New iPods Coming Next Week (9/5/07) (1 Viewer)

Apple has scheduled another media event for next Wednesday, Sept. 5. The invitation has a Cover Flow motif with a silhouetted iPod dancer and the slogan "The Beat Goes On", so clearly a refresh to the iPod line is in the offing. There are also hints that the Beatles catalog may finally be coming to the iTunes Store - the phrase "The Beat Goes On" (in addition to being a Sonny & Cher hit) was used in the Fab Four's final press release after their dissolution in 1970.

I'm personally hoping for an hard-disk based "iPhone without the phone" iPod. I hope they use the newer 1.8" drives to boost capacity to 100/120 (or even 160) GB. Built-in Bluetooth (stereo capable, of course) would be nice as well.

But that's me. What do you guys think we will see?

I was talking to an Apple store employee today when I was looking for an airport express. The stores are out and they currently aren't available to the stores.. I think he used the word embargoed...

Squatty Square Nano with a wide screen.

Think secret says:

"Sources say Apple has wavered between releasing a touch-screen iPod this year or waiting... [however] the slower than expected sales pace of the iPhone means those parts [needed to make touch-screens] may be available in sufficient quantity to roll-out a touch-based iPod this year."

If they go touch screen, they better incorporate some vibration or other "texture" to the interface. Maneuvering my iPod by touch is essential. This is the hard-button vs. LCD-interface remote control debate. I'm a hard-button guy.

I don't know how I feel about this one. Just got the 80GB iPod with a promo. It's the first "iPod" I've had since the Gen2 20GB that replaced the 5GB bought the day the iPod was released.

The shuffle works great in near/subzero temps and the mini is a great FW drive/music player, but larger iPods have always seemed a waste of space and too easy to damage when running or traveling. A large iPod without the ability to control with one hand seems a waste for me, but I hold out hope they can make me a convert.

(As a remote control, I definitely see a use)

One of the new rumored models is what come people call the iPod mini (a revival of an old iPod model name), essentially a 2G iPod nano "writ large" with a display almost the size of the 5.5G iPod video display, a Click Wheel the same size as the nano, thickness just a little more than the nano and a case with rounded edges. If they offer a 16 GB flash memory model for US$300 I'm buying!

Less than 15 minutes until the event. This is one of the fun things about being an Apple user - all the anticipation leading up to a Steve-note.

Paul McCartney is scheduled to make an announcement at the same time the Apple event begins, so it looks like the "Beatles on iTunes" thing might actually happen.

Other than that, people are expecting new video-capable Nanos, and the iPod Touch - the long-rumored iPhone-minus-the-phone. Opinion is split on whether these will be flash or hard drive based (I'm hoping for the latter). There are many other wilder rumors out there - too many to go into.

We'll know all soon...

New version of iTunes today. The biggest new feature is ringtones. You can make your own from songs purchased from the iTunes store. Looks like it won't work with stuff you rip from your CD library. :frowning: And the reason is - 99 cents for each ringtone. Not surprising, really. I'm sure a cut of that goes to AT&T. There's no way the phones companies are giving up the ringtone revenue stream. iToner, here I come.

So much for the free ringtone thing. No big deal, you can get around that.

And here comes the iPod announcements. They're going to refresh/replace every model for the upcoming holiday season.

Shuffle is first. New colors, including Product(RED). Same 1GB capacity, same price. Nothing much to see here - he's moving on to Nanos.

New Nano - it's the "phatty" that's been talked about the past week or so. Looks much nicer in Steve's hands than some of the mockups we've seen. New screen with same resolution as current iPod video. New interface - CoverFlow, etc. Still controlled by the click wheel.

Interface looks good - pretty much matches screen shots posted by one of the rumor sites yesterday. Very graphics-oriented. It also plays the iPod video-style games, and will ship with 3 of 'em.

All metal. Will come in several colors. I'm warming to this new look - it's all screen & click wheel.

Oh yeah - it does video. Battery life: 24 hours audio, 5 hours video.

4GB version, silver only - $149. 8GB version, many colors - $199. A little surprised they didn't go with a 16 GB size.

Will be in stores by end of the week.

Overall, looks really nice. VERY thin, small device. These are gonna sell like hotcakes.

Next up - the iPod, which is being renamed the iPod Classic. Full metal, slimmer body than current iPod Video. Same click wheel and new interface as the new Nanos. Two sizes: 80 GB and 160 GB!!! (Woo hoo!!!)

Excellent battery life: 80 - 30 hours audio, 6 hours video. 160 - 40 hours audio, 7 hours video (160 GB version is a little thicker).

Nice new look - more rounded corners. Available in black & white. 80 GB model runs $249, 160 GB model runs $349. Again, shipping today.

OK, here's what we're waiting for, the new member of the family - iPod Touch.

Looks likes iPhone, but thinner!

It has WiFi. Safari & YouTube. Really looks like the iPhone minus the phone.

It's flash-based. 8GB model for $299, 16GB for $399. Battery life - 22 hours audio, 5 hours video. Shipping later this month.

This is the device for folks who are intrigued by the iPhone but hate AT&T...

Wow, the 160GB is just what I needed (having nearly filled my 5G 60GB iPod).

Of course, the iPod touch is just being announced. Wonder what the capacity will be. If it's over 32GB I might have to get that instead. Wifi + internet features (soon) makes it really tempting.

One more thing - a new app for the iPhone Touch - the WiFi iTunes Music Store!!

You can search, preview, and buy any content in the iTunes store, and have it downloaded directly to the device! The stuff you buy syncs back to your iTunes library at home. This is excellent, I hope it will be made available on the iPhone as well.

Yes!! Coming in an iPhone update later this month!!!

Dangit, 8GB & 16GB. Not sure that's enough for me. Perhaps I use my 60Gb as my mobile music server and use the iPod Touch as my true portable, since it's flash based and no HD to react negatively to being jostled. I'll just have to get creative with my playlists since now I'll only be able to have about 1/3 of my music library at any one time.

Or maybe I buy a new 80GB + Touch. Goodbye paycheck!

Hmm the iTouch looks very very tempting since we haven't got the iPhone up here yet.

Steve is now announcing a partnership with Starbucks. That must be the McCartney connection, he recently signed with Starbucks' new label.

Hmm... When you're in a Starbucks, you'll see a Starbucks button in the WiFi iTunes Store applet that will let you buy whatever's playing in the store at that time. That's nice, but I'm usually in & out of Starbucks. Might be cool for those who like to hang out there.

Free access to the store via Starbucks' WiFi while you're there. Well, that's the LEAST they could do...

Jeez, it's going to take forever for them to roll this out - won't be nationwide until 2009.

I've been waiting for increased capacity. I've got a full 80GB iPod, and the rest of my 100GB+ library spilled over onto an older 60GB. I'm gonna pick up a 160 GB black iPod classic (hopefully today if the local Apple Store gets 'em in) and retire both of those.

My one disappointment about today's announcements: I was really hoping for integrated stereo Bluetooth. Oh well, not a deal-breaker.