Rumors predict new affordable iPod MP3 Player

The San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 12/30/2003

[Swordmaker]

A week before the 2004 Macworld Expo in San Francisco, analysts and Web sites that track Apple Computer Inc. are speculating that the company will unveil a line of smaller, cheaper versions of its popular but pricey iPod digital music players.

[Swordmaker]

Adjusting for inflation, $100 is about the same price point that allowed transistor radios to become the rage of the early 1960s...

An Apple iPod that will hold 700 songs for an under $100 price, along with the recent release of a Window's version of iTunes, may break open the digital download music market.

[dts32041]

Don't buy the samsung napster yepp 910gs, sucker is a bad piece of hard ware and soft ware design.

[Elliott Jackalope]

I wouldn't mind having one of those new iPods, if they are in fact made available. I'm also looking forward to some speed increases in the G5 lineup, with a selection ranging from a one-processor 2.0 Ghz model up to a twin 2.4 and twin 2.6 Ghz models. That would be sweeeet!

[Swordmaker]

I'm also looking forward to some speed increases in the G5 lineup, with a selection ranging from a one-processor 2.0 Ghz model up to a twin 2.4 and twin 2.6 Ghz models. That would be sweeeet!

But... but, that would make my 1.6GHz obsolete!!!

[Elliott Jackalope]

Oh, well, we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we? I'll just dash off a memo to Mr. Jobs and request that they hold off on the next generation of G5s for a few more months. Would that work for you?

Sheesh. Imagine how I feel. My 10 month old twin 1.25 G4 is looking awfully long in the tooth. Unfortunantely it works just fine for everything I throw at it, including video editing and video animations. Darn.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

very...VERY COOL!

[Criminal Number 18F]

My predictions for release:

• The low end iPod which will probably only have < 1GB of storage.
• A new version of MacOS, "OS X 11.0".
• ancillary apps like iPhoto, iMovie, etc.
• Microsoft will introduce, but not ship, a new version of Office (relatively minor changes) and of VirtualPC (which will not work as well as 6.1 with non-MS operating systems -- if it works at all).
• Speedbumped G5s (shipping later in the month)
• a twin G5 XServe which may be quieter in operation than the old one. It also will not be quite as deep. (XServes rock!)
• Two new versions of Logic Audio and some hardware partnerships. This may not be part of the main announcement. There may be a special purpose piece of Apple hardware with this as well.
• A replacement for the 17" cinema display. Possibly some other display shuffling and some speed bumps on the consumer side.

There will probably be no price cuts of note: might have been planned, but no can do with the exchange rates.

The way to tell if anything big and unexpected is coming, is if Steve mentions the new iPod in the early part of his keynote. If he doesn't, he's saving it for the end, and it is the big announcement.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[Swordmaker]

Unfortunantely it works just fine for everything I throw at it, including video editing and video animations. Darn.

I know... I kept trying to come up with a legitimate reason for buying my G5. Everything I was doing was being handled quite nicely by my G4 Cube. I finally decided it didn't NEED a legitimate reason; I wanted it.

So I got it!

[Elliott Jackalope]

I'll take those one by one.

The low end iPod which will probably only have < 1GB of storage. - I disagree, most likely a 2GB and a 4GB version.

A new version of MacOS, "OS X 11.0" - No way. Ain't gonna happen. There will not be an "OS 11" for at least a couple of more years, and probably not even then. We will see an 10.4 release by the end of 04, IMHO.

Ancillary apps like iPhoto, iMovie, etc. - As in upgrades, yes, seems very likely.

Microsoft will introduce, but not ship, a new version of Office (relatively minor changes) and of VirtualPC (which will not work as well as 6.1 with non-MS operating systems -- if it works at all). - No opinion on that one. We'll see.

Speedbumped G5s (shipping later in the month) - I agree.

A twin G5 XServe which may be quieter in operation than the old one. It also will not be quite as deep. (XServes rock!) - Possibly. Let's hope really hard!

Two new versions of Logic Audio and some hardware partnerships. This may not be part of the main announcement. There may be a special purpose piece of Apple hardware with this as well. - I have no opinion on this one, but I hope you're right.

A replacement for the 17" cinema display. Possibly some other display shuffling and some speed bumps on the consumer side. - Yes, seems very likely. Their display lineup is overdue for an upgrade.

Anyway, we'll see next month.

[Richard Kimball]

I'm thumping along very happily with a 1 GH iMac flat panel. I just checked my iTunes, and 305 songs takes 17.7 hours to play and uses just over a gig. That means a 4 gig iPod will only hold about 1200 songs for 70 hours of music. I have been wanting one, but this could put me over the edge. I am sooooooooo glad I switched over to Apple last year.

[Elliott Jackalope]

I switched over in 2000. Have not looked back once. Apples rock!

[Unknown Freeper]

Forget the iPod. Where is the G5 PowerBook???? Come on!!! I want it!!!

[Elliott Jackalope]

My crystal ball says that G5 PowerBooks will become available sometime this summer, probably announced around July and shipping by September.

[Swordmaker]

Latest reports from IBM indicate the new design 970s are using 1/3 smaller traces and 1/3 of the power requirements... means cooler and smaller. We may be seeing a G5 laptop very soon.

[Swordmaker]

FRom a discussion site:

"According to an article posted last Friday on AudioRevolution's web site, the rumored upcoming Mini iPods will NOT feature built in Toshiba hard drives, but will in fact be Flash memory based. AudioRevolution is quoting an Apple Retailer as its source for this information, who also confirmed the existence of this product. This news is certainly disappointing, but it makes more logical sense. I find it hard to believe that Apple has found a way to market $100 low capacity Hard Drive media players. On the plus side, coming from Apple you can certainly bet this product will be very small and stylish. We shall see."

[zarf]

Hell, my Dual Processor 800 MHz G4 slams. I'll need to find some excuse to trade up, but it handles everything with aplomb.

Maybe I'll accidentally spill coffee in it so I'll have an excuse to buy a G5.

[raybbr]

Maybe I'll accidentally spill coffee in it so I'll have an excuse to buy a G5.

Send it to me - I'll pay for the shipping. I am running an Ahtlon 1.1G on Windows 98SE. I could use the upgrade. Thanks in advance, Ray

[Johnny Gage]

Yeah, but is it still gonna cost an arm & leg to get the battery changed out, or are they going to build them to use a non-proprietary battery.