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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.
$250 is a far cry from the $100 rumors.
Damn it all, $249 is too close to the 15G iPod at $299. They need to come in at a lower price point to truly dominate the market. Don't get me wrong - I'm glad they're on this path (lighter/less expensive) but I don't think this will make the same impact that $199 or $149 would have.
i dont really see why you would get the mini when for $50 more you get 11 more gigs of storage. ok the small form factor is cool and 4 gigs is plenty of music for a lot of people, but the price point doesnt seem quite right.
i guess itll drop $50 or $75 tho as the initial interest wears off, which would put it at a more interesting price point.
I agree with this. Why should I pay 250 dollars for 4 gigs of space when I can pay the same price, get 20 gigs of space and FLAC support (I download from the live music archive so FLAC support is pretty cool to me) in the Rio Karma. I would have been all ready to spend 100-150 for a 4 gig Ipod, but not 250 when I can get 20 gigs for that price.
you had to see this coming.
$100, or even $150, would be much too low of a profit-margin for apple. Half their mystique and customer loyalty comes from the niche 'clique' their users create.
don't get me wrong - they have great product with some of the best design -- but it's never been cheap. never close to even competitive. i don't think they even -want- to dominate the mass market anymore.
the fanatical devotion of their users seems to stem mostly from the fact that only the fanatically devoted can justify purchasing their product.
at 3.6x2" i guess it's pretty small, but i don't really think size was much of a showstopper. i never looked at an ipod and said 'gee, if it were only 25% smaller, and purple, i'd be happy with 60% less capacity'.
if they could extend the battery life, that'd be notable, but they're only claiming 8 hours - which is still under average for a portable.
though i'd imagine their target market isn't clamoring to store more than 5gb of data on it, and will definitely be salivating over its new size and color.
as always - apple captures the minds and imaginations of geeks everywhere -- and then prices it beyond the rational budget of the majority.
// "Can't clowns and pirates just -try- to get along?"
I completely agree, going after the flash market with a hard drive player would be dumb.
Thats why Apple is releasing the iPod Mini...... a solid state player.
Five years ago the standard format for iPod was MP3 at 160k. Now it's AAC at 128k.
Same quality, smaller size, more songs.
Amen.
Apple really missed the boat this time. I try to cut them slack with new stuff, but this one has me baffled.
$50 more for the next model up...colors that go with wash off tattoos and price drops right after a big Christmas season. Apple may not take all those returns, but many retailers will comply just to keep thier customers happy. This means next time Apple walks in the door and asks for floor space, they will be ignored.
Why does Apple insist on a adding so many models to a product line, time after time? Why can't they just keep a good thing going?
The new mini iPod won't find a market. Just watch.
Hello slashdoter's. First post. Well, i think the mini ipods are cool looking but i will judge them when i try them. Also i got a ten gig for christmas and then apple makes a 15 for the same price? bummer.