Apple’s new 5G iPod – with video!

Date October 13, 2005

So all the hype has come to a head: the 5G iPods now play video.

First impressions? Not as good as I hoped they would be. Unlike many of the mock ups people created that looked really good, the new iPod is stuck a a 4:3 screen ratio (as in old-school TV). 16:9 is where is should be. My phone does 16:9 full length movies via Lonely Cat’s Smart Movie. Not that the lack of widescreen will be a problem for the timebeing, as Apple don’t seem to have any full-length features up yet. Just a couple of short flicks from Pixar, which were always going to get a strong push from Jobs.

It looks like music videos and tv shows are where Apple are pushing the iPod. Personally, I’m not all that keen on laying out US1.99 for a music video. Bundle the mp3 with the clip and it gets to be a better deal, but I’ve never really had the urge to check out music videos. TV shows are a little better, seeing they are being made available the day after they are screened. This would be great for commuters not already signed onto podcasting. I hope that the TV series also feature a podcast-like subscription model so you can download each episode as they are made available.

It’s a good looking unit, not too different from the existing iPods, perhaps a little top heavy with the screen. I’m undecided about where I want the headphone jack though: on the top center like my 4G, on the top side like the 5G or on the bottom like the Nano. Being a little thinner will always help, as long as it still fits into my fantastic Foofpods. The black option is pretty suave, although they’ll need to start making black earphones, docks etc. before people start seriously buying them. The black UI that was on Digg the other day would be a big plus too.

Where have they shot themselves in the foot? This is obvious. You can’t import your own DVDs. With music, you open iTunes, insert a CD and copy it to your iPod to listen to wherever. Easy. It’s already your music, so why pay for it again? However, this isn’t going to be the case for DVDs. Sure, people like us can get around that easily enough by ripping into .mp4 format externally, but the first thing a run-of-the-mill customer is going to do when they get home and open the box is to try and put the movies they already own on it. And they won’t be able to. And they’ll ask, Well what can I put on it? And we’ll say, Music videos, TV shows and trailers. And they’ll say, oh, is that all? Bugger.

Will I get one? Not sure. I’m keen to update and an extra 10 gig that an upgrade offers would be handy. Will I upgrade because it’s a video iPod? No, it’s not that great a development. Give me 16:9, the ability to import DVDs and better photo management and it might be more of a definite yes. For the time being, I’ll buy one if I can find someone to buy my existing 20 gig 4G.

I’m also keen to check out iTunes 6 when I get home…


STILL NO AUSTRALIAN ITUNES MUSIC STORE

Category Posted in General

  • Raduza
    I have already watched a movie on my MP3 player! ;My iRiver does video and there is a cool tool, iRiverter that will not only take a lot of different video formats and covert them to the iRiver format, but they also have the ability to covert a DVD to the format. Way cool (not that I have used it much). I wouldn't give up my iRiver for an iPod video.JMTCMolly
    -----COMMENT:
    Same here with my Nokia 3230. Rip from DVD to watch on the PC and then a couple of minutes to covert to an 80meg avi file to watch on the phone. In widescreen.I think the iRivers have a lot going for them.
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