[iMeowbot]

Originally Posted by Messiahtosh http://www.portalplayer.com/news-and...to_jukebox.htm Most interesting...

Yep, and apparently what PortalPlayer offers in public plans may be more relevant to the specific intentions of Apple than either company has been willing to indicate. In this Wired interview, Ben Knoss states that Apple own a majority stake in PortalPlayer. Neither Apple nor PortalPlayer seem to be very keen on discussing ownership, so it's hard to confirm if it's really a subsidiary. One can, however, see that in older PP press releases they used to include a list of major investors, and in later communications they do not mention ownership at all.

[CoreMac]

Remember the Music item in the top level of the new iPod menu? Isn't that a clue that something else is coming?

[Luca]

Man, I had blown off the idea of getting a new iPod, but now I might get one anyway. I've got a lot of money in the bank AND I have 25 extra hours of work coming up in the next week or two (above and beyond my normal schedule).

Gimme another week, I'll crack eventually.

[iMeowbot]

Originally Posted by staph Well, someone at AI claims to have confirmation

There are disassembly photos here
that suggest otherwise. If there was WiFi built in, the only spot for an antenna would be along the inside of the plastic half of the clamsell, and it ain't there.

[onlyafterdark]

Would it take anything special to make a wireless adapter for the iPod or could they just make something that plugs into the iPod and update the firmware to take advantage of it?

[iMeowbot]

Originally Posted by onlyafterdark Would it take anything special to make a wireless adapter for the iPod or could they just make something that plugs into the iPod and update the firmware to take advantage of it?

Yep, it would be straightforward to do an external encoder/transmitter deal, and even preferable because it could have its own battery. The iPod should even have enough horsepower to do the lossless encoding itself, which would be nice for keeping the cost down for the peripheral.

The only firmware change I see a real need for (other than the possible encoder, which for all we know could already be in there) would be something that can grab a list of addresses from the adapter and display them in the iPod's menu for choosing an AirPort with ZeroConf.

[onlyafterdark]

Then I guess a wireless adapter is a real possibility. Thats pretty cool. Now the only questions that remain are whether it is worth while for apple (or a third party) to develop this adapter and what it would be used for.

edit: spelling

[DMBand0026]

What can it be used for? Am I hearing (reading) you right?

AirPort Express WiFi remote
or bluetooth.

That's good enough for me. I'm still holding out hope that one of those chips that hasn't been "deciphered" yet is a bluetooth module or some sort of WiFi thing.

[onlyafterdark]

The remote is an obvious choice, but there has to be some other application we havent thought of yet. Dont get me wrong, the remote in itself will be pretty sick but there has to be something more to it than that. Maybe Im just dreaming, I dont know. Its really hot out right now.

[iMeowbot]

What I'd want (not that Apple necessarily have any intention of building such a thing) would not be simply a remote to run iTunes on a computer. That wouldn't be cool enough.

It might allow the iPod to beam songs directly to one of those nice little AirPort boxes, nice for parties and stuff where you don't want your little toy to get demolished.

Also, and this would be the fun part, it could act sort of like an AirTunes receiver, letting you listen to songs shared by computers on the LAN, sort of like what iTunes allows now. It would be fun in a dorm setting, maybe useful in a library (Duke will want to some up with something practical sooner or later), or in the future could provide a whole different sort of digital radio (music on demand, presumably with ads forced in every x minutes ), if public wireless networks with decent bandwidth ever get off the ground for real.

[onlyafterdark]

You know what I forgot about, Home on iPod. Anybody think this will see the light of day soon or will Apple wait until Tiger to release this. Just some more food for thought.

[Quagmire]

Arghh... I person over at the support forums at apple.com claims he found it. Which I doubt but, we are pressuring him to give us a hint if it exists.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by onlyafterdark Home on iPod. Anybody think this will see the light of day soon or will Apple wait until Tiger to release this.

I seriously doubt that will be happening any time soon. Putting one's home on the iPod means it would be accessing almost constantly. That's really bad for the iPod's little drive and will dramatically shorten its life.

