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[sonycowboy]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=582&e=8&u=/nm/20041012/wr_nm/tech_apple_dc

Is Apple Computer Inc. (Nasdaq:AAPL - news) fine-tuning an enhanced iPod with roughly 50 percent more storage and a color screen to display photos?

The Internet sites that follow Apple's coming product releases are buzzing with speculation that the iconic computer maker is preparing to unveil a 60-gigabyte iPod that would become its top-of-the-line offering.

Apple, of Cupertino, California, declined to comment on the reports, which gained momentum in recent weeks after a key supplier announced plans to produce a larger portable hard drive. In the past, Apple watchers used Hitachi's announcement of its 1-inch hard drive to accurately predict the arrival of the popular iPod mini.

But if true, analysts said the move by Apple would be among the most significant yet to transform the popular iPod music player into a broader entertainment platform that would raise the stakes in Apple's competition with Microsoft Corp.(Nasdaq:MSFT - news)

Among the Apple rumor sites, ThinkSecret cited "highly reliable sources" in reporting that Apple would announce a 60-gigabyte iPod within the next 60 days, in time for the holidays. (For story, see: http://www.thinksecret.com)

Many financial analysts who follow Apple also closely track the rumor sites, which have at times in the past accurately predicted new versions of the iPod, for example, and other products by the famously tight-lipped company.

"The iPod has the potential of evolving into an ever more powerful entertainment platform," said Tim Bajarin, an analyst at research firm Creative Strategies, adding that he had no specific knowledge that Apple was readying a bigger iPod, which some industry watchers believe would cost about $500.

MORE POWER IN THE 'POD

ThinkSecret reported that Apple plans to incorporate a 2-inch color display, the same dimension as on current iPods, and synchronization with its iPhoto software.

Backing the speculation is Toshiba's August launch of a 1.8-inch, 60-gigabyte hard disk drive. It's widely known that Toshiba Corp. makes the drives for the iPod and Hitachi Ltd. (6501.T) supplies the 1-inch drive used in the iPod mini.

On Tuesday, Microsoft is launching the latest version of its Media Center software in partnership with a broad array of computer companies and others.

While Apple has suggested that users can store audio books and data other than songs on the iPod -- using a microphone, for instance, to record lectures -- Chief Executive Steve Jobs (news - web sites) has largely kept the focus on music.

Indeed, Jobs has publicly all but ruled out a video iPod, because there are already any number of portable DVD players on the market and many consumers use their notebook PCs to watch movies while on the road. Plus, the screen on the current iPod is too small to make watching movies practical.

But if Apple makes the iPod work with its iPhoto software to manage photos on the iPod, it is likely that the company will make it available on PCs running Microsoft Windows, the dominant operating system software, analysts said. Apple's iTunes software already works with Windows, and analysts have credited that availability as helping boost iPod sales.

Since iPod's introduction in October 2001, Apple has sold more than 4 million of the sleek devices, which store anywhere from about 1,000 songs to 10,000 songs. In its most recent quarter, iPod sales accounted for 12.4 percent of Apple's overall revenue.

"If I want to expand the iPod's ability to be a digital media platform, you would want to cross platforms," said Mike McGuire, an analyst at market research firm GartnerG2, referring to iPhoto working on both Windows and the Mac operating system.

But McGuire also cautioned that Apple needs to be prudent about how it expands the iPod so that it protects the valuable association it has built up with digital music.

"You have to be careful you don't turn it into a digital Swiss army knife where you have a lot of functions, but none of them has a lot of strengths," McGuire said. "You have to be careful about diluting the brand."

 

[Willco]

NOW ONLY $1,200! FINANCE YOUR LIVES AWAY APPLE FANS!

 

[Smiles and Cries]

NOW ONLY $1,200! FINANCE YOUR LIVES AWAY APPLE FANS!

