Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

ajprice · 08:41 AM

http://www.macitynet.it/english/aA20182/index.shtml

iPod flash poster, "240 songs" was also spotted.

moonmonkey · Jan 10, 2005, 08:42 AM

Originally posted by ajprice:
http://www.macitynet.it/english/aA20182/index.shtml

iPod flash poster?

Apparently they saw pictures of the product but had the images "deleted" from their camera.

Sounds like crap to me.

Peter · Jan 10, 2005, 08:46 AM

the keynote is today?

Lancer409 · 09:04 AM

life is random? a screenless flash ipod is a lot less attractive to me now.

what do they mean by less vertical?

i dunno .... i always hoped it would look like that one aluminum clad concept ... =(

http://gallery.ipodlounge.com/ipod/a...oad_296548.jpg

ManOfSteal · Jan 10, 2005, 09:08 AM

Sounds cool. Or should I say it sounds "flashy"?

Busemann · Jan 10, 2005, 09:30 AM

A random shuffle mode and play/pause & previous/next buttons is all a tiny player need really.. If it's cheap it will sell millions..

dav · Jan 10, 2005, 09:38 AM

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
Apparently they saw pictures of the product but had the images "deleted" from their camera.

can't you recover deleted images from the camera's card?

ajprice · Jan 10, 2005, 09:49 AM

A few good spots over at the AI forum, the black symbol on the green poster looks like the iTunes 'Shuffle' symbol. This and the 'no screen/2 buttons' design looks like being aimed at the radio listeners with a kind of 'personal radio station/make your own playlist' usage. Its a risk, but if it's cheap enough, it'll work.

moonmonkey · Jan 10, 2005, 09:49 AM

Originally posted by dav:
can't you recover deleted images from the camera's card?

Yes, thats why they are talking crap, "life is Random" could be the new iLife slogan instead.

Lancer409 · Jan 10, 2005, 09:57 AM

Originally posted by Busemann:
A random shuffle mode and play/pause & previous/next buttons is all a tiny player need really.. If it's cheap it will sell millions..

for the previously stated price points, i'd like a screen instead of a random shuffle. if they dropped the price to ... say .. 99-1gb 149 2-gb i still might not be interested because of that random thing...

sigh

Super Mario · Jan 10, 2005, 10:13 AM

Someone told Super Mario to get an iLife. Super Mario said he will wait for the upgrade and iPod Flash Random iLife.

Lancer409 · Jan 10, 2005, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by Super Mario:
Someone told Super Mario to get an iLife. Super Mario said he will wait for the upgrade and iPod Flash Random iLife.

note: flash does not = invincible star. that's a different kind of flash...

ajprice · Jan 10, 2005, 11:26 AM

Just had a thought, Lindsay Lohans sister on that radio interview referred to doing a 'radio iPod' advert, this would fit in with this shufflePod as playing a random song from its flash memory.

willed · Jan 10, 2005, 11:41 AM

Sounds gay to me. I like to be able to choose what I listen to. As long as it supports play-lists at least. I hate having a classical track come after a loud piece of rock and roll, and this would happen a lot if it just went through my stuff at random.

ajprice · Jan 10, 2005, 11:46 AM

Well in that case you can buy more than one, a rock iPod, a classical iPod, a jazz iPod....

willed · Jan 10, 2005, 11:59 AM

Originally posted by ajprice:
Well in that case you can buy more than one, a rock iPod, a classical iPod, a jazz iPod....

Heh! Now why didn't I think of that?

Langdon · Jan 10, 2005, 12:17 PM

Originally posted by willed:
As long as it supports play-lists at least

That is all I would ask of a small Flash iPod from Apple.

brapper · Jan 10, 2005, 12:28 PM

something's fishy about this...
I'm not convinced by these Macity characters.

turtle777 · Jan 10, 2005, 12:30 PM

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
Yes, thats why they are talking crap, "life is Random" could be the new iLife slogan instead.

I would definitely prefer that.
An iPod micro that only plays random songs would be crap.

-t

forkies · Jan 10, 2005, 12:32 PM

Originally posted by turtle777:
An iPod micro that only plays random songs would be crap.

no ****

MaxPower2k3 · Jan 10, 2005, 12:40 PM

Well if the banner's going up today, then they're not just gonna leave it unexplained until tomorrow's keynote, so is it safe to assume that the official announcement will be in... 20 minutes?

