I assume you're talking about the interface, right? I love how the coverflow previews are now on the bottom.
Now, wait just a second there...
Wasn't the whole design paradigm that users enter menus and layers of navigation to the right, and exit them to the left, giving a simple, easy-to-understand and clean UI? Now we're tacking elements on to the bottom of the menu and making the screen a taller aspect ratio instead of wider? Seems like a strange hodgepodge of features right about now for a device which really doesn't have a niche anymore. There simply are too many iPods... iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch. Hell, even I don't know which one I want.
Hasn't the past few years been a "Zune year", or even before that the "iPod Killer" year, or the "Dell DJ" year. Either way you swing it, the iPod continues to grow. Its a well trusted and respected brand, these new nano's will only help. Look at the people that buy these things, cool colors that show "individuality" are in, and they will be very hot this year. Apple does a similar event every year before the holiday season, they basically "Set Up" the iPod line going into the HOliday shopping season. Last years event didn't have much more announcements than this year.
It is not ridiculous, it is absolutely brilliant. I mean, landscape videos, who would have thought of that? Remember when they introduced it on the Zune? They laughed about how, when tilted, the controls were on the side.
Really, Apple's presentation was very disappointing. Not much shown that is new. Bug fixes, Genius - which was announced yesterday in the Zune (not saying one or the other had it 'first', a few hour difference makes it is wash), going back to the same form factor as before but with curves, and new headphones (I am willing to bet my Ultimate Ears sounds better). Not much there.
Notice how you don't see most of these MS Fanboys commenting in the iPod Touch thread. They're like the bullies in school who go and find the scrawny kid to pick on. As a PC user, you Steve Ballmer worshiping fanatics make me sick.
Why don't you admit it, Microsoft has nothing to confront the danger of the iPod Touch and iPhone. The Xbox 360 is getting owned by the Wii and the new and better games for Playstation 3. Microsoft's consumer products are a complete joke and years behind the competition. And yet, you guys cheer Microsoft on like a bunch of parents at the Special Olympics.
I thought you were an "avid PC user" (dictionary.com defines avid as enthusiastic; ardent; dedicated) but yet you spend a lot of time defending Apple. So in other words, you were making it up to give yourself the air of impartiality. Just like some of the Apple fanboys around here (not all - some) you cannot tell the truth.
Any way, why any comments on the touch? What is great and new about it? They made the back of it curved. WOW! Such innovation. They fixed some bugs! Stop the presses, let the world rejoyce.
Jobs claimed the touch is "best portable device for games," and yet the PSP and DS are eating the touch's lunch. 80 million DS devices bought. 40 million PSPs. That is 120 million devices with real game playing controls. 120 million devices with real games, not 20 different versions of Tetris and Sudoku. Apple does not even make a game console, so why bring up 360? And I would happen to disagree, I happen to think the 360 has more and better games released and upcoming.
The only thing that Apple announce here that was really new was a set of headphones, and even that is not new. I have a minidisc player sitting in fronto of me now (MZ-R700) that was released around 1999 that had a little adapter that allowed you to play, pause, skip, and all the other features of these "new" headphones.
haha, you're right, and i agree. "fanboys" in general are pretty sad, but Microsoft "fanboys" are a total laugh. Although sometimes i can't help it feel guilty... it's as if i'm laughing at retards
Nohone, what would you like to see on a new iPod Touch then? Something that's reasonable, for about the same price, size and battery life. Besides, the iPod Touch isn't completely aimed at gaming, it's actually pretty astonishing what such a small device can do. And please, gaming buttons on an iPod Touch...? Ugh, no. The tilting is quite fun actually, just playing a game without the need for buttons.
I agree, the touch and phone (when mine is working as advertised) are amazing devices. But when Steve Jobs says "best portable device for games", you saying "the iPod Touch isn't completely aimed at gaming" contradicts SJ.
I used to have a Touch, sold it because of my iPhone. I do not regularly use a iPod classic/nano (the GF has a 5G iPod, so I get to use it a little) so I am not the right one to say what they should be adding to the nano. My viewpoint is that many Apple fans slam the Zune, and other Microsoft products for not being innovative. But when the same features are added to an iPod, it is the greatest innovation ever - case in point is landscape mode viewing. They made fun of landscape mode, "oh, look, you need to turn it on the side to view the movie" and they made fun of how the controls rotate. But now when iPod does it, how wonderful. When the new Zune features were released last night, I read here from some about the new features, such as recommendations were not innovative. Now we have those same people fawning over Genius. They were announced about 12 hours apart, and nobody has used the Zune feature (available in a few days) but somehow because Apple did it it is great.
