Apple Signs Up For Toshiba's New 60GB Minidrive

[Kent Pribbernow]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/New+Toshiba+minidrive+to+pump+up+Apple%27s+iPod%3F/2100-1041_3-5224868.html?tag=nefd.top' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/New+Toshiba+minidrive+to+pump+up+Apple%27s+iPod%3F/2100-1041_3-5224868.html?tag=nefd.top</a><br /><br /></div>"Toshiba said Wednesday that it plans to release a 60GB version of its 1.8-inch hard drive, potentially paving the way for higher capacity iPods. The 60GB drive, which was discussed at Taiwan's Computex trade show, is due out in late summer or early fall, according to a U.S. representative for Toshiba.<br /><br />Apple Computer does not comment on future devices, but the company has historically gobbled up new capacity as it becomes available, boosting the upper reaches of the iPod's storage capacity, which now tops out at 40GB."<br /><br />So it looks like Apple's high-end iPod will receive a kick in the pants, going from 40GB to 60. That's fine and dandy...but what about the low and mid-range? When is Apple going to start competing on price point with other portable audio players? Yes, I know...I know...the iPod is smashingly popular. But despite its sales success, the time has come for iPod to spread beyond the luxury device market. The more AAC compatible players sold, the greater the market for iTunes Music Store. Get them in the hands of as many consumers as possible. Am I right? *chirping crickets sound* :?:

[Mojo Jojo]

I don't think you will hear many dissenting voices on this one. It has been said by many analysts and reviewers that the iPod mini should really have started at around $200 or the mostly psychological $199 point.

This also comes around the similar call that as WMA players start adding more storage to most of the models that the price should start lowering to keep up the presure and stay succesful.

It is my opinion that Apple will stay strong on its pricing as long as demand remains high. It is my hope that if the tables do start to slide that Apple opens its hand, reduces price point, parteners with other hardware vendors and even considers firmware upgrades to allow WMA.

With the iPod spin off group these ideas might become more of a reality, however in the mean time I do not think we will see much change.

[Phoenix]

That's slick from a technological standpoint, but I have to ask, who on earth is going to really make use of this?!? :P

Unless Peter Jackson needs it for another collaborative movie project, or someone is using it as a HDD to store a buttload of huge computer files, who is honestly going to make use of 60GB? It makes one wonder who has the money or has spent enough on music to fill up that much capacity.

Apple's direction just doesn't make sense.

To me, people buy this just so they can brag about having the highest capacity Ipods. :roll: You know most people who scrape the money together to buy it will never fill up even a third of it with music or anything else useful.

My girlfriend and I both owned 15GB Ipods and I sold those and bought us two Ipod Minis because the 15 Giggers were like parking a single car in a huge empty warehouse when all we needed was a garage. I know some people could fill up 15GB, but 60? C'mon, now.

I'd like to see them focus on new materials, or screens, or other features - whatever those might be. The capacity issue I think was tackled long ago.

But I still love the Ipod... Just waiting on the Minis. :D

[that_kid]

Unless Peter Jackson needs it for another collaborative movie project, or someone is using it as a HDD to store a buttload of huge computer files, who is honestly going to make use of 60GB?

I need more than 60 gigs of music. A 60 gig ipod will only hold half my collection. I'm struggling now with my 40 gig.

[Phoenix]

Unless Peter Jackson needs it for another collaborative movie project, or someone is using it as a HDD to store a buttload of huge computer files, who is honestly going to make use of 60GB?

I need more than 60 gigs of music. A 60 gig ipod will only hold half my collection. I'm struggling now with my 40 gig.

Wow. That must be quite the impressive collection you have. And I know that bitrates and formats affect how much can be stored on an Ipod, too. I realize that there are those who will make use of it, but even so, you are one of a few, especially if 60 gigs will only hold half of what you've got.

Ever think of opening up your own online music store? :wink:

[that_kid]

LOL yeah I call call it E-Tunes :lol: , I've been collecting music since I was a kid so that's why i have so much. Plus I encode at a high bitrate as well, but you are right I think I am one of the few. The thing with me is that I already had a big music collection so I din't have to go out and buy a whole lot of stuff once mp3's came around, I still buy alot of vinyl because not everything that I want is on cd. Keep in mind that there are songs in my collection that I listen to rarely but for the most part I try to hear everything.

[Phoenix]

Yeah, and if you can manage to get away with charging only 50 cents a song, you might have something there. :D

But seriously, I think I know of someone who has you beat:

German designer Karl Lagerfeld owns - get this - 60,000 CD's. And no, that is not a typo. 60,000 albums. This guy has as much as the iTunes store... for real. 8O Is that insane, or what? Greedy, too, because you could never listen to it all. And it's easy to calculate the significance of that:

60,000 CD's multiplied by an average of 10 songs per CD is 600,000 songs. If he listened to ten NEW songs/one NEW album each day of the year, without ever taking a day off from it (which would never happen) it would take him just over 164 years to listen to it all.

Oh yeah, and he also owns 40 Ipods. Not a 40GB Ipod. 40 IPODS. That's not a typo either.

He's also got a Fendi branded Ipod case that you can buy for $1500 to hold all of your Ipods if you've got like, ten of 'em or more. Go HERE (http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,63423,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_3) and read more about it and take a look at the photo of the case. Looks like a terribly overpriced, gaudy, hand-painted $40 suitcase with a big, cheap elastic pouch, if you ask me. But, hey, what do I know? I'm not one of the fashion elite. :lol: :roll:

$1500 to hold Ipods. Uh, yeah, OK Karl, whatever you say. I think I'll feed those starving kids over there instead.

[arebelspy]

The more AAC compatible players sold, the greater the market for iTunes Music Store. Get them in the hands of as many consumers as possible. Am I right?

You're right in that they need to compete in the lower-ranged, but you have this point backwards.

iTunes is for selling iPODS, not the other way around (as you imply).. Still though, iPods need to comete in pricing down there to sell more of themselves.

-arebelspy

[James Fee]

Does apple need to sell more iPods? I guess they could, but what about profit margins. I'm sure the cost of the iPod is set to maximize profit, not sales.

[Phoenix]

Apparently, Apple didn't want news of all of this to get out quite yet...

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