[Dark Sailor]

It's about freakin' time. I have been waiting over a year for this. Man, I am so stoked to get one of these...

Oct. 12 is gonna be awesome!

[gkorsgard]

A video ipod. I guess there will be an update to itunes? I noticed there has been no updated music videos since the Nano was introduced.

[MacMan4000]

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000683061846/

[ajprice]

The comments on that engadget link are pretty much agreed that the picture is a photoshop fake. The screen isn't central or aligned, the picture noise isn't right and the screen is a Toshiba PDA Windows boot screen.

[templetalker]

Originally Posted by ajprice

The comments on that engadget link are pretty much agreed that the picture is a photoshop fake. The screen isn't central or aligned, the picture noise isn't right and the screen is a Toshiba PDA Windows boot screen.

I have a real hard time believing a Video iPod will be released, I don't know guys? But I'm giving it 50/50. Apple might be screwing themselves over with to many gizmos and gadgets. What about computers? Seems like a badddd move. So is this fake image dudes.

[buffswin]

Apple has made a fortune these past few years off the "gizmos and gadgets."

So much so that they've really dropped off some in the computer department.

[Big Mac]

And yet hasn't Jobs repeatedly stated that movies on small portable screens have miniscule value/replay value compared to music? Was that simply a rhetorical smoke screen designed to fake the market out until the viPod was ready? Or is everyone missing something important here?

[jfischetti]

I've heard rumblings that Apple is in bed with a major entertainment distributor to release "something" in October.

This is it! The beginning.

The plan is expanded Music Video offerings from all ???? artists in the iTunes Music store, and the initial release of the iTunes Movie store. (name TBD)

The movies will be set with the same DRM system as the music tracks. Download to itunes (scale to full screen with quicktime), put them on your iPod Video player - or better yet -- stream them to your TV with the new Airport Express (Extreme)

The only thing that is unknown is whether the DRM will expire the play-ablilty of the movie after a predetermined length of time. It may be a rental -or- buy scenario -- pay more for no expiration of the film.

The DVD market has been beating its head in trying to come up with a model for this -- Apple has done it! They proved themselves with audio tracks -- now it's time for Video...

I for one would KILL to buy a Theatrical released movie the day it comes out in the theatres -- screw movie theatres and the sticky floors and blabbermouths.

Now i can get a new movie in my home for only me to play for two days or i can own it forever...

We should all buy more stock now!

[jools]

BBC News on their 6music channel is claiming that Apple is launching the Video iPod at the BBC in London Oct. 12th. Now either someone has got their wires crossed or they are launching two places at once? Feel free to Listen Again at their web site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/

The news is repeated every 30 minutes and the story has been running for at least three hours.

[inkhead]

I'm positive it's video ipod. confirmed by Apple's advertising agency ;-)

[dampeoples]

I dunno, i wouldn't want to watch a movie, or anything on my iPod, if I could easily hook it up to a TV, that might be different, but even with Roadrunner, I could get to the store and back before it would d/l.
That and if movies are like 5GB, where will I put my music?

[inkhead]

It's all about HDMI output to your television...

[hardcat1970]

personally i don't believe the video ipod. Steve said so many times that nobody enjoy video to go with a tiny screen. But he will surprise us from time to time. Itunes video store and a home set box equipment are more likely.

[ApplCmptrDood]

"Steve said so many times that nobody enjoy video to go with a TINY screen. "
Maybe the click wheel will become smaller and a bigger color screen will be there. To watch videos, you need a big screen. Just some speculation...

[midwinter]

Two words: video out.

[wilsonng]

The lack of TV out is what discouraged me from thinking of a Sony PSP as a nice portable movie player. I may as well just use a regular portable DVD player which can do TV out.

I think the video iPod would probably work best as a mass storage device that can store movies from your computer and display it on a TV. Kinda like the G-Play but with a little screen.

http://www.g-technology.com/Products/G-PLAY.cfm

It's tough enough to watch movies on a 5" portable DVD player or the Sony PSP screen. It's probably best suited for music videos or movie shorts like the kinda of mini videos that I make with my digital camera or video podcasts.