Visnaut · Jan 10, 2005, 12:57 PM

I highly doubt, given Apple's heightened sense of secrecy lately, that giant posters even hinting at new products would be ordered to go up a full 24h before the keynote. Even less likely that staff at Moscone would let them "a short peek of some mega-posters". They're a bunch of strangers! Besides, Apple has insiders by the balls with NDAs, and I'm sure they've tightened the screws this week.

I think it's a bunch of bullshit, and these are pictures of an ad by a software company of some kind, mimicking Apple's advertising. Something like "Life is random, organize it with our product".

And the whole point of an iPod is to organize your music with playlists. The only way it could work without a screen is if when syncing with iTunes, it records playlist names & songs with text-to-speech so that you could hear them dictated while scrolling. Bah, I just don't see it happening. Just like I didn't see Apple releasing an MP3 player and succeeding...

[Edit] And another thing: look how badly that crew is creasing that poster. You have to be careful with those things, or someone at the top isn't going to be happy seeing their expensive large-format advertising all creased-up.

Big Mac · Jan 10, 2005, 01:30 PM

I do not see an Apple logo on that print. It doesn't look like a typical Apple advertisement. But I'm not going to say it isn't what this site claims it is, either, because most of us know how often people have been burned after authoritatively saying, "this couldn't possibly be real."

mitchell_pgh · Jan 10, 2005, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by Big Mac:
I do not see an Apple logo on that print. It doesn't look like a typical Apple advertisement. But I'm not going to say it isn't what this site claims it is, either, because most of us know how often people have been burned after authoritatively saying, "this couldn't possibly be real."

It really doesn't say anything... just "Life is Random" on a green background and what looks to be an arrow thing.

Perhaps I'm missing something?

AppleCello · Jan 10, 2005, 01:40 PM

what about all of this Lindsay Lohan ipod radio talk? that would fit well. if they think of it more like a radio style device where the music is random, that might fit.

altho, in reality, the music played on the radio is only "random to you" and thats why we have DJs...

I dont like it. give me a rio with small screen any day... (of course, i will wait to see the real thing to pass judgement.)

FulcrumPilot · Jan 10, 2005, 01:47 PM

People! listen to me! This could be a set up to distract every rumor-mongering tongue wagging no-gooders. It is possible that the RDF shield is now a well recognized useful tool to keep secrets just that!

AppleCello · Jan 10, 2005, 01:50 PM

Originally posted by FulcrumPilot:
People! listen to me! This could be a set up to distract every rumor-mongering tongue wagging no-gooders. It is possible that the RDF shield is now a well recognized useful tool to keep secrets just that!

could be...

cant wait for the keynote.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Jan 10, 2005, 04:23 PM

It is going to be called the "iPod shuffle" that is where "life is random comes into play and you can see the shuffle button on those banners. No screen, just 240 random songs.

Mafia · Jan 10, 2005, 04:30 PM

Originally posted by Lancer409:
life is random? a screenless flash ipod is a lot less attractive to me now.

what do they mean by less vertical?

i dunno .... i always hoped it would look like that one aluminum clad concept ... =(

http://gallery.ipodlounge.com/ipod/a...oad_296548.jpg

same, i really like that concept design and will probably not purchase unless its cheap and has a screen(attractive too).

mitchell_pgh · Jan 10, 2005, 04:34 PM

Originally posted by FulcrumPilot:
People! listen to me! This could be a set up to distract every rumor-mongering tongue wagging no-gooders. It is possible that the RDF shield is now a well recognized useful tool to keep secrets just that!

What's more likely... Apple does nothing (and puts the poster up moments after the keynote)

- or -

Apple sends designers to design a large poster, has it produced, hangs it... then takes it down... just to fake out the customers...

Big Mac · Jan 10, 2005, 04:39 PM

If this is not an iPod in the traditional sense - lacking the wheel and screen - I don't understand what will differentiate it from any one of the hundred flash storage music players out there. Apple has no monopoly on random play mode, and iTunes will serve little purpose on a device that lacks a screen. The market has that segment pretty well covered. People won't pay an iPod premium if they're not getting the iPod experience.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Jan 10, 2005, 04:49 PM

Originally posted by Mafia:
same, i really like that concept design and will probably not purchase unless its cheap and has a screen(attractive too).

