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Se muestran los artículos pertenecientes al tema 3.1.1 iPod.
«The iTunes Store has now crossed five billion song downloads, according to information confirmed by Apple. The threshold comes more than five years after the initial launch of the service in late April of 2003, part of a mixed scorecard for paid downloads. "iTunes is the number one music retailer in the US and features the largest music catalog with over eight million songs," Apple declared in a statement.
Few would quarrel with those assertions, and iTunes still commands a dominant lead over its rivals. That includes Amazon, blessed with DRM-free MP3s by major labels as part of a plan to ease Apple's dominance and market power. Others, including Napster, have also been granted MP3-based catalogs.» fonte: Digital MUsic News, The iTunes Store: Five Years, Five Billion Song Downloads , 19/06/08 «(...) iPod/Portable MP3 player ownership continues dramatic growth. Nearly four in ten (37 percent) own an iPod or other brand of portable MP3 player; up from 30 percent in 2007 and more than two and a half times the number in 2005 (14 percent). Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of those ages 12-17 own a digital audio player. Audio podcasting usage continues to increase along side the proliferation of iPod/MP3 player ownership. Eighteen percent have ever listened to an audio podcast; up from 13 percent in 2007. Nine percent have listened to an audio podcast in the past month (an estimated 23 million). fonte: « Weekly Online Radio Audience Increases from 11 percent to 13 percent of Americans In Last Year, According to the Latest Arbitron/Edison Media Research Study», Arbitron, 10/04/08 «Nearly Four in Ten Own an iPod/Portable MP3 Player (de 14% em Janeiro de 2005 para 37% em Janeiro de 2008) (slide 27) «Similar to past studies, iPods impact radio listening. About one-fourth of those who own one say they listen to it exclusively or mostly for music (25%), especially Alternative fans and 18-34 year-olds. As the traditional Walkman verges on extinction, and the iPod becomes more universal, radio’s portability continues to be challenged» Similar to last year’s poll, the most requested feature on future iPod/mp3 players is an FM radio tuner (34%), followed by more capacity for songs/videos (23%). Notably, Apple owners (44%) are especially desirous of being able to access FM radio on their next device. «Additionally, 40% say they never listen to the radio while walking/working out (remember those iPod numbers), and many say they have not listened to a radio on their person as much during the past year. Additionally, at-work listening has also shown some erosion. While nearly one-fourth (23%) say they never listen to radio on the job, an additional 16% say they’re listening a little/a lot less at work. While three in ten (28%) report more listening in the workplace, that figure is down from the ’07 survey (31%). «TechSurvey 2008», Jacobs Media, Março 2008 «Since this poll began in ’05, we have tracked incredible gains in iPod ownership, and this year is no exception. And our studies have accurately predicted continued growth. Now, nearly six in ten respondents own one of these portable devices, an increase of 23% over last year’s poll. And the iPod’s presence in cars continues to rise. «», Jacobs Media, Março 2008 « (...) However, something and someone is going to put radio to the death throne. Apple is in discussions with the big music companies about a radical new business model that would give customers free access to its entire iTunes music library in exchange for paying a premium for its iPod and iPhone devices. The “all you can eat” model, a replica of Nokia’s “comes with music” deal with Universal Music last December, could provide the struggling recorded music industry with a much-needed fillip, and drive demand for a new generation of Apple’s hardware. Again, what does this mean to radio? This means another stab on the chest for radio broadcasters. First, there was the mp3 player, specifically the iPod that stole terrestrial radio listeners. Then there’s HD Radio which unfortunately failed to give radio stations a run for their money. And of course, there is the satellite radio.» iPod Kills The Radio Star: Good News and Bad News for the Future of Radio, 24/03/08, RadioJingles.com «The digital music business is here with us for good, and that means over time there's going to be more than one way to deliver music, and definitely more than one way to play it. As the industry's all-but-undisputed leader, Apple should be thinking beyond the iPod and the iPhone. Who could do it better?» «Radio can’t win this fight on music alone. Once the WiFi abilities of the iPod Touch and iPhone are more widespread across the platform, you won’t even have to wait to sync your iPod at home to get your music. If you want to have a Megadeth marathon while waiting in line at Starbucks, you can get it with a few clicks. This idea, if it happens, could effectively nail the coffin shut on radio. If more manufacturers put plugs in cars to attach iPods, all music radio could be obsolete within a decade. Which should not be taken as a eulogy, but rather as a challenge to step up the personality on the air - an iPod may have all the music ever made, but it has ZERO personality.» «If, in fact, this goes down, iPod owners - who have always shown a willingness to meet Apple's hardware price, no matter what it is - will have one-click access to almost every song they could ever want - for free. What do you call an infinite supply of your favorite music rotating in playlists for free? I call it "radio." Already, of course, P2P distribution provides tons of "free" music. But the iTunes platform makes all this easy. And as anyone who has ever visited a buffet knows, when it's one price for "all you can eat," you always eat more. And from what medium do you think that listening is going to come?»
