Rumored iPod Flash Leaked

An anonymous reader writes "Apparently a -->detailed design of the new Flash-based iPod--> has been leaked. It doesn't have a screen and is this size of a cookie!" With size estimates ranging from 256 megs to a gig, it will have a much lower price point, and can be worn around your neck. Assuming it's not just a rumor. Update: 12/07 19:31 GMT by M : Temporary working link.

Comments

Didn't last long.

[ActionPlant]

I'm inclined to think rumor, but that might be because the site slashdotted at the first inclination that actual traffic MIGHT be on its way.

Daring Fireball covered this

[MoneyT]

And I think gave a good argument why it isn't likely:

Here

Re:Daring Fireball covered this

[Anonymous Coward]

His opinion is largely based on dismissing the idea of a separate market for flash-based mp3 players but he fails to fully consider that you can not jog or run with a hard-drive mp3 player, which is the primary reason I am looking to compliment my Nomad Zen with something flash-based. I would argue that there clearly is a separate market for flash-based players.

Re:Daring Fireball covered this

[Richard_at_work]

It has a 32mb buffer that it reads songs into, so long as you dont continuously skip songs, and allow it to play stuff back from this buffer, it can handle rigorous exercise such as jogging very well. The hard disk is resilient on its own due to its smaller size (the arms become more rigid the smaller they are, so less susceptable to shocks), and spins down when the buffer doesnt need filling.

Re:Daring Fireball covered this

[rbrunner]

I run with my iPod mini all the time. No skips.

Re:Daring Fireball covered this

[BrerBear]

I've owned 5, 10, and 30 GB iPods, and I run regularly. The iPods got me through marathon training. Having them definitely made things easier once you enter hour #3 on a long run.

However, having your iPod start to flake out an hour in is also a real downer, and I've experienced a lot of problems with them while running that I never experienced just playing them stationary or walking around. Everything from lockups and reboots, endless skipping, to playing with no sound. Usually a reset or a "timeout" where I hold it stationary does the trick, but I would probably agree that a hard drive based player is not ideal for running. The 10GB seemed to have the least problems among the lot.

I'm definitely in the market for a flash player.

Re:Daring Fireball covered this

[meme_police]

It's got a 20 minute buffer but they'll lock up if you keep bouncing it for that long. I know mine has.

Re:Daring Fireball covered this

[wankledot]

18 months? Go FUD. I've had my original iPod since the day they were released and it still works great.

The iPod suffers from the same problems any lithium battery-powered device does. If you use it certain ways, the battery will quickly die, the same as ANY MP3 player with that type of battery.

Re:Daring Fireball covered this

[wankledot]

"Like your cell phone, laptop, etc. It's OK to partial charge it now and again, but it's bad overall"

Actually that's completely wrong. Lithium batteries only have so many charge cycles, and it's better to leave them charged and drain them rarely. Your method was great for old batteries, but not new ones.

www.Apple.com/batteries/

Re:Daring Fireball covered this

[Space Cow]

Just thought that you might like to know that you are taking the worst possible approach to maintaining the life of your lithium batteries. Lithium battery life is shortened by all of the following:

*) High charge state in warm/hot conditions
*) Deep discharge cycles
*) Extreme discharge (not possible with most modern electronics - built in safety circuits prevent this)

Two generally recommended practices are:

1) Charge early and often. Keep the battery at close to full charge.

2) When storing the battery for long periods of time without use (more than several weeks), discharge to about 40% of capacity and store in a cold location. Avoid freezing the battery, but down to 40-50 degree F will help preserve the charge capacity.

The reason people see their laptop batteries fail quickly is because they keep high charge levels with high temperature for months on end. This will shorten the useful life dramatically.

Take it or leave it, but I work in the consumer electronics industry and deal with the technical issues related to Lithium-ion batteries frequently.

Re:True purpose of the flash iPod

[Anonymous Coward]

Except that the article said that the entry-level price would be $99.

Otherwise, I agree with you.

Re:Better place to wear your player

[quinxy]

While not meaning to sound like a commercial, I'm really liking the one I recently got, a 1 GB MPIO FL300. It's tiny, just a bit bigger than a butter patty. It includes (depending on where you get it) a necklace strap, as well as an armband thing, both of which are great for the gym. $199 for the 1 GB model, $129 for the 256 GB model. Anyway, that's my plug...

Re:Sexist

[b-baggins]

Lighten up and learn to laugh. You'll be happier. Trust me.

Article Text

[Jck_Strw]

TheMacMind isn't known in the Mac world as being the source of intel on the latest Apple products, however through an anyonmous tipster (to you! We happen to know this person is 100% valid), we've been tipped off to a whole bevy of facts about the new Flash-based iPod from Apple. We also had this confirmed by a second contact at Apple.

When I first heard about the iPod Flash, I met it with the same scepticism as Daring Fireball did.

AppleInsider brought you the basic concept, but TheMacMind is here to let loose about how the new iPod works, what it looks like, and how it feels! And we're looking forward to being there when it's released at MacWorld San Francisco! (Sorry Steve, we couldn't resist!)

