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Apple unveils new 6GB iPod mini, reduces prices

updated 08:35 am EST, Wed February 23, 2005

New iPod mini lineup

Apple today unveiled the second generation lineup with a new 4GB model priced at $200 and a new 6GB model with 50 percent more storage priced at $250. Both iPod mini models feature increased battery life of up to 18 hours, USB charging and an ultra-portable, lightweight design available in four colors (pink, blue, silver, and green). "The iPod mini is now available at the magic price point of $199," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "At this breakthrough price point, and with more than twice the battery life, the new iPod mini should appeal to even more music lovers." The 4GB and 6GB models of iPod mini are available worldwide immediately and include earbud headphones, a belt clip case, and a USB 2.0 cable.

An optional USB power adapter is available for $30 which easily charges iPod mini when traveling. Other accessories include the iPod Dock for $40 for desktop syncing and charging, in-ear headphones for $40, an arm band for $30, a lanyard for $20 and FireWire cable for $20.

by MacNN Staff

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ArcticBear
Junior Member

Joined: Oct 2000

0

02/23, 08:43am | report spam | close Reply |
shipping time

I believe that's "immediately"... ;)

Me�vv
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2001

0

02/23, 08:48am | report spam | close Reply |
Finally!!!

This means that the G5 Powerbooks are coming!!!

boomer0127
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2004

0

02/23, 08:51am | report spam | close Reply |
WAIT! But there's no...

...FireWire Cable?

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

02/23, 09:00am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: wait

Yep, I guess Apple finally realized that (a) most the people buying an iPod use a PC, and (b) none of them use Firewire, so (c) including a firewire cable in a package that 95% of all its users just throw in a box is a waste of money.

Remember, initially, you had to pay extra for the USB cable...

bobolicious
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2002

0

02/23, 09:06am | report spam | close Reply |
pc buyers can...

...at least see the site - apple's website won't load in safari on my g4 mac but loads perfectly in ie on my pc...

i just have to laugh... go gett'em tiger...

JeffHarris
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 1999

0

02/23, 09:19am | report spam | close Reply |
FireWire + PocketDock

I bought one of those little SendStation PocketDock FireWire to iPod cable adaptors and can use ANY FireWire cable with my mini. Very Cool!

So, now I can finally use some of those extra FireWire cables I've got in my cable storage box.

bonaccij
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2003

0

02/23, 09:22am | report spam | close Reply |
No No NO!!!!!

UGLY UGLY UGLY BLUE!!!! :( But the green is kinda hot....

GoDucks
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 2001

0

02/23, 09:23am | report spam | close Reply |
No AC adapter either...

Old 4 Gig Price of $249 less $29 for the adapter less $19 for the firewire cable means they have really just lowered the price by $2.00 and given you the option of ordering the extra that you really need. Very smart but not the $50.00 price cut people initially think they are getting.

(Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining as I just ordered a pink and a green 6GB - I'm just saying they are pretty skick at this stuff. Same thing with the Photo - they dropped the price but now you have to buy the AV cable, case, and dock on top of the iPod.)

guytoronto
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2004

0

02/23, 09:45am | report spam | close Reply |
No accessories included?

Good! As an Apple reseller, now I'll be able to sell the accessories to people that they need.

The iPod box should include the iPod, cable, earbuds, and CD. That's it!

Even adding the belt clip in the mini box is too much I say. Give them the bare essentials to use the thing. Take the AC adapter out of the 20GB.

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

02/23, 09:53am | report spam | close Reply |
iPod

BTW, didn't see this in the coverage, but the 4G iPod is still around, but only in the 20GB $299 model. And it still comes with the firewire cable.

phantomo
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Oct 2003

0

02/23, 10:12am | report spam | close Reply |
Battery

How did they manage 18 hours playtime???

scotty321
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

0

02/23, 10:27am | report spam | close Reply |
Apple's getting cheap

Apple's getting CHEAP! And I mean this in a bad way. As mentioned above, Apple has stopped including a FireWire cable on ALL the new iPod models... so if someone doesn't have USB 2.0 and they don't buy the FireWire cable separately, be prepared for LOTS of people to be complaining about SLOOOOW sync times. Plus, as also mentioned above, no more AC adapter either! Jesus, it's gonna cost me $50 just to get these 2 accessories that I need.

Jeffois
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2002

0

02/23, 10:28am | report spam | close Reply |
as for speed...

...is it Snappy�???

macnut222
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2002

0

02/23, 10:33am | report spam | close Reply |
to 'GoDucks'

Please note that they also improved battery life by more than double - to 18 hours. They also made the colors (excluding silver) more 'vibrant'.