« Forrester Research estimated that in the third quarter of 2007, 42% of all MP3 players owned by US adult Internet users were Apple iPods. 
fonte: A New Boost for Digital Music? eMarketeer MARCH 25, 2008 «With the introduction of MP3 technology the user is given unparalleled access to their music collection whilst on the move. Previous generations of personal stereos, whilst providing for portability, limited the consumer to a few choices of music due to their format, whereas machines like the Apple iPod enable users to store up to 10 000 songs. These entries can be arranged through ‘play-lists’ in any configuration the user desires. Technologies like the Apple iPod produce for their users an intoxicating mixture of music, proximity and privacy whilst on the move (Putnam, 2000; Brodsky, 2002).» BUll, 2005: 343 SOLIDÃO/SOLITÀRIOS «The solitary movement of people through the city each day represents a significant yet under researched aspect of contemporary urban experience. This solitariness is often imposed in the daily movement of people to and from their places of work, yet is equally often a preferable option for many as they either walk or drive to and from work (Bull, 2000; Putnam, 2000; Brodsky 2002). Yet this desire for solitude is often joined to a need for social proximity and contact in daily life (Katz & Aakhus, 2002; Bauman, 2003). For many this solitude is an accompanied solitude in which people walk to the personalised sounds of their personal stereos and MP3 players» (Bull, 2005: 343) «iPod use, for example, appears to blur the distinction between work and leisure, between the ‘non-spaces’ of urban culture and the meaningful spaces associated with any individual’s personal narrative. If users live within their chosen musical soundtrack then I argue that they attempt to reclaim the significance of their experience of time precisely in those areas of daily life that have previously been perceived to be of little significance in the literature on time, identity and experience: the daily movement of users through the city» (bull 347) «A qualitative study by Bull (2005) specifically examined iPod use. Much of Bull's findings paralleled those of prior Walkman research. First, Bull observed that power, control and self-sufficiency were key factors of users regarding control over the time and the space in which they listened to music on the iPod. The second observation the device offered a higher level of options and flexibility compared with earliear personal stereo devices. Third, Bull found that listening was individualized and provided privatized content. Finally, use of the iPod was an intentional action with perceived benefits such as "mood maintenance" (p. 349)» (Ferguson, 2007: 108) «(...) Many have taken action already. Some said they wanted to listen to their iPods less because hearing is compromised by not only loud play but length of time listening -- even at acceptable levels. These students are right on with that. Some have invested in ear buds or even ear phones that will cancel noise and allow for lower levels of playback. About a year ago I shared my observation that iPod fatigue had settled in. In fact the term is theirs (my students) not mine. They weren't saying they'd give up their iPods -- just that some were bored with them. Even students with tens of thousands of songs on them (most obtained illegally) wanted something new.(...) The radio industry has often blamed iPod use for some of its problems. Of course, they would be wrong. When I suggested to these same young people that they might be willing to return to radio for music, the laughter was loud and sustained. They meant no insult. It's just that the idea of radio being useful in their lives is -- well, laughable. My experience is that they don't like commercial radio. (...) Don't misunderstand me. Young people are not ready to let their iPod batteries die out. They still want portable music that they can control. But, there is growing evidence I have observed that they are beginning to disconnect from their portable music devices in a way that was unthinkable a few years ago. (...) One thing they really like and are addicted to is iTunes -- the ability to create playlists, shuffle songs and control their entertainment. I'm almost thinking that iTunes is more magical than the actual portable device. iTunes is the record store. It can replace the radio station as a source of new music. It is an archive. (...) Radio appears to be left out of the future. (...)» Jerry Del Colliano, iPod, I quit, Inside Music Media, 15/02/08 « The iPod defines modern-day music listening, and its role within the digital music ecosystem is commanding. But despite heavy sales volumes, unit and revenue gains are starting to slow.
During the most recent fiscal year at Apple, which ended September 27th, 2007, Apple sold an impressive 51.6 million devices. That represents a 31 percent year-over-year gain, a slowdown from previous annual increases of 75 percent.
Sales totals remain impressive, though the revenue picture is less robust. According to company filings, iPod-specific revenues topped .3 billion during the year, an 8 percent jump over previous-year totals. That is far more subdued than year-ago gains of 69 percent, a shift that suggests lowered per-unit margins. Meanwhile, the iPhone recently pushed past 4 million, though that sales story is just emerging.» « iPods® are everywhere and going strong. Just about everyone owns one (and, yes, Applebranded MP3 players are the most popular), and once again, these devices provide CVC— control, variety, and choice—without the commercials. Additionally, they also exude portability and aesthetic value. Most speak about their portable MP3 players passionately. For many, these devices have become their central source of music consumption. The iPod has not fully made its way into vehicles, but several are able to connect them in the cars they drive, while others look forward to the day when they are able to do so. Several own the iTrip, but the general consensus is that this device is substandard. Many look forward to having a direct connection in their next car or vehicle for their iPod. Interestingly, some own video iPods, but most of these respondents do not use them for viewing video»«The young people I have been working with and studying the past four years voluntarily remind me that they have iPod fatigue.
I have written about this before but I keep hearing it -- and the term iPod fatigue is theirs not mine.
There is no doubt in my mind that you'd have to amputate their arms to pry an iPod away from this generation, but I've been thinking about iPod fatigue a lot lately. It seems to me that what these young people are saying is -- entertain me where I live.
They are not particularly addressing the terrestrial radio industry. Outside of NPR and some catch-as-catch-can listening this generation isn't looking to radio for help.
But they are plainly tired of hearing the same songs over and over again. It's like they all turned into Steve Rivers (just kidding, Steve!). You know, many of their iPods have a limited play list smaller than Steve. The fact is iPods aren't loaded with lots of music like radio station computers.
Another factor may be that as the years go on Gen Y is spending more time with their cell phones and smart devices. It's not unusual to see college students carrying around Blackberry Pearls. Of course, not every young person is blessed with a chance to go to college and many other young people can't afford an iPod. (...)» fonte «The iPod Is Vulnerable», Jerry del coliano, Inside Music Media, 18/12/07 UM estudo da Jacobs Media não diz isso: «"iPods are showing no signs of stopping," according to Fred Jacobs, President of Jacobs Media. "Last year, our data showed that the growth of personal mp3 players was far from over. This year, our new study confirms that this phenomenon continues to have lots of life, and we expect strong growth throughout ’07."» «In a way radio was an iPod long before Apple invented iPods.