$499 but close enough

 

[Gantz]

Watch them come out with a video ready ipod 3-4 months after this one is released.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

 

[Zaptruder]

You know. the more I think about it, the more I think iPod is actually a pretty stupid name.

I... pod? why? what's so pod like about the pod?

hell, pod is a pretty stupid sounding word if you say it over and over again.

iTravel might have been a better name?

oh well... this might be pretty interesting if it was a camera as well. But if it's just a picture viewer, that's pretty boring.

 

[Phoenix]

You know. the more I think about it, the more I think iPod is actually a pretty stupid name.

I... pod? why? what's so pod like about the pod?

hell, pod is a pretty stupid sounding word if you say it over and over again.

iTravel might have been a better name?

oh well... this might be pretty interesting if it was a camera as well. But if it's just a picture viewer, that's pretty boring.

I personally don't have a particular use for it, but many people who cart around a lot of photos like photographers and the like (small audience) will care. I think the photo features are just there to maintain parity with the other players in and arriving on the market that will be able to do the same thing. I'm also starting to see a market for being able to move video around in quantity as well - if you have a cheap dumb screen that you can stream the video to. At some point next year I'll be a parent and one of the things that I know I'll need to get is a video player for the RX (either that or just get a new RX that has one in it). The archos line of media players and the windows media devices are good in that space too. The problem with ALL of these devices is piss poor car integration.

 

[G4life98]

somebody wake me up when they put an am/fm radio and some type of wireless connection options in that bitch.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

somebody wake me up when they put an am/fm radio and some type of wireless connection options in that bitch.

You are not asking for much are you?
am/fm add-ons has been around since first gen though

 

[G4life98]

You are not asking for much are you?
am/fm add-ons has been around since first gen though

could you point me to one, because everytime i look all i find are the fm transmitters.

 

[DarienA]

I'm briefly stepping in to continue my rant about Apple not releasing a sub-$200 Ipod.

Ok, I'm done.

 

[Fresh Prince]

There are rumours about Apple releasing a flash based player. link

 

[nitewulf]

You are not asking for much are you?
am/fm add-ons has been around since first gen though

no they havent been. this is one of the reasons why im still not getting an ipod, so intuitive and simple, yet they are still not adding it.
you are probably thinking of the FM transmitters.

 

[sc0la]

I'm briefly stepping in to continue my rant about Apple not releasing a sub-$200 Ipod.

Ok, I'm done.

yeah $199 would probably sell me on one. I like them, just don't have the money. Maybe this new size will push down the prices a little. probably not though.

 

[Winged Creature]

i dont think any HDD player had AM radio, alot have FM (ie dell, iriver etc) but no AM

 

[aoi tsuki]

There are rumours about Apple releasing a flash based player. link

Do they really need a flash player? The iPod Mini current gen of iPods are small already, and the Minis are even smaller.

i didn't initially see the value of an iPod that displays pictures, but i keep forgetting not everyone has a PDA, and i guess it would be nice to show off pics (and maybe even video) to people. Video capabilities, even on a screen that small would be major jab at the portable media devices, given the popularity of the iPod brand.

 

[GG-Duo]

If the iAudio M5 delivers, then there would be no need for this.

 

[Fresh Prince]

Do they really need a flash player? The iPod Mini current gen of iPods are small already, and the Minis are even smaller.

i didn't initially see the value of an iPod that displays pictures, but i keep forgetting not everyone has a PDA, and i guess it would be nice to show off pics (and maybe even video) to people. Video capabilities, even on a screen that small would be major jab at the portable media devices, given the popularity of the iPod brand.

HDD Mp3 Players aren't really suited for excercise/jogging so maybe Apple Marketing have seen a hole in their plan and want to cover it up with a flash based player obviously marketed as 'rugged' etc.

Anyway here's a link to the M5 GG-Duo was talking about it looks slick although the joystick is too small.
link

 

[fart]

apple tends to live on rumors and eventual overpriced underdelivery. use salt.