MacUpdate Weekend Sale

:This weekend MacUpdate has slashed prices on Painter 12 and Painter Lite. Painter 12 retails for $429, but has been reduced by 54% to $199. Painter Lite has seen a 58% price cut from $69 to $29. Hurry, because these deals are only available until May 19th 2013.

toggle

AAPL Stock: 433.26 ( -1.32 )

MacNN News

http://www.macnn.com/articles/04/10/22/apple.flash.based.player/

Thomas Weisel: Flash-based player coming from Apple

updated 10:00 am EDT, Fri October 22, 2004

Apple flash-based player?

Thomas Weisel market analyst Jason Pflaum reiterated his belief that Apple is set to launch a before Christmas: "I recently spent two weeks in Asia meeting with a number of folks who are in a position to know details of SigmaTel's supply chain. Based on our industry contacts, we are confident that, one, Apple is planning to launch a flash-based player, and two, SigmaTel is the provider of controller chip for that device."

by MacNN Staff

Post tools:

TAGS :

Apple

toggle

Comments

Horsepoo!!!
Banned

Joined: Jun 2003

0

10/22, 10:10am | report spam | close Reply |
For a second...

For a second there I thought Apple was going to bring a Flash That Doesn't Suck to Macs.

Disappointed that it's not.

testudo
Forum Regular

Joined: Aug 2001

0

10/22, 10:16am | report spam | close Reply |
OMG!

This is incredible news. SigmaTel is providing the controller chips! Who saw that coming, because I sure didn't!!! Man, now the possibilities are endless! AM/FM radio included, built-in voice and stereo-quality recording. 50 hour battery life. Built-in ability to read/rip/tag CDs, LPs, tapes, and 8-tracks (reel-to-reel not supported, sorry guys) without needing a computer.

Man, I'm so excited about this SigmaTel news, I think I'm going to piss my pants! c***, just did. Oh, double-c***, just did the c*** thing too. Anyone got a clean pair of pants out there....

zac4mac
Mac Elite

Joined: Oct 1999

0

10/22, 10:21am | report spam | close Reply |
Testudo -

Time for decaf, dude ;)

Z

MacnTX
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2004

0

10/22, 10:21am | report spam | close Reply |
Highly Skeptical

Who knows, maybe Apple does have a flash player in the pipeline. But I'll remain highly skeptical until I actually see one. That would go against absolutely everything Steve Jobs has said about the iPod if one is produced by Apple.

koolkid1976
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2003

0

10/22, 10:36am | report spam | close Reply |
re: Highly Skeptical

Well, they have 92.1 Percent of all HD MP players, and 65% of all MP3 players. They only way they can have 92.1 percent of all MP3 players, is if they make flash based players.

mouseketter
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2004

0

10/22, 11:22am | report spam | close Reply |
For the pictures

If the new super iPod supposedly coming out is going to have a color screen and a video out jack. I suspect that any card reading would be for CF cards from cameras. To make it easier to get the pics into the iPod. You might be-able to use the card for playing back music but it's main purpose would be for photos.

So let just recap the iPod rumors.
60gig HD
Color screen
Black in color
Pre-loaded with U2 newest album
Built in card reader
Wireless (bluetooth?)
New iTunes
New iPod OS
Video out jack

One personal note. If the iPod does have a color screen and a card reader, maybe somebody will put some cool games out.

Feeling_Macish
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2004

0

10/22, 11:31am | report spam | close Reply |
Now we're talking!

I need a flash-based iPod Mini with 1 terrabyte of storage.

scotty321
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

0

10/22, 12:49pm | report spam | close Reply |
ipod baby

My guesses for the name of the flash-based iPod:

iPod Baby
iPod Micro
iPod Lite

I'm putting my money on iPod Baby!!!

Eric_Henao
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2002

0

10/22, 01:12pm | report spam | close Reply |
perfect...

I would be so much more perfect having a flash player. The cost would be much more attainable. I don't need to put of my music library on the thing. Just the dj mixes of the week. Plus it would be perfect for the gym. Can you say arm band strap?

woot

vickys-box
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2004

0

10/22, 01:29pm | report spam | close Reply |
But..

I presume these won't exhibit the gap between tracks problems that iPods have, plus the most annoying 'won't play the first track in a playlist after loading from disc when walking too fast but if you skip back a track it plays fine'.

koolkid1976
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2003

0

10/22, 02:46pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: For the pictures

There is never ever going to be any black iPod from Apple. It's just one of those rumors that just won't die. Nothing in Apple's recent history supports the idea that they'd produce a black anything.

Wireless and card reader is just as insane. Why would Apple put a card reader in an iPod when they didn't in the iMac? You have to take the rumors and run it through your Apple logic filter.

flask
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2004

0

10/22, 03:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
flashy

It would seem appropriately Jobs-esque if the flash-based iPod had built-in, unremovable memory. That way, if you want more storage space, you simply throw out the old one and buy the latest model! No muss, no fuss. I certainly hope this isn't the plan, but if Apple did this I can't say it would surprise me.