After all, radios were portable analog music devices that allowed baby boomers to carry their music around with them 24 hours a day.
The iPod of today gives the listener total choice -- the music they want, when they want it and in whatever (or no) special order.
Back then, the predecessor to the Apple iPod was a transistor radio and an entire generation grew up with their radios to their ears -- just as today, ear plugs and all.
The forerunner to the "iPod" lacked the level of choice that today's Apple device has, but it had something even more valuable to young baby boomers -- air talent.» fonte: Radio: the anchestor of the iPod 20/11/07 «(...) en dos semanas más se lanzará el Mini Player, un nuevo producto que promete ganarse un espacio y quitarle protagonismo al iPod.
Este Mp4 es desarrollado por la compañía china Meizu, empresa creada el 2003 y que se ha hecho famosa por ofrecer productos extremadamente parecidos a los de Apple, aunque con la preocupación de tener mejoras en cuanto a las prestaciones, de ahí que varios de sus reproductores sean denominados "iPod killers" o "asesinos de iPods".
"No es 'otro' chino más" se apresura en explicar Gonzalo Quevedo, de "Intertek", los representantes de Meizu en el territorio nacional, México, Colombia, Perú y Argentina. Y sus palabras cobran sentido al analizar las características: soporte de formatos MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV, APE y FLAC, radio FM con 30 memorias, micrófono incorporado, ecualizador gráfico de 10 vías y la posibilidad de grabar lo que se escucha en la radio.
Además, tiene las ya clásicas características de un Mp4: reproduce video en una pantalla de 2,4'' a 320x240 pixeles, almacena fotos, tiene juegos, se controla con un touch pad y tres botones y su batería dura hasta 36 horas.
Pero Quevedo cree que además de las características, es importante el tema de la calidad de los productos, la que asegura es de primer nivel, ya que en su fabricación se emplean piezas de marcas como Samsung, LG, Phillips y General Electric, entre otras.
iPod touch y iPhone de Meizu
(...)Asimismo, estima que el M8, un celular sumamente parecido al iPhone, saldría a fin de año o a principios de enero de 2008 en el mercado chino, por lo que la apuesta es tenerlo en Chile dentro de los primeros meses del próximo año.» fonte: «Llega a Chile el "iPod killer", con radio FM y micrófono incorporado», 31 de Octubre de 2007, Francisco Álvarez, El Mercurio Online
«A noncommercial, eclectic, former college radio station in New Jersey claims to be the first station to stream live radio to the iPhone and iPod Touch.
WFMU(FM), Jersey City, N.J., says its stream plays through QuickTime and is made possible by TVersity, a software company that claims to be the first enabler of streaming live radio for the iPhone.
On its Web site, the station says: “Point your iPhone browser at iphone.wfmu.org to experience the world’s first live radio stream for iPhones.”
Listener-funded WFMU, broadcasting on 91.1 MHz, also has a relay station, WXHD, broadcasting on 90.1 MHz to the Hudson Valley, Lower Catskills, Western New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania.» fonte: «WFMU Streaming Live Radio to iPhone, iPod», Radio World, 11.09.2007 RAMSEY:«(...) Last week Apple's Steve Jobs announced that a software development kit will be made available for the WiFi-enabled iPod Touch (and iPhone) next February. What this means is that developers will be able to build third-party applications designed for the iPod (they can already do this via the web interface, but that adds another usability hurdle which will fall come February).And I have no doubt that very high on the list of priorities will be to empower the new iPods to provide radio via streaming.
So the good news is that radio will once again become portable in 2008.But the bad news is that the radio world will be flattened and thousands of choices from across the globe will have equal access to the ears of your audience. If anyone has an edge here, what do you want to bet it's the streaming stations already indexed on iTunes? May the best radio brands win». fonte: Hear2.0, «Radio on the iPod in 2008», (é um dos títulos do livro de Chris ANderson; pág.3) «"A rádio tem de mudar se quiser sobreviver". Foi com estas palavras que Mark Story, responsável pela programação das 50 rádios que o grupo EMAP possui no Reino Unido e na Irlanda, abriu o seminário ‘Rádio na Era da Internet e do iPod' integrado no festival de publicidade de Cannes. Sublinhando os crescentes meios de difusão - mp3, iPod, telemóvel, televisão e satélite-, Story acredita que "não estamos perante tempos confusos. A rádio sempre soube reinventar-se ao longo das décadas". Sinal disso, explicou ontem, é a convicção de que a rádio "pode tornar-se ainda mais relevante. Devemos ter a preocupação, não com a rádio, mas com as pessoas que trabalham na rádio tradicional e que não percebem o desafio da rádio digital".A mudança na forma como a rádio é ouvida aponta para os caminhos que o meio deve trilhar. No Reino Unido, citou Story, 8,2% das pessoas maiores de 15 anos já ouve rádio através do telemóvel. (...) Ao mesmo tempo e olhando para uma cidade como Londres, onde um parte significativa das pessoas se desloca em transportes públicos, o programador da EMAP apontou para as oportunidades que os downloads e os podcasts representam. "A rádio e o iPod são parceiros perfeitos", considerou. Afinal, a rádio não pode fechar os olhos aos 18,4% de britânicos que possui mp3. Mark Story apresentou dois casos desenvolvidos pela sua empresa e pagos por patrocinadores para atingirem este público. Um dos conteúdos funcionava como um guia para caloiros com dicas para sobreviver ao primeiro ano de faculdade. Já o segundo exemplo consistia em explicações de um psicólogo e de um hipnotizador para