Apple Updates iPod Line – Stays Way Ahead Of Competitors
Shuffle 2.0 Steals The Show
Apple Computer completely revamped the entire iPod line in a pre-emptive strike to the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons. The new iPod features a 60 percent brighter and more vibrant 2.5-inch color display perfect for watching TV shows and now Hollywood movies right in the palm of your hand. The new iPod features seamless integration with a new version of iTunes and the iTunes Store which now includes over 75 Hollywood movies, 220 television shows and popular video games designed specifically for the fifth generation iPod. The new iPod is available in a 30GB model at the price of $249 and an 80GB model, which holds up to 20,000 songs or 100 hours of video, for $349.
“The world’s best digital music player has evolved into the world’s most popular portable video player too,†said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “The new iPod’s brighter and more vibrant display and longer battery life make it perfect for watching Hollywood movies and TV shows right in the palm of your hand.â€
Apple also introduced the all-new iPod nano with a new aluminum body, a claimed 24 hours of battery life and more than twice the music capacity for the same price as the previous generation. The new iPod nano features Apple’s innovative Click Wheel and an even smaller, thinner and lighter design available in silver, pink, green, blue and black.
The second generation iPod nano is even more compact than the original and has a brighter, more vibrant display perfect for viewing album art and up to 25,000 photos. Intuitive new features such as Search and Quick Scroll make it even easier for music fans to find exactly what they are looking for and enjoy their music on the go, and with seamless integration with iTunes 7 and the iTunes Store, the new iPod nano lets customers choose from over three million songs from the world’s most popular digital music store.
The new 2GB iPod nano model in silver is available for $149, the new 4GB models in silver, pink, green and blue are available for $199, and the new 8GB model in black is available for $249. All iPod nano models include redesigned earbud headphones providing superior comfort, fit and sound quality, and a USB 2.0 cable.
The real buzz came when Apple introduced the new iPod Shuffle. Nearly half the size of the original, the new iPod shuffle is just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce and features a stunning all-new aluminum design and a built-in clip which makes it the most wearable iPod ever. The new iPod shuffle contains one gigabyte of flash memory which holds up to 240 songs, and is more affordable than ever at just $79. The Shuffle is expected in October. The unit invoked serious technolust in the crowded media area and seems to have addressed the shortcomings of the original including the super slippery on/off switch.
The Future: Apple sure knows how to make its portable digital music/video player competitors look real sissy. The new line up not only increases capacity and boosts much-needed enhanced screens, but it also fires on all design cylinders. The new aluminum nano enclosures have been in the rumor mill for a while and their debut should cause quite a sensation to all the iPod Mini owners who have not been willing to update their beloved units. However, the Shuffle is the clear-cut sales winner here and will certainly be in short supply over the holidays. It’s cool innovative clip on design and magical price point makes a lot of sense for anyone aged 8 and up.
