Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

More Rumblings on Apple Video iPod

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the only-a-matter-of-time dept.

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.' "

8 of 297 comments (clear)

  1. No adequate thing as earplugs for video by derphilipp · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.
    1. Re:No adequate thing as earplugs for video by peterih · · Score: 5, Funny

      You could carry a really big magnifying glass with you at all times :)

  2. ESPN content, now there's something useful... by jmp_nyc · · Score: 5, Interesting

    While I wouldn't want to watch feature films on a 45 minute bus ride to work, it would be great to have a podcast of the hilights of last night's games to watch...
    -JMP

    1. Re:ESPN content, now there's something useful... by buro9 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I used to work for Premium TV and was the poor bugger largely responsible for creating their searchable video archive which included the ability to create videos from clips of soccer games.

      Basically video arrived in and was edited down to highlights, and meta data applied to describe each clip within that highlight. The video and meta data is then uploaded, and the end user can search it to watch a specific clip or construct their own highlights packages (want to build a movie of your 20 favourite goals ever? sure thing, etc).

      Anyway... this was all designed for the web. The problem that we encountered that I think will be encountered here is the usefulness of the web to display content that has been created for a different medium.

      Film of soccer games was specifically created to be viewed on a television. With various presumptions about the size of a viewers TV set.

      When reduced in size to fit within a 320x240 area on a web page, and then encoded to be streamable and downloadable with convenience, what do you think happens?

      Well firstly, that player who looked huge is only an inch high. Next that white ball he was kicking has become a dot. The ball disappears occasionally. The picture is mostly green.

      What needed to be done is that the video should have been reshot with the destination in mind. Wide shots of the pitch do not work when you have a few inches of available on the viewable device. Fast action moments (when most of the skill and elegance of a player is executed) blurs and is not clear when encoded too much.

      The same thing applies to almost any other sport.

      And importantly... it applies to music videos.

      Most music videos are designed for TV playback, a large viewing area. They will not instantly work when transferred to a very small screen. Though they do have a better chance than films which were designed for even larger viewing areas.

      On a tangent, Premium TV now work with Playboy TV and the searchable archive I created has been refactored to accomodate porn. Now that is true recognition of the value of the tool I built ;)

      On another tangent, imagine video podcasts. Especially when combined with the "build your own highlights" type thing that I mentioned above. iPods would be good devices for talking heads, and to construct documentaries and news from multiple sources and catch up on the latest on the way to work would be cool.

      So not all great, but there are some silver linings to such a product.

  3. Is there demand? by illtron · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.

    --
    Slashdot: 24 hours behind every other site or your money back!
  4. Re:Music videos are the new mp3? I think not. by LanMan04 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.
  5. vPod Shuffle by Eclypser · · Score: 5, Funny

    So after the video iPod has been out awhile will Steve announce an ultra portable version without a screen?

    --
    The comment has already been made. Let's move it along people. Nothing to see here.
  6. Re:Enough by shotfeel · · Score: 5, Funny

    I vote that we stop giving free hype fuel for the apple hype machine.

    I agree. Let's get back to real stuff like Longhorn, an easy to use Linux GUI, and all that SCO code in the Linux kernal!

    \... Runs and hides.