que quem estivesse a deixar de fumar ouvisse argumentos para prosseguir a sua decisão» fonte: MARQUES, Rui O., A rádio tem futuro na era da internet e do iPod?, Meios e Publicidade, 18/06/07 «Even old-school DJs see the appeal of personalized radio. Elvis Duran, who hosts a popular morning show on New York City's Z100, says he could imagine a future in which listeners wake up to some comedy and conversation from the show followed by three songs tailored to their tastes. But he doesn't expect live DJs to become obsolete: "When people wake up in the morning, it's good to hear some people who are talking about interesting topics and who let you know, hey, the world's still spinning and I can go out there." Good idea. No wonder Apple never built a radio tuner in the iPod: it's scared of the competition» (fonte: « Learning to Love Radio Again», By Anita Hamilton, Time Magazine, 29/05/07) «Manufacturer Roberts Radio and digital technology company Frontier Silicon have joined forces to develop the UK's first DAB/FM plug-in for the iPod. Digital radio stations will be able to reach a potential audience of millions by opening up their services to iPod users.The device, which is "about the size of an egg" will be launched in late autumn. It will be sold by major electronic retailers for £49.99. The Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB), the industry body set up to ensure digital radio is picked up widely and swiftly, is backing the launch.A DRDB spokeswoman said: "FM radio plug-ins for iPods have already proven popular so we are feeling positive about the DAB/FM plug-in." BBC director of music and audio Jenny Abramsky was also enthusiastic about the plug-in but added "One of the key challenges is not just getting DAB onto iPods, MP3 players and mobile phones but to get it onto all mobile devices." Abramsky said approximately 13 million MP3 players had been sold in the UK, the majority of which were iPods. She added the DAB plug-in would be a good way of preventing younger audiences from slipping away from digital radio. Apple declined to comment on whether it will consider incorporating DAB/FM technology on iPods in the future.» (fonte: «DAB/FM iPod plug-in to give digital radio boost», Broadcastnow, Yvette Mackenzie, 24/05/07; via Netfm) Uma opinião: «One of the most common complaints about the iPod is that it lacks a simple radio. It's a common feature in so many portable audio players now that it seems almost ridiculous that the iPod doesn't have such a feature built in as standard» ... pergunta Fred Jacobs «Radio has many challenges that have been discussed constantly in the press, as well as in this space. Unfortunately, many of the factors facing terrestrial radio - economic, technology, etc. - are out of our control. How are we going to take iPods out of people's hands? How can you stop TV viewers from using their DVRs and whizzing past commercials?» (fonte: «Figure It Out») «Apple reported heavy profit gains during its recent, fiscal second quarter, a total powered in part by strong iPod gains. The company disclosed revenues of .26 billion, up 21 percent from a total of .36 billion during the comparable period last year. Profits landed at 0 million, or $.87 per diluted share, up nearly 88 percent from year-ago gains of 0 million, or $.47 per diluted share. "We are very pleased to report the most profitable March quarter in Apple's history," said Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer. Overall iPod sales crossed 10.5 million during the period, a growth of 24 percent over sales levels last year. The total was powered by strong sales of the low-cost shuffle, though a model breakdown was not provided. "The iPod shuffle was especially popular, with the addition of four brilliant new colors beginning in late January," explained Oppenheimer during the Wednesday earnings call.» fonte: «Apple Shows Quarterly Profit Boom, Continued iPod Strength», Digital Music News, 25/04/07
«SÃO PAULO - A Apple anunciou que já vendeu 100 milhões de iPods. A cifra alcançada pela linha de tocadores digitais da companhia foi divulgada nesta segunda-feira, dia 9, e contabiliza todas as vendas de aparelhos desde o lançamento da primeira versão do iPod em 2001. Além de ter se tornado um tocador extremamente popular (responde por mais de 70% do mercado norte-americano de players), o iPod possibilitou à Apple estabelecer-se como um distribuidor de conteúdo graças à loja virtual iTunes, que, em mercados como Japão, EUA e Europa, fornece canções e vídeos pagas para os players. Desde o início da linha iPod, já foram fabricados mais de 10 modelos diferentes de iPods, a indústria gerou acessórios que vão de caixas acústicas para o tocador a despertadores que trabalham em conjunto com o iPod, passando por adaptadores para ouvir o conteúdo do aparelho em aparelhos de som automotivo.» fonte: «Apple anuncia que já vendeu 100 milhões de iPods», 9/04/07, Estadão. «iPods show no signs of stopping. , our showed that the growth of personal mp3 players was far from over. confirms that this phenomenon continues to have lots of life, and we expect strong growth throughout %u201907. Since this poll was started in February %u201905, year-to-year personal has steadily increased. From the %u201906 to %u201907 studies, ownership is up to 47% of the Rock sample, an impressive jump of 34%. And among Alternative listeners, two-thirds (67%) now own an iPod-like device».