[Quagmire]

Holy sh*t. I think I found it. I am not going to tell. It will be alot more fun if you people find it on there own.

[Barto]

Undertaker, if you know then tell us. "I know how do something cool, but I'm not going to tell you guys" it pretty frickin' rude

[onlyafterdark]

Ah for f**k sakes. Its a good thing my iPod shipped today cuz this is driving me nuts.

[Quagmire]

I was told by DMB but, he was also not sure that this was a feature on the 3gs. If you hold down the select button and let go the ipod will randomly select a song.

[moazam]

Originally Posted by Undertaker I was told by DMB but, he was also not sure that this was a feature on the 3gs. If you hold down the select button and let go the ipod will randomly select a song.

I. am. so. excited.

:/

-M

[CoreMac]

Originally Posted by Undertaker I was told by DMB but, he was also not sure that this was a feature on the 3gs. If you hold down the select button and let go the ipod will randomly select a song.

That's what's taking their breath away on the Apple support forums?

[Luca]

Originally Posted by Undertaker Holy sh*t. I think I found it. I am not going to tell. It will be alot more fun if you people find it on there own.

Wow Undertaker! You get a cookie for finding out!

Now you can be just like Kurt Cobain:

[Robo]

I guess that's what people get for such rampant speculation

But realistically, that doesn't in any way explain Time's tease.

Hmm...

Maybe they know the iPod minis are going to be upgraded? Or maybe they know we'll finally see the iPod video soon? Heck, maybe they just know a 60 GB model is coming.

What they're talking about really doesn't sound like a hidden feature in the current iPods to me...

[synotic]

Originally Posted by Messiahtosh Time Magazine has called the 4th Generation iPod its "Gadget of the Week" and has said some pretty wild and interesting things about the new unit. Mainly this: If you're thinking about finally getting an iPod, now's your chance. If you're thinking about handing down your current iPod and getting a new one with a bigger hard drive, now's your chance. But don't feel pressured into upgrading, because no major bragging rights will go to the possessors of these latest iPods. That is, not yet.

For anyone who didn't read the article, I think that's a bad quote. The more compelling one:

But you should know that internally the new iPod is a ground-up reconstruction, and its really compelling applications — the ones that very well might get the goat of anyone unable or unwilling to upgrade — are still secret. All that Apple is saying is that there's more to this than what's being publicized.

Sorry pscates, looks like the new 4G isn't more of the same

[trailmaster308]

So if there are "untold secrets" around the corner for the iPod, as in accessories and such, I guess Apple is waiting for a reason. They probably figure it best to put out the iPod and let everyone who is going to buy one anyway get the first rush. Then wait unitl demand goes down to pull in the maybes and the "nah my 3 G's working fine" crowd with some cool new clip on device??

Those dirtry rats!!

I hope the new iMac has some sorta pistol grip holster for the iPod on the side like a cowboy! I always wanted to be a cowboy.

[Messiahtosh]

Maybe the wait on the feature is so that Apple can steal some of Sony's thunder, when the Walkman gets released next month.

[trailmaster308]

After reading reviews of the "iPod killer Walkman" a pile of beetle dung will be able to steal its thunder.

[onlyafterdark]

Thats what I was thinking. I dont think anyone has to worry about Sony right now.

Originally Posted by trailmaster308 ...I hope the new iMac has some sorta pistol grip holster for the iPod on the side like a cowboy! I always wanted to be a cowboy.

HA! thats funny!

[Messiahtosh]

Originally Posted by Mike Moscow HA! thats funny!

Well, I always wanted to be a Cowboy too.

[windowsblowsass]

Originally Posted by DMBand0026 See...I'm not so crazy anymore I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this one. However unlikely it is, a guy can dream, can't he?

after seeing the open ed up ipod photos i dont think this is built in, however i do believe that it may be poaaible for apple to have a little accessorie that pops on the dock conector that allows you to broadcast wireless signals.

now that i think about it this seems much more likely and fun

[trailmaster308]

Originally Posted by windowsblowsass now that i think about it this seems much more likely and fun

April fools joke.