It looks smaller. Why do they keep making them SMALLER? Enough is enough, Steve!

As on e of the winners of the iTunes Music Store 100th million Sweepstakes, it would be freakin GR8 if the new 4G iPod is the "special edition model" that me and the other 49 winners will receive in the coming weeks.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

they've bretty much hit the max for capacity - and the trick with the main ipod line has been more capacity @ same price. how about trying the mini approach again - same capacity @ less price... there's a big gap between the 4gb mini and the low end 15gb ipod - there;s a sweet spot they could hit in between there...

I'd bet the new iPod will have the recently announced Toshiba (wasn't it?) 1.8" x 60GB hard drive in it. Apple supposedly bought up the majority of the first run.

Otherwise, the single iPod mini style control wheel is a great new feature.

gee wouldn't some kind of integration with airtunes in the high end model be interesting

I kind of like the rimless glasses. I need a new set. (I misplaced my old ones) Maybe I'll order a set. :-)

First to mention this? It's 11:04 here, AZ time. I found the iPod Nation article at the NewsWeek website. I had to click on the Tech link to find it. It's a great article but it doesn't mention the specs on the new iPod. We'll have to wait until Monday :)

Am I the first to mention this? I just read the full newsweek article at the Newsweek website. It's a great article but it doen't mention the specs on the new iPod. Guess we'll have to wait until Monday :)

I had to click on the Technology link to find the article "iPod Nation".

Did a search on Google and Newsweek and found the upcoming article here:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5457432/site/newsweek/

good history of the iPod and its effect...I wish they mentioned anything about the new iPod and its features, but I understand this is not a Tech article. Oh, well. Wait till Monday then.

I'm glad to see the "click wheel" in the maxi iPod.

It looks even better. I wonder if the blue HP iPod will use this design. Probably, since Apple will make them.

And good timing for all the hype, coming so soon after Sony's into of the digital Walkman.

MacMinute broke this story first. Let's give credit where credit is due.

20-40-60Gb. Hopefully the same connector, much longer battery life, would be nice to see Wi-Fi built-in but i don't think so, too little device... And it's time to drop the prices, at least in Europe, hard to sell them here when they cost up to 45% more than in USA, prices for current line at this moment: 15Gb - 299USD in US/435USD in EU, 20Gb - 399USD/560USD, 40Gb - 500USD/680USD.

This one contains the specs: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5457434/site/newsweek/

Just followed the link from the main article

12 hour battery-slightly thinner- editable on the go playlists-mini style scroll wheel-modifed menus-20GB and 40GB at $299 & $399 respectively. (no mention of 60GB) Also can play audible.com files at regular or 25% faster speed. A few other things I can't recall. The article is linked to the Newsweek iPod Nation article. Now the MSNBC/newseek site won't come up (hmmmmm? coincidence??)

Questions is, will these software advantages such at the audio book speed adjust and the shuffle option be available to 3G ipod owners. If not, then Apple is failing to support the iPod owners who have made the iPod the success that it is and that would be just plain nasty.

okay, so who looks worse? Jobs on the cover of the newsweek magazine or steve ballmer's face shot on news.com?

In the story on ThinkSecret yesterday, it said Apple was planning on releasing the news in an unprecented and non-traditional way.

Don't you think this is that way?

At least they decdided not to do it in Maxim!

Hi, just because new stuff is in a new iPod doesn't mean that 3G owners are left in the cold. When a new cd player comes out, does your old cd player get an upgrade? No.

They are Kazuo Kawasaki glasses, if you want to find them..... they're apparently quite expensive though (around $600 at least for the frames and lenses).

One tidbit from the article that piques my interest......... they say that the battery life 50% increase is not from a bigger battery, but from more efficient use of the battery. That makes it sound like a software thing. On one hand, I wonder if Apple will roll out a software update for 3G iPods that would include this "efficiency"...... or if they would hold that back (since the battery life would be one thing that might make 3G owners want to upgrade). I could understand if it's the latter........ I still wouldn't mind getting that "shuffle" function in the new software (which be nicer than selecting all music and playing it with "shuffle songs" mode on).

...something new to keep ahead of the pack. How about an XM/Sirius add on (like the iTrip?) or an Airport transmitter?

I don't agree with Apple purposely holding back a software-based battery life upgrade in order to encourage new iPod sales. Though I'm willing to pay for new functionality, I think it's unethical or, at the very least, bad customer service to hold back an upgrade that will give previous-gen iPod owners better battery life, provided this is technically feasible. (which I assume is the case, given the hardware similiarity between all generations of iPods.)

silverlode wouldn't know retro-fashion if he jumped out of a plane hoping his parachute pants would save him.

The circular rimless glasses work for Steve. He looks great, receding hairline and all (it might happen to you someday, whipper snapper!).

As for the "Steve is gonna be pissed" comments, I really don't think so. It's not like Newsweek doesn't normally work like this, so of course people would see it on Sat/Sun -- it's just that the word won't really get out till Monday, so the plebes will still get a nice surprise while us "in the know" types can act cool because we knew about it 48 hours in advance (big whoop). I think Apple has figured out that such "leaks" work to their benefit SOMETIMES (as in "in certain situations/circumstances").

Now, if somebody leaks a sneak peek at the G5 iMac redesign a month prior to the unveiling, THEN Steve will go on the warpath.

According to the Newsweek article, it was *Phil Schiller* who came up with the scroll-wheel idea. And you thought he was just the Pilsbury Demo Boy.

Way to go, Phil! High five!

As of 7:30 AM EDT, the Apple Store (online) has the "We'll be back soon" notice posted...