[Robo]

Is anybody with me in thinking that a camera attachment for the iPod photo would be cool? You have good-sized (by camera standards) color screen, a form factor way more comfortable then cell-phone cameras, and a virtually bottomless hard drive. No more memory card mess! Of course, I believe the reason we haven't seen one yet is because it is technically impossible to build...right? Phooey. But I'm not one to let hardware limitations get me down, so...

What do you think about the possibility of seeing a camera attachment for the Generation 5 iPod? Along with a color screen, I could easily see them make it possible for this to happen...and the market for an iPod camera would be bigger then ever! Or maybe, just maybe...they'll make it built in?

Or else as a special, $100-extra version called the "iPod camera" or something.

Does anybody else acknowledge this as a remote possibility? Or, even agree that it would be really cool?

[BlueRabbit]

This would be pretty awesome. I could imagine an attachement that would clip onto the dock connector, and have a camera thing on to of the shiny side of the iPod. (I hope that's an okay explanation ) The software side wouldn't be too complicated; it would be a lot like the voice memo recorders that are out for the iPod now. Taking a picture would simply make a new playlist/album on the iPod photo, and add the picture. Come to think of it, this has the potential to be a lot better than all of the cell phone cameras going around now.

[wuf]

Roboman, I think you might just be on to something.........

I could very easily see that happen in the coming year (meaning, by '06)

That's all......

-wuf

[Robo]

It could work using the dock connector? Cool. I'm not an iPod whiz, and I just sorta thought that the dock connector only went "one way," so to speak, and that a camera would be impossible on the current models. But if it's possible, then Apple, I wanna see one ASAP.

Seriously. That'd convince me to spend $499 on an iPod, rather than $299, as well as, of course, the $49 (knowing Apple, $99) camera attatchment.

And it's good to see I'm not the only one interested, either...so, uh, Apple?

[BlueRabbit]

Originally Posted by Roboman It could work using the dock connector? Cool. I'm not an iPod whiz, and I just sorta thought that the dock connector only went "one way," so to speak, and that a camera would be impossible on the current models. But if it's possible, then Apple, I wanna see one ASAP. Seriously. That'd convince me to spend $499 on an iPod, rather than $299, as well as, of course, the $49 (knowing Apple, $99) camera attatchment. And it's good to see I'm not the only one interested, either...so, uh, Apple?

Well, right now I have an iPod car charger (the Belkin one) that only uses the dock connector, and has a headphone port on the car charger. The sound goes out through the dock connector, through the charger, and up to the casette adaptor or whatever. However, it's also possible for data to go the other way - whenever the stereo turns off (i.e. the car stops), the iPod pauses, which is really cool. So, data can go both ways.

My idea is based off of a cell phone attachment my dad has for his Palm. It fits on like a small cradle/case, and then gives the extra functionality. Here's an okay picture:

[rasmits]

It would be better if they just built in a megapixel camera lense onto the back, towards the top. The shudder button could be on the side, so you'd hold it horizontally to take the picture. I thought of that right when the iPod Photo came out.

[SonOfSylvanus]

Apple would never make a camera attachment, and the iPod will never morph into a digital music player, digital photo viewer and digital camera.

A camera attachment, if it is possible, is a great opportunity for a third-party developer though. Love the idea in fact. I wouldn't buy it (why don't you just buy a camera?), but I'd love to play around with it for a while. Plus, imagine a 60GB HD equipped camera!

P.S. In a few years times, this quote will sound hilarious...

Plus, imagine a 60GB HD equipped camera!

[MacGregor]

I'm not so much into the camera-in-the-ipod idea. If you want quick photos of sub-consumer resolution, they will be a minor part of most phones soon. If you want a consumer solution, like the 2mpx elph-like cameras, then they will take up too much room in the iPod anyway. Prosumer photos and up will probably always require a dedicated, expensive camera body.

So my solution....

Develop a wireless attachment to a real camera that simply shunts photos to the iPod harddrive. BT 2? The iPod sits in your pocket or backpack, maybe playing you music thru earbuds, out of the way, and your camera just wirelessly communicates with it - 2 ways. Just a transmission device should not cost much or weigh anything....like BT earphones. And it and the iPod become independent of the camera which you may lose or scratch the lens or decide to trade in for an upgrade.

The iPod in this scenario does not actually "acquire" any information/data on its own. It is a storage, interface and organization device of data (music, photos, video?) given it by other devices and thru the hub of a Mac [edit] when DRM or dataprocessing are necessary. I think as Apple sees people get into iLife more, they will open up non-cpu interfaces with the iPod - cameras, mics (now), FM tuners, barcode readers and mobile scanners in the future with iWork 3.2, etc.

The iPod I think should remain portable storage with descrete I/O options, NOT sensors in the device itself. [end edit]

The only advantage to a plug-in camera 'a la palm pilot, would be for people who want to spend #100+ to get crappy ephotos to send to the 3 other people who have cellphone cameras....not a big or intriguing market.

MacGregor

[satansam]

personally, no. no cameras, no downloadable games, no colour screen, just an awesome music player is all i want.

granted i would love to see some form of wireless conectivity included with the future gens, but hey thats ages off.

i just think that apple are 'above' sticking a camera to an iPod.

[dougiemac]

Did anyone see the Superbowl ad for the Olympus camera/digital music player? Looks pretty sweet, kinda would like to see the same from Apple... oh well.

[Robo]

Yeah, that Olympus m:robe looked really sweet. It looks like something from like 2008 or so...I want one. It'll probably be way out of my ballpark, but look at that screen!

[Robo]

Wow...the m:robe 500i (as seen in the commercials) is 20GB, and...$499.



I mean, like, for that kind of money, I expect to, you know, watch movies and such on that big beautiful touchscreen? You can't. Music and stills, music and stills...you can make a still slideshow to music! Woo!

And 1.2MP is better than most cell-phone cameras, but...that's about it.

Yikes. Still want an iPod camera