Apple announced the new wave of iPod models Wednesday. The lineup includes a new nano, the regular iPod — redubbed the “classic” — and the iPod touch, which incorporates a touch-screen like that of the iPhone.
The new iPods represent advances in several categories, ranging from screen size and wireless connectivity to brightness and battery life. Even the software and menu graphics are getting an upgrade.
Though Apple hails them as “the best iPods ever,” music lovers on campus said they are content with the MP3 players they already own.
“If my other one broke down, I’d look into it,” Sarah Lindsay, a junior in English, said. Of the three new products, she said she would buy the iPod touch because, “it has a bigger screen, and it looks thinner.”
The iPod touch is 0.31 inches deep, more than one-tenth of an inch thinner than the last generation of original iPods. But the most notable feature is its 3.5-inch touch-screen. It can track two fingers at once so users can pinch and stretch their stored photos for easy viewing.
The bigger screen is vital because iPods can play movies and television shows, not just music.
Kross Pham, a junior in textiles, said he is not inspired.
“A touch-screen wouldn’t be that useful, and the iPod would get dirty [with fingerprints] quicker,” he said. “Having better utility is more important than flashy features.”
But the iPod classic may possess a little more of that utility. It has a storage capacity of up to 160 gigabytes, ten times the capacity of the touch. Mason Joseph, a junior in nuclear engineering, said he was planning to order one.
“It has twice the amount of space my music collection takes up,” he said. Joseph intends to use the rest of the space as a portable hard drive.
Other advancements in the iPod line include a new nano with a larger two-inch screen and various software upgrades. Now iPod users can access the iTunes music store wirelessly, scroll through their albums with Apple’s trademarked Cover Flow animation and play a selection of new and upcoming games.
Despite the possible uses of the new iPods, other students said they are concerned about reliability.
“I’m on my fourth iPod from the original because the other three have broken,” Philip Boyne, a junior in physics, said. Though he said he is now wary of the brand, he also supposed, “I’m sure I would think it was cooler if I saw one in person.”
Krystle Maslack, a freshman in biological sciences, has already sought out an alternative MP3 player.
“[My Creative Zen Micro] is more reliable than an iPod,” she said. “I go with something that’s simple and easy.”
But Apple still has a strong community of consumers. They announced just yesterday that they sold $1 million iPhones — just 74 days after the launch of the device.
“I’m waiting for the iPhone shuffle,” joked Jonathan Lohr, a freshman in engineering. After all, who needs an interface when you can just dial numbers at random?