Ipod Touch / Iphone

[n_maher]

I figure there are enough of us with these now that it's probably worth having a thread where we can talk about them without pooping all over an eeepc thread.

So far I'm loving mine. I found a good solution to the video transcoding dilemma in the for of the Xilisoft Video converter. I endcoded a couple of videos with it yesterday and it worked great and only takes about 15min. to transcode a 40 minute show which seems perfectly reasonable to me.

I haven't decided whether or not to install the 5 App pack from January since I don't really need any of them. I can check my gmail through the web interface and even that is hardly necessary. Bottom line, if Apple can find a way to drop the price about $100 per category so that the 32GB version is under $400 I can see these things taking over the world.

[tkam]

They could drop the price by a $100 now and still have pretty high margins, however as long as sales numbers keep meeting expectations we won't see a price job till a refresh in the lineup. Probably sometime in the summer when they finally get around to releasing a 3G iPhone.

[grawk]

Price is as much about managing demand as anything else. If they drop the price $100, they probably couldn't keep up with demand.

[n_maher]

Both fair statements about the price.

I'm just waiting to see how it goes with the whole SDK situation and how much they're going to charge Touch users for the privilege of being able to add Apps. I don't fully understand the situation as it is right now but saw the whiny thread on HF so I know something is up with Apple limiting what Touch users can do compared to the phone folks.

[tkam]

Well they announced push-email and exchange support for the iPhone yesterday should be huge for helping it get into the enterprise market a little more. Of course it also helps that blackerry has had two nationwide outages in the past month .

Personally I'm waiting for the 3G version to come, EDGE is so fucking slow it's unbelievable.

[aardvark baguette]

Blackberry seems to always have outages and service shut-offs (whats the phrase I'm looking for here?) for their 'legacy' products. I'll take the slow edge over an outright outage any day.

I have to admit, as an iphone user, once the 32GB touch dropped, I have been considering ditching the iphone and getting the touch. I use the ipod and web features more than the phone. If they ever make a 64GB touch, I dont think I'll be able to resist.

[n_maher]

If they ever make a 64GB touch, I dont think I'll be able to resist.

Ever? If it takes 6 months I'll be shocked.

[grawk]

Blackberry seems to always have outages and service shut-offs (whats the phrase I'm looking for here?) for their 'legacy' products. I'll take the slow edge over an outright outage any day.

I have to admit, as an iphone user, once the 32GB touch dropped, I have been considering ditching the iphone and getting the touch. I use the ipod and web features more than the phone. If they ever make a 64GB touch, I dont think I'll be able to resist.

Blackberry's network is a lot more robust and prevalent than even edge, tho.

[ojnihs]

I have to admit, as an iphone user, once the 32GB touch dropped, I have been considering ditching the iphone and getting the touch.

you're not the only one

[aardvark baguette]

Blackberry's network is a lot more robust and prevalent than even edge, tho.

Thats probably true, I cant speak to that, having never owned one, but I remember a controversial news segment around 2 years ago or so that they were cutting service to old blackberries. I would be steaming pissed if that were me. I realize it may be a necessary step, like Microsoft no longer supporting old windows builds, but it certainly gives me pause to consider a blackberry.

[grawk]

Thats probably true, I cant speak to that, having never owned one, but I remember a controversial news segment around 2 years ago or so that they were cutting service to old blackberries. I would be steaming pissed if that were me. I realize it may be a necessary step, like Microsoft no longer supporting old windows builds, but it certainly gives me pause to consider a blackberry.

The problem is the limited radio spectrum. They have to make the highest density use of the spectrum they can, because of the sheer number of wireless devices these days.

[Dusty Chalk]

iSuppli's breakdown of iPhone costs

I don't think they can come down that much more.

[tkam]

Except those costs are from more than a year ago...

[grawk]

iSuppli's breakdown of iPhone costs

I don't think they can come down that much more.

That's a year ago. Prices come down pretty quick in the quantities apple buys in.

[postjack]

iSuppli's breakdown of iPhone costs

I don't think they can come down that much more.

