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More Rumblings on Apple Video iPod
Chris Holland writes "Beyond the WSJ Story, Om Malik gives us inside information obtained by Business 2.0 Magazine about the Apple Video iPod. 'Steve Jobs has spoken with Disney President and soon-to-be CEO Bob Iger about ways to license various Disney content for a video iPod, according to an internal Disney email I have obtained. That could include anything from clips from ESPN and ABC News to short cartoons.' "
I don't like these tiny videoplayers - there is no adequate thing for video like an earplug for audio. The only thing where it comes handy if you can connect a TV or a Display to it.
Spelling mistakes: My is english spoken not tongue of mother.
While I occasionally see gadget-obsessed teenagers whining for something like this, I really wonder if there's any real demand.
If the iPod has the raw power to play video, I see no reason why Apple shouldn't put the software on it to do so. At the same time, I think that a lot of companies and people are overestimating the appeal of watching pirated movies on a 2-inch screen.
On the other hand, video podcasts would be nice.
On the other other hand, if Apple expects anybody to actually watch video (not just as a novelty), they're going to have to rethink the external interface of the iPod. You can't have a good sized screen and the vertical orientation of the device like it is now. There will have to be some big changes, and I really wonder if Jobs is willing to do that.
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When the video cassette recorder (VCR) became popular and economical, theater owners issued dire warnings that the end of the theater was at hand. These warnings were wrong. People go to the theater for reasons beyond just viewing the latest movie. People patronize the theater for social reasons; it is a place to enjoy a shared experience with your friends.
For this reason, the video iPod will not rival the success of the audio iPod. Music is something that many people enjoy by themselves. Witness all the cars equipped with stereos: the lone occupant of the car listens to music on her way to and from work.
The only exception to the above reasoning is pornography. Many people do, indeed, watch pornographic movies alone.
Here's an idea. To spur sales of the video iPod, Apple could offer 10 free jars of Vaselino for each purchase of a video iPod.
What I don't get is how these analysts are making the leap that because Apple is negotiating video content, it must be for the iPod.
OS X Tiger shipped with Quicktime 7, and H.264 which delivers awesome HD video. Slap a beefier processor in the Mac mini that can keep up and you have yourself an Apple DVR.
MP3s. AAC. Music Videos. Disney Cartoons. The Matrix Reloaded Again For The Second Time. What have you. It will play it all.
So enough of this "Apple selling video = iPod Video" nonsense.
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
Did you think people would pay $2 or $3 for a 20 second, polyphonic ringtone? Never underestimate the public's need to consume media.
With the first link, the chain is forged.
I have given up all hope of trying to predict this stuff afterlearning that ringtones... RINGTONES!!!! are a 3 BILLION+ industry per year.
I've become a very loyal customer in the last 2 years. From being a lifetime PC (Linux) user I've completly made the switch, by getting an iBook G4 first and a Powerbook later. I've since then migrated all of the PCs of my small company to Mac computers, and I constantly predicate about the digital lifestyle that you promote.
However, I'd like to request you that please, please, PLEASE add gapless playing to the iPod. How good can it be to listen to the Dark Side Of The Moon (or any other Pink Floyd album for that matter) if there is a frickin' gap between every track, cutting out all the inspiration of such masterpieces. I don't mind if it's added as a global option or as some sort of metadata hack for each track, I want gapless playing on my iPod (and iTunes too).
I can't stress enough how important this feature is for me as for many other users, I think it's by far the most requested one (even than OGG playback!)
Truly yours, a happy but desperate customer.
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It seems a lot of folks are making the presumption that the current iPod screen would just become color for a video iPod - is that based on anything beyond the photo iPod?
Turn your iPod sideways and flip it over to the nice chome area. I don't have mine in front of me, but I'd guess you could get a 5"-6" 16x9 screen there. Has everyone noticed Apple's dedication to HDTV protocols with iMovie, iDVD, Final Cut Pro, etc. ? Somehow it would be contrary to their mission to give a video iPod a 4X3 when everything else there doing is designed for the future (16x9).
just my 10.
-pjc
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There are many, many good news aggregators out there now, people who want to have aggregated news feeds WILL USE A NEWS AGGREGATOR. Slashdot should be original news.
But couldn't I just as easily say "There are many, many good original news feeds out there now, people who want to have original news WILL USE AN ORIGINAL NEWS FEED. Slashdot should be news aggregator."
Admittedly I haven't used slashdot for as long as you have but in my recollection it hasn't changed considerably over the years. And it's not like the name "slashdot" suggests it should be anything else than what it is. It's always seemed to me that slashdot's mission is simply to post stories for discussion that the editors would like to post. Yes that is an incredibly narcissistic mission but it turns about people have shown up in the 1,000's to discuss these stories. Just because slashdot is popular it "should" have to change what it does?