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The new iPod touch with Derek Zoolander on screen  (Source: Apple)

New iPod classic in its usual two colors  (Source: Apple)

New video capable iPod nanos  (Source: Apple)

iPod shuffle in new colors  (Source: Apple)
Now with a new iPod touch

Apple today revamped its entire iPod lineup and introduced an old-yet-new model – the iPod touch. The new iPod touch is essentially an iPhone stripped of its GSM and phone capabilities.

The device features the same 3.5-inch screen as the iPhone with an 8mm thickness. Two memory capacities are available – 8GB and 16GB. Apple also employs the same multi-touch user interface as the iPhone in the new iPod touch, including Cover Flow.

The iPod touch retains the 802.11b/g Wi-Fi capabilities of the iPhone. Users can connect the iPod touch to home and public wireless networks. The iPod touch also features a couple of built in applications, as with the iPhone.

Safari and YouTube applications are preinstalled for wireless web browsing and video watching.  Apple also installs the calendar, contacts, clock, calculator and photo applications. Essentially, the iPod touch is what the iPhone is without a SIM card inserted.

iPod touch

Capacity
Price

8GB
$299
16GB
$399

The existing iPod models are completely new, with new iPod shuffle’s, nano and regular. Apple finally named the standard hard disk based iPod’s – the iPod classic. The new iPod classic features a completely metal design and thinner in size compared to the outgoing model.

Apple increased hard drive capacity with the new classic – 160GB is the new flagship, with 80GB being the base size.  Battery life for the new iPod classics improve, with up to 40 hours for audio and 7 hours for video.

iPod classic

Capacity
Price

80GB
$249
160GB
$349

Apple’s iPod nano is completely new as well, in the form of a new “fatty” nano. The new iPod nano features video playback capabilities on its 2-inch QVGA display. Apple offers the new iPod nano in 4GB and 8GB capacities and in five different colors – black, silver, green, blue and RED. New games are also preinstalled on the new iPod nano, including Vortex and Sudoku.

iPod nano

Capacity
Price

4GB
$149
8GB
$199

Both the new  iPod classic and nano feature a new user interface with Cover Flow.

Lastly, is the iPod shuffle refresh. The iPod shuffle maintains the same design as the outgoing model, but now with new colors and a RED model. New iPod shuffle colors include blue, teal and an aqua green.

iPod shuffle

Capacity
Price

1GB
$79

Expect the new iPods to show up in retail this week.

In the mean time, Microsoft's 30GB Zune is now priced at $199. Microsoft announced the price cut late last night on the ZuneInsider blog. With the release of Apple's new iPods and the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, a $50 price cut may not be enough to attract buyers to the Zune.


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Why didn't they go with the hardrive?
By Rodinx on 9/5/2007 2:54:09 PM , Rating: 1
That's pretty nice but why didn't they go with the bigger drives..kind of stupid if this thing is supposed to support video.




By Moishe on 9/5/2007 2:56:14 PM , Rating: 1
I think the ipod touch is probably flash based, which would explain the storage sizes... I am really shocked at the size of the 160GB ipod classic... that is a huge drive.

It's almost to the point that you will need to reduce the font on the marketing materials just to write the number of songs it can hold :)


RE: Why didn't they go with the hardrive?
By IcY18 on 9/5/2007 2:57:51 PM , Rating: 2
They couldn't use a regular hard disk like iPod classic because they need the room for the touch screen so they have to use flash drives.


RE: Why didn't they go with the hardrive?
By hlper on 9/5/2007 3:04:14 PM , Rating: 2
That's really the wrong way to look at it though because they could just make it the size it needs to be in order to accommodate a hard drive. Other companies are able to do it (e.g Archos 605wi-fi). I think there is a definite market for it, especially if you put the iPod name on it. I would be in that market.


RE: Why didn't they go with the hardrive?
By Rodinx on 9/5/2007 3:20:03 PM , Rating: 5
Yeah I dont think the size is a valid excuse, this thing would have been sweet with 80 gb Hard drive..I think they are just using flash so they can use the same casing, hardware, etc.. as the Iphone


By othercents on 9/5/2007 3:28:37 PM , Rating: 5
Size doesn't really matter since it wouldn't add much to the thickness. The biggest reason why they used Flash instead of a HD was for run time. Right now the biggest drain on the battery is the screen, but if you had a HD you would be draining the battery with both. The best option for any device like this is to have an SD slot to add more memory or have multiple videos on different SD cards.

Other


By enlil242 on 9/5/2007 3:54:41 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
I think they are just using flash so they can use the same casing, hardware, etc.. as the Iphone


And, you have to think like apple. Get it out now with the flash drive, using the same casing as the iPhone and have something for "next year." I sure bet that the classic will be replaced with a "touch" interface version.


By Oregonian2 on 9/5/2007 6:54:14 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
I think they are just using flash so they can use the same casing, hardware, etc.. as the Iphone


I might have thought that except that the casings are different. The iPod touch is smaller than the iPhone.

The've probably borrowed most if not all the non-GSM-phone hardware circuit design and the software though, and the software is flash-filesystem based. And that's where I'd guess the non-drive version came from. Maybe later they'll put in a hard drive filesystem but leave that for next year's intro of new devices. For the quick turn-around (recall iPhone was late and the iPod touch is still only "this month") keeping changes to a minimum is probably what they were after to get things out. Still did change the case though (and getting rid of the phone "proper" allowed it to get smaller).


RE: Why didn't they go with the hardrive?
By Comdrpopnfresh on 9/5/2007 4:01:20 PM , Rating: 1
Actually if it had a harddrive it would be much more expensive. Think about it- the iPhone has a case that was made specifically for it. If apple then releases an ipod with the same case and gut electronics (touch screen+wi-fi), it probably brings the cost down quite a bit because more are being machined, and they can purchase parts in larger quantities.

analogy:
yeh- your cat litter doesn't fit in a normal grocery bag, and they could make a bag it does fit in- but you'd have to pay for it...


By raejae on 9/5/2007 4:42:52 PM , Rating: 5
Ummm... They aren't using the same case.

iPhone dimensions: 115x61x11.6mm
iPod touch dimensions: 110x61.8x8mm

Reading before posting. Always a good idea. ;)


RE: Why didn't they go with the hardrive?
By weskurtz0081 on 9/6/2007 5:00:57 PM , Rating: 2
I am not sure if you are aware of this but, flash is MUCH MUCH more expensive than hard drives. Flash is running around $10 a gb or so last I checked, where a notebook drive is probably closer to $1 a gb.


By oab on 9/7/2007 7:53:05 AM , Rating: 2
iPods don't use notebook drives.

Notebook Drive: 2.5" SATA/PATA
iPod: 1.8" micro-drive

The 1.8" drives are used in some stupid small notebooks like Toshiba's now discontinued libretto.


RE: Why didn't they go with the hardrive?
By LCC2286 on 9/5/2007 3:10:10 PM , Rating: 2
I'm assuming you can stream videos from a home server


By hlper on 9/5/2007 3:13:06 PM , Rating: 2
Probably only if the new version of iTunes will do it (i.e. not bloody likely). This is an iPod after all.


RE: Why didn't they go with the hardrive?
By GoatMonkey on 9/5/2007 3:25:06 PM , Rating: 5
Why would I want to stream video from a home server to a little tiny screen like that when my TV is right there?


By TomZ on 9/5/2007 4:39:15 PM , Rating: 5
Because squinting is fun?


RE: Why didn't they go with the hardrive?
By AndreasM on 9/5/2007 5:07:09 PM , Rating: 5
Because the TV isn't there, as you are streaming through the internet while sitting in a cafe.