[gratisguy]

Do you think they will ever turn the iPod into a horizontal peice like the PSP? I am thinking that would be the best way to control it in the event of iPod doing movies (gotta have that 4:3 ratio and it won't happen unless they change the ipods layout)? What do you think?

----~-~-~-----

[wilsonng]

Changing it to the horizontal (landscape) orientation would make sense because it would allow for a widescreen viewer.

[templetalker]

There's nothing wrong with fantasy, but that's just what a video ipod IS. I'm sorry to break hearts folks, but Video will not kill the Radio Star on October 12th. Mark my words. Anybody ever flipped through 5 pictures a second for 90 minutes on an ipod photo and had the battery left to listen to an album? This new ipod will probably have features like "limited" video playback at a smaller frame rate, and smaller video sizes. Unfortunately not movies. It may deliver a greater capability to integrate data transfer and display from digital camera's and the like. I want it just as bad as the next folk, just as bad as we all want an explanation for why battery power is still in the stone ages while microchips evolve like troglodytes with a flux capacitor.

[icibaqu]

since thinksecret is now saying that it's new powerbooks and powermacs, a bit of a wrinkle has been thrown in.

but i think it is perhaps more likely that it's a video ipod. video ipod users are a completely different bunch of people as ipod nano users. so to hit the pre-holiday season market w/ two new awesome ipods and then to jump right into '06 with faster and flashier intel based macs could just be a well outlined plan using the "halo effect"

[wilsonng]

we're all dreaming of a video iPod. But how many hours would the Apple video iPod's battery be able to last?

[Proudest Monkey]

Originally Posted by icibaqu

since thinksecret is now saying that it's new powerbooks and powermacs, a bit of a wrinkle has been thrown in.

but i think it is perhaps more likely that it's a video ipod. video ipod users are a completely different bunch of people as ipod nano users. so to hit the pre-holiday season market w/ two new awesome ipods and then to jump right into '06 with faster and flashier intel based macs could just be a well outlined plan using the "halo effect"

the year of high def keeps coming to mind. this was job's claim to this year but where have we seen it so far? the invite looks like theater curtains which could mean a video ipod but i feel like everyones doubts (battery life, small screen size, etc.) is logical enough to rule it out. Would apple hold an event to intro new powerbooks and powermacs - i doubt it. unless they come packed with new chips but that would be ahead of schedule. apple did recently upgrade some of its film software but has anyone dug into the software to find mentioning of new hardware? still looking for the year of HD personally and would love to travel around with all my movies in my pocket and plug my ipod into a tv and play movies.

Less than 1 week to go!

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally Posted by Dark Sailor

It's about freakin' time. I have been waiting over a year for this. Man, I am so stoked to get one of these...

Oct. 12 is gonna be awesome!

Don't get your hopes up buddy

[Grrr]

Originally Posted by ApplCmptrDood

"Steve said so many times that nobody enjoy video to go with a TINY screen. "
Maybe the click wheel will become smaller and a bigger color screen will be there. To watch videos, you need a big screen. Just some speculation...

He certainly did say that. Or words to the same effect at least.

However, he also slated flash based MP3 players with crap screens before too. Not long after that, we got the Shuffle, which has no screen at all, and is flash based. As is the Nano.

On another note, the current iPod photo's are already technically capable of playing video's. Apple just hasn't enabled it. Why? probably to just milk it even more, as an excuse to sell everyone yet another iPod variant down the line. Money Money Money...
Still, if Apple is going to make one, I suspect it would be an anti-climax. Even if it was twice as big as the largest iPod we have now, the screen is still going to be too small to comfortably watch a movie on.

[iKevin]

My bet if i had to place a bet on what they'll release . . . . . Asteroid! Remember all the talk about it 6 months ago? Then it mysteriously left the news.

[Helmling]

Think long-term, and big picture.

Why did Apple go with Intel--because of the embedded security for feature films that Intel will build in.