No screen. just a cheap tiny thing with volume, play etc.

mitchell_pgh · Jan 10, 2005, 04:50 PM

Originally posted by Big Mac:
If this is not an iPod in the traditional sense - lacking the wheel and screen - I don't understand what will differentiate it from any one of the hundred flash storage music players out there. Apple has no monopoly on random play mode, and iTunes will serve little purpose on a device that lacks a screen. The market has that segment pretty well covered. People won't pay an iPod premium if they're not getting the iPod experience.

It will play DRM AAC files.

I just don't see a screen-less iPod selling. I could see buttons somehow replacing the wheel... but without a screen, it's just not going to sell. People like to know what they are listening to. I guess it's only 240 songs... but still.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Jan 10, 2005, 04:52 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
It will play DRM AAC files.

I just don't see a screen-less iPod selling. I could see buttons somehow replacing the wheel... but without a screen, it's just not going to sell. People like to know what they are listening to. I guess it's only 240 songs... but still.

Well if there is no screen you have no need for a wheel.

I can't believe you guys think the posters are fake

mrwalker · Jan 10, 2005, 04:54 PM

The iPod Suffle - 240 songs, syncs with a single playlist in iTunes and runs either random or in order. This sounds perfectly plausible to me.

If the $500 Mac is true then one can assume Apple is aiming for the lower end of the market too - should this not extend to the iPod also?

-mrwalker

zepkin · Jan 10, 2005, 04:57 PM

Originally posted by Big Mac:
If this is not an iPod in the traditional sense - lacking the wheel and screen - I don't understand what will differentiate it from any one of the hundred flash storage music players out there. Apple has no monopoly on random play mode, and iTunes will serve little purpose on a device that lacks a screen. The market has that segment pretty well covered. People won't pay an iPod premium if they're not getting the iPod experience.

What differentiates it from cheapo flash players? How about the fact that it will play songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store and also work flawlessly with iTunes. I imagine just getting songs onto a lot of players out there is a pain in the butt. Oh, and it is an iPod, which means a lot to people these days giving the status the name 'iPod' carries.

To those of you complaining that it will only play random songs and will jumble up jazz with rock, etc., I think you are missing the point. The player will allow you to sync a playlist of songs that you have selected, so it isn't totally a random sampling from your library. That would suck. Being able to select a playlist makes the device very useful. I rarely if ever pick a particular song to listen to on my iPod. Instead, I play a playlist or shuffle up the whole thing.

At $149, this thing will sell like crazy. Only Apple could come up with something almost inconceivable at first but that makes perfect sense in practice.

mitchell_pgh · 05:21 PM

Originally posted by zepkin:
To those of you complaining that it will only play random songs and will jumble up jazz with rock, etc., I think you are missing the point. The player will allow you to sync a playlist of songs that you have selected, so it isn't totally a random sampling from your library.

Do you honestly think Apple would sell an "iPod" that ONLY plays random music from a Playlist? No screen... no wheel [I realize no screen, no wheel... but you could have a screen and buttons or something else...] The bare minimum would be something that has forward song... back song. etc.

Talk about technological suicide.

If Apple can make an $249 4GB iPod Mini using the Hitachi 4GB drive which retails for ~$150 I think they can make an $150 1GB iPod flash with a 1GB CF card that retails for $66.

turtle777 · Jan 10, 2005, 05:17 PM

Originally posted by mrwalker:
The iPod Suffle - 240 songs, syncs with a single playlist in iTunes and runs either random or in order. This sounds perfectly plausible to me.

I hope the shuffle is optional.
Otherwise, that would be the dumbest Apple product evar. WTF ?

-t

zepkin · Jan 10, 2005, 05:23 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
[B]Do you honestly think Apple would sell an "iPod" that ONLY plays random music from a Playlist? No screen... no wheel [I realize no screen, no wheel... but you could have a screen and buttons or something else...] The bare minimum would be something that has forward song... back song. etc.

Yes, I do. You know why? Precisely because this is how many people listen to their music. There will be forward and backward button for skipping songs and a volume up and down. That's it and really all that is needed.

