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Apple Announces iTunes 7, Movies, Set-Top Box

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the ooh-shiny dept.

necro81 writes, "As anticipated, Apple announced several additions and upgrades to its iPod and iTunes lineup. The iPod now comes in an 80 GB model, with a $50 price drop for the 30 GB model. The 2nd generation iPod Nano harkens back to the iPod Mini with metallic, multi-colored shells (though as diminutive as ever) and comes in an 8 GB model. The Shuffle has been completely redesigned and shrunk down to the size of a matchbook. All of this comes with the release of iTunes 7, which includes support for downloading full-length movies from iTMS." All 75 movies initially available are from Disney-related studios. The new iTunes will download cover art for all the songs in your library, no matter where you got them from, as long as you have an iTunes account. (A confirmation dialog says: "Information about songs with missing artwork will be sent to Apple. Apple does not keep any information related to the contents of your music library.") There's a new album-cover browsing view of your library. And Steve Jobs gave a sneak preview of a project code-named iTV: a Mac Mini-like wireless set-top box. Engadget has a blow-by-blow of Steve Jobs's presentation.

5 of 710 comments (clear)

  1. Gapless Playback! by blackmonday · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Gapless Payck for iPod! Wonder if they will update the 5th gen with this?? Please???

    1. Re:Gapless Playback! by Golias · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Gapless is what's been keeping me from upgrading as well. I've got an old black-and-white 20GB iPod which I've been using the hell out of for years now (I've burned through two batteries on it, and was planning on buying yet another in a few months.)

      Color screens did not make me want to replace it.
      Nor did photos.
      Nor did putting the buttons on the clickwheel.
      Nor did the longer battery life.
      Nor did videos.

      But gapless playback? They hooked me. I RAN to the Apple Store over my lunch hour, only to be told to "check again tomorrow", which I most certainly will do.

      The sweet thing about this is, since it also plays videos and a smattering of time-killer games, I can sell off both my old iPod and my souped-up PSP to friends who want them, and just about break even on the upgrade! w00t!

      --

      Information wants to be anthropomorphized.

  2. iTV by Damek · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Looking forward to this - but the big question will be, can you import video, or does it all have to come from iTunes Music Store? Namely, will Apple support via iTunes, just as they do for CDs, importing DVDs? Because a set top box that can only play video from an iTunes-bearing computer is relatively useless in comparison with Tivo/DVR/EyeTV/whathaveyou. Combine your standard cable company's DVR box with EyeTV and you can get any video you want on your Mac mini. No need for an "iTV" then. I guess if they just want to make it easy for people to get their iTunes videos onto their TV screen, that'll be good for most, but I would hope they at least provide some advanced functionality.

  3. No movie burning? Meh by Dark+Paladin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    That was the make or break for me. I could deal with a $10 movie price as long as I could burn the movie to DVD and watch it on TV.

    Without it - sorry, folks, but I'll wait.

    --
    52 Weeks, 52 Religions with John Hummel
  4. Re:Another Settop Box by mblase · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Interesting that they did a preview of a product they're not ready to formally announce yet. Rather uncharacteristic

    It's been pointed out that the only reason most iTMS users would buy full-length movies online is so they could watch them on their TV set. Since DVD burning isn't an option (yet?), Apple had to announce their intended set-top box to give the movie announcement some real weight..................