And testudo, just think: at long last, you'll be able to listen to Radiohead while jogging! ;)

dlindsay17
Forum Regular

Joined: Dec 1999

0

10/22, 03:23pm | report spam | close Reply |
names!

my money is on 'ipod express' because it really doesn't sound too great, but apple likes to throw around express and extreme like they're going out of style (wait, they already did!) -- coming soon, ipod EXTREME with a 200gb 3.5" hard drive. AWESOME-O!

klinux
Senior User

Joined: Jul 2002

0

10/22, 04:06pm | report spam | close Reply |
Hey

Where's the typical analysts are idiots comments?

Oh yea, if analysts are not saying something bad, then we like them else we don't?

HouseSold
Senior User

Joined: Oct 2000

0

10/22, 07:11pm | report spam | close Reply |
Appropriately Jobs-esque

"It would seem appropriately Jobs-esque if the flash-based iPod had built-in, unremovable memory. That way, if you want more storage space, you simply throw out the old one and buy the latest model! No muss, no fuss. I certainly hope this isn't the plan, but if Apple did this I can't say it would surprise me."

Black would be particularly Jobs-esque: How many black tee shirts does he own/wear?

adavidw
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

0

10/22, 11:57pm | report spam | close Reply |
SigmaTel yes, flash no.

I read the previous stuff from this analyst, and he seems convinced that just because he's seen a connection between SigmaTel and Apple that there's a flash player on the way. Yes, SigmaTel powers a _lot_ of flash players, but they have chips for HD players as well. (I happen to own a couple of HD players with SigmaTel controllers). Just because Apple's buying a bunch of SigmaTel chips doesn't mean flash is on the way. I think it's much more likely that Apple's just looking for a cheaper way to make the iPod mini, and that a SigmaTel 3500 series chip is a lot cheaper than a PortalPlayer one.

LouZer
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2000

0

10/24, 12:37pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: but

I presume these won't exhibit the gap between tracks problems that iPods have, plus the most annoying 'won't play the first track in a playlist after loading from disc when walking too fast but if you skip back a track it plays fine'.

The gap between tracks isn't from the system reading from the drive, its just there due to the software (or, sometimes, the files themselves, I have several songs that seem to fade off into 10 seconds of nothingness at the end, who knows why - might be some artistic thing). Generally, when I hear my disk spin up, its usually before the last song has finished.

I've never experienced the skipping problem at all, but, then again, I'm not usually picking a new playlist while walking very fast (my playlist is usually already playing...)

technohedz
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2000

0

10/24, 07:19pm | report spam | close Reply |
Flash player needed

I've had an ipod since day 1. I had an mp3 player since the rio first came out, and the last one I bought was a flash player for the battery life (replaceable NMH aaa bats are great) on the go, and small...really small size. No way I'm boarding or whatever w/ an ipod mini...just not that mini. As for the memory size. Apple would probably go standard w/ one model w/ about 256 and allow expansion. The only Apple'esqu thing I can possibly see them doing that would change things up is using something like xd instead of SD or MMC for size. Since there are only 4 (IIRC) AAC portables out there and only one playing ITMS DRM, it's kinda an eazy place for apple to go.

Consider the demand for music storage. It was going up, but they sold a grip of the mini's so size, or more accurately 'lack of it', is important.

I hope this one comes out, but I'm not believing it until I see it.

Show More Comments

Login Here

toggle

Network Headlines

05/17	Mozilla delays plans to block third...
05/17	Yahoo schedules press event for May...
05/17	MacBook Air stock beginning to evaporate...
05/17	'iRadio' announcement may miss WWDC...
05/17	Apple devices officially OK'd for secure...

Show All

05/19	Mini review: Samsung Galaxy S4 with...
05/17	Mozilla delays plans to block third...
05/17	Yahoo schedules press event for May...
05/17	'iRadio' announcement may miss WWDC...
05/17	Apple devices officially OK'd for secure...

Show All

03/02	Save $330 on refurb. 15.4-inch, 2.4GHz...
03/01	Pre-owned 8GB iPod touch 2G, drops...
02/29	$150 off Nikon Coolpix S80 Compact...
02/28	Plantronics BackBeat 903 Bluetooth...
02/27	Refurb. Seagate 1.5TB GoFlex Portable...

Show All

toggle

Thomas Weisel: Flash-based player coming from Apple

updated 10:00 am EDT, Fri October 22, 2004

Apple flash-based player?

For a second...

OMG!

Testudo -

Highly Skeptical

re: Highly Skeptical

For the pictures

Now we're talking!

ipod baby

perfect...

But..

re: For the pictures

flashy

names!

Hey

Appropriately Jobs-esque

SigmaTel yes, flash no.

Re: but

Flash player needed

Login Here

Register for our weekly email newsletter:

Connect tools:

Subscribe

to our RSS

Follow us

on Twitter

Most Read

10 Most Discussed

MacNN Marketplace

Thomas Weisel: Flash-based player coming from Apple

updated 10:00 am EDT, Fri October 22, 2004

Apple flash-based player?

Related Articles

Recent Articles

For a second...

OMG!

Testudo -

Highly Skeptical

re: Highly Skeptical

For the pictures

Now we're talking!

ipod baby

perfect...

But..

re: For the pictures

flashy

names!

Hey

Appropriately Jobs-esque

SigmaTel yes, flash no.

Re: but

Flash player needed

Login Here

Register for our weekly email newsletter:

Connect tools:

Subscribe

to our RSS

Follow us

on Twitter

Most Read

10 Most Discussed

MacNN Marketplace