Is this the video iPod (or Mac tablet)?

We have zero idea what this thing is, if it's real, or if it's the same kind of factory leak we saw the day of Steve's "One more thing..." keynote where he introduced the 5G iPod, but this does look a bit promising as the video iPod that people have been speculating about for a while now. (And yeah, we're assuming that would be a touchscreen on there.)

[Thanks, rosswf]

[Hacp @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:35PM]

Neither. It doesn't look refined enough to be an apple product.

[gork @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:37PM]

This is NOT a iPod.....it's a sample LCD connected to what looks like a flat connector about the size of a DB25. If it's Photochop, it's a bad one.

[Kevin Moon @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:37PM]

By the size of it, I say its a new class of multimedia device, somwhere between the video ipod and the ibook.

[David @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:38PM]

if this is the real video ipod i need to get saving

[topher @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:41PM]

Also, the product code on the sticker M8718Z/A is the apple product code for an academic license for OS X 10.2. Doubtful that a factory sample, if it had a product code on it, would have a code already used for another product.

[Randy @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:42PM]

well the apple number stickered to the display �M8719ZA� is for Mac OS X Server if that seems relevant

[psychedelic @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:42PM]

A search of M8719Z/A brings a match for Mac OSX Server Ver 10.2.

I call this a fake!

[rollie @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:42PM]

You'll know how real it is when Apple Legal asks you to take it down.

Over under : 1 hour if its real.

[Joe Smith @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:46PM]

those are chinese characters rotated onto their side. they say: this side (literally).

my ipod's model number is ma002ll/A

considering the size of this device to the serial barcode, i'd say that this is indeed the video ipod.

[Scoobydoo @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:47PM]

Actually; zoom in REAL far, and you'll see that the product ID is MB719Z/A. Interesting...

[LarriveeJP @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:48PM]

I had the same thought about the part number, but I suppose it's possible that they recycle them.

The cable plugged into it looks more like a power cord than a stock iPod USB 2.0 cable.

Seems fake-ish, but I thought the same thing about the 5G leaked pics.

[JT @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:49PM]

This might just my bad eyesight (no pun intended) but I think the connector is not properly centered on the device, which would make it harder to dock... I honestly dunno...

[ransomRR @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:49PM]

I'm gonna vote real, that cable connecting it looks exactly like the magnetic one from the MacBook Pro

[Pelcinary @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:49PM]

I could tape a piece of paper to the top of my ipod.

[Ben Dalton @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:49PM]

Something's a little screwy with that picture. The serial number on the 'sticker' is a serial number for OS X 10.2 Server.

[Ryan Block @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:50PM]

Can't speak for the source site, but it will stay up here, no one has ever successfully forced us to remove a single piece of content since we started.

Best, Ryan

[rocafellaice @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:52PM]

that '8' you people keep seeing in that picture (M87..) looks more like a B, which fits the part number style on my iPod video packaging (MA147LL/A)

[Dax @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:52PM]

Well it really doesnt matter if it's fake or not. The real vPod cant possibly look much different.

[Ben Dalton @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:53PM]

Heh, looks like I was a little late in posting that!

[Lee @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:53PM]

If its anything it looks like an ipod judging by the metal along the outsid, i dont think apple would mix aluminum and plastic like that. And if you look at what the ipod is pluged into, it resebles the size of previous docking conectors.

[Ryan Flynn @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:56PM]

Can anyone translate the writing on the brown parcel tape over the power/data lead? I'm sure it's lame and says something like "power" (and I'm pretty sure it's not going to be "this is a super secret shot of the new tablet mac") but it might be interesting.

[anonymous @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:57PM]

What do the Chinese characters say? I can't read simplified...

[phenostar @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:58PM]

*drools*

Please be real please be real.

[elber @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:58PM]

ya i am seeing MB7192/A, and I looked at the leak photo of the 5G ipod, I think this may be it, but not sure, would be interesting to see a picture of the back of it

[ja @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:58PM]

I agree with "8. Actually; zoom in REAL far, and you'll see that the product ID is MB719Z/A. Interesting..."

photoshop zooms in nicely


Whatever it is, I likey.