I don't care if Apple copies something from Microsoft, just like I don't care if Microsoft copies something from Apple - except in the case of where some Apple brat starts saying "Apple did it first, Microsoft just copies." When that happens and MS did it first, then I am going to mock them over it. There were a lot of rumors of what was supposed to be available - an equivalent of ZunePass, wireless for syncing, all features of Zune that were derided, but praised in the iPod classic that were not even released. As for features they add, I don't really care as I use a Zune for music, not my iPhone because my ZUne 80 is almost full and the 8GB phone will not hold all my music. But when somebody says that there is no innovation, nothing cool, nothing new in the Zune, but say "wow, look at all the new great features of the nano", when really, there are none, they deserve to be publically ridiculed.
I do follow these things because I am interested. I want to see what is new, and maybe if they come out with something that is leaps and bounds over the competition, then I will switch. But this presentation did not wow me, there was nothing new. Apple is supposed to be so innovative (and this new device is being called innovative), but I don't see it. Maybe I just missed something.
I just found a contest where you can win a new 16 GB nano. Apparently it just started because I was the first one to enter. All you gotta do is think of a caption to a pretty funny photo. Check it out:
Hey one of the other tech sites that also fawns over all things Apple, called this round for Zune. Maybe this will give engadget the courage to do the same. Come on engadget you can do it!
"iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch. Hell, even I don't know which one I want."
I agree. My job always sends me the latest iPod. There was a time when I knew exactly which model I was mainly going to use as my primary personal player. There really isn't a superior model anymore and my music collection is just scattered on the various iPods.
Yeah you're totally right but the thing is, if you want to keep the same battery life and size and so on, it's pretty much impossible to add anything new. Most people would say "FM radio!!", but it's there already, although not completely built in. Like I asked, what's the new thing that you were expecting? I think they did a pretty good job redesigning the iPods.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Looks ridiculous...
At least the fingernails are clean...
Sorry people, whether you are a fan or not, this year is a Zune year. Apple killed them selves with this overhyped event all for 2 or three news!!
Competition is sexy.
I assume you're talking about the interface, right? I love how the coverflow previews are now on the bottom.
Now, wait just a second there...
Wasn't the whole design paradigm that users enter menus and layers of navigation to the right, and exit them to the left, giving a simple, easy-to-understand and clean UI? Now we're tacking elements on to the bottom of the menu and making the screen a taller aspect ratio instead of wider? Seems like a strange hodgepodge of features right about now for a device which really doesn't have a niche anymore. There simply are too many iPods... iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch. Hell, even I don't know which one I want.
Hasn't the past few years been a "Zune year", or even before that the "iPod Killer" year, or the "Dell DJ" year. Either way you swing it, the iPod continues to grow. Its a well trusted and respected brand, these new nano's will only help. Look at the people that buy these things, cool colors that show "individuality" are in, and they will be very hot this year. Apple does a similar event every year before the holiday season, they basically "Set Up" the iPod line going into the HOliday shopping season. Last years event didn't have much more announcements than this year.
The design might not be so good, but that screen is delicious!
Still no FM transmitter? Ridiculous is right.
I agree.
do way with the stupid click wheel already... it's taking up way too much real estate. the ipod is too tall.
It is not ridiculous, it is absolutely brilliant. I mean, landscape videos, who would have thought of that? Remember when they introduced it on the Zune? They laughed about how, when tilted, the controls were on the side.
Really, Apple's presentation was very disappointing. Not much shown that is new. Bug fixes, Genius - which was announced yesterday in the Zune (not saying one or the other had it 'first', a few hour difference makes it is wash), going back to the same form factor as before but with curves, and new headphones (I am willing to bet my Ultimate Ears sounds better). Not much there.
@hiko36,
you understate. it is much worse than that.
saad,
Oh man !! You speak the truth. Why did they bother ?
This is going to be a bad year for Apple. They have run out of things to copy. All they can think of is to make things smaller.
It reminds me of the Chinese' obsession with miniturization in Kurt Vonnegut's "Timequake". It also reminds me where Kilgore Trout got his handle.
Iriver clix II rip off
Notice how you don't see most of these MS Fanboys commenting in the iPod Touch thread. They're like the bullies in school who go and find the scrawny kid to pick on. As a PC user, you Steve Ballmer worshiping fanatics make me sick.
Why don't you admit it, Microsoft has nothing to confront the danger of the iPod Touch and iPhone. The Xbox 360 is getting owned by the Wii and the new and better games for Playstation 3. Microsoft's consumer products are a complete joke and years behind the competition. And yet, you guys cheer Microsoft on like a bunch of parents at the Special Olympics.