Very interesting! I thought the hardware would cost much less. Maybe these low profit margins are why Apple's stock is dropping despite the iPhone's success?

Or maybe its just because the market sucks.

[Dusty Chalk]

That's a year ago. Prices come down pretty quick in the quantities apple buys in.

Dude, these are parts, not computers. Have you seen the prices of opamps come down "quickly"? I didn't think so.

That said, I believe their original estimate was US$300+, so this has already been corrected updated at least once.

[grawk]

Dude, these are parts, not computers. Have you seen the prices of opamps come down "quickly"? I didn't think so.

That said, I believe their original estimate was US$300+, so this has already been corrected updated at least once.

opamps are one thing, new technology flash ram, etc is another. Those parts do come down quickly.

And yes, buy a million opamps and you'll pay pennies on the dollar for them compared to mouser price.

[ojnihs]

well i remember hearing that flash prices are going down, so that there may be a $100 drop in prices of the iPhone/iPod Touch. this of course would be accompanied with Apple dropping the lowest storage ones.

[n_maher]

well i remember hearing that flash prices are going down, so that there may be a $100 drop in prices of the iPhone/iPod Touch. this of course would be accompanied with Apple dropping the lowest storage ones.

I suspect before the end of 08 that there will only be 32 and 64GB versions of the Touch. Right now I'm finding 16 to be plenty really. Easily enough for a couple thousand vbr mp3's and hours of videos. I can manage the content dynamically enough to stay below the 14.84GB available.

[ojnihs]

I suspect before the end of 08 that there will only be 32 and 64GB versions of the Touch. Right now I'm finding 16 to be plenty really. Easily enough for a couple thousand vbr mp3's and hours of videos. I can manage the content dynamically enough to stay below the 14.84GB available.

yeah, 16 gb is plenty big enough I think. having lived with a 10 gb iPod for 5 years I got used to carrying around just the music that I thought I would be listening to, and have never actually wanted anymore than that, thus the iPhone working out for me so well. throw some music on there in 192 vbr aac and throw some video on there, good to go.

[aardvark baguette]

You know what; to hell with 3G, to hell with 64GB; what I really want need is the ability to drag and drop music like the ipod. I hate having to keep playlists in iTunes.

If I convert lossless to mp3 for the purpose of putting on the iphone, I want to delete the mp3 from the library afterwards (not the hard drive; just the visual library). I cant do that, because the next album I want to add later, anything I removed from the library will be erased from the iphone.

If they can provide ipod-like support for drag and drop, I will be much happier.

Syncing takes away all user control, imo.

[grawk]

You know what; to hell with 3G, to hell with 64GB; what I really want need is the ability to drag and drop music like the ipod. I hate having to keep playlists in iTunes.

If I convert lossless to mp3 for the purpose of putting on the iphone, I want to delete the mp3 from the library afterwards (not the hard drive; just the visual library). I cant do that, because the next album I want to add later, anything I removed from the library will be erased from the iphone.

If they can provide ipod-like support for drag and drop, I will be much happier.

Syncing takes away all user control, imo.

Doug's apple scripts can handle the lossless/mp3 issue without any problems.

Considering how database driven the ipod etc are, it's no surprise you have to use a software interface. But is it that hard really to just use itunes for syncing?

Personally, I just use itunes for everything. I like the interface. But I don't use winders.

[laxx]

I likes drag and drop. I thought about getting a touch for signal (damn you Grawk for posting it!), but no drap and drop killed it for me as I've never used iTunes and don't plan to.

[grawk]

I likes drag and drop. I thought about getting a touch for signal (damn you Grawk for posting it!), but no drap and drop killed it for me as I've never used iTunes and don't plan to.

Signal is only useful for itunes. And why banish itunes never having used it? It's the best media management software I've ever used.

[n_maher]

Signal is only useful for itunes. And why banish itunes never having used it? It's the best media management software I've ever used.

I'm an itunes hater by nature, but it's easy enough (and 10x better than the Zune software) that I don't mind using it to load/unload media with the Touch.