Apple introduced Fabulous New iPods and Music Tools at Yesterday's Special Event--Video
New iPods.
The iPod shuffle received new colors along with a RED-branded model that provides for a contribution to fight AIDS in Africa--their price remained at $79.
The iPod nano morphed into the "Fat nano" (or at least the "Wide nano" since it is very thin in depth) with a new all-metal case and all of the features of the 5G iPod with video except for a terrific 2" 320x240 pixel screen instead of 2.5" and 4GB and 8GB flash memory storage, mostly 8GB now, instead of a micro hard drive. They also received new interface software and new colors--their price is $149 for the 4GB model and $199 for the 8GB models.
The iPod with video became the iPod classic. It has a new all-metal case, new interface software, comes in silver or black and has an 80GB or a huge 160GB micro hard drive--its price is $249 and $349.
The battery capacity claims for all of them are outstanding.
The crowning glory of the iPod line is the new iPod touch, essentially an iPhone without the phone, SMS, camera and email features and without the stock, maps and notes applications. It does, however, have b/g Wi-Fi capability and Safari so that one can sign onto Wi-Fi hotspots and, of course, surf, watch YouTube with the same 3.5" multitouch screen as the iPhone and buy music directly, a new iPod feature. It is thinner, shorter and lighter than an iPhone but otherwise looks identical without the ear-piece slot and comes in 8GB and 16GB capacities for $299 and $399.
New Music Tools.
The new music tools include being able to buy music directly from iTunes with an iPod touch or an iPhone with a software update due later in September; instantly buy any song playing at Starbucks when one visits with an iPod touch or an iPhone through a new Starbucks partnership that will take over a year to build out; and make and purchase ringtones made from songs on a new version of iTunes for 99 cents.
The new version 7.4 of iTunes allowing purchase and downloading of songs via Wi-Fi with an iPhone or iPod touch and making, buying and downloading ringtones to an iPhone plus other improvements was supposed to be available Wednesday but it wasn't at publication time.
Our view is that Apple has hit a home run with the new iPod line and improved iTunes with its new tools. We'll test the new version of iTunes when it becomes available. [Bill Fox]
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