iPod - The 5th Generation
Apple are doing a press launch today from San Jose, and the hot rumours are is that there will be a new kind of iPod. Have a read here for the contender list of what people think will be launched. (Things that they don’t mention though is a rumour of a Madonna branded pink iPod).
The reason for me telling you this though is because one of the studios here in Television Centre today (TC3) is being used to show the conference live as it happens, as a screening to the UK press at 6pm our time!
So i’ll be popping down later, and might even try and get in (or at the very least watch it from the public viewing gallery) to see what’s announced!
[16:00 update]
Ok, thanks to a chance meeting with a colleague - Jon, that I knew of but didn’t really know (until just now!) I’ve somehow blagged myself a ticket to the actual ‘do’ itself this evening … sadly enough, I am quite excited! Should get a pukka press pack ‘n’ all, I hope. Checked out the two studios that are in use … one is full of seats with a stage and giant screen where the presentation will take place. In the other they were setting out tables and there were lots of stacked up boxes - which looked as if they might contain some sexy new Apple product inside!
I’ve got a blurry photo, but it’s not really worth putting up here, Jon did with his on his blog though!
Full report later to follow …
[23:00 update]
Well that was fun … and what do you know, the new iPod does video. There’s a new sexier iMac too, and an update to iTunes too - taking it to version 6 - making it compatiable with the video for the new iPod.
Apple obviously have a lot of money to spend (no supirses there) as they had contractors in to ‘tart up’ the route along which people would arrive at the BBC, and find their way to the studio where the link up to the presentation would be taking place. Fancy signs, lights, and even a red carpet had been laid down to guide people in as they arrived.
Then an uber-cool catering company wandered round filling up your glass as fast as you could drink it down, and I couldn’t resist offering up the line “Nice pair of jugs you have there!” when a lovely lady came round holding two pitchers of beer in her hand.
I went to the loo and got chatting to a guy whilst standing at the urinals (Well I had been drinking lots of free beer, y’know?) “I’ve got a whole warehouse full of add-ons for the existing models” he said “So I just hope that they’re still compatiable with whatever new model they announce today!”.
Oh - and the presentation? Well I don’t go along with the “Whoop, clap and cheer” as some people did, but I watched quietly for a whole hour via satellite as Steve Jobs introduced us to the new line of Apple products.
The main thing you have to know about the 5th generation iPod, is that the footprint of the unit isn’t bigger, but it is thinner, and now has a larger screen so that you can download and watch videos on it. More on the Apple website, on iLounge.com or of course on the technology part of the website.
I should comment that I don’t like the fact that the download for iTunes6 (for Windows) has grown enormously - up from around a 20Mb download to a 33Mb download, and also that Quicktime is now bundled with iTunes. The other day my friend sent me a link to a Quicktime movie - the computer I was using didn’t have it - so I went to download it to discover that you HAVE to have iTunes now to get Quicktime. Hmmm.
I ducked out before the end to meet a friend for a drink, so I missed out on the after party where you could actually get to have a go with them in the flesh, meaning that I’ll have to pop down to the Apple store in the next few days to see what they’re like. On the way back from the work bar though, the after-party was still just about going, so I nipped in to grab couple of freebie posters and bits that they were handing out before scooting home.
After living in London for the first 33 years of my life and working for the 
So for ten weeks in June, July and August 2009, I drove 20,000 miles around the the lower 48 contiguous states of the USA visiting towns and places that shared the same name as places on The London
October 12th, 2005 at 1:37 pm
iHoover?
October 12th, 2005 at 2:10 pm
could it be an iPod including the google toolbar?
October 12th, 2005 at 2:19 pm
iSpyWithMyLittlei
October 12th, 2005 at 2:46 pm
I believe the iGlasses will be the next to be released.
October 12th, 2005 at 3:15 pm
For all those sticky situations, iGloo.
October 12th, 2005 at 4:21 pm
Oh yes… posting pictures of a private event on the internet… can’t see how that would get anyone into trouble!
October 12th, 2005 at 4:23 pm
I don’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner!
It’s obvious!
The secret product is the iTrousers!
October 12th, 2005 at 5:58 pm
What about a John Peel tribute iPod? Ideally that ocasionally plays tracks that sound like they are being played at 45 rpm instead of 33
October 12th, 2005 at 7:24 pm
http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/90101/wo/TZ7Nljh2iQsH2d7Az5yydXEg0ll/0.SLID?nclm=iPod&mco=E2DBC1A0
Looks good!
October 12th, 2005 at 7:44 pm
To summarise:
6th Generation iPod
Video Support
30GB: £219 60GB: £299
30GB: 0.43″ thick
60GB: 0.55″ thick
Available in Black or White
Will hook up to a TV
Remote Control available
And iTunes 6 too
Whatever next?
Dual Screen version? (1 for music, 1 for video?)
October 12th, 2005 at 7:52 pm
I’m liking iTunes 6!
Even though iTunes 5 has only been around for, like, a week..
October 12th, 2005 at 8:15 pm
Also, did they announce a street date?
I know you can order them on the website for delivery next week, but it won’t let me have a student discount..
