Apple remodels iPods, builds a home theater
Lindsey Turrentine,
Executive Editor
September 14, 2006
Just when it looked like maybe Apple wouldn't pull it together this season, today Steve Jobs trotted out a fully revamped entertainment line. At a much-anticipated media event in San Francisco, the announcements came fast and furious in the iPod camp. His "Steveness" introduced a rejiggered video iPod with a brighter (Apple says 60 percent) screen, improved battery life, and perhaps more exciting, a sleeker price tag for more capacity: 80GB for $349. The $249 30GB iPod also sets new pricing standards for premium high-capacity MP3 players.
For those more interested in size than video, Apple reintroduced the Nano, but this time in five colors (silver, blue, green, hot pink, and black) with a less scratchtastic aluminum case. Think iPod Mini, but minier. Capacities range from 2GB to the black-only 8GB player, which barely survives the competition from SanDisk's new 8GB Sansa e280.
Wait, there's more... There's a new Shuffle in town, one that's supposedly the world's smallest MP3 player. With an aluminum exterior and still no screen, the second-generation Shuffle is now available in one size (1GB) and at the not-too-shabby price of $79. The wearable player does not have an integrated USB interface and relies upon a miniature dock for transfers and recharging.
Finally, two more pieces in the Apple digital media ecosystem: the latest version of iTunes and the wireless set-top device code-named iTV. iTunes 7 introduces movies and games to the renamed iTunes Store, as well as interface upgrades and cool features, such as gapless playback. The iTV will fill in the gap between computer and home entertainment system, as it will wirelessly beam your iTunes-based content over to your TV and stereo system when it's available in Q1 of 2007 ($299). Check out our first takes below, as well as the Apple edition of our MP3 Insider podcast for more detailed info. For photos of all the new products and more from the Apple event, check out our photo gallery.
| Product name | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $289.99 | Check Prices | $499.99 |
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| Review date | September 13, 2006 | January 30, 2007 | September 19, 2006 |
| The Bottom Line | The second-generation Apple iPod Nano is like the successful offspring of an iPod Mini and a first-generation iPod Nano. It's small, stylish, user-friendly, and competitively priced--a great player all around and suitable for a variety of users. | If you like your music playback simple and your device nearly invisible, the second-generation iPod Shuffle will suit you well. But absentminded users should steer clear of this easy-to-misplace player. | The amazingly low priced updated Apple iPod gets many under-the-hood improvements, but it's still not a true video player. |
| Similar Products | Compare more products | Compare more products | Compare more products |
| Features | |||
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 1.6 in x 0.3 in x 3.5 in | 1.6 in x 0.4 in x 1.1 in | 2.4 in x 0.6 in x 4.1 in |
| Resolution | 176 x 132 | Info unavailable | 320 x 240 |
| Mfr estimated battery life | 24 hour(s) | 12 hour(s) | 20 hour(s) |
| PC interface(s) supported | USB | USB | Hi-Speed USB |
| Flash memory form factor | Integrated | Integrated | Info unavailable |
| Flash memory installed | 4 GB | 1 GB | Info unavailable |
| Battery technology | Lithium ion | Lithium polymer | Lithium ion |
| Weight | 1.4 oz | 0.6 oz | 5.5 oz |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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