Portal Player adds WiFi and Bluetooth, spurring new round of iPod rumors

PortalPlayer, the company whose audio chips form the guts (but not the heart or soul) of the iPod, plans to add support for both WiFi and Bluetooth to its products, according to reports. While there's no word that Apple has any plans to make use of wireless technology in upcoming iPods, PortalPlayer's move could open the door for versions of the audio player that can work with Bluetooth headphones and download music directly over WiFi. And we're certain that, within the next few hours, rumors that Apple is announcing just such a product (perhaps on February 22?) will swamp the internets.

[Thanks, James Wouter]

[stomper @ Feb 8th 2006 3:16PM]

I wonder how such rumors get their start????

[Kohath @ Feb 8th 2006 3:19PM]

Who cares? There are no good Bluetooth earbuds available. Just huge klunky headphones.

[carbonbased @ Feb 8th 2006 3:24PM]

... you can see the discoloration of where the wire was erased

c'mon TUAW ppl.. do better.

[Jeff Hume @ Feb 8th 2006 3:25PM]

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.

[distantbody @ Feb 8th 2006 3:28PM]

They're finally going to release the iPod-phone...?
I'd much much prefer the smaller nano-phone though.

[Eli @ Feb 8th 2006 3:28PM]

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.

[theCardinal @ Feb 8th 2006 3:36PM]

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.

[Morgan @ Feb 8th 2006 3:39PM]

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.

[Joe Schmanoli @ Feb 8th 2006 3:56PM]

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

[jeff @ Feb 8th 2006 3:57PM]

"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. :)

[Mack Swift @ Feb 8th 2006 3:57PM]

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.

[Jordan Hall @ Feb 8th 2006 4:14PM]

mack swift - do you really think Wi-Fi is less of a battery drain than Bluetooth? I think not...

[Brian @ Feb 8th 2006 4:26PM]

Partially related, anyone do any field test of the Jabra bluetooth stereo headset (bt620s) yet?

[S. Jobs II @ Feb 8th 2006 4:32PM]

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.

[jules @ Feb 8th 2006 5:02PM]

i just want a portable music store.

[jordan @ Feb 8th 2006 7:06PM]

that sucks i just bought a nano on monday. Should i return it?

[Skeptic @ Feb 8th 2006 9:37PM]

I'm concerned what bluetooth or wifi will do to the battery life?

[val kolton @ Feb 9th 2006 3:03AM]

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!

[paolo @ Feb 9th 2006 7:11AM]

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 !