By Jennifer Guevin, 13 October 2005 09:30
NEWS Bloggers were quick to report the news coming from Apple's highly anticipated event on Wednesday but if early reactions are any indication they may be slower to buy the new products.
For more than a year, many people have said it was only a matter of time before Apple released an iPod capable of playing video, despite the fact that CEO Steve Jobs himself claimed doing so would be a move in the "wrong direction".
But for all the speculation about when Jobs might reverse his opinion about the importance of adding a video iPod to Apple's line-up, the final product met with a relatively underwhelmed crowd.
While many Apple fans praised the new iPod's thin design and reasonable pricing, the prevailing sentiment online was that the video quality, show pricing and line-up of available shows offered on the iPod aren't good enough to move people to adopt the device as their new medium for TV consumption.
And the fact that videos can be downloaded only at a size that fits the iPod's screen means few people will be buying them to view on their PCs.
The new version of iTunes came as a surprise to most people who blogged about or mentioned it in online discussion forums, primarily because Apple just released iTunes 5 a few short weeks ago. While many thought the addition of video to iTunes was a good move, the fact that videos are shown at such a small size took away much of the excitement of this new feature.
The iMac got a warmer greeting than perhaps either of the other products Apple unveiled on Wednesday. Many blogs showed that the company's move to bring the PC to the centre of the living room piqued users' interest - especially given that many analysts presumed the Mac Mini would take that role.
But again, Apple seems to have fallen just short of making a slam dunk with the new product; more than a few bloggers who were excited about the iMac's Front Row software also lamented that they wouldn't move to an entertainment system centred on their computer until Apple offers more integration with television.
Jennifer Guevin writes for CNET News.com
Comments
There are 6 comments. Join the discussion
1. anonymous
Is the screen scratch resistant?
And how long does the battery last?
Will Apple replace/ repair the faulty ones?
PS- I don't have an ipod of any shape or form..
2. Marconi
Maybe even the devout Apple worshippers are starting to question the hype.
Whoopie an iPod that play's tiny low res music videos for $1.99!
I'd rather spend my money on a PSP. Which can do pretty much everything the iPod can, well if you have enough memory sticks.
3. anonymous
oooh look at me i can watch music video's on my ipod!!
how about getting a life!
Buy the DVD or video and watch on a full size TV where you can see what you are watching!!!!!!!!!
4. anonymous
Its a new market. And the young will probably lap up music videos and probably make it successful. The key will be selling all kinds of content through the iTunes store. Or should that be the iMovie or iTV store. Just wait for the Apple iTV machine to appear, bet Jobs is saying they've got no plans for such a thing. Ha! Watch this space
5. Richard M
There is no "Video iPod", stoopid!
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There are 3 items in the iPod product line: iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano and this one... the iPod. Which also does video.
It was not launched, advertised or sold as the "Video iPod" and they don't mind whether you use this to connect to your TV, view your photos or listen to your music once you have paid for it. Who cares if the TV output is rubbish just so long as you buy it? And buy it, you surely will.
Look, the iPod just got smaller outside, bigger inside AND gained video playback... all for the same price as before!
The best just got better, and you want one.
6. Sean
You are obviously a member of the 'Maca Nostra'. And for your information I am not in the pay of Bill Gates, (who you consider the anti-christ).
I am a very happy Archos AV400 owner. I can record directly from an AV source with it, use it as a PVR with the supplied cables, and play back later on it's geourgeous 4" screen, or on TV. Others in the range include a stunning 7" screen, and a tiny 2.5" screen device that make the iPod look clunky.
Though not an MS portable device, it is also compatible with MS's file formats, as are a whole host of other devices.
What's that I hear? As compared to Apple's proprietory one make of player? Remember what happened to the Apple MAC? It was wonderful, cost too much, and was replaced by an easily available alternative.... Windows.
Watch this space!