(Jacobs Blog, «», 3/04/07) «Conventional wisdom suggests that iPod owners are swimming in their own collections, and leaving programmed radio stations behind. That certainly sounds like the typical iPod owner, though fresh research indicates that a large number of portable music fans want terrestrial radio receptivity. According to a recent internet-based poll conducted by Jacobs Media, 33 percent of respondents expressed a preference for FM radio in their next portable media device. And among iPod owners, the number was a more substantial 41 percent. In both cases, the preference for radio receptivity outweighed demand for increased capacity, a larger screen, and video playback. "It's a no-brainer," said Fred Jacobs, head of the research group. "If Apple truly wishes to make the most versatile, user-friendly personal MP3 devices, an FM tuner should be standard equipment." Currently, iPod owners can grab FM receptivity by purchasing an add-on from a large number of companies. But off-the-shelf, the iPod does not contain terrestrial radio reception, an approach that Jacobs disagreed with. But tempering the opinion is a potentially heavy skew in the results, which were compiled by a company that focuses its expertise on rock radio. In fact, the survey pool of 25,000 was pulled from nearly 70 rock radio stations across the United States, a selection process that offers a less-balanced consumer picture. Meanwhile, Apple is most likely reviewing sales data on add-ons like FM receivers, and weighing its product decisions on actual buying information. A number of iPod rivals, including the Microsoft Zune and a range of SanDisk players, currently offer FM receptivity.» fonte: «Researchers Raise Importance of Portable FM Reception», Digital Music News, 2/04/07 Jacobs Media Report
Mais: «Of course, FM radios are available in Microsoft's Zunes and SanDisk players, for example, but they are not built into Apple branded products, such as nano, shuffle, or video iPods. Clearly, this is a great opportunity for Apple to better serve its millions of iPod customers, while keeping ahead of its growing competition. It’s a no-brainer - If Apple truly wishes to make the most versatile, user-friendly personal mp3 devices, an FM tuner should be standard equipment» (Jacobs Blog, «iPod Owners Want WHAT?», 3/04/07) Mark Ramsey acha que isso nunca vai acontecer: « First, the iPod is not an island. It's an mp3 player, and there are many mp3 players out there equipped with FM tuners. That is, the thing these folks say they want is already available on a different branded unit, and they deliberately chose not to buy that unit and purchased an iPod instead. What does that tell you about what they say they want vs. what they really want? Second, Jobs knows full well that there's demand for an FM tuner in the marketplace. And that's why Apple makes such a tuner as an add-on for the iPod. Indeed, the iPod is deliberately manufactured to be the centerpiece of an ecosystem of products that "plus" the iPod, and an FM tuner is one such "plus." So arguably, this problem is solved even before it's posed as a problem. Third, why should Apple burn their iPod batteries to empower the radio industry's agenda when those batteries could be alternatively burned playing video and audio purchased from Apple's own iTunes, a proposition which not only drives the value of iPods but fills Apple's coffers to the brim?» fonte: Mark Ramsey, Hear2.0, «Will iPods feature FM tuners? Nope.», 2/04/07 «"Apple Inc. sold a record 21 million iPods for the holiday quarter, which helped boost the company's revenues by 50% and accounted for sales of .43 billion--half of Apple's total sales for the quarter, the company reported this week," Emily Burg reports in an updated article for MediaPost's MarketingDaily.
Burg reports, "Stellar sales have earned the iPod a 72% share of the portable music player market. Microsoft's Zune, meanwhile, recorded 2.8% of the market for December, and 10.2% of all 30GB hard drive models sold, according to retail research firm NPD Group." (fonte: NPD: Apple iPod held 72% share of PMP market in December; Microsoft Zune had 2.8% share, Sunday, January 21, 2007). Já teve mais: «Research company The NPD Group said in a report released Tuesday that various versions of the iPod accounted for 92.1 percent of the market for hard drive-based music players, up from 82.2 percent a year ago. Players from Creative Technology and Digital Networks North America's Rio were a distant second and third, with 3.7 percent and 3.2 percent of the market, respectively.» (outubro 2004)
«Não contente em apenas escutar as músicas de seu iPod, uma adolescente de São Francisco, nos Estados Unidos, inventou um aparelho que permite que o tocador digital funcione como uma estação de rádio, transmitindo músicas para outros tocadores que estão por perto. O sistema, chamado de NoeStringsAttached, faz com que iPods e outros aparelhos semelhantes possam transmitir e receber músicas utilizando ondas de rádio FM, a uma distância de até 4,5 metros.
Kristyn Heath, a adolescente que criou a novidade, explica que o sistema consiste em duas unidades idênticas, cada uma acoplada na saída de fones de ouvido padrão encontrada na maior parte dos tocadores de CD, fitas e MP3. O usuário seleciona uma das cinco freqüências de rádio utilizadas e então opta por transmitir ou receber as músicas. Até mesmo quem não tem um tocador pode utilizar o sistema e ouvir a música que está no iPod dos outros -- basta conectar fones de ouvido ao NoeStringsAttached. (...) “A maior parte das pessoas da minha idade não tem muito dinheiro para gastar. Por isso, quis manter o equipamento acessível”. A rádio FM não tem a mesma qualidade que sistemas sem fio como wi-fi ou bluetooth, mas Kristyn acredita que isso não será um problema. Ela acrescenta que o sinal de rádio ainda é um meio de transmissão popular. “Acho que a qualidade é boa o suficiente, especialmente quando você considera o preço.”» fonte: «Aparelho faz comunicação de iPods via rádio», 27/03/2007, G1, Globo
«Abril deverá marcar o início da comercialização da Apple TV no mercado Europeu, incluindo Portugal, depois de ontem ter iniciado a venda nos Estados Unidos, segundo a Lusa.
