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10/19/2005, 3:30pm, EDT

Wednesday, October 19th

Analysts offer doubts about 5G iPod success

Some analysts are skeptical of the potential success of Apple's fifth-generation (5G) iPod with its video capabilities, some suggesting that the company risks identifying itself with a project that could flop, while the author of one article from The Christian Science Monitor posed the possibility that the gadget is simply "Steve Jobs' folly". "Uncertainty surrounding the level of demand for the product, the sources for compelling content, and its possible use to view pornography seems to leave more question marks than exclamation points." Randy Giusto, however, a follower pf mobile and consumer markets for IDC said "yes, it's the next step in the video evolution, it makes perfect sense to put certain types of videos with the [iPod] audio. It's a natural fit." Avi Greengart, principal analyst of mobile devices for Current Analysis said "the screen isn't large enough to be a real video iPod," but noted that the new device is "really not a video iPod -- it's an iPod with video."


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is it really that hard?
0
10/19, 4:35pm, EDT
the 5g ipod will succeed or fail on its capabilities as a *music* player/ everything apple has said regarding the new ipod make it very clear that it's a music player first; photo albums, podcasts, notes, audiobooks, games and video are nice extras.

the ipod 5g is a very safe bet, it will sell just as well as the 4g ipod and at the same time show the television/movie industry that a market exists for downloadable content.
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Porn!
0
10/19, 4:39pm, EDT
Oh no, consenting adults might view porn! We're all going to hell now.
Mac Elite
Joined Jul 2002
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everybody panic!
0
10/19, 4:41pm, EDT
OMG! It won't do HD?! Oh, no! The sky is falling.

Here's the point: [...the new device is "really not a video iPod -- it's an iPod with video." ]

-- exactly.
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teh porn!
0
10/19, 4:45pm, EDT
Oh, yeah. I forgot about viewing porn. Hmm, I guess we are safe using the iPod Shuffle or even the nano then? What about them there other companies like, say, Epson? Oops! You mean nobody complained about porn on MEDIA VIEWER devices?! With big 4" screens, too!

Madonna was right! Materialism will send us to hell! But, remember, it is all Apple's fault.
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teh porn!
0
10/19, 4:49pm, EDT
Oh, yeah. I forgot about viewing porn. Hmm, I guess we are safe using the iPod Shuffle or even the nano then? What about them there other companies like, say, Epson? Oops! You mean nobody complained about porn on MEDIA VIEWER devices?! With big 4" screens, too!

Madonna was right! Materialism will send us to hell! But, remember, it is all Apple's fault.
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I'm on the phone
0
10/19, 4:53pm, EDT
Bingo - if it was a new product in the line, like the iPod photo was, it would be a flop. As an extra bundled feature on the standard iPod, it's no change. I can't see how it can be a 'folly' when Jobs has said 'there's no market for mobile video' and played down the video capabilities.

Not to mention the fact that at least it's getting the foot in the door - if Steve's wrong and mobile video does take off, he already has the infrastructure and contracts, rather than playing catch-up or letting Microsoft lock them into exclusives.

Equally the content providers won't ignore Apple if there happen to be 12 million customers with video players. This is the strategy the phone companies have used - get the hardware features in peoples pockets on the back of selling a phone, then sell them extra services. i.e. who would pay more for a phone because it supports Java? Yet Java games for phones are a profitable line which makes it worth marketing Java enabled handsets.
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destined to fail
0
10/19, 4:57pm, EDT
of course it will fail. it costs the same as the previous - incredibly popular - generation, offers more battery life, a smaller form factor, more memory, a bigger screen... too bad it also plays video, huh?
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ROTFL
0
10/19, 5:28pm, EDT
I can't believe anybody would give a crap about what people write in a publication entitled "the christian science monitor". What's next, a review of the comparative shopping column in "the watchtower"?
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Right-it's about the por
0
10/19, 5:30pm, EDT
All new communications technology is used for porn first. That's been the driving force for years. VHS drove a stake through the heart of Betamax because the producer of Behind the Green Door needed a videotape with more than one hour...so VHS won and Betamax lost. The "quality" issue was irrelevant.

Cable, pay-per-view, satellite, Videotape, DVD...all used for porn.

So the Video iPod can be used for porn? Heck, the iPod Photo could have been used for still photo porn and audio sex talk.

While we're discussing it, can't printed books and PDFs be used for porn?

I think the author of the original story needs to get a life.
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pr0n!
0
10/19, 6:19pm, EDT
it can view pr0n? that settles it, it'll sell millions.
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