Jobs is thinking ahead to iFlix, where you will download your movies onto an iPod and plug it into your TV to watch them.

Even the 60 Gb could hold several DVD quality movies at once.

[Heiro]

remember that a large protion of the space on a dvd is devoted to safegards and id keys that allow a palyer to know how to decrypt the data while theoretically keeping unotherized people off. so expect the size to decrease if they use one proprietary format and have a chip built in to facilitate the data encryption/decryption. im not sure what exactly the numbers would be but i expect it could be significant though. perhapst more than the several dvd's you mentioned could fit on a vPod

[enomehjashik]

i hope they also update the controls of the ipod, the current scroll wheel is simple and easy to use but looks fugly compared to the 3g ipod controls. the red glow was a nice touch. i hope they bring the "glow" back into the scroll wheel. Changing the "glow"color through settings would also make it better.

the "glow" itself can be touch sensitive but while keeping the wheel still click.

if we can play clips or TV episodes simply by uploading it into the ipod, in mp4 or h224codec, and has a widescreen LCD i would be more than pleased.

[yoyoman]

well check this out http://www.apple.com/za/itunes/video/

[Dark Sailor]

Originally Posted by yoyoman

well check this out http://www.apple.com/za/itunes/video/

That link doesn't work anymore...just goes to iTunes/overview/

What was it?

[Jens Peter]

Originally Posted by Dark Sailor

That link doesn't work anymore...just goes to iTunes/overview/

What was it?

An old webpage that said iTunes + iPod Video. But i think the 'Video' was in the context, that the text was placed below 2 videos from WWDC 2004 featuring iTunes and iPod. And, there were a link to Quicktime 6 on the webpage as well.

click me to see screenshot

[wmldwilly]

Apple releases video iPod, accompanied by long awaited update to TiVO Desktop with full support for downloading items from your TiVO to watch on the go. Adds a conduit from iTunes thru TiVO desktop to networked TiVOs. TiVOs on your home LAN show up in the iTunes Source list - drag and drop shows from TiVO to your Video iPod.

Of course, at first this is a "MacOS Only" tivo - vidpod co-feature. Windows will have to wait for iTunes 5.3.

Oh, sorry...just fantasizing.

WM

[mduell]

I think the market is ready for an iPod video, and of course a movie (and TV?) download store.
Sony expects to sell a quarter billion dollars of UMD movies for the PSP.

[wilsonng]

well, the music labels are already fighting with Apple about control over their music pricing. The movie industry can't agree on a new standard format with the battle between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.

I don't know how cozy the relationship is between Apple and the movie studios.

For the moment, it looks like music videos will be what is offered.

I still can't see myself using a portable movie player. I'd love one but I'm not sure how much I'd use it. I have ripped hundreds of my DVDs to QuickTime movies and hooked up my PowerBook to my TV to watch.

I'm still using my 12" to watch my ripped movies because 12" is big enough for me to watch. But a 2" screen? I don't know. I haven't been able to watch a movie on the PSP as well. The experience just isn't there.

In the meantime, I have a 5" portable DVD player for those long road trips to keep the kids occuppied....

It's like the other features of my iPod. I know I can do TV out and display slide shows but I don't use it. I can buy accessories such as a photo transfer attachment or microphone but I never use it. My friend bought all of those accessories thinking she'd use it but she finds other more convenient ways to do things.

Video is a feature I'd like to have but not necessarily something I'll be using. Try watching videos on your cellphone's 2" screen... Sheez..... That's a migraine headache just waiting to happen.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by wilsonng

I'm still using my 12" to watch my ripped movies because 12" is big enough for me to watch. But a 2" screen? I don't know. I haven't been able to watch a movie on the PSP as well. The experience just isn't there.

In the meantime, I have a 5" portable DVD player for those long road trips to keep the kids occuppied....

It's like the other features of my iPod. I know I can do TV out and display slide shows but I don't use it. I can buy accessories such as a photo transfer attachment or microphone but I never use it. My friend bought all of those accessories thinking she'd use it but she finds other more convenient ways to do things.