Este produto liga o computador à televisão, sem necessitar de fios, e permite a reprodução de conteúdos multimédia como músicas, vídeos, podcasts e fotografias. A Apple TV, cujo preço no mercado europeu deverá rondar os 299 euros, de acordo com informações da Apple Portugal, vem equipada com um disco de 40Gb e possui uma capacidade de armazenamento de 50 horas de vídeo, aproximadamente nove mil músicas e 25 mil fotografias.» fonte: «Apple TV chega em Abril» Meios e Publicidade, 23/03/07 «Mr. Hanson also suggested that land-based radio had been too slow to respond to satellite radio, which offers access to dozens of commercial-free music channels for a monthly subscription fee and to digital music players, like Apple Computer's iPod. He said that he balked when a supervisor suggested running an on-air contest to give away an iPod loaded with 949 songs. (Zeta's frequency was 94.9-FM.) "I was like, 'Then they don't need to listen to Zeta anymore.' " Mr. Hanson wound up forgoing the contest.» fonte: New York Times, «Fade-Out: New Rock Is Passé on Radio», By JEFF LEEDS, April 28, 2005 «Years ago, radio had abandoned the idea of providing variety to listeners and instead concentrated on putting just a few well-tested songs on "heavy rotation" so the most popular tunes at the moment (generally the lowest artistic common denominator, catchy and forgettable stuff) would dominate the airwaves. Who could tolerate such unimaginative programming when there were iPods, which could shuffle thousands of songs that had passed the ultimate focus group - you, the sole listener, endorsing every cut because you consciously ripped it into the system?» (levy, 2006: 248) Uma mistura de coisas: «Digital technology gathers, shreds, and empowers, all at once. Mix, mash, rip, burn, plunder, and discover: these are the things that the digital world can do much more easily than before- or for the first time. The iPod, and the download dollar-store that accompanies it, makes sense of those things without making our brains hurt.» (Levy, 2006: 4) A escolha aleatória: «(...)the best way, I discovered, was to find the setting that said "shuffle", click through the menus till you got to a list of all your songs, pick a starting place, and go. From that point, your whole collection would resequence itself in glorious chaos. It was like my own private radio station that played only songs that I liked - after all, I had put them there» (Levy, 2006: 18) Moda: «Most emphatically, the iPod has taken on that adjective almost as a birthright. What is the link between coolness and iPods? Is trendiness a significant component of the iPod's success? Why has the world of fashion embraced the iPod? Why won't your kids accept a generic substitute, which plays the same damn songs an iPod does?» (Levy, 2006: 59) Capacidade de armazenagem: «In fact, in 2005, a Solutions Research Group study showed that the average iPod owner has 504 songs; a different survey found that the average was 900. Apple Executive Vice President Phil Schiller says that Apple has concluded that a limit of 1,000 songs turns out to be the "sweet spot" for most people, the number that sticks in most people's minds as the most they'll need. (A 2004 Jupiter Research study backs him up further: it found that only 23 percent of consumers said that they'd ever need more than 1,000 songs on their player at one time.)» (Levy, 2006: 84) Blogues e iPods: «Blogging and iPods were a great match, two innovations that had enjoyed a parallel run to glory in the early 2000s. Many people blogged about their iPods - what they were listening to on the iPod, what color they ad chosen for their boyfriend, how they slept with the iPod under their pillow, and how pissed they were that they had bought a new iPod just before Apple released a newer, cooler iteration. ("iPod" as, in fact, the most popular 'tag' or category, in the massive blog massive search engine Technorati.) (Levy, 2006: 129-130) «By the end of 2005, Apple Computer had sold more than 42 million iPods, at prices ranging from to 9 (most sold in the middle range). What's more, at that time the iPod had about 75 percent market share of the entire category of digital music players. Its online digital music emporium, the iTunes Music Store, has sold more than a billion songs at 99 cents each, representing about 85 percent of all legal paid downloads, a market that barely existed before Steve Jobs (...)» (Levy, 2006: 3) «it is the most familiar, and certainly the most desirable, new object of the twenty-first century» (Levy, 2006: 1) «O presidente da Apple, Steve Jobs, incitou as maiores editoras discográficas do mundo a venderem online as suas músicas sem o actual software de segurança, que previne a pirataria dos ficheiros. Para Steve Jobs, a abolição do software de protecção anti-pirataria de música, conhecido como «digital rights management» (DRM), seria uma boa medida para os consumidores e até para as próprias editoras, argumentando que este é ineficaz no combate à pirataria. A Apple tem vindo a sofrer pressões para compatibilizar as músicas vendidas na sua loja virtual iTunes com outros leitores de música, já que estão restringidas ao leitor que a própria empresa comercializa, o iPod. Desde Junho de 2006, associações de consumidores de vários países da Europa têm recebido queixas sobre a Apple, relativas à incompatibilidade das músicas do iTunes com aparelhos de outras marcas. Referindo-se a esta situação, Steve Jobs afirma que, a abolição do DRM permitiria a todos utilizadores de mp3 o acesso às músicas de qualquer loja virtual, incluindo a iTunes. «É claramente a melhor alternativa para os consumidores, e a Apple iria envolver-se a 100% nesta iniciativa», declarou. Os analistas referem que esta medida iria reforçar a posição da Apple como líder do mercado da música digital. A loja virtual de música da Apple, iTunes, vendeu cerca de 2 mil milhões de músicas, desde que foi lançada em 2003, e conta com mais de 70% do mercado de música digital dos Estados Unidos. Segundo Steve Jobs, caso a protecção DRM seja retirada, a Apple estará em condições de criar um sistema de download, que permita a compatibilidade das suas músicas com outros leitores, para além do iPod, inclusive o Zune, recentemente lançado pela Microsoft.» fonte: Diário Digital, 7/02/07, Apple apela à venda de música sem software anti-pirataria
