Apple Finally Unveils Video iPod

By Nate Mook and Ed Oswald | Published October 12, 2005, 1:37 PM

Apple's New Video iPod and iMacIt's official. At an event in San Jose Wednesday, Apple ended months of speculation by introducing the first video-enabled iPod, moving the company into the portable media center space.

"Yes, it does video," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in his keynote address as the audience erupted in applause.

The new iPod sports a 2.5-inch TFT display in a design similar to the iPod Nano. The 320x240 pixel display supports only 260,000 colors, but the iPod does include a video-out jack for hooking up to a TV. Real-time decoding of MPEG-4 and H.264 video content is supported.

The new iPod will come in sizes of 30 and 60GB, with retail prices of $299 and $399, in line with prices of the previous models, although with more capacity. Apple, noticing the high demand for its black iPod Nano, will also make the new model available in that color as well.

Both models are thinner than the current 20GB iPod.

Two new ads will help promote the iPod, including one starring U2 and another with Eminem, who incidentally just settled a lawsuit with Apple over using one of the rap artist's songs in a recent iPod commercial without authorization.

Also, likely in an effort to prevent future public relations problems like that of the Nano and its scratching issue, Apple will include a protective case with every new iPod.

Comments

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you can get a FREE IPOD at www.gratisinternetrocks.com

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Ugh this makes things sooo much harder lol..

I have an old 3rd gen ipod, for for $199, you can get this:

http://www.nyko.com/nyko/products/?i=36

a video player for the ipod.. larger screen, video-in (records live tv).. but also its bulkier than the new ipod and I'd rather not have 3rd party equipment.... any suggestions?

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does anybody know if you can also put your own videos?

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You can get one for free at freepay/gratis totally legit. Click Here
Price 350-400 dollars
Freepay/Gratis- TOTALLY FREE

So give it a shot and try it out so you can get your free IPOD Video or Nano
http://ipods.freepay.com/?r=6739374

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Why does everyone have to post these spam links on EVERY story now?

It's TOTALLY ANNOYING.

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because if they didn't, they wouldn't get their free ipod, bloody bas****s

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i would never spend $399 on a mp3 player. I would rather save it for xbox360

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Good choice can't wait for that either. Also will spend money for perfect dark. YES something I don't have to send to apple :)

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Ok so the screen is small. But no one is shouting foul at verizons cell phone Vcast. All those phones are barely 2.5tft. At any rate it’s a "Media" player not a TV in the first place. So many nay sayers. Bet if Gates released the same thing everyone would be full of praise. Way too much MS hype on this site. At least Apples stuff works for the most part... as compaired to Windoze tuseday fixes!!!

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lol. You have an interesting perception of people's biases. I would be willing to bet that if MS released a video player, everyone would hate it - including me.

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I'd like it if it supported more than one codec. :-)

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Yeah, it would probably only support WMA and WMV. LOL

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uhm...I dunno if you have noticed or not, but verizon cell phone vcast is a CELL PHONE! Who cares if the vcast screen isn't big...it's a da## cell phone...the ipod is actually a media playaer...screen size is just a little more important in a media player then a cell phne....the vcast is just a "wo that's cool" feature, a bonus...

And it's funny how the rest of your post are assumptions thought up by an apple fanboy (I hate that term but I couldn't help but use it in this case)...I actually think there are more people here that hate MS then like them...

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I disagree Nero. My comments were observations based on other posts. They are far from "Assumptions". Yes as you pointed out Vcast is for cell phones and if you say so then it’s " just a "wo that's cool" feature, a bonus..." And that’s just it with the iPod. They just added it in there. It’s on a media player whose claim to fame IS ITS SMALL SIZE!! Oh yeah and if you look at the newest phones they are basically media players. Vcast was an example of small screen functionality that the rest of us were discussing. Sorry you got so easily offended.

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I'm not offended at all, I could care less...I don't own a vcast phone or a video ipod, so I really don't care, my post are always half insults...:)

anyway, a cell phone actually has the functionality of a cell phone...that's its primary function and if you disagree with that then I just give up...vcast on device which is meant to act as a cell phone is just a bonus feature...video functionality on a device that is meant to play video and music (hence the term "media device") which the ipod is supposed to be...is a little more important. The ipod isn't a phone, it's only purpose in life is to play music and video, it doesn't do anything else...now screen size and resolution suddenly becomes that much more important.

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I notice there's no info about battery life. I'll bet that, just like all current portable video players, it's going to stink. Probably 2, maybe 3 hours? lol

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In the iPod product details page at the Apple Store's website it says up to 20 hours of battery life between charges. :-)

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Wow. If that's true (I mean sometimes battery life doesn't live up to the specs), I'm extremely impressed.