This is not yesterday's iPod mini.

hayesk
Professional Poster

Joined: Sep 1999

0

02/23, 10:58am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Apple's getting chea

They dropped the price $50, and the accessories cost $50. So what the heck are you complaining about? Those who don't need them, now don't have to pay for them.

So what if a few users of old Macs complain. Tell them to buy a firewire cable and their problem will be solved.

Honestly, where is the downside to this?

macmad
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Dec 2000

0

02/23, 11:02am | report spam | close Reply |
I hate

spending money on a box of things I don't need - Better the bare essentials, at a bare price. Let the consumer choose what accessories he wants. This is a great update!

jasonsRX7
Mac Elite

Joined: Jul 2003

0

02/23, 11:17am | report spam | close Reply |
Not so bad

At first I thought, "yeah, it kinda sucks not getting the AC adapter." And then I realized that I've never once used it. So maybe enough people are the same to justify not including it anymore.

zubro
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Sep 2002

0

02/23, 11:19am | report spam | close Reply |
...

S*cks BIG TIME!
I just bought a mini to my girlfriend for Valentinezday... :(

Apple You S*ck!

chillinCHiEF
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Dec 2003

0

02/23, 11:26am | report spam | close Reply |
8 hrs vs 18?

I think that more than makes for accessories not everyone will use anyway.

iChick
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2001

0

02/23, 11:32am | report spam | close Reply |
No more gold?

I liked the gold mini... too bad.

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

02/23, 11:57am | report spam | close Reply |
Essentials

I consider a FireWire cable and a power adapter essentials.

I consider an AV cable essential for a device that, as one of its main advertising points, is able to connect to a television to display photos and slideshows.

I don't consider a belt clip, arm band, case or Dock as essential.

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

02/23, 12:00pm | report spam | close Reply |
14 Day Return Policy

If you purchased an item from an Apple retail store, you have 14 days to return the item with receipt. :-)

hayesk
Professional Poster

Joined: Sep 1999

0

02/23, 12:14pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Essentials

"I consider a FireWire cable and a power adapter essentials."

So buy them and you still aren't paying any more for an iPod than you were yesterday.

Not everyone agrees at what is "an essential". This way, it's win-win. Yesterday, it was win-lose.

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

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02/23, 12:27pm | report spam | close Reply |
Essentials

Hey, I don't use the iPod earbuds, and I've rarely used the dock in the last year (certainly no important reason except "I got it, might as well use it"). The power adapter is nice because I leave it at work as my iPod no longer gets through the day without a charge. I have a box full of stuff that came with equipment that I didn't need (how many phone cords can one person accumulate, let alone coax cables, power cords, adapters, etc).

As Hayesk said, what's essential is different for everybody, and I'd rather save the money then get yet another boxful of stuff I'll never use.

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

02/23, 12:29pm | report spam | close Reply |
Forget this c***!

Just read that Sirius will be broadcasting NASCAR in a couple of years. Apple really needs to get those satellite radio capable iPods out quick!

technomaster
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2003

0

02/23, 12:36pm | report spam | close Reply |
Price Adjustments + more

If you got your iPod Mini at Amazon, they do price adjustments within a month of your initial purchase.

As for the accessories, look on eBay. There are a bunch of cool vendors who sell open-box parts from returns... if you time it right, you can get the whole FW AC adapter/FW cable set for like $10.

No need for bitterness; Apple has made some sound business decisions that are going to have major repercussions with Creative/iRiver and the rest of the bunch. Pricing is very competitive now once again.

technomaster
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2003

0

02/23, 01:05pm | report spam | close Reply |
Two more thoughts

The older 4gb models w/ all of the accessories (and the lower battery life) will probably be on clearance for $199... so it'll be a question of getting accessories you probably won't need too much or more battery life.

I'd go w/ the battery life and the more eyepopping colors. :)

Part of the on-going debate of Apple vs the competitors is the extra features... particularly the FM tuner. The only reason why I'd want radio capability is so I could listen to live sports and news on the iPod... but can someone confirm this for me--- none of Apple's competitors do AM radio, right? :)

Paul Huang
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Sep 1999

0

02/23, 01:18pm | report spam | close Reply |
W I N D E X B L U E�

Now I have seen everything.

JohnnyFive
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Feb 2003

0

02/23, 02:21pm | report spam | close Reply |
RE: Gold

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Gold mini their best selling model in Japan?

OtisWild
Junior Member

Joined: Feb 2005

0

02/23, 02:28pm | report spam | close Reply |
USB2 is junk...

... Firewire sustained thruput is better, even if USB2's burst rate is higher.

Also, lots of Macs only have USB1.1, many more have FW and USB1 than USB2, so this is bullcrap.

Let the Windows people pay for a lame USB cable.