Etiquetas: DRM «People simply don’t have that big of a use for the radio anymore. The iPod is more convenient. You don’t have to keep changing the station every five minutes, you don’t have to listen to advertisements, and you don’t have to listen to some crazy DJ’s blabber on while you drive to school or work in the morning. The iPod is built into everything from cars to airplanes. It’s even driven companies out of business. For example, Tower Records is closing up shop. Sony Walkmans have essentially been replaced with iPod shuffles and nanos when it comes to working out. This device, this music player, caused a revolution. People were saying it would be “just another fad” and “gone in a few years” when it started to get popular. But when everyone from George Bush to the Pope has one, the decline of the iPod doesn’t seem to be coming anytime in the near future. It’s not a fad, it’s a new way of life. Another thing: Podcasting is replacing radio shows. As podcasting grow in popularity, radio shows decline in popularity. In the past, people would have to listen to some person blabber on about random and sometimes idiotic topics (and when I say random or idiotic, I mean, the pinnacle of random or idiotic). Now, people can now listen to whatever they want, whether it’s TWiT or CNN Headline News. (...) iPod really did kill the radio star; it’s driven companies out of business, replaced radio shows, and built itself into everything from cars to planes. No one knew that this device would ever have the effect it has had on us today.» fonte: «iPod killed the radio star», The MacMind, 4/01/07 Quem disse que tinha chegado o declínio do iPOd? «Apple announced another record breaking quarter, ended Dec. 30, resulting from “very strong” sales of iPods and “robust” sales of Macs, the company said. Revenue hit .12 billion, growing 24 percent from the quarter a year ago, and net income hit billion, up 78 percent. Sales of iPods for the quarter were 21.1 million, marking a 50 percent increase over the quarter a year ago, despite warnings from analysts that the market growth for MP3 players will slow over the next few years, down to about 10 percent annually. In addition, Apple said it maintained its high market share, achieving 72 percent share in the United States in December, according to NPD Techworld figures. (...) Music revenue fueled by iTunes sales was up 29 percent. iTunes now accounts for 85 percent of songs downloaded and purchased in the United States, Apple said, and sales of iTunes gift cards doubled over the holidays. (...) Apple chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer called demand for the iPod “extraordinary” and said all three iPod models “did exceptionally well,” including the new Shuffle which shipped in October. Oppenheimer also noted that unlike last year, iPod supply kept up with demand over the holidays, which helped boost sales.» fonte: «Apple Posts Record Quarter, Sells 21.1 Million iPods», By Amy Gilroy -- TWICE, 1/18/2007 «Every so often someone in the radio industry trots out a study which says iPods really aren't that threatening to the radio industry's long-term health and welfare. "Folks get tired of maintaining them," they will say. "They're just a new form of Walkman," say others. (...)The fact is this: For younger consumers in particular, the iPod is no more difficult to use than a radio. Our research has shown this definitively. And while folks may occasionally tire of maintaining an iPod they will also tire of their radio stations. But tiring of something and abandoning it are two different things. Two billion downloads can't be all wrong. (...) The radio industry will have to come to terms with a future where your favorite radio station may always be on your hip and may always plays the songs you program yourself.This general trend, more than anything else, is why the growth of satellite radio will not be about music and why the distribution of HD radio will be forever hampered.If you want more music choice, the solution is in the palm of a ten-year-old.While satellite radio seems to inherently understand this, the powers-that-be in HD radio seem to have no such clue. And that's too bad, because facing reality is how you make the most of reality.(...)» Mark Ramsey, hear2.0, «iPods don't matter to radio?», 16/01/07 «iPod will lead a further media transformation of similar magnitude in the coming decade. Speaking at the FT World Communications Conference, Nikesh Arora, Google's VP of European operations, told delegates that, in the coming years, the plummeting price of storage and its increasing volume-to-size ratio will give iPods almost unlimited potential to hold music and video. Arora said, by 2012, iPods could launch at similar prices to those on sale now and yet be capable of holding a whole year's worth of video releases. Around 10 years down the line that could be expanded, creating iPods that can hold all the music ever sold commercially. He said: "In 12 years, why not an iPod that can carry any video ever produced?" The Google exec said tech is now pursuing a price volume game - searching for the price point at which content will take off for the mainstream. He added: "It's clearly begun happening," citing iTunes' 99¢ per song download model.» fonte: «Google: 'iPod will hold all the world's TV in 12 years'», 27/11/06, Silicon.com «Select Random Shuffle, and the iPod dredges up tunes you might never consciously choose to play. But chosen for you, they’re a delight. This mode of play also allows you to discover gems in a collection hat previously sat unplayed on a shelf of CDs. Songs previousloy neglectet can become top favorites. And then there are all those tunes you never knew you had. Random shuffle can create great surprises, selecting just the right song at just the right time. Or it can throw together unexpected combinations (...)» (Kahney, 2005: 3). AInda que: «Random shuffle is nothing new. It first became popular a feature of CD players. But with CDs, shuffling tracks is typically limited to the songs on a limited number of disks. Randomly selecting tracks really comes into its own with giant music collections: libraries that stretch to tens of thousands of songs. In a giant library, random shuffle is a good way - sometimes the only way - to play music that would otherwise go unheard (...)» (Kahney, 20). «Although people often create playlists for specific activities (walking, driving, commuting, working out and so on), they also enjoy giving control to the machine, which can