October 12th, 2005 at 9:05 pm
Wow - you can pay £1:89 to watch Desperate Houswives on a 2.5 inch screen rather than pay nothing to recieve it on those annoying, old fashioned 30 inch screens. Another victory for the marketing boys!
October 13th, 2005 at 11:03 am
Can’t remember the address offhand, but you can still download quicktime by itself from the apple website, its for people who have itunes screw up their pc
October 13th, 2005 at 1:36 pm
You talked to the bloke next to you in the bogs?
*insert witty comment accusing you of being gay here*
October 13th, 2005 at 1:39 pm
Apple do seem to have stopped offering Quicktime for Win 9x.
October 13th, 2005 at 2:06 pm
[...] Geofftech is one of those who were “lucky” enough to soak up all the free food and wine at the launch of the video iPod. Which seems to be just about the only good thing about the anti-climatic announcement of the video iPod. [...]
October 13th, 2005 at 2:08 pm
Yorkie… Microsoft have not supported Windows 98 for 3 years now. It is, after all, a 7 year old O/S. It really is time to either upgrade or throw away your PC!
Now. If I were to buy one of these videopods could I download Tivo recordings on to it?
October 13th, 2005 at 2:28 pm
And this is exactly what I want to know!
Have Tivo, can extract TY files to MPEG2, but now need to get them into MPEG4 or that X.263 format (whatever) that the ‘pod supports… i’m sure there’ll be a way to do it…
October 13th, 2005 at 2:42 pm
Apparently there’s a limited edition Mylo iPod being released as well. iPressure?
October 13th, 2005 at 3:17 pm
YES!!!
October 13th, 2005 at 4:26 pm
Yeah, and check out the ‘harry potter’ themed iPod too:
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa?snape=y
October 13th, 2005 at 7:36 pm
Geoff: here’s the link to the stand-alone QuickTime player => http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone.html
October 13th, 2005 at 7:47 pm
*Runs around sounding alarm bells* … wasn’t Geoff looking for a Google server down error? … Where do I send it?
October 13th, 2005 at 8:10 pm
geoff@geofftech.co.uk presumably!
October 13th, 2005 at 8:41 pm
Raf,
top man!! thank you for the link! they keep that well hidden, don’t they?
October 13th, 2005 at 9:43 pm
Fucking Apple. They need to get hit with an anti trust lawsuit for forcing you to install stuff you don’t need like iTunes with Quicktime (*spit*), like Microsnot did with Internet Explorer.
October 13th, 2005 at 9:56 pm
SO where’s this mega amazing new GeoffTech feature?
October 13th, 2005 at 10:45 pm
Well, iTunes uses quicktime to play back the audio files, making it an essential part of the programme.
And iTunes kicks the shit out of WMP, anyway.
October 14th, 2005 at 12:08 am
Mega amazing new GeoffTech feature discovered. You have to put in an email address when you post a comment.
October 14th, 2005 at 12:20 am
What are you talking about, Yorkie?
October 14th, 2005 at 12:31 am
iTunes rules, Quicktime is obviously needed to play MOV files, but I took think it sucks to force normal plebby users to install iTunes & Qucktime. They should be given a choice. it IS similar to M$ bundling IE with the OS.
And yes, what ARE you talking abour Yorkie!?
October 14th, 2005 at 12:41 am
Not every is enamoured by the video functionality…
http://aardvark.co.nz/daily/2005/1014.shtml
October 14th, 2005 at 12:51 am
Well, regardless- iTunes can’t work without Quicktime. Quicktime is what decodes the AAC file format, something other players are incapable of doing.
Okay, so quicktime could be released separately. But at the end of the day, windows users will already have WMP, and Mac users will already have iTunes. So it provides PC users with a choice, and Mac users the chance to upgrade.
October 14th, 2005 at 1:41 am
Windows users will HAVE WMP, but will they LIKE it? Will they even USE it? I try to avoid it wherever possible, and there are very few occasions where it’s even necessary. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that it’s a complete wast of time and space.
October 14th, 2005 at 9:42 am
Unlike quicktime, Windows Media player doesn’t sit there in your notification area the 95% of the time it’s not needed.
Does anyone know if these new (or indeed any other colour) ipods can display photos stored in a Canon Raw (CRW) format, or do they just understand Jpegs?
October 14th, 2005 at 3:15 pm
You can take the line out of your registry startup to prevent the Quucktime tray icon from loading and sitting their doing nothing all the time.
October 14th, 2005 at 5:40 pm
When you post a comment on Geoff’s blog, a “Name” is required, and a “Mail” is required. I belive that previously only a “Name” was required.
October 14th, 2005 at 6:13 pm
That is correct! Just doing a little bit of tightening up .. even if you leave me a false email address, you are now obliged to leave one…
October 14th, 2005 at 7:09 pm
You can get rid of the quacktime icon via some menu by right-clicking on it. I’m not sure how to stop the stuff running permanently though.
I’ve just realised that I have a 2.1MB install of QuackTime and yet not spyTunes
October 14th, 2005 at 11:32 pm
>Well, regardless- iTunes can’t work without Quicktime.
You’re getting it arse about face. Quicktime can and should work without iTunes, so that’s what I’m taking offence at. If I need both I’ll install both thankyouverymuchapple.