[Macpilot]

So Apple is going to announce some "fun new products."

I am not getting my hopes up, but an Apple gaming system would be sweet. Could this be what that cube is? They made a system before, but never wound up selling it. I think it was called the "Pippin".

Probably gonna be another new iPod and the Intel iBooks.

What do you guys think?

[Dakar]

I just don't see how they could release another iPod already.

That's begging for backlash.

[Millennium]

Apple did sell the Pippin for a short while. Or rather, they tried to sell it; it never really caught on. I would be surprised to see them enter that market again.

However, I wouldn't be surprised if this new product were gaming-related in some way. Perhaps some kind of game controller? Or maybe a dance pad that plugs into your iPod dock and the arrows show up on the iPod screen?

[ajprice]

Originally Posted by Millennium

...However, I wouldn't be surprised if this new product were gaming-related in some way. Perhaps some kind of game controller? Or maybe a dance pad that plugs into your iPod dock and the arrows show up on the iPod screen?

iParappa the Rapper

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by Millennium

However, I wouldn't be surprised if this new product were gaming-related in some way. Perhaps some kind of game controller? Or maybe a dance pad that plugs into your iPod dock and the arrows show up on the iPod screen?

No! Don't! The same moron suing over hearing-loss will claim that his iPod WAS the dance pad, and he hurt his foot dancing on his iPod.

[Paco500]

Originally Posted by Millennium

Apple did sell the Pippin for a short while. Or rather, they tried to sell it; it never really caught on. I would be surprised to see them enter that market again.

However, I wouldn't be surprised if this new product were gaming-related in some way. Perhaps some kind of game controller? Or maybe a dance pad that plugs into your iPod dock and the arrows show up on the iPod screen?

Actually, I don't think they did. I think they just licensed the os/design to bandai.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Pippin

Not that it really matters.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Ya a Pippin is a great idea with the Xbox 360 and the ps3/revolution around the corner.

[Teronzhul]

I would think it is more likely for Apple to release a Tivo-esque DVR unit. A home theater appliance with video/music and full iTunes integration. It seems the next logical step after the video store.

[rickey939]

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally Posted by Teronzhul

I would think it is more likely for Apple to release a Tivo-esque DVR unit. A home theater appliance with video/music and full iTunes integration. It seems the next logical step after the video store.

Exactly.

They better up the quality of the downloadable videos though. It may look fine on an iPod but it looks like ass on everything else.

[Paco500]

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

Exactly.

They better up the quality of the downloadable videos though. It may look fine on an iPod but it looks like ass on everything else.

While I agree it they need to up the quality if they want to move to a media center type device, I have to say I was impressed with the quality on a real TV. It is no where near good enough for those used to HD, but I would compare the quality to Tivo on lowest quality settings, and most people are fine with that. It's no where near great, but perfectly watchable on my 37" HD lcd.

But perhaps I have lower expectations.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally Posted by Paco500

While I agree it they need to up the quality if they want to move to a media center type device, I have to say I was impressed with the quality on a real TV. It is no where near good enough for those used to HD, but I would compare the quality to Tivo on lowest quality settings, and most people are fine with that. It's no where near great, but perfectly watchable on my 37" HD lcd.

But perhaps I have lower expectations.

If you have an HD tv and you are watching HD programming that is cropped to 4:3 you must not have very high standards.

For one I am not going to download and watch Battlestar Galactica which is filmed in HD widescreen but cropped to 4:3 for use on my computer or iPod.

If the video iPod was widescreen and bigger I would be all over it.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

This is the extent Apple goes to for games. Guess they put this up today in anticipation of the Pippin 2

http://www.apple.com/games/articles/2006/02/cardgames/

[Dakar]

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

This is the extent Apple goes to for games. Guess they put this up today in anticipation of the Pippin 2

http://www.apple.com/games/articles/2006/02/cardgames/

A console to play card games on?

BRILLIANT!

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by Paco500

..and most people are fine with that. It's no where near great, but perfectly watchable on my 37" HD lcd.

But perhaps I have lower expectations.

yea, no thanks..

320x240 on a 648x480 CRT television is one thing, popping it out on a 37" HD LCD is another.

What with almost everyone having digital cable or somesuch these days, and HD televisions, Apple wouldn't release a TiVo style device without the ability to do high quality recording, and/or integrate with possible new higher resolution content? Or at least I should hope not.

[Dakar]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure

Apple wouldn't release a TiVo style device without the ability to do high quality recording, and/or integrate with possible new higher resolution content? Or at least I should hope not.

Just another feature for them to upgrade in 6-12 months.

[wallinbl]

Originally Posted by Dakar

Just another feature for them to upgrade in 6-12 months.

Didn't they already have the Year of HD?

[Dakar]

That's sounds vaguely familiar.

[dale]

Originally Posted by Teronzhul

I would think it is more likely for Apple to release a Tivo-esque DVR unit. A home theater appliance with video/music and full iTunes integration. It seems the next logical step after the video store.

maybe the onscreen clickwheel touchpad technology that Apple filed a patent for recently will for the remote for an Apple TiVO-esque device.

[mdc]

Why's Hercules peeing on that cat(?)?

[thunderous_funker]

1) announce the next round of Intelization, i.e. the mini

OR

2) some software announcement mostly likely associated with iPod, iTunes. Perhaps the long anticipated "Post your Band to iTunes" app.

[slugslugslug]

Originally Posted by Dakar

I just don't see how they could release another iPod already.

That's begging for backlash.

And I don't really see how "backlash" is gonna be a problem for their bottom line. Folks who bought a current iPod might get grumpy, but they won't be able to un-buy their iPods. Heck, they'll probably buy additional Apple products in the future when their grumpiness has long since faded.

The only way Apple loses by releasing another iPod is if they finally figure out how to make it suck.

[Eug Wanker]

Originally Posted by Paco500

But perhaps I have lower expectations.

Bingo.

320x240 sucks on any reasonably sized screen. Even just 480x360 (ane 480x272) would be a humungous improvement. I guess that's not surprising though since it's over twice the resolution of 320x240. On a mid-sized screen:

640x480 = Good
480x360 = Mediocre but OK
320x240 = Annoying

All I can say is that I was very disappointed when paid iTunes videos came out at 320x240. That's even worse than the video resolutions of some of the free music videos they had before they started asking money for them. It was a real step backward: 480x360 free --> 320x240 for money.

[tooki]

Why couldn't this have been in the thread posted two days ago?

tooki