[tom @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:59PM]

It is a B and the connector is an ipod connector. What's suspect is the covering of the connector - if that were a true ipod cable plugged into an ipod then there'd be no need for covering up the connection.

[jl @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:00PM]

Has anyone noticed the Chinese charters on the connector? It said" this side". I don't know the authenticity of this pix, it could come from apple's Asian vendors.

[Andy @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:02PM]

While I don't think it is, I wish it were.

[Brian Short @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:02PM]

I don't think it's a cover for the connector, I think it's just a label.

[Scott @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:02PM]

My Chinese is teh suck, but that says "zhe4 bian4", or "this side". As in this side up perhaps?

[Joe Smith @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:03PM]

ryan flynn, it says "this side"

[Scoobydoo @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:03PM]

The 2 cables coming out of the connector are interesting; I don't know of any connector on the market that looks like that. Could it be a dev. cable, or could we all just be falling for the joke? Who knows; but it sure makes for a fun lunch break :D

[NNTPgrip @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:04PM]

Commeonnn Mac Tablet... I like my Nokia 770 and everything, but if they intro'd a tablet next week, I'll be hitting F5 on the apple store till it comes back from the update and ordering that crap overnighted with all tha fixins.

[Azhar @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:06PM]

The plug,the plug. Looks fake. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese DONT BE FAKE. It looks amazing. If this isnt real than I will not go on engadget for atleast an hour for dissapointing me.

[adam @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:07PM]

yea, i'm thinking this could be a real apple pda (a reincarnated newton, but with osx mobile). if that was a video ipod that was docked theres no reason to cover it, so it has to be a power cord.

[nick @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:07PM]

So i guess its a new plug meaning since they need to know which side is up and which is down. I think this is pretty real.

[AH @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:07PM]

I don't see much in the way of Photoshop here. But what I do see is more than a passing resemblance to the last accurate leak we had in terms of background and setting -

http://stationa.net/?p=162

It may be a fake, but something about this photo screams genuine article. Who knows? We will find out next Tuesday.

[Roy @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:10PM]

have you noticed that the connection cable has two input wires? this looks like something else then an ipod, my uncle has one that looks like this but its a different style, i think they took out the case of it and placed it in an ipod case...

[Joe Smith @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:11PM]

if you look closely, only the cardboard is off center. the actual plug is perfectly in the middle.

[Scott @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:12PM]

One more thing: that's not aluminum around the edge, it's light refraction through a layer of acrylic. Just like the current ipods.

[tom @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:13PM]

I have a third party and an apple USB + Firewire cable that both look just like the cable shown here. It's probably being used to do screen testing.

[John M @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:15PM]

"The 2 cables coming out of the connector are interesting; I don't know of any connector on the market that looks like that. Could it be a dev. cable, or could we all just be falling for the joke? Who knows; but it sure makes for a fun lunch break :D"

No, I've seen that type of connector before, there is one on the iPod adaptor for my Pioneer stereo.

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6194/cdib1002qk.jpg

I'm voting real, against better judgement...

[BK @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:16PM]

If this indeed the Video IPod, it looks to be supporting 4:3 aspect ratio instead 16:9. I guess Apple's catering to TV shows instead of movies (which is usually in 16:9).

BK

[Brian Short @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:17PM]

Does anyone have a link to the Video iPod (5G) leak?

[Brian Short @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:19PM]

Actually if you roughly measure it, it's 16:9.

[Ender @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:20PM]

http://stationa.net/?p=162

[elber @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:21PM]

ya its in 16:9 and it fits with the patents found, im pretty darn sure this is it

[Scoobydoo @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:22PM]

I bet someone at Apples PR department is laughing his ass off at the moment. There is no way a worker at the Apple plant in China could smuggle a camera into the plant, so my money is on an Apple employee trying to warm us up for next weeks press event.

[Andy @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:23PM]

You are all wrong. Apple is coming out with a PMP not a new ipod. This product will be seperate from the ipod. It will be the "video Ipod" we have all been waiting for. mark my words.

[bryan ribas @ Feb 23rd 2006 1:23PM]

It could be one of the cables that have a usb and firewire cable coming out. Apple uses them.