Then again, Apple's never gone wrong shafting their installed base in the past, so why change now?

Paul Huang
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Sep 1999

0

02/23, 02:32pm | report spam | close Reply |
getting screwed without

Jiffy Lube.

Apple repeatedly screws the user base that keeps it going through thick and thin.

Buy the FW cable from eBay for $5, not from Apple for $20. By the way, just ask anyone with a college ID to flash the ID for you and save $2 if you must buy it from Apple.

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

02/23, 02:44pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: usb2 is junk

Let the Windows people pay for a lame USB cable.

Then again, Apple's never gone wrong shafting their installed base in the past, so why change now?

Maybe you didn't realize it, dude, but Apple's installed base (and who they're mainly selling iPods to) are Windows users, not mac users. So basically you'd rather alienate like 90% of their iPod customers so 10% won't feel screwed or something.

yeah, that makes good business sense.

MrKlin
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Dec 2004

0

02/23, 02:48pm | report spam | close Reply |
USB2

"Let the Windows people pay for a lame USB cable."

Thanks for taking your your head out of the sand to share with us your business acumen.

You can put your head back again in the sand now please.

Thank you.

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

02/23, 02:50pm | report spam | close Reply |
RE: Essentials

Sorry, but I disagree. For a Mac user, FireWire is far more important than USB 2.0. For a Mac user, a FireWire cable is essential.

FWIW, most of the PC iPod owners I know use FireWire over USB 2.0 if they have the chance.

For me, a price reduction that includes the removal of features is not a value.

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

02/23, 02:51pm | report spam | close Reply |
And...

I'd rather get the stuff I need and not have to pay extra for it.

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

02/23, 02:54pm | report spam | close Reply |
Green, Not Gold

Actually, the top two colors in Japan are Green and Pink.

hayesk
Professional Poster

Joined: Sep 1999

0

02/23, 02:58pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: RE: Essentials

Would you rather they kept the price $50 higher just to include your cable?

For the typical Mac user, Firewire isn't important. For the Mac *geek* like you or I, it is important. The average Mac user that has USB 2 in their Macs don't really care what cable it is as long as they can do a speedy sync. Firewire is faster, sure, but not fasteer enough that it makes USB 2 unusable.

As for: " I'd rather get the stuff I need and not have to pay extra for it."

Well, you got what you wanted. Apple reduced the price to compensate you. So that basically reduces your complaint to "it doesn't come in the same box." That's rather trivial, if you ask me.

MrKlin
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Dec 2004

0

02/23, 03:06pm | report spam | close Reply |
Gold = limited edition

I bet they will revive Gold as a limited edition later so we can have labels like iPod 2G vs 4G and Mini Gold (2004) and Mini Gold (2006).

Paul Huang
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Sep 1999

0

02/23, 03:10pm | report spam | close Reply |
What about the charger

Hey, forget about the cable. What about the $30 charger?

mouseketter
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2004

0

02/23, 03:52pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re:What about the charger

Where do you see a $30 charger? If you can find a $30 charger buy it!

Apple sells the charger for $30, and $20 for a dollar cable. That comes to $50 dollars.

Of course if you are useing a Windows computer then you can use the supplied USB 2.0 cable, but if you are useing a Mac you have to spend an extra $20 to use the new iPods. Unless you spend $1,000 for a new computer.

Samo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2002

0

02/23, 05:21pm | report spam | close Reply |
Saturated

I was ambivalent about the mini colors before, but now I like them better, compared to these. I got the silver, like every other dude in New York City (4 of them at the gym last night), and sometimes I wish I had bought the green instead. Clearly I should've gone for the gold, because that baby's a collector's item now.

I suppose we can look forward to regular color changes, as with the first few generations of the iMac. I'd like a graphite mini, myself, but somehow I think we'll see Flower Power again first.

Those with decreased battery life should try this trick:

http://homepage.mac.com/paalb/iPod/iPod2.html

It helped my mini.

Paul Huang
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Sep 1999

0

02/24, 12:22am | report spam | close Reply |
Collector's my A

Mass-produced items are never collector's items--the gold mini included.

Simon
Posting Junkie

Joined: Nov 2000

0

02/24, 02:47am | report spam | close Reply |
Hello?

> Mass-produced items are never collector's items--the gold mini included.

Yeah, stamps are only produced in batches of a dozen. :rolleyes:

MrKlin
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Dec 2004

0

02/24, 02:16pm | report spam | close Reply |
First of all

Hey Paul, first, I said limited edition, not collector's edition.

Second, please look up the definition of tongue-in-cheek.

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Apple unveils new 6GB iPod mini, reduces prices

updated 08:35 am EST, Wed February 23, 2005

New iPod mini lineup

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