Re: [NTLK] Apple PDA dreams

From: Alex Santos 100MB Neostrada Mail (izabella.misiewiczsantos_at_neostrada.pl)
Date: Fri Aug 06 2004 - 14:33:22 PDT


Very interesting analysis, I hope it will come true, but I am not sure.
I think it will depend on how the rest of the market goes. At the
moment, it seems Apple's number one priority seems to be to kill music
piracy, their biggest competitor and most importantly to set a standard
both in digital music playback and distribution, the market is still
very young, and unprofitable according to statements made by Apple.
Apple is way ahead of the game right now. They have the envy of the
market ipod and a content rich music distribution system, the iTunes
Music Store, conveniently placed right inside the jukebox. It's a very
very high quality, tight package.

The day may come when Apple introduces a larger color screen capable of
displaying the album cover, an EQ, and other niceties, but this will
depend on cost. I think Apple has quite a few competitors selling
cheaper devices, although far inferior to Apple's iPod in many ways,
but we are only talking devices now, but the whole philosophy and
approach is about a much broader integration of device, consumer
experience and the ITMS.

In terms of the name, iPod is a rather loose and non specific name
easily adapting as you said to other applications. I have seen the name
Pod used elsewhere, do a google search on minipod and you will find
some interestingly designed speakers, may this is why Apple chose the
name ipodmini, but then again maybe not.

I don't believe Apple will keep evolving the ipod to the point of PDA.
It doesn't seem right somehow. If Apple reenters the PDA market, it
will be ITMS compatible and have many of the features found on the iPod
but I believe it will live somewhere in the iLife philosophy, or the
digital life idea.

But then again, who knows.

Personally I would love, absolutely love, to see Apple come out with a
small PDA. or a super sub notebook of sorts to accommodate the digital
lifestyles Apple aggressively and successfully markets. Let's hope for
the best, because it will be.

Alex

On Jul 27, 2004, at 11:02 PM, Dirk Hornbeck wrote:

> That n 5th (or 6th) generation iPod will closely resemble the current
> white iPod
> having a job wheel (click wheel) on one end, adjacent to a large
> "Newton-sized"
> LCD, an expansion port (either PCMCIA or Apple propriety slot), a
> clever styles,
> and Firewire/USB 2 connectivity, printing support and all the rest
> that we long
> for, while keeping a keen focus on the music player and .Mac support.

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