effects. It can record live instruments and take input from a USB or MIDI controller. It simulates various modern and vintage amps for guitar playback.
The optional $99 Jam Pack adds 100 more instruments, 2,000 more loops, 15 more amps, and more effects.
iPhoto, the most maligned of the iLife apps for its performance problems, received a much-needed update. It can now handle up to 25,000 photos (instead of mere hundreds), and adds automatic and smart albums (similar to iTunes), ratings of photos, and sharing via Rendezvous. Like iTunes, you apparently can't modify descriptions and titles through sharing, but unlike iTunes, there are no copyright restrictions.
iDVD and iMovie also got updates: better control, new and improved effects, and more. iMovie has exporting directly to your iDisk for use on your home page and importing directly from an iSight camera, and iDVD adds a navigation map and archiving projects for burning on another computer. iDVD also gets higher-quality Pro encoding, with 2 hours per DVD.
iLife, for $49, and the Jam Pack are available starting January 16. There was no indication that any new components of iLife will be available for free download, but iLife will be included with all new Macs.
Final Cut Express was bumped to version 2, and is basically updated to include the features from Final Cut Pro 4. Upgrades are $99.
Microsoft announced Office 2004, an upgrade to Office X. People who purchase Office X now until the spring, when 2004 is released, will be eligible for a free upgrade.
Pepsi's iTunes Music Store giveaway will begin on February 1. Yellow caps noting the 100 million song giveaway will have a 1 in 3 chance of winning.
Jobs also noted that iTunes Music Store has 70% of the market share for online music purchasing; that 50,000 audio books were sold for the quarter; that 500,000 songs are now online, making the store the largest online; and that one person has spent $29,500 on iTunes Music Store. Yes, $29,500.
Note that it's not "Garage Band" but "GarageBand". (Straight from Apple's InterCapitalizationNounFactory.)
Mike van Lammeren
It will challenge your head, your brain, and your mind.
Don't Steal Photos.
Vonal Declosion
[I]one person has spent $29,500 on iTunes Music Store. Yes, $29,500.[/I]
$10,500 more and he'll fill up his 40GB iPod.
However, I was a little dissapointed by the price of the new iPod mini. At $250 (just $50 less than the (now) 15Gb iPod) I can't really see how it's worth it. I'll just pay another $50 and get an iPod that can hold my entire music library. Not sure what they were thinking with that price.
But it has a shiny aluminium case! In colors!
"Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus."
and that one person has spent $29,500 on iTunes Music Store. Yes, $29,500.
This one person also bought a SCO license and invested in Enron.
I think they're all cool and stuff, then they go threatening us with something like this!
If there's ONE thing I DON'T want, it's that.
I'm not normally an irrational zealous dickhead, but I figure "When in Rome..."
I was expecting the announcement of a $10, 3-petabyte nuclear-fusion-powered player with collapsible 60-inch plasma screen and direct bluetooth link to the Mars Rover, but all I get is this mini piece of crap. I mean, come on. In protest I will buy the 128mb NinFuju HappyListen, which only costs $200 and supports Ogg Vorbis.
Hey, for mere $3 a GB you can just cart around an Xserve RAID. You think i's got a headphone out and battery back yet?
They updated the classic 1984 commercial for it's 20th anniversary. The girl is now wearing iPod...
This is George Lucas' doing, isn't it?
"Also, the iPod is the only player that works with audiobooks."
Yeah, but ya gotta admit, after listening to 70 hours of War and Peace on an iPod, you'll wish that it didn't work with them...
An it she's not sporting *mini* iPods either.
Must be the 36d ^H^H^H 40g model...
I guess Apple saw Rio's announcement at 8 am and decided that they needed to catch up so two hours later (after finishing the design, testing, pricing, etc.) they announce the iPod mini.
The new Rio sure has me excited! Actually any device with a clitoral button control just gets me excited, is that wrong?
Anyway let the market decide... I personally bet the iPod mini will do well against the Rio Nitrus.
Since they cross-sell the iPod with the VW Bug, maybe now they'll sell the iPod Mini with the BMW Mini
OK, so the reason that Apple's over-$200 music player won't sell, is because the only people who can sell an over-$200 music player succesfully is...Apple?
Your logic no workee.
Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
Who would possibly consider getting a 4 GB model for $250 when you could get a 15 GB model for only $50 more?
Rumors had the price at $100
Yeah, I predict that Rumors will sell a lot more of them at that $100 price. Everyone should buy it from Rumors!
Avoid Missing Ball for High Score
Yeah, but my question is does this just apply to Pepsi or does it also apply to Pepsi- products?
This could make for an interesting match between the products and their presumable stereotypes:
Pepsi: Downloadable rock tunes.
Diet Pepsi: Britteny Spears and Boy Bands.
Mountain Dew: Speed Metal and rap-metal.
Sierra Mist: Nothing. No one likes this..
Slice: Show Tunes and Vaudeville
And the list goes on ... I anxiously await the flames from the "anti-generalization-and-links-from-certain-types- of-people-to-certain-types-of-drinks-even-if-the-g eneralization-was-made-in-an-attempt-to-be-humour" peeps as well as the now enraged Sierra Mist fans ...
-- (Score:i, Imaginary)
I'm gonna sell a knockoff That is a simple anodised brick the same size and shape as these new things, so that when girls come up to me and ask, "whats on your Ipod?" like Jobs says the will, i can show them the words "you are shallow" inscibed on a lifeless aluminium brick...
-and occasionaly a giant moose.
As a fully qualified geekgirl I can assure you that for one, I DO know the difference between a MB, GB, and the 200TB of data I back up daily..it's pretty demeaning to assume gender has a hold on tech knowledge.
and dammit... I want one.. cause it's cute and pink....
so there