Video is a feature I'd like to have but not necessarily something I'll be using. Try watching videos on your cellphone's 2" screen... Sheez..... That's a migraine headache just waiting to happen.

Why would an iPod Video have a 2" screen?
I think Apple could comfortably fit a 3.5-4" LCD in the iPod Video, just like the 3.7" screens used in many PDAs. With PDA screens already up to 640x480, the jump to 720x480 (DVD resolution) isn't that far away.

The bigger problem is power/battery. Video decoding still takes a good bit of oomph, and batteries aren't going anywhere fast.

[ccapone]

Before the iPod there was iTunes. After the iPod there was the iTunes music store.
So, in order to for there to be an iTunes movie store there has to be a video iPod (or some piece of hardware) however, before there can be an iPod video store, there has to be some kind of computer based movie manager. In other words, both iPhoto and iTunes have some kind of movie/video capabilities but neither of these pertain to a video library. In fact the only video library people seem to have are on DVD's, UMD's, or VHS. In order to archive your files like that you have got to get around fair use (to rip your DVD's) and then have some room to store it.
Apple has long been rumored to have purchased a piece of software that manages and archives a personal video library and utilizes BitTorrent to seek out files. I think it is called iFlix or iFlicks or both. So, I think we might see a piece of software that will allow you to rip your dvd's compress them into a DRM'd file that will stream out to your computer or TV (using the "one more thing"--AirportHD or Media Streamer device). I'm not sure if this is exactly common knowledge, but it is known that iTunes adds the DRM after it is downloaded from the movie store. It would only require a little more to add this to your own collection of DVD rips.
I believe Apple will announce such a deal on the 12th.
Now it is possible he will announce the whole rest of the widget right there. I'm not too sure about that though.
He may have convinced the studios that people are less likely to share what they own but might be willing to buy content in this proprietary format (ala the UMD) even if it is in a digital and easy to pirate format since the studio's will make money. He may only have convinced one studio in time for this announcement but it may be all he will need to prove the concept.
That studio would be Disney and all their Pixar content would go on sale on the 13th. Offering a brand new short Pixar cartoon to get things going alongside a new distribution deal with Pixar and Disney

My prediction is that Apple will be announcing, primarily this "iFlicks" software and perhaps the Airport Video device. I think a new high end, larger screened iPod with 80gigs might be announced, though it would have to be using an intel processor at this point and Steve will primarily focus on it's use as an out to TV player in a dock or something. Or maybe for kids to watch some short cartoons or something.

[YangZone]

It's about time. I've enjoyed using my Tungsten T for playing QuickTime video (trailers, music videos, and home movies) via Kinoma (Mac) for the past 3 years... waiting, waiting... hopefully they'll get it right.

[wilsonng]

Yep, which comes first? The chicken or the egg? Gotta have the video iPod first or the iFlix first?

[mduell]

Originally Posted by wilsonng

Yep, which comes first? The chicken or the egg? Gotta have the video iPod first or the iFlix first?

The release of "iFlix" would signal to consumers that an iPod Video is coming, and probably put a damper on full size iPod (and even some nano) sales.
Just like the iPod preceded iTMS, I think the iPod Video will precede "iFlix."

[the macimum]

first of all, Apple needs to make a big enough screen to view their Pictures on the iPod photo, I mean look at the nano, who cares about looking at pics if you have a screen if the screen is smaller than an inch. And second of all, they are most probably gonna come up with a special new app or format (or both) for this thing, so it will have to fit Photos, Videos, but "most inportantly" music because for Apple, "it's all about the music", and it will have to be made into a small, sexy, portable "Pod". And the most importantly, Apple is gonna have to make the new app and format to work with those noobs over at Windows, which will take a hell of a lot of time, because those noobs are picky and dumb. And of course, it's gonna take months possibly even years for Apple to actually ship the thing after they announce it.

Overall, I think it will be at least 5 years before Apple even starts to talk about introducing it.