@Paul
I thought you were an "avid PC user" (dictionary.com defines avid as enthusiastic; ardent; dedicated) but yet you spend a lot of time defending Apple. So in other words, you were making it up to give yourself the air of impartiality. Just like some of the Apple fanboys around here (not all - some) you cannot tell the truth.
Any way, why any comments on the touch? What is great and new about it? They made the back of it curved. WOW! Such innovation. They fixed some bugs! Stop the presses, let the world rejoyce.
Jobs claimed the touch is "best portable device for games," and yet the PSP and DS are eating the touch's lunch. 80 million DS devices bought. 40 million PSPs. That is 120 million devices with real game playing controls. 120 million devices with real games, not 20 different versions of Tetris and Sudoku. Apple does not even make a game console, so why bring up 360? And I would happen to disagree, I happen to think the 360 has more and better games released and upcoming.
The only thing that Apple announce here that was really new was a set of headphones, and even that is not new. I have a minidisc player sitting in fronto of me now (MZ-R700) that was released around 1999 that had a little adapter that allowed you to play, pause, skip, and all the other features of these "new" headphones.
@ Paul Chapel
haha, you're right, and i agree. "fanboys" in general are pretty sad, but Microsoft "fanboys" are a total laugh. Although sometimes i can't help it feel guilty... it's as if i'm laughing at retards
Nohone, what would you like to see on a new iPod Touch then? Something that's reasonable, for about the same price, size and battery life. Besides, the iPod Touch isn't completely aimed at gaming, it's actually pretty astonishing what such a small device can do. And please, gaming buttons on an iPod Touch...? Ugh, no. The tilting is quite fun actually, just playing a game without the need for buttons.
Probably an instant low rank, but does anyone else think this looks like a zune? just a little bit?
@Nick
I agree, the touch and phone (when mine is working as advertised) are amazing devices. But when Steve Jobs says "best portable device for games", you saying "the iPod Touch isn't completely aimed at gaming" contradicts SJ.
I used to have a Touch, sold it because of my iPhone. I do not regularly use a iPod classic/nano (the GF has a 5G iPod, so I get to use it a little) so I am not the right one to say what they should be adding to the nano. My viewpoint is that many Apple fans slam the Zune, and other Microsoft products for not being innovative. But when the same features are added to an iPod, it is the greatest innovation ever - case in point is landscape mode viewing. They made fun of landscape mode, "oh, look, you need to turn it on the side to view the movie" and they made fun of how the controls rotate. But now when iPod does it, how wonderful. When the new Zune features were released last night, I read here from some about the new features, such as recommendations were not innovative. Now we have those same people fawning over Genius. They were announced about 12 hours apart, and nobody has used the Zune feature (available in a few days) but somehow because Apple did it it is great.
I don't care if Apple copies something from Microsoft, just like I don't care if Microsoft copies something from Apple - except in the case of where some Apple brat starts saying "Apple did it first, Microsoft just copies." When that happens and MS did it first, then I am going to mock them over it. There were a lot of rumors of what was supposed to be available - an equivalent of ZunePass, wireless for syncing, all features of Zune that were derided, but praised in the iPod classic that were not even released. As for features they add, I don't really care as I use a Zune for music, not my iPhone because my ZUne 80 is almost full and the 8GB phone will not hold all my music. But when somebody says that there is no innovation, nothing cool, nothing new in the Zune, but say "wow, look at all the new great features of the nano", when really, there are none, they deserve to be publically ridiculed.
I do follow these things because I am interested. I want to see what is new, and maybe if they come out with something that is leaps and bounds over the competition, then I will switch. But this presentation did not wow me, there was nothing new. Apple is supposed to be so innovative (and this new device is being called innovative), but I don't see it. Maybe I just missed something.
I just found a contest where you can win a new 16 GB nano. Apparently it just started because I was the first one to enter. All you gotta do is think of a caption to a pretty funny photo. Check it out:
http://www.macblogz.com/2008/09/09/caption-contest-win-a-brand-new-16gb-ipod-nano-you-pick-the-color/
Personally, I don't like the styling of this one. I think it's ugly.
Hey one of the other tech sites that also fawns over all things Apple, called this round for Zune. Maybe this will give engadget the courage to do the same. Come on engadget you can do it!
http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/09/09/new-nano-vs-new-zune-fight/
"iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch. Hell, even I don't know which one I want."
I agree. My job always sends me the latest iPod. There was a time when I knew exactly which model I was mainly going to use as my primary personal player. There really isn't a superior model anymore and my music collection is just scattered on the various iPods.
@ nohone
Yeah you're totally right but the thing is, if you want to keep the same battery life and size and so on, it's pretty much impossible to add anything new. Most people would say "FM radio!!", but it's there already, although not completely built in. Like I asked, what's the new thing that you were expecting? I think they did a pretty good job redesigning the iPods.