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Well, I'm happy it's 18bit. Nice quality video, though hopefully it performs all RGB/Lum/Chroma conversions in 32bit or higher.

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Ha, I will wait, Another company(can't say who) will be releaseing a video player for $150 for a 40G. They will also release and 60G. I will wait. Since I don't want to be locked into Apple's dictatorship.

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If you are talking about ZVUE -- I highly doubt it will be 40G. The company would make absolutely no money on the device.

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Well whom ever coms out with it. Even the products that are out now are far better then what apple is putting out.

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I would have to agree if you're looking just at the device. However, with Apple's announcement of their video store, they've got a pretty good selling point that no one else has.

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agreed, they will bring down the price. even if it is not their price. :)

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http://www.newegg.com/Pr...=&Go.x=0&Go.y=0

It's not quite $150, but it's not quite apple either.

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It's official. At an event in San Jose Wednesday, Apple ended months of speculation by introducing the first video-enabled iPod, moving the company into the portable media center space.

"Yes, it does video," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in his keynote address as the audience showered each other in semen.

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I think that looks pretty sweet. I would never buy one, but none the less, it's cool.

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Yes, I agree that this is hardly a portable "media player". It's a tiny screen. This little text-box on my computer is larger than 2.5", and I sure as hell don't care to watch video on it. In addition, what good is hooking a 320x240 video up to a TV? So you can sit two-feet away from it? It's a good effort and it'll undoubtably increase sales, but it won't be replacing larger-screened Portable Media Players, portable DVD players, or even laptops anytime soon.

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Not-hi-def TV's receive roughly a 320x240 signal by standard, so you're pretty much getting TV quality.

TV's have 640x480 displays though, so blend all pixels inbetween.

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I don't think most people realize how small a 2.5" screen is. Watching videos on the iPod would be like watching an animated postage stamp.
I'm still waiting for an iPod with integrated speakers.

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Get a ruler, slant it diagonally across your monitor from one corner to the opposite, and picture a box from 0 to 2.5inches. There's your iPod's screen.

Now...put that same ruler in your hand about a foot away, and ask yourself if it's big enough or not.

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Well, I wouldn't mind too much. Kinda like a really nice Gameboy Advance or something.

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No need to do all that. I have a 2.5" screen on my cell phone which also plays videos. I can tell you from first hand experience that it isn't big enough.

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The only thing this proves is that Jobs is an unreliable source for new product leaks. So what?

It'll be interesting if this is *the* thing, or if X360 steals xmas.

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I'm voting for Xbox 360.

Next-gen gaming console...

New portable media player in a market with better options already...

Yeah, definitely the Xbox 360

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I'm going my chums up at Nintendo.

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Man, just when you think other players are starting to catch up, you get a video iPod for the same price as the current photo-capable iPod, along with iTunes that has music videos, Pixar short films, and now ABC TV episodes. I applaud Apple, they've done a phenomonal job with iPod. But I'm still not jumping on the bandwagon.

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THe conference isn't even over, music videos are $1.99 to purchase, and soon movies will be made available, you guys on here slam everything don't you?

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They have to have some sort of video store opening. Otherwise all this player is doing is giving people another reason to get pirate video. If you can't buy it legally, where am I supposed to get it? Somehow I don't think Apple hates Hollywood too.

EDIT: And just like that, we have iTunes 6, with expanded video content.

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This explains why the stock is down even though net income is up.

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Of course the stock goes down, yesterday was a hot day for everyone to make a buck, its already back up, happens everyday before apple puts out new products.

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No DVD ripping capabilities = no dice. Sorry Apple, this won't go anywhere if you don't open up some kind of online movie store for your units.

It's amusing how Jobs repeatedly denied any interest in creating a video iPod. Perhaps he'll be eating his words when these things fail to bring in big revenue.

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What is so interesting about that? Of course he's not going to let his competitors know they are interested/working on a video iPod. Would you give away your secret if you were working on some new product that people will go nutter over?

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Lying and not giving information away are a bit different. Lying is unethical.

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I think calling it a "lie" is a bit of a stretch. What would you rather him say?

Q: Is Apple developing a video iPod?

Jobs: Yes, pinky swear you will not tell anyone. We will launch it on 10/12 but do not tell anyone until then because we want to get a jump on our competition and if you tell anyone it could cost us our competitive edge.

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That's very interesting that the 30GB video is going to cost the same as the 20GB current iPod. I'm guessing these new models are replacing the recently updated regular iPods.

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i rather wait for the psp wit the hard drive

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thats actually a better idea,, gaming console,larger screen, wi-fi internet, 4gb hdd for psp is already out and im sure atleast 10gb hdd will be out by the end of this year

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