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Thoughts About A Possible New iPod Remote |
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 I have a problem. It's a little problem, but a problem nontheless, and I needed something to write about, so here it is! The iPod's remote and earbud cords are too long. They're clunky, cumbersome, can get caught on stuff and make your iPod can go flying out of it's case, and can be irksome when you're exercising. (Plus, y'know, wires are just so old school)
I'm sure Jonathan Ive and the rest of the design team at Apple have thought about this problem. They don't like wires much anyhow. With them everything is as simple and clutter-free as possible. Are they working on this issue? Maybe....maybe not. It's most likely not a priority project, but it may be on the list of to-do's.
So what solutions are there for this? Well, one is to make the earbuds and remote wireless. How? Bluetooth perhaps. Of course, I don't have technical knowledge of how Bluetooth works, just that it's short-range wireless. Could it actually work?
How would you power the remote and earbuds? Removeable batteries (like AA or something) would take up too much room, be costly, and go against Apple's minimalistic design ethos. Maybe it could have a tiny version of the battery that powers the iPod itself, and it's charged by plugging it into the iPod, which in turn is charged by plugging it into a Mac or docking station.
Another issue would be putting a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver in both the iPod and Remote. I know they're not very big (see this pic), but Apple would still have to redesign the iPod to accomodate it.
The big question though, is will it sound good? Again, I have no idea on how the frequency of Bluetooth would work for sending audio a short distance. I have to think that since Bluetooth was designed for things like printers, cell phones, PDA's and such that it may not have the capability to send the audio data as quickly as it would need to to sound good.
We know it would sound decent via Airport, as we can listen to other people's playlists with iTunes wirelessly (albeit, only in local networks now, since Apple stripped out the Internet streaming feature). Would it be feasible to build in AIRPORT features? It would probably be too expensive and take up too much room, but ya never know.
Plus imagine the cool possibilities: You have a wireless headset and remote that you can listen to your iPod or Mac with. You can control basic functions on it, like changing tracks, volume, etc. Put a microphone on the thing and you can talk to people using iChat's voice feature while away from your desk. I'm sure we can all come up with other possible uses, but one thing really strikes me here - what if Apple is already thinking about something like this? The long-rumored Apple tablet would have similar features. We know it's not really going to be a tablet per se (as they're known in the Wintel world), but rather a device that enhances your digital lifestyle. Throw in a small color display, and you'd be rockin'. It wouldn't NEED a hard drive (as you could connect to your main Mac), but could have one of the small ones the iPod uses. I'm not a big fan of handwriting recognition, but if Apple wants to include that and Inkwell, then fine. Actually, my ruminations here have led us to something quite like the rumored PAL that iKen reported on.
That's a lot of food for thought, and I digressed like a mo-fo, so let me get back to the whole "iPod cable is too long" thing.
I could be overthinking the problem way too much. Something much simpler may be better, like maybe a retractable cord of some sort (K.I.S.S. - keep it simple, stupid!).
Then again, maybe I just need to quit whining and deal with a cord that's just a bit too long. I realize there are many unfortunate souls without iPods out there, and I should count my lucky stars that I have one. But hey, it was a slow news day and I just had to write about something! Just be thankful it wasn't about cross-dressing midgets.
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July 11 2003, 12:04 PM EDT, by
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Comments:
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| Dan |
7/11/03, 2:20 PM EDT |
I totally hear you. As a weight lifter I think the cords that come with the iPod are too long. As an electrical engineer I think Bluetooth is the wrong solution. Better would be to include a small, low power FM transmitter in the iPod's wired remote (can draw power from the iPod I think) and a pair of small FM receivers (think of the old style, behind the ear hearing aids). Batteries would definitely be the issue but simple FM receivers can be pretty low draw. You'd have to remember to turn the ear buds off when you were done...
Any of you iPod hardware companies listening???
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| bruce |
7/11/03, 2:33 PM EDT |
OK this is off topic -- but I really don't like the new Hold button on the iPods ... a tiny, slick piece of metal that is so annoying to turn on and off. Which is required constantly, given the "oversensitivity" of the new Ipod's touch-sensitive buttons. Why can't apple make the Hold button a "push on, push off" switch that give the user a satisfying "click"? that way my finger could just push it in to hold, push again to release ... no having to remember right means no-hold, left is hold, and fumbling with this crappy button design ...
/end of rant
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| Tim |
7/13/03, 9:30 AM EDT |
Bruce, Great idea on your design for the hold button. Much better than the "I need to use two hands, I need to look down, I need to think about it" design that Ives came up with.
Dan, FM Transmitter seems plausible to me. It would be great if it worked and sounded great. But then why hasn't anyone in the whole world done it yet??
For me the long cords are the exact length I need. When I first got them I thought, "Wha the f..." But now, since I like to keep my I-pod in the side pocket of my pants, I need that length.
Another reminder that what works for one person doesn't work for the next.
I kinda like that retractable cord idea. But first let's get crackin' on that FM transmitter thing.
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| Wasab-ster |
7/13/03, 7:47 PM EDT |
Problem with remote earphones though is that they can fall out and get squished by other people who step on them while your jogging or bungy jumping.
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| some guy with a mac |
7/28/03, 9:16 PM EDT |
god u ppl ar picky...BE GLAD YOU HAVE EM !!!! if u dun like em send em to the needy (like me lol)
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