One thing is for sure.....Apple never likes to copy the competition. The flash based iPOD wont have a display.
macworld.com
One More Thing -- the iPod shuffle
Apple's latest digital music device, the iPod shuffle, is shaped like a long, thin rectangle with beveled edges. It has a headphone jack on the top. Clad in white with a grey button interface laid out similarly to the iPod and iPod mini's clickwheel. It measures smaller than a pack of gum and weighs less than four quarters. Available in 512MB for US$99, or 1GB for $149.
"We are shipping them out of the factory starting today," said Jobs.
A cap on the bottom hides a USB 2.0 connector. You pop it off and plug it in to a PC or Mac's available port. An optional lanyard lets you wear it around your neck.
"Autofill" is a new feature in iTunes that will automatically build a playlist that will fit on your iPod shuffle.
iPod marketshare has doubled since January 2004 from 31 to 65 percent, while flash memory-based players have dwindled from 63 percent to 29 percent. "The iPod mini worked," said Jobs. And the next step is for Apple to go after the flash market, he added.
A tortured user interface, absence of click wheels, and very small displays are the hallmarks of the flash player, Jobs said, displaying an image of a Rio Sport.
"Shuffling" songs is an enormously popular way for portable music listeners to listen to their songs, according to Jobs, hence the name.
Apple is also introducing a line of $29 accessories that include an armband, dock, sports case and 20-hour battery extender. They will be available in the next four weeks. |
