First iPod 80GB unboxing photos

Ok, you've seen the unboxing of the new black iPod Nano, and of its colorful brethren, but all of us really want to see the new ultra-sexy 80GB model. Of course, from where we're sitting, this little black beast's brightness is starting to rival that of a solar flare -- iLounge's photos definitely show a brightness differential between the new and the old iPod video. We haven't heard if this big ol' iPod isn't having the same set of issues that the nano has been having when connected to Windows machines, though that may emerge later on. This first round of photos also shows that the search function does indeed work as big Steve showed us on Tuesday. We do wonder though how we're going to use those alphanumerics for our songs by, say, ? and the Mysterians, or !!! ("chick-chick-chick") on that scrolling search tool. Click ahead for another shot lavish photograph of our new favorite full-size iPod.

[Thanks, ben]

[Miranda @ Sep 15th 2006 2:45AM]

Just based on the bightness, I am going to order my own. And remember, you can get student or staff pricing by clicking on the option on the right hand side on apple's website. They dont check for whether you are a teacher or a student at all.
http://www.myplayer.org

[Kevin @ Sep 15th 2006 2:57AM]

The new iPods do not have EDU discounts attached to them.

[randomperson21 @ Sep 15th 2006 2:59AM]

i don't think you can get educational discounts for these items yet. Just checked the apple site, educational prices are the same as retail.

Perhaps wait a few weeks.....

[Mark B @ Sep 15th 2006 3:13AM]

Love the search function!! I used to have rockbox installed on my 5g ipod for this very function, but later reverted back to orig. ipod firmware, just cause its sooo yum to navigate in!

[scott @ Sep 15th 2006 3:14AM]

the "!'s" would be used for romance languages that use exclamation before and after a word...

[kevin @ Sep 15th 2006 3:47AM]

there is a simple solution. Stop listening to !!!

[Kris @ Sep 15th 2006 4:06AM]

I love ipod it is awsome and they just get better and better Go Apple

[Andrew @ Sep 15th 2006 4:08AM]

!!! would be first in the list of artists so you wouldn't need to search!

[Mike @ Sep 15th 2006 4:11AM]

Just to let you know Miranda too early for the discount to work. But 80gigger rules

[Adam @ Sep 15th 2006 4:59AM]

meh, I'm going to get a Zune

[tekdroid @ Sep 15th 2006 5:54AM]

Posted at 2:57AM on Sep 15th 2006 by Ads? [ ! ]
---
Does Engadget have to have those ads in the upper right corner?
---
Pssssst.

Firefox (http://www.mozilla.com)
Adblock for Firefox (https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/10/)

+ some right-click Adblocking (hint: must be done twice for triangle ad).

Second clue: look into FiltetSet.G.
Nuff sed.

iPod brigher screen. Fantastique!

(Zzzz).
;)

[upsidedown @ Sep 15th 2006 7:04AM]

We have company pricing thru the Apple store. Up to 12% off, and it works on Ipdod, but only about 7% off, at least for 80g 5.5g.

[Jeff @ Sep 15th 2006 7:29AM]

"Yep, big product update, Brightness.

Ooo.

Smell that innovation."

When you're already clearly giving America pretty much exactly what it wants (as evidenced by sales and market share), there's not a whole lot more you need to do.

In other words, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

An 80GB iPod is pretty much at the top of my wish list right now. I'd love a new nano, but I need the capacity.

[Fritz @ Sep 15th 2006 8:53AM]

Brightness isn't it's only new feature. This thing is 80gbs, gapless playback, and is the best choice if you're thinking of downloading movies from iTunes...I'm getting this next week

[Dman @ Sep 15th 2006 9:10AM]

meh, I'm sticking with iPods.

[mike @ Sep 15th 2006 9:12AM]

I can go to my company's eppstore for apple we get a discount for the new ipods...

[Chris @ Sep 15th 2006 9:14AM]

Well, I take my PowerBook G4 in for repair this weekend (fried FireWire ports, can smell burning if I use'em, eek...)...hopefully I'll resist the temptation to pickup an 80 gig, currently have a iPod Photo 60 gig...but I really need a 120 gig iPod if I'm gonna upgrade... Then I could just throw my music on there in lossless format which is how I have it all archived from my RIPs right now, would make syncing a lot easier...hmm...but then I lose FireWire connectivity...arrgh, Steve, why'd you have to drop FireWire!! I hate USB... *sigh*

[Todd @ Sep 15th 2006 9:52AM]

Gotta agree with "Ads" on this one. These Engadget ads of late have been a inappropriate for the site, especially when viewing at work. Please keep the ads clean so I don't have to watch my back at work! Thanks~

[ChillyWilly @ Sep 15th 2006 10:28AM]

The new screen is brighter. I may just have to trade in my still sealed 30gb white 5G for one of the newer ones.

As for the search function, is this only on the new 5G model or can the 1.2 firmware support the search function?

As for the ads, they are so small in the upper right corner, that there's no issue for me... even at work. Now if you click on it and it goes to that new blog site, then you are on your own. I welcome the ads and hope that others will simply ignore them and don't take away the fun for the rest of us.

