Top
Browse > Home / Reviews, Tech / First Look at (5G) Video iPod

First Look at (5G) Video iPod

October 13, 2005

Video iPodiLounge has up a pretty detailed first look at the new “Fifth Generation” Video iPod.

Here’s my take…

As per usual for newly announced Apple products, my drool factor for this thing is awfully high, but also as per usual, it’s a real mixed bag of an announcement.

On the upside, it’s an iPod, so of course it’s sleek and sexy. It’s thinner, it has a bigger screen, it’s available in black (without U2 even), it (predictably) came in at the previous generation’s price point. And hey, it has video!


On the downside, thinner and bigger screen also go hand in hand with a reduced battery life in the specifications. They rearranged the top of the unit again, which obsoletes all the old “top of iPod” accessories, as well as the usual obsoleting (is that even a word?) of cases.

It’s got a much smaller screen than the most likely portable media player competitors (like the Creative Zen Vision at the same price).

This really gets complicated when you consider the content and DRM issues; Apple also cut loose the first of what will probably be many video content announcements, offering $2 downloads of recent ABC TV episodes (with NBC/Universal rumored to be in the wings.)

Obviously those ain’t going to play on anything other than iTunes and an iPod.

On the other hand, apparently the quality of the videos as tested leaves a lot to be desired.

So, I’m going to do the usual thing, and that’s nothing. Wait for this all to sort itself out, and let Apple sort out the usual host of first release issues before I make any decisions.

Of course, that means that I’ll end up buying one just before the Next Big Thing comes out, but that’s life in the Apple Zone for you…

iPod 5G with Video Playback

Rate this:
2.8
Like this article? Share it!
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon

Written by User ImageChuck Lawson · Filed Under Reviews, Tech 
Tags: • • • • •

Comments

Got something to say? [privacy policy]





Possibly Related


Video iPod Imminent?Apparently the iTunes 4.8 update wasn't quite the yawner it first appeared to be. iTunes 4.8 users can now purchase and download music videos with select albums from iTunes Music Store. This has led to some fairly rampant speculation about whether a Video iPod is in the wings. Well, maybe... Certainly it's likely that the iPod will eventually go there, in order to remain in the high-end of the portable player market, if nothing else. I think it's likely we'll see some Apple encroachment on the living room first, however. Apple wants to widen its base as the premier provider of downloadable content as fast as possible, and let's face it, if you're going to peddle downloadable video, the 10...


iPod Generation GapThe good folks over to the iPodlounge have been struggling to decide just what to call the "new" iPods. By the same token, calling the new iPod the “color iPod” would be short-sighted, because the next iPod will certainly also be a color iPod. What do we do for next year’s model - call it the “second color iPod?” Fifth-generation works much better, as it’s more future proof and better references the iPod’s storied history. The other point is more important. Apple’s still working on new designs, no matter whether people call the new iPod “fifth-generation,” “fourth-and-a-half generation,” or “color iPod.” If you’re upset about the “fifth-generation” name because you think Apple’s resting on its laurels and won’t release something...


Apple iPod 60GB ReviewThe Apple iPod 60GB has been out for awhile -- first as the iPod Photo 60GB in two different packagings, and finally as the plain old iPod 60GB, when Apple removed the monochrome iPods from the lineup a month or so ago. So why review one now? Simple -- when Apple reduced the price on the 60, I finally retired (well, resold) my old 30G 3rd Generation iPod and replaced it with a 60GB. Now that I've had a month or so of using it under my belt, I've had a chance to form some impressions. Not surprisingly, this is more a "compare and contrast" exercise with the 3G iPod with the 4G color iPod than anything. My first reaction...


iTunes 4.8 ReleasedApple has released version 4.8 of iTunes for Mac and Windows. New features included are the ability to organize video clips within iTunes (but not send them to iPod Photos), settings for synchronizing your contacts and calendar with your iPod (requires OS X 10.4 (Tiger)) on Mac.) and presumably, support for some of the upcoming new international versions of iTunes Music Store. All in all, not much new, but then again there havn't been any new DRM-removal tools that they'll feel obligated to break in the last few weeks. (via iPodlounge)...


The Ultimate iPod Accessory Like everybody else, I’ve been hearing all of the talk for the last few days about the “iCheap”—a rumored sub-$500 Mac (ThinkSecret) that will supposedly be announced at MacWorld Expo next month. "With iPod-savvy Windows users clearly in its sights, Apple is expected to announce a bare bones, G4-based iMac without a display at Macworld Expo on January 11 that will retail for $499." This obviously seems like a good idea (and long overdue), but I didn’t really think about the positioning of this until last night. I was having a conversation with my oldest, who was getting ready to go, notebook in hand, to help one of his friends who had a new Xmas-gift 20gb iPod. It turns...

Bottom