Dropped my car off for a new system Saturday and as we were going over the equipment they received a Alpine iPod interface so I bough it. When I went to pick it up Monday I planned on buying an iPod for it so I go my card out again. Well that did not work, the 20gb was out of stock and I was told that they are on close out at $236.00. The replacement units are in the distribution center, but not released to the stores and he could not tell me when they would be. Does anyone else know what is going on? After spending for an new HU, sPods, speakers, amp and all the rest it sure made me feel stupid without an iPod or the Terk XM interface for programming.

 

Say what?

No news of a replacement unit on Apple's site and nothing on ipodlounge either.

Could it be a 3G 20GB model that they were closing out? That would make sense. What doesn't make sense is why they would claim they couldn't tell you when the 4G would be available, as they've been out for at least a couple of months now.

 

I sure have not heard anything about it and have been looking, but I still want to avoid buying one, just to have the new model released the next day (like my G5 changing from single to dual processor while in transit to me). This was at a Good Guy's store and they don't sell refurbished items and the only thing they had were the Mini iPod. So maybe I just wait like I am for the XM interface for Alpine.

 

They may not sell refurbs, but they do mark down customer returns. I bought a 40GB 3G for $320 (20% off the $400 price tag) because it had been purchased and returned.

Last time I was in Good Guys in Tigard (Portland) (last week) they were still selling the 3Gs. They may have backstock on them that they're trying to get rid of before stocking 4Gs.

Because Apple hasn't announced anything new, I wouldn't worry too much about it. When I bought my 3G I could have gotten a 4G. I would have gained some battery life and the click wheel. The battery life I don't care so much about, I'm never more than 7-8 hours away from being able to recharge it and I just didn't care for the click wheel.

BTW, buy.com has the 40GB 4G for $375 with free shipping. Go here.

 

The iPod is now $388 at Buy.com and to get free shipping you have to use the 7-9 day budget shipping.

 

Yes, they are releasing new models. I have been waiting for the 60gb and now I see it will have more features (color screen!) than the standard 4g IPOD. This is MINE the moment it comes out.

-JD

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http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0410photoipod.html

EXCLUSIVE: 60GB iPod to pack photo-viewing features

By Ryan Katz, Senior Editor

October 8, 2004 - After three years of being synonymous with "digital music player," Apple's iPod will widen its horizons and gain photo-viewing capabilities within the next 30 to 60 days, highly reliable sources tell Think Secret.

The new iPod, which will sit at the top of Apple's fourth-generation line-up, will pack Toshiba's new 60GB 1.8-inch hard drive, a 2-inch color liquid crystal display, iPhoto synchronization, audio/video-out capabilities, and will sell for $499.

The new iPod is currently in production in Asia after delays from Toshiba in delivering its new 60GB drive hampered a planned early-September ramp up. Sources confirm Toshiba started shipping the drive to Apple in mid-September and iPod manufacturer Inventec began building the new device in the last two weeks.

The new iPod's form factor will be identical to the existing 4G iPods, sources report, but will be two millimeters thicker than the current 40GB iPod and marginally heavier.

The 2-inch color screen is identical in size to other iPods, but will sport a higher resolution for photo viewing. However, the new device's real shining feature will be its video-out port, which will enable users to tote their photo galleries with them, ready to be plugged into any television for big-screen viewing.

The 60GB iPod will feature only rudimentary built-in software for viewing photos, with no editing tools, sources say. Photo albums will be navigated in a similar fashion to music playlists, and a slideshow feature will provide transitions with user-specified background music, similar to iPhoto. Synchronizing features similar to iTunes will also be added to iPhoto.

The new iPod won't feature built-in flash memory stick slots for downloading photos from digital cameras, although such a feature will presumably be able to be employed through Belkin's $99 Media Reader.

Sources indicate that Apple will market the new photo iPod as being capable of storing 20,000 music tracks and 25,000 photos. As an added bonus for music fans, album artwork will be displayed on screen when it's available for a selected track.

Rumors of a 60GB iPod first surfaced in June, when Toshiba said that it was in the process of developing a 60GB drive and, much to the ire of Apple, confirmed that the iPod maker had already committed to buying it in quantity.

 

This is like any iPod fan's wet dream come true!

 

No Siht!

I was waiting to just get 60gb - but Color? TV outs? Wahoo!

-JD

 

20k songs! I only have 592 as of now. I doubt I will ever fill my 20GB. But, If photo storage and album artwork are doable with the color screen then it will be pretty sweet.

It sucks. The iPods are just like computers. You buy one and then the next greatest toy is out. If you wait, then you could be waiting forever because they just keep getting better.

Can't wait to get my Alpine 9831 and KCH-20 installed At least I have this old technology stuff to mess around with

 

Unlike the last couple of posts I don't see the addition of picture viewing on the iPod to necessarily be a good thing. The thing that sold the iPod was that it was the easiest to use music player out there. It was good at what it did. Now they're trying to turn it into some portable media center/PDA. I'd rather carry two devices that are really good at what they do than one device that is kinda good at a bunch of things.

Oh, and I currently own a 3G 40GB that has about 6000 songs on it. I already find that overwhelming. I can't imagine what I'd do with 50% more music.