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Eug Wanker · Jul 17, 2004, 08:22 PM

Apple to announce new iPods Monday

According to sources, the company plans to unveil thinner, sleeker white iPods with a major announcement on Monday, July 19. While the enclosure will be the same general size as that of current iPods, it will be thinner; it will also have a new scroll wheel of different style and look.

Apple will not announce the new models through a press event, though Think Secret has learned that the announcement will be delivered through an out-of-the-ordinary publicity medium.

MaxPower2k3 · Jul 17, 2004, 08:27 PM

yeah, see the '4G iPod' thread in this forum... pretty much confirms that.

Eug Wanker · Jul 17, 2004, 08:29 PM

Originally posted by MaxPower2k3:
yeah, see the '4G iPod' thread in this forum... pretty much confirms that.

osxisfun · Jul 17, 2004, 08:36 PM

awesome. i don't like the buttons on my 3g. looks likes they fixed that.

osxisfun · Jul 17, 2004, 08:37 PM

wonder if they are going to let the Hard driver spiller/spoiler out of jail now.

chabig · Jul 17, 2004, 08:47 PM

Where did you find an early pic of the Newsweek cover?

Nawoo · Jul 17, 2004, 09:05 PM

It doesn't look any different than the 3rd generation

Spheric Harlot · Jul 17, 2004, 09:07 PM

I want one IF it can record. (yes, I know, I repeat myself)

The Newsweek cover says JULY 26th, though, so ThinkSecret may be off by a Monday.

-s*

osxisfun · Jul 17, 2004, 09:07 PM

Originally posted by Nawoo:
It doesn't look any different than the 3rd generation

Ummmm. Notice the lack of buttons?

Here's some more

Eug Wanker · Jul 17, 2004, 09:13 PM

Originally posted by Nawoo:
It doesn't look any different than the 3rd generation

60 GB with iPod mini's interface.

Luca Rescigno · Jul 17, 2004, 10:39 PM

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Se...0717_COVER.jpg

TEH BIGGAR 4 U.

RonnieoftheRose · Jul 17, 2004, 10:44 PM

The design gets cleaner all the time. I still like my 1st gen.

Luca Rescigno · Jul 17, 2004, 10:50 PM

I have a second gen that I love in ALMOST every respect... the control layout is unmatched, and I can even control the touchwheel through my pants (usually). Unless there's a seam or flap in the way, which does happen on cargo shorts, I can just spin the wheel and the fabric is thin enough so it still registers. Try doing that on a 3G!

But the headphone jack is busted. It still works, usually, as long as I use lightweight headphones that don't allow the jack to wiggle at all. If not for that one annoying issue (which is a design flaw), I'd keep it forever. As it stands, I may keep it just long enough to buy a previous generation 4G iPod once the next update comes out (probably sometime next spring). After all, my 10 GB aren't even full, and if the low end of this line is 20 GB, that'll be way more than enough for me.

By the way, does anyone know how to fix the headphone jacks on the older ones? I found a temporary fix by ripping a little plastic ring out of the remote and jamming it into the ring-shaped gap between the iPod body and the headphone jack, but as I said, that was only temporary. It alleviated the problem for some time, and makes it usable if I use small headphones... but I'm thinking I'll need to pry this thing open and see if my grandfather, a master in the art of fixing things, can resolder the headphone jack to the board so it's sturdy again. If that doesn't work, then it's New iPod City for me! Well, eventually.

stevesnj · Jul 17, 2004, 10:56 PM

I bet the new scrollwheel will light up. Looks like a translucent plastic.

TailsToo · Jul 17, 2004, 11:06 PM

Originally posted by osxisfun:
awesome. i don't like the buttons on my 3g. looks likes they fixed that.

I agree. I loved everything else about my 40GB iPod, but the buttons are so unApple like. The only good thing about them was that there were no moving parts, The new one will have them again.

I hope the battery lasts longer!

chabig · Jul 17, 2004, 11:18 PM

If it is indeed thinner than the current iPods I can't image they could have put more battery capacity in there, but we'll know soon enough. What I think is possible, though, is that they could have increased the size of the RAM cache. That would extend battery life by spinning up the hard drive less often.

