New Video Ipods are same Video Ipod besides size

[kugino]

if this is indeed the case, the refurb 5G at $269 (or $249?) for the 60GB looks like a steal...

 

[cmirza]

from iLounge:
Quote:

Apple says that the “enhanced” 5G iPod is 60% brighter than the original, but the difference wasn’t that much more noticeable during our limited testing time. Apparently the new screens have been quietly trickled into pre-Showtime 5G iPods, and no one has noticed.

So the 'new' screens may have been around for a while...

Quote:

iPod 5G (enhanced) 30GB now runs for 14 hours of audio playback, 4 hours of photo playback, and 3.5 hours of on-screen video playback time, while 80GB runs for 20 hours of audio playback, 6 hours of photo playback, and 6.5 hours of video playback time. It’s unclear at this point as to why the new iPod has superior video and photo playtime but identical audio playtime to its predecessors; we’ll be checking this out in our upcoming reviews.

So the video AND photo playtime has been enhanced. This makes it sound as if the extended battery life is due to the screens. Maybe because the backlight is always on in those operations and you can now turn down the backlighting. Im sure you can't get 6.5 hours of video with the brightness maxed out.

Too late, too much theorizing... Must just wait and see...

 

[pds6]

chrisfromalbany says:
Quote:

This in my eyes is a hold over until Jan. When Apple can come out with a touch screen V ipod but that has been having bugs and still in the works.

I think your dead on! When Apple starts talking about all the great new games. You knew the video player was in trouble.

I have two iPods that work fine. I was waiting to upgrade for video playback. I am not upgrading to go blind looking at a 2.5 inch screen. Furthermore, the 30 gig with 3.5 hours of battery life does not make the mark.

One thing that should be noted is the price. Two years ago I paid over $500.00 for a 60 gig iPod (it came with the dock). Now, the new iPod is 80 gig and over $150.00 cheaper.

devin_mm says,
Quote:

Well the brightness of the screen is now user controlled. The firmware update probably optimizes the battery usage.

and,

cmirza says:
Quote:

Every new feature could have been implemented through updated software, including the 'brigher' LCD, which I feel was just allowed to be brigher than before since there was only one brightness setting before and now its variable.

I think you get 3.5 hours with the 30 gig and 6.5 hours with the 80 gig only if you turn the screen off while playing the movie

 

[stevesurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmirza ...and either a new h.264 decoding chip...

And that would be significant at that price point! Someone please buy one and destroy it!

 

[Brent Hutto]

Rhetorical question...

Would Microsoft ever even consider releasing a "new version" of a product that

a) works better,
b) is more efficient in its use of resources,
c) cheaper
d) totally backwards compatible

and here's the topper,

e) refrains from adding a bunch of supposed new features that break the basic functionality

Score another one for the The Apple Way. I appreciate these guys more every year. On the minus side, that iTV box or whatever they call it looks like one lame-ass loser of a product. Yikes!

 

[shawntp]

I just ordered mine last night. I have been ready to get one all summer but I knew they 5G had not had any updates in a long time so I made myself wait.

I am actually happy to be able to get the updated 5G and at a slightly better price since it has proven to be a great music iPod. Who knows what will be the case with the new designed full screen touch-ipod - it could end up being less of an audio player with all the video focus.

Anyways for 350 ...the 80Gb should prove to be a good player for a good while.

Shawn

 

[zip22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brent Hutto e) refrains from adding a bunch of supposed new features that break the basic functionality

check out all the posts about itunes not being able to play music

http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/14/i...ajor-glitches/

itunes 7 has been working fine for me, but there a lot of people having major issues.

 

[kugino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zip22 check out all the posts about itunes not being able to play music http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/14/i...ajor-glitches/ itunes 7 has been working fine for me, but there a lot of people having major issues.

my new nano's been working fine with iT7, but iT7 is a bit buggy...i hate that coverflow takes forever to load album art and doesn't seem to cache it very well...the coverflow application works a lot better, IMO. also, there's no way to maintain the coverflow viewing option when going from playlist to playlist - it always defaults back to the list view. they should have a default viewing option for all playlists (maybe there is and i haven't found it yet)

the layout on the left is somewhat better...but i do like the way the ipod options and updates are all within itunes now...we will probably see a performance/bug fixing update to iT7 anyday now...

 

[pds6]

kugino says:

Quote:

i hate that coverflow takes forever to load album art and doesn't seem to cache it very well...the coverflow application works a lot better

YOU ARE DEAD ON! I would run (I have two monitors) iTunes 6, Coverflow and KaraTunes all at the same time and have Safari open and looking for album art and lyrics. The original Coverflow took a while to update, but once updated it ran smoothly.

My guess is that iTunes 7 was made to run on any machine including a G3 with 256 memory. I am sure that iTunes 7.5 will be great (I hope).

 

[Brent Hutto]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zip22 check out all the posts about itunes not being able to play music

Oh well, when something sounds too good to be true it usually is.

 

[luidge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kugino if this is indeed the case, the refurb 5G at $269 (or $249?) for the 60GB looks like a steal...

It is 229$ and it's the best deal i saw since a LONG time for popular electronic stuff, pass the word, refurb is LE ROI right now!