Edit: I just re-read your post. I don't think the device will only play music randomly. Well, hmm, on second thought, I don't really know how you would determine whether it shuffles the music or not. I doubt there will be a shuffle button.

hockeyiz · Jan 10, 2005, 05:24 PM

APPLE! DON'T DO IT! Remember at that show where Jobs unveiled iPod photo, U2 iPod and the new iMac? He said something along the lines of "thats not even counting those flash players that noone ever opens the box and never uses."

chingwei · 05:32 PM

Interesting. When I read the title of the post ("Life is Random"), I thought they meant as in "Random Access Memory", aka RAM, aka Flash RAM iPod???

Don't know where the "random shuffle only" idea came from...

Hmm??

turtle777 · Jan 10, 2005, 05:26 PM

Originally posted by zepkin:
Well, hmm, on second thought, I don't really know how you would determine whether it shuffles the music or not. I doubt there will be a shuffle button.

I guess the target audience only listens to random music that all sounds the same.

Me for my part, I know very well the exact order of complete albums.

-t

mitchell_pgh · Jan 10, 2005, 05:32 PM

Originally posted by hockeyiz:
APPLE! DON'T DO IT! Remember at that show where Jobs unveiled iPod photo, U2 iPod and the new iMac? He said something along the lines of "thats not even counting those flash players that noone ever opens the box and never uses."

I'm sure Jobs would say something along the lines of 'This is a flash player that everyone has been waiting for... a flash player that will actually be used and loved." or something along those lines.

I'm just spinning from the no screen no wheel comments. I would never buy one in the $149 range if it didn't have a screen/wheel.

mitchell_pgh · Jan 10, 2005, 05:33 PM

Originally posted by turtle777:
I guess the target audience only listens to random music that all sounds the same.

Me for my part, I know very well the exact order of complete albums.

-t

But can you remember a playlist 240 songs deep?

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Jan 10, 2005, 05:35 PM

Originally posted by chingwei:
Interesting. When I read the title of the post ("Life is Random"), I thought they meant as in "Random Access Memory", aka RAM, aka Flash RAM iPod???

Don't know where the "random shuffle only" idea came from...

Hmm??

Oh god they wouldn't get that nerdy.

Oneota · Jan 10, 2005, 05:41 PM

Apple always hangs their banners well before the show starts, but they're also always covered with black cloth to prevent word leaking out early. Then, during the keynote, the black cloths are lifted.

Looks to me like the folks Apple hired to hang the banners this time just screwed up. Looks like a legit poster to me, personally (though the two arrows are distinctly non-Apple, I'll grant).

mitchell_pgh · Jan 10, 2005, 05:43 PM

Originally posted by Oneota:
Apple always hangs their banners well before the show starts, but they're also always covered with black cloth to prevent word leaking out early. Then, during the keynote, the black cloths are lifted.

Looks to me like the folks Apple hired to hang the banners this time just screwed up. Looks like a legit poster to me, personally.

But a poser OF WHAT?

It doesn't say iPod anywhere... it doesn't even say Apple. Just "Life is Random"...

Oneota · Jan 10, 2005, 05:45 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
But a poser OF WHAT?

It doesn't say iPod anywhere... it doesn't even say Apple. Just "Life is Random"...

True enough; but we're not seeing all of the poster. It could be a very narrow, but very long, poster; in which case, we're only seeing, maybe, the top 20%.

It's tough to tell, really. Tomorrow will be interesting, to say the least!

turtle777 · Jan 10, 2005, 05:46 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
But can you remember a playlist 240 songs deep?

I never do playlists. I listen to full albums only.
In that respect, a random shuffle iPod would suck big time.

-t

mitchell_pgh · Jan 10, 2005, 05:51 PM

Originally posted by turtle777:
I never do playlists. I listen to full albums only.
In that respect, a random shuffle iPod would suck big time.

-t

I guess full albums wouldn't be bad... but a 240 long playlist could be nightmare... especially if you are using it for jogging biking when you might need that "upbeat tempo over the hill" song. And you have no way of knowing where it is. Is it #123 or #40 or #237?

Hmmm, I don't even know where #123 is... BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A SCREEN