[brian welch @ Sep 15th 2006 10:45AM]

Hi guys,

Something I have *not* seen yet is a size/weight comparison between this and other generations of ipods. That is to say, I've been looking and I haven't seen it - maybe it's out there. Anybody know?

thanks

[tr @ Sep 15th 2006 11:01AM]

i'm liking that search function...perhaps it's time to retire the ol' 3G 15GB...but i just replaced the battery.

and for you people who find that styledash link "offensive", give me a break. so, you're worried that you might get in trouble for looking at stuff you're not supposed to be looking at during work? if i was your supervisor, i'd say you shouldn't be looking at engadget at all! because when you come to work, it's work time, not "let me read about the iPod's brighter screen"-time. and i would hope that where you work, if by some chance your boss sees you and that triangle ad on your screen, and says "Are you looking at porn?!?", you could explain to him/her that it is just an ad for a site that has a post talking about the latest trends in lingerie, and that it is not porn, and that you aren't even viewing it, it is just an ad; and your boss would be mature enough to say "Well, okay. Carry on." and you would continue to surf the web, and not work. ;)

[nikster @ Sep 15th 2006 11:07AM]

What ads? Just get Firefox + Flashblock

That makes flash the way it was intended to be: Completely optional. You get a >> Play button in place of the flash-ad and when you click on it, the flash is loaded/played. If not - no ads.

Frankly I would not want to surf the internet without it. The ad blocks I find too complicated, and I don't mind simple images-ads. Now a gif-block would be nice, but luckily there aren't too many gif-ads around anymore.

[Stephen Rice @ Sep 15th 2006 11:31AM]

According to Apple Store policies (i'm an employee) there are no longer student discounts on iPod. Just thought i'd let you know.

[Wry Cooter @ Sep 15th 2006 11:59AM]

I've only seen ads for gadgets. The bit I think is weird, about engadget ads is, those corner triangle ads are blocking someone elses banner ad... looks like the advertisers would get mad.

[E @ Sep 15th 2006 12:08PM]

That's *IT*?

Jesus, and you people complain about MS, Creative and all those other companies.

Competition is good.

[E @ Sep 15th 2006 12:11PM]

"When you're already clearly giving America pretty much exactly what it wants (as evidenced by sales and market share), there's not a whole lot more you need to do"

Slippery slope pal. Look at the MS market share as opposed to Apple...

So what was that you were sayin'??

[Iman @ Sep 15th 2006 12:42PM]

In terms of size/weight (I had been wondering the same thing) -- on the Apple site, it says: "It might be a miracle. Otherwise, it’s hard to explain exactly how 30GB of storage(4) can fit into an iPod that’s over 30% thinner than the previous fourth generation. Or how an 80GB iPod can be the same size as the 60GB model before it. However it happened, it means you can carry your entire music collection — plus a nice selection of video — absolutely everywhere you go. And a 60% brighter, more vibrant display gives your album art, photos, and video extra oomph."

So it sounds like they're the same size as the 5G.

[Iman @ Sep 15th 2006 12:44PM]

By the way -- the link for that quote: http://www.apple.com/ipod/ipod.html

[Josh @ Sep 15th 2006 12:56PM]

inappropriate? its underwear. come on, you guys/girls can't be that sheltered.

[Gur @ Sep 15th 2006 1:06PM]

Yup, just bought one of these after my 3G died and I was sick of waiting around for the 6G. Screen is nice and so is gapless playback. Weight and size are the same as the 60G as they still sell the same cases. Haven't tried out the search functionality yet.

[Mel @ Sep 15th 2006 1:39PM]

I'm sure you all use them to record your college lectures, but the Education discount is no longer valid on iPods. Only on the 1st generation 1MB shuffle, which is $10 off.

[frank @ Sep 15th 2006 1:52PM]

Regarding the brightness issue, you can't necessarily assume that *all* units will exhibit the same characteristics. LCD's are so commodotized that it's not uncommon for one production run to feature a screen from a completely different manufacturer. Between my friends and I, we have had a number of Motorola cell phones where identical models had significantly different screen brightness and color saturation.

[A Gupta @ Sep 15th 2006 2:36PM]

No more education discount? WTF, apple, you will lose quite a few college sales, methinks. Even those 30 dollars off, while not enough to break the bank, are enough to make most students think twice.

[DySerenity @ Sep 15th 2006 4:13PM]

Hah, I wonder if Best Buy will let me trade in my 60GB (it keeps freezing, even though I've restored it a billion times) for an 80GB. >_>

[brian welch @ Sep 15th 2006 4:32PM]

@ IMan

Much appreciated, I had not noticed that little quote there.

[mac-finance @ Sep 15th 2006 5:39PM]

Apple reduced the iPod videos price by $50, so why do you still need another 20-30 off? Apple won't be offering edu discounts on iPods anymore the profit margin is too low, I think this is because Apple wants to drop kick MS Zune before it ever gets a foot hold...

[Anthony @ Sep 15th 2006 5:45PM]

In regards to the comment that there is no student discount, there may not be one from apple, but if you are ACTUALLY a university student you can probably go to the bookstore (or whereever they keep the tech) and order one of the new ipods. My girlfriend and I both did and we both got 20% discounts. Good luck to other ACTUAL poor students out there ^^

[t @ Sep 15th 2006 9:38PM]

Does anyone know if that search function is English only? Will there be say, CJK versions of the search or this is a Western-only feature?

[Reg @ Sep 15th 2006 9:45PM]

If you didn't buy a 60GB 5th gen iPod, you've been given some good presents for waiting: 80GB storage, brighter screen, spotlight searching, alphabetical scrolling overlay.

I don't think many people will be trading up from a 60GB though.

[Denise @ Sep 16th 2006 10:55AM]

Ok, so what's going on with the "can't download album covers" bug on iTunes 7.0 which is the only version you can get with the new 80GB model ?????????????