J out

[JimiMac]

I'm always amazed how many nay sayers there are on a Apple enthsiast website! But if you put it all together,everything is in place for iPod video. Already, iTunes has 581 music videos, all of which, I predict, are all ready to become available to download and buy once the iPod video is announced. The Movie Trailers too, why are both these and music videos set up to play within iTunes Store, with no way for them to bring in money? Just for fun?? No. They will all be downloadable and for sale. Jobs will for now tout that you can also import your home made iMovies and qucktime movie content, and by Spring 2006 iFlix will open and be integrated with iTunes for downloadable full length feature films. TV output is already a part of the color screen iPod. There is a new smaller Toshiba HDD drive in 40GB and 80GB sizes, so Steve can brag that the new iPod video is even thinner than the regular iPod. The only questionable thing is whether to go horizontal to incorporate a bigger, widescreen display. A horizontal layout does not fit or work in the palm of your hand as easily, and would mean changing the placement of the docking port to the side instead of the bottom, which screws up using iPod accessories already out there. Apple may choose rather to stretch the screen to the very edges of the current vertical layout as opposed to flipping it horizontal. Look at the current iPod and you'll see there is a little more room to do this.

[I WAS the One]

I don't know, but something tells me that the iPod will be the same product we all know no matter what happens on October 12. I've been reading differents rumors and maybe it's true that Steve will never update the iPod to a video enable one, but maybe that's what he wants, because on October 12 he will introduce a brand new personal portable video enabled handheld with another name and separate the music from the video fans and never damage the quality and credibility of the iPod that we all know. maybe he will announce an iVideo, or iPlayer with multimedia capabilities, and we make the choice of what we want to owned.

Could happen right?

[ccapone]

Three prongs to make a good fork.
1: Content
2: Management
3: Display

As I believe that Apple will ultimately want to make a good fork, the question is if that third prong includes portability or transportability or if it will remain (at least for now) stationary. Although a video iPod seems to be the obsession by everybody and their bro. I think that it is what the iPod video requires that pumps people up. Namely this "iTunes video store" or somesuch.
There do exist downloadable rental movies on the Windows side (via Movielink) but not one on the Mac. If Apple would simply create it's own version of that, you would see an avalanche of press reports claiming that Apple has just revolutionized the world of movie distribution...Which may turn out to be true, ultimately, but the reason that third fork is tricky for Apple is that Jobs insists that people like to watch Movies on their televisions and preferably in High Def. So Apple is in the boat that requires (at least initially) to deliver that content there.
If there is a video iPod the presentation might well begin with the definition of the "pod". Refining it's position as a transporter or container as opposed to a presenter. One of the iPods functions will include snekernetting your movies around town and attaching it to a display. Maybe you could watch it on your screen but Jobs won't let that perception dominate.

[iFrankie]

All I have to say is....

With all the people and news agencies guessing that it's a video iPod, it's a sign that a lot of people want a video iPod.

Hopefully, Apple releases one or releses one soon. Apple needs to listen to their fans and customers.

[anthology123]

I think what is the problem here is whenever Apple makes a new product (not just an update to an existing), they have to give it something more, something that no other device has out there. There are many other handheld video players/MP3 players out there. I'm sure they even looked at the PSP. If there was new video iPod, it's screen would have to be just as sharp and as big. The cost factors might make it very expensive, I'd say at least $500 or more. There is no way to put an HDTV in a device as small as the iPod photo, with enough battery power to boot. If there is an iPod photo to play music videos that might work, but I have doubts that the market to buy music videos is as big as the music itself. Maybe if they include the video free with every song, then maybe...

[Cadaver]

I do not believe a video iPod is in the cards. I think the Sony PSP is what Apple would want for the video iPod - studios are releasing a pretty large volume of movies on UMD media for the PSP... the studios have committed themselves, and a catalog of content is what makes or breaks a device's success. To have the major studios also support a video iPod, along with the Sony PSP, is I think a long shot at best.

[I WAS the One]

I Still think that is not going to be a video iPod, it will be another stuff, other Apple product just for that. they will not be playing with their golden eggs hen. it will be a brand new product. I'm pretty sure.