Chris

Eug Wanker · Jul 18, 2004, 02:04 AM

Originally posted by stevesnj:
I bet the new scrollwheel will light up. Looks like a translucent plastic.

I'm betting it won't. IIRC, it doesn't on the iPod mini.

tr · Jul 18, 2004, 03:29 AM

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
I'm betting it won't. IIRC, it doesn't on the iPod mini.

yeah, the wheel is not translucent, it's brushed metal, according to Engadget.

tr

EdipisReks · Jul 18, 2004, 03:34 AM

i prefer the touch wheel on my 3g.

Eug Wanker · Jul 18, 2004, 09:31 AM

Originally posted by tr:
yeah, the wheel is not translucent, it's brushed metal, according to Engadget.

Brushed metal? I don't think so. Maybe they mean just the colour?

Originally posted by EdipisReks:
i prefer the touch wheel on my 3g.

It's the same touch wheel more or less, except now with buttons.

fhoubi · Jul 18, 2004, 10:09 AM

It's the same touch wheel more or less, except now with buttons. [/B]

Now the interesting question would be: is the touch-wheel (mechanically) clickable just as the mini, or would you only have to tap on it for the buttons functions? I go, for the change of change, for the tab-only-on-it version.

TailsToo · Jul 18, 2004, 10:17 AM

Originally posted by tr:
yeah, the wheel is not translucent, it's brushed metal, according to Engadget.

tr

GOOD GOD NO!!!! Enough with the brushed metal! I'm sure that Ives would never allow such a thing onto the iPod. He was always fond of the all-white ipod. The color itself was a statement.

mdc · Jul 18, 2004, 10:47 AM

pic of new ipod in the dark
found the link in the 4G ipod thread.

apparently the buttons do light up

chabig · Jul 18, 2004, 11:06 AM

Originally posted by EdipisReks:
i prefer the touch wheel on my 3g.

So I take it you've tried the new one?

hardcat1970 · Jul 18, 2004, 11:25 AM

Originally posted by EdipisReks:
i prefer the touch wheel on my 3g.

you are so special, everybody hates the touchwheel.

Cadaver · Jul 18, 2004, 11:37 AM

Originally posted by mdc:
pic of new ipod in the dark
found the link in the 4G ipod thread.

apparently the buttons do light up

Cool.

Cadaver · Jul 18, 2004, 11:43 AM

http://www.thinksecret.com/news/newipods3.html

According to TS, the iPod's menu system will be tweaked. Wonder if there will be a firmware update for existing iPods...

Spheric Harlot · Jul 18, 2004, 12:20 PM

Originally posted by chabig:
If it is indeed thinner than the current iPods I can't image they could have put more battery capacity in there, but we'll know soon enough.

According to the Newsweek article (I quoted it in the Lounge thread), battery life is up 50% to 12 hours.

-s*

chabig · Jul 18, 2004, 12:24 PM

Yes it is, by better power management, not a bigger battery. That's the right way to do it. The improved battery life, and the price cut should put more of a squeeze on Dell. Poor Michael.

Chris

Flach · Jul 18, 2004, 01:35 PM

The only thing that worries me about the new iPod's is the click-scroll wheel. For on the go personal use I think it's great, but it seems that use in a car would be more difficult, most notably while positioned on the Belkin cup-holder stand.

Any word on whether or not the 40gb model will be lighter in weight? That was always the biggest drawback to that model for me personally.

vixi · Jul 18, 2004, 03:55 PM

You can actually just read the article to see the new features. 50% longer battery life, the death of the 15g, etc.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5457434/site/newsweek

Socially Awkward Solo · Jul 19, 2004, 02:00 AM

Here is the clincher. If the better battery life is JUST because of better software do any of you think it will be a software update for 3G iPods or will apple use this as an upgrading motivation?

SafariX · Jul 19, 2004, 03:18 AM

I hope there is a firmware update that helps the 3g as well in the battery dept.

Eug Wanker · Jul 19, 2004, 09:42 AM

Originally posted by SafariX:
I hope there is a firmware update that helps the 3g as well in the battery dept.

New firmware update today, but it doesn't seem to add anything.

BTW, HP today said it's gonna sell the 4G iPod, starting in September. It won't be selling the 3G at all.