Portal Player adds WiFi and Bluetooth, spurring new round of iPod rumors
By Marc Perton 
posted Feb 8th 2006 2:57PM
posted Feb 8th 2006 2:57PM
[Thanks, James Wouter]
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
I wonder how such rumors get their start????
Who cares? There are no good Bluetooth earbuds available. Just huge klunky headphones.
... you can see the discoloration of where the wire was erased
c'mon TUAW ppl.. do better.
Kohath,
You should say there are no good bluetooth earbuds available, yet. I imagine if Apple encorperated bluetooth, they'd make some of their own.
They're finally going to release the iPod-phone...?
I'd much much prefer the smaller nano-phone though.
Actually I'd say Portal Player is the heart and soul of the iPod. The only thing Apple has contributed to the iPod is picking the color and advertising it.
So, all the iPod is is hardware and white? Don't be ridiculous. It's not a design icon just because of its colour. Don't make correction when the original comment was spot on.
Sweet, WiFi? I'll be able to download songs straight into my car like I did 2 years ago with my Aireo. Keep on innovating, Apple.
Eli,
Sorry about you loosing you job at Dell. But I'm sure you'll be able to get a job at Creative.
Someone with your insight to what makes a good device deserves a second chance.
Good luck!
JoeS
"Actually I'd say Portal Player is the heart and soul of the iPod."
hahah, you have a PROFOUND misunderstanding of exactly why the iPod is #1. You dont think a fantastic interface has anything to do with it? Nor does a straightforward elegant software interface on the computer? ...not to mention "Just Marketing" is a pretty radical understatement.
iPod haters are all the same. :P
It would be pretty nice to see apple push bluetooth or wifi (or both) in their iPods, to yet again take an idea many tried and failed at and end up making a standard out of it. :)
Bluetooth would primarily be great in a car... perhaps interfaced with a bluetooth enabled Alpine KCA-420i... If the batter would hold up, my library would be accessible simply by having my iPod in my pocket or backpack while i'm in the car. :)
Well b-tooth itself drinks battery juice worse than an SUV guzzle gas, and the fact that you just may be locked into whatever Apple chooses for headphones/earbuds.
Honestly, WiFi might be it, streaming your iPod content from your iPod to your WiFi MCPC, the Xbox360, or the Apple Media Center.
mack swift - do you really think Wi-Fi is less of a battery drain than Bluetooth? I think not...
Partially related, anyone do any field test of the Jabra bluetooth stereo headset (bt620s) yet?
This could be related to the Feb 22 event with airport on the invitation. WiFi download streaming to iPods? iTMS built into the iPod? Lets just see.
i just want a portable music store.
that sucks i just bought a nano on monday. Should i return it?
I'm concerned what bluetooth or wifi will do to the battery life?
i have tested every bluetooth headphone at both CES and retail... this is not ready for market yet...
they all make you look like Princess Lea from star wars, are clunky, require a seperate charger, and the sound cannot compare to modern in-ear earphones or earbuds. of course you can get a bluetooth clip, but then you still have the cable so what's the point?
I say it's best to get good comfortable and stylish in-ears!
Ehm... wifi, would that meen posibility of having a podzilla version that could do www, no ? And then being able to sync your iPod with iTunes without being anywhere neer your computer ? Then I guess you wait to get the next gen of wifiPod and you could probably do everything you do on a computer, withtout actually being at your computer, just using it's files and partly it's cpu ?
Ehm... I like this shit !