[ITGuru]

Don't you think you guys/gals are thinking a little bit too much inside the box? Why not take advantage of some really new cutting edge proven (thanks to the gulf war) technology that is already in production today. What better way to blow the socks off of every Japanese company right out of the gates?

You have asked the questions? What about the battery? One word, nanotechnology. Nano-tubes are allowing scientists to christen one of the biggest battery technology breakthroughs in modern times. Nano-tubes allow batteries to charge at an incredible rate. The reason we don't have bigger batteries is because of uncommonly long charge times. Nano-tubes allow a 14 hour battery to charge in under 10 minutes. That's right kids, under 10 minutes. The next major industry that will utilize this technology is the cell phone industry. PDA's are the next logical evolution. I guess we will have to refer to the PDVP soon enough. Interestingly, this technology is also being applied to Hybrid Auto applications. Imagine a car battery capable of supplying enough power to run an automobile for a couple of weeks that charges in 10 minutes and never creates a "memory".

Now, let's just say for the sake of argument that the new vPod ran off of mpeg4. With the elimination of the encoding/decoding information on the DVD, movies would fit into just about a Gb uncompressed. The satellite industry is already using mpeg4 in the DVR players and doing so without noticeable loss so why not incorporate an Mpeg4 decoder directly into the vPod? Or... Apple could stream the content directly to your vPod through a technology very similar to the AirPort Express. More and more cities are offering WiFi to the home through larger and larger wireless networks. New HDTV's and LCD display's will incorporate new DVI connections made for portable digital players. Next, why not incorporate some really high technology into a low power wearable device that projects the image directly onto the retina? Sort of eliminates the need for a big screen, huh? Apple has been asking for you to think differently... well it's time to Think Wirelessly. Create your iMovie account and register your vPod and streaming content is available on demand anywhere you go. I am thinking there will be a disclaimer about driving, though.

Lastly, let's say you weren't up for the heads up display. HDMI technology allows DV output, digital sound, and picture out of a single integrated wire. New DVD players, and DVR devices are being equipped with HDMI interfaces for just the likes of the new vPod. Apple coaxed the world into USB and FireWire. Why not HDMI interfaces on our LCD Screens? This all may sound like fantasy but I assure you ALL of the technologies mentioned today are readily available. They just aren't being used to make vPods.

The Good News: Give it up for the new vPod and the Apple iMovie Store. The Bad News: it probably won't happen until January.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by ITGuru

You have asked the questions? What about the battery? One word, nanotechnology. Nano-tubes are allowing scientists to christen one of the biggest battery technology breakthroughs in modern times. Nano-tubes allow batteries to charge at an incredible rate. The reason we don't have bigger batteries is because of uncommonly long charge times. Nano-tubes allow a 14 hour battery to charge in under 10 minutes. That's right kids, under 10 minutes. The next major industry that will utilize this technology is the cell phone industry. PDA's are the next logical evolution. I guess we will have to refer to the PDVP soon enough. Interestingly, this technology is also being applied to Hybrid Auto applications. Imagine a car battery capable of supplying enough power to run an automobile for a couple of weeks that charges in 10 minutes and never creates a "memory".

I think you're a little overoptimistic about nanotech in batteries.

A typical laptop sucks down 15-20W; for 14 hours thats about 245Whr. To charge that in 10 minutes you'd need a charger to provide 1470W DC. Assuming an average AC-DC conversion efficiency you're looking at 2250W, or 18.8A at 120V. The outlets in most peoples houses are only rated at 15A, so we'll all need special outlets to charge our laptops. And in those 10 minutes, the battery charger would get hot enough to cook some eggs on.

The car battery example is even more bogus.

[wilsonng]

Even if this were to happen, this nanotechnology may still be too expensive to be used in a consumer product. Alot of our technological advances comes from military R&D. It takes years for it to enter the mass market. GPS was mostly used in military application first before it become cost-economical to be used in the civilian world. Same with laser technology.

Heck, only recently flash memory has become affordable enough to slip into the ipod nano but still not as cost-economical as a Microdrive.