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timmerk · Oct 19, 2005, 05:03 AM

A shame for sure.. but you could always have headphones with a remote that could connect via dock connector.

timmerk · Oct 19, 2005, 05:05 AM

I noticed people talked about this no remote issue within other topics. Sorry.

lavar78 · Oct 19, 2005, 07:04 PM

The original iPod remote should still work.

icruise · Oct 19, 2005, 07:32 PM

No it won't. The original iPod had a "ring" around the headphone jack that conveyed the signals from the remote. Unless I'm very much mistaken, the new iPod has no such thing. And of course the later remotes require a remote jack, so they won't work either.

alligator · Oct 19, 2005, 07:42 PM

I never used mine anyway - did you guys really use it? I thought it made the cord too long.

icruise · Oct 19, 2005, 07:48 PM

It did make the cord too long, because of Apple's decision to only make full-length cords for the iPod. MiniDisc players and other devices that come with in-line remotes usually use earphones with short cords, so the remote will hang at chest level. That said, you can buy special short earphones made for use with in-line remotes (I have some) and they make the remote very useful indeed.

MaxPower2k3 · Oct 19, 2005, 08:02 PM

I use the remote on my 3G iPod. I usually put the iPod in my pocket, coil up the remote cord and stuff it into the pocket, and clip the remote to the top of the pocket. that way there's not any excess cord hanging in front of me. Not the most elegant solution, but it works pretty well.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Oct 19, 2005, 09:18 PM

Thank god, it sucked and the cable was to damn long.

icruise · Oct 19, 2005, 09:35 PM

Why are some people incapable of understanding that others may have different needs than their own? "Thank god?" The remote's very existence offended you somehow?

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Oct 19, 2005, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by Icruise

Why are some people incapable of understanding that others may have different needs than their own? "Thank god?" The remote's very existence offended you somehow?

Ya considering it was included in my iPod package when I bought it. It was a piss poor remote in every way, either fix it or lose it.

icruise · Oct 19, 2005, 11:49 PM

It wasn't the greatest remote in the world, and Apple's handling of it visa-vie the cord length was pretty half-assed. But there are all sorts of situations where it is convenient to be able to pause, skip tracks, and adjust the volume without taking the iPod out of your pocket or bag. In other words, it's a damn sight better than nothing.

Zim · Oct 20, 2005, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by Icruise

Why are some people incapable of understanding that others may have different needs than their own? "Thank god?" The remote's very existence offended you somehow?

alas, this is the hallmark of the stereotypical iPod owner, and frankly of the design team's philosophy.

"Think different" is long gone and dead... and as a 20(?) year Apple owner, I for one dearly miss it.

Mike

PS. to stay on topic, I find the remote for my 3G very useful when I'm riding on my bike... iPod goes in camelpack (well protected), and remote clips to the front of my jersey.

iMacfan · Oct 20, 2005, 12:51 PM

To slightly divert the topic, it now looks like any in-line remotes for any iPod generation are going the way of the dodo. If I want to pick one up for my iPod photo, should I get the Apple one, or are there any better 3rd party ones?

Thanks,

David

icruise · Oct 20, 2005, 03:12 PM

I only know of one third party remote, but there are probably more. I bought one of these a while ago. It's very cheap feeling (very light and the buttons are kind of crappy) but it works. And the lightness of it may actually be an advantage, since it the weight of the remote doesn't pull on the cord as much. It has a plastic clip on the back instead of the Apple "squeeze" kind, which I actually prefer, since it's easier to attach to your clothes. Anyway, you can get 2.5 of these for the cost of one Apple remote, so I guess you can't expect it to feel quite as nice. As long as your hopes aren't too high, it's a decent alternative.

TheMosco · Oct 20, 2005, 04:21 PM

I actually liked the remote. I had the SP style inner ear headphones from sony so the cord was really short. The apple remote plus those were a great length.

icruise · 10:24 PM

The iFM might be a possible remote alternative for the new iPods. It is an FM radio tuner, but also acts as a remote control that plugs into the dock connector. Apparently you have two wires coming out of the bottom of the remote. One is the headphone jack and one connects to the iPod. I'm not sure why they couldn't have integrated the headphone jack into the remote itself.

mathew_m · Oct 20, 2005, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by Icruise

Why are some people incapable of understanding that others may have different needs than their own? "Thank god?" The remote's very existence offended you somehow?

Remember you're talking about the Star Wars dude. His relevance resides solely in the MacNN forums.

Regarding the remote, they probably cut it out of the package for the same reasons that they left out the charger because it costs money. Apple wants to keep the price points the same and remain profitable.

icruise · Oct 20, 2005, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by mathew_m

Remember you're talking about the Star Wars dude. His relevance resides solely in the MacNN forums.

Regarding the remote, they probably cut it out of the package for the same reasons that they left out the charger because it costs money. Apple wants to keep the price points the same and remain profitable.

I don't care if it's in the package or not. But they removed the remote control functionality completely. That's the issue here.

Cadaver · Oct 20, 2005, 11:17 PM

Although I never really used the remote that much, I think they should have kept it. At least they should have kept the connector and made the remote an option.
Apparently, Apple thought they weren't selling very well (since its been a while, IIRC, since Apple included one with any iPod).

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Oct 20, 2005, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by mathew_m

Regarding the remote, they probably cut it out of the package for the same reasons that they left out the charger because it costs money. Apple wants to keep the price points the same and remain profitable.

Cuz it cuts costs? Wow you figured that one out all on your own?

That really doesn't explain why the took the port out or why they stopped selling it separately.

songoku912 · Oct 21, 2005, 01:57 AM

Icruise, thank you for posting that alternative and wish I had saw that a few months ago. Although I now have the logitech wi-fi headphones, I will definitely recommend this remote to my friends who have 3 and 4g iPods but don't want to pay $40 for apples solution.