The Meat: Milano cookie. That's the basic principle. I like Tim-Tams, but that's just me. Rounded edges, flat, and tiny. We're looking at something that is about 2.5" long, 1.5" wide, and just .5" thick.

Get this: NO SCREEN. Got a cellphone with one of those flat joysticks? This is apparently how you'll get around on the screenless iPod. Left and right move between songs, up and down change the volume, and pressing straight down will play/pause your music. With any other company, I'd be incredibly doubtful that their techs would be able to pull off anything useable. Scroll through 250 songs in one big list? We're betting Apple has something better up their sleeve, and we'll hopefully be able to tell you about the interface in the next few days. Evenything goes in and out through a full-size FireWire port. Apparently, they are also virtually indestructible. We did a mock up of the iPod Flash in 3D. You can see how big it is compared to a business card (the same size as an iPod mini) and an Apple Firewire cable.

What does that tiny size mean? Well, the iPod Flash is meant to be worn around the neck. Yep, a nice little lanyard will keep the smallest of the iPod family twirling around your neck while jogging.

AppleInsider said "less than $200", but we we're told that the Flash iPod will be priced at $99. Freaking sweet, we're hoping that that's right on the money! There have been reports of storage capacities from 256 MB - 1 GB, which would correlate with that price. This release will make an iPod available to people in any price range.

TheMacMind
Image by Robert Padbury
rpadbury@themacmind.com

Another Site with Flash iPod info.

[the zonked]

More info about the Flash Ipod http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000040022898/

Re:Now this is exciting but....

[phugger]

Sounds *exactly* like today's WOOT (12/6/04) http://www.woot.com/ PCH

Re:No screen?

[nvrrobx]

Have you ever used a Phatbox? I have one in my car, it's a 20gb hard drive based player that announces things. You can read the display if you want, but since it speaks to you (literally) you can do without the screen. Great for driving. No reason that an iPod can't do the same, especially if you craft your playlists correctly. The Phatbox can navigate via playlists, artists, albums and genre, like the iPod.

Disclaimer: I am not an employee of Phatnoise, I'm just a very, very satisfied customer.

Re:So, is this how Apple Marketing Works?

[Anonymous Coward]

Slashdot thought the iPod was lame when it first came out. Thank the Lord Jobs doesn't listen to you retards.

Concept Image Mirror

[dark_lotus]

Yikes!

TMM switched hosting companies recently, and they've taken us offline. We thought we could survive a slashdotting, alas, we cannot.

Here's a mirror of the image (hosted on .mac) http://homepage.mac.com/dark_lotus/ipodflash.jpg

Official mirror for image

[applextrent]

Apple-X.net :: TheMacMind.com Unveils Flash iPod Concept Image Based On Inside Info (Image Mirror Included) Enjoy! --Trent L. CEO of Apple-X.net

Re:So, is this how Apple Marketing Works?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd go WOW if people learned to spell ridiculous WITHOUT A FUCKING E.

RE: hd players

[King_TJ]

Why is it people think flash doesn't fail?
I've lost a fair amount of data on my Sony camera's memory stick when it started going bad and quit saving things reliably on parts of it.

You can only rewrite/erase flash so many times before it fails, and from my observations - some cards out there fail long before they should.

Re:Sexist

[kfg]

The only evolutionary componant is that men are physically stronger than women and as a result were more able to physically control women.

I was with you right up to here (my mom was once denied a library card because she wasn't married and thus didn't have a man to guaruntee her penny a fucking day library fines).

Physical force only rarely, even in the bad old days, plays a role in the interaction between the sexes, and women are just as likely to apply it as men, to the extent that the shrew weilding a rolling pin is just as much a stereotype as a wifebeater.

My welder wife will also take me 10 out of 10 in arm wrestling and my aunt worked loading dock at the Post Office, one of the most back breaking jobs in existence.

Your statement is sexist. There is too much variation in individuals for it to be true, and thus also quite a bit of variation in the composition of tribal members/partners. There are also any number of examples of matriarchial societies.

It also cuts both ways. It's just as easy to say that men are stronger for the benefit of women as it is the other way around.

"Yo, Harry, go fetch me that mastadon!"

Squish!

"Oh, bummer. Oh, Thoooooooomas!"

Among the higher order animals the men may fight for mates, but it is the rule that women make the choice.

Leading to the inexorable conclusion that women have, over the millenia, bred men to be big, strong, stupid and pliable.

Every plan can backfire now and again. Be careful what you wish for.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have my knitting and spinning (seriously) to get back to. Go catch your own damned mastadon.

KFG

Re:Better place to wear your player

[quinxy]

I just got my 1 GB from ebay, there are a number of them on there for ~$185 (+15 for fast shipping/insurance). I bought mine from user e_mp3 via "buy it now" after seeing the auctions run up to the buy it now price (he apparently has several), it shipped out the first business day after the order, and I got it on schedule the next day. I can't see anything wrong with it, every indication is that it was new as promised. As for the person asking about the 256 MB version, Best Buy has it for $129.

Re:*Phew*

[Anonymous Coward]

enjoy you gapful playback and lack of crossfading

at least it looks cool

well, you gotta have something, i guess