surprise and delight with unexpected seleclions of tracks, [professor Michael] Bull said» (Kahney, 2005: 22) «The iPod is beautifully integrated with the computer, which feeds it tunes, and with an online store to fill it at 99 cents a pop. The iPod is amazingly versatile. You can listen to it while driving - through the car stereo - or use it as an alarm clock to wake you in the morning. It’s not only a personal stereo, it’s the home stereo, the office stereo, or the stereo at the gym. It’s both personal and public, used by DJs, and in bars and hotels. It’s even starting to take over some nightclubs. The iPod has created DJs out of mere mortals. (...) (Kahney, 2005: 5) «In the history of invention, gadgets don't come more iconic than Apple's digital music player. The iPod is to the 21st century what the big band was to the '20s, the radio to the '40s, or the juke-box to the '50s - the signature technology that defines the musical culture of the era. And what a marvelous technology the iPod is. Inside Apple's little white box is magic, pure magic, in the guise of music.» (Kahney, 2005: 3) « An iPod phone now appears inevitable, and bets are being placed on details like pricing, release date, and form factor. Just recently, Apple filed a patent outlining a mobile device that "may correspond to the iPod," a development that largely confirms earlier speculation. The filing, recently made public, was originally filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office in August. The application describes a "tube-like" player constructed with "zirconia" and "alumina," and a device that would be "cost effective, smaller, lighter, stronger and aesthetically more pleasing" than competitive mobile music phones. So when will the device hit the streets? Predictions vary, though some are pointing to an unveiling at the Macworld Conference & Expo in January. Others suggest a later date, though most expect a release within the first two quarters of next year. It appears that Cingular Wireless will carry the device within the United States, though the mobile company refused to comment on the possibility. Meanwhile, the player is likely to combine the iconic iPod scroll wheel with a traditional telephone keypad, and the form factor could resemble the iPod mini.» Etiquetas: iPhone «O mesmo pensa Steve Jobs, o homem forte da Apple, que apresentou ao mundo o iPod em 23 de Outubro de 2001. "Tínhamos a excelência no hardware, no design e no software. Decidimos gerir o catálogo de música a partir do iTunes e não no iPod. Outras empresas tentaram fazer tudo no aparelho e tornaram-nos tão complicados que eram inúteis", comentou, em declarações reproduzidas pelo semanário britânico The Observer.
"A pessoa não quer um aparelho para tocar música, quer ouvir música. Directamente do artista para o ouvido. Por isso a Apple tem a loja de música on-line iTunes, o software iTunes e um óptimo aparelho de suporte, o iPod. Funciona tudo bem em conjunto, sem ser preciso pensar no que se está a fazer", comenta Woz.
Ter o acordo das editoras discográficas para vender música na Internet, por 99 cêntimos de dólar cada canção, foi um feito de Steve Jobs, já que a indústria tinha mais receio da pirataria do que entusiasmo por um novo negócio.
O iPod tornou-se o aparelhinho que toda a gente quer ter, e detém 75 por cento do mercado nos Estados Unidos. Surgiram também aparelhos que o imitam, que tentam ganhar pelo preço - os do leitor da Apple continuam elevados (os mais recentes, com capacidade para vídeo, custam entre 300 e 400 euros em Portugal). Ainda assim, já se venderam 60 milhões de iPods. (...) Claro que o iPod não é só vantagens: além do preço, há o inconveniente de não poder ouvir os ficheiros de música comprados na loja iTunes noutros leitores de mp3, nem de ouvir no iPod canções que não sejam reconhecidas pelo software iTunes. Tanto assim é que em França se aprovou uma lei que exige que todos os ficheiros de música digital possam ser ouvidos em qualquer aparelho - uma lei que parece feita à medida para obrigar a Apple a partilhar os seus trunfos.» fonte: «iPod Há cinco anos a mudar o mundo», Público, Clara Barata, 24/10/06
Etiquetas: LAD, iPod, Apple, pirataria « Is Apple considering integrating both terrestrial and satellite radio into its iPods? A variety of techies think so.
According to Orbitcast and Macintosh News Network, which cover satellite radio and all things Apple respectively, Apple has filed a patent application for a method of saving media from various sources for later purchase. Among those "sources" — terrestrial and satellite radio.
“It's an ingenious method of grabbing snippets of audio, identifying the song and allowing the user the option to purchase that song," according to Orbitcast.
The benefit to Apple in adding radio to iPods is that it allows users to discover new music — which they can then buy from the company's iTunes Music Store. The benefit to satellite radio is obvious — iPod integration means one more platform for the medium.
According to the patent, the technology allows the user to tune "into a wireless signal (e.g., AM FM radio, digital radio, or WiFi)" using either a wireless card or "the capability to accept accessories to add the necessary functionality." Terrestrial radio is currently available on certain models of iPods with a remote accessory.
Further on in the application, Apple cites possible vehicle integration, and actually names XM as a possible satellite partner.» fonte: «Is Satellite Radio Coming To iPods? (Updated)», Radio and Records, Oct. 20, 2006, By Ken Tucker «"The technology is completely ready, and the change in consumers' habits has started. The best evidence is our sales number. We are selling huge amounts," Tommi Mustonen, director at Nokia's multimedia unit told Reuters in an interview. Mustonen said the company aimed to sell 80 million music devices this year, up from 46.5 million in 2005. Nokia is not alone. The world's fourth-largest handset maker Sony Ericsson has benefited in recent quarters from strong sales of a line-up of Walkman music-playing handsets, of which it sold 15 million in its first year. By contrast, Apple sold 8.7 million iPods in the July to September quarter, making it the world's most popular music player, but the volume still lagged far behind music phones. Mustonen said two out of three consumers whose phones can play digital tracks already use it for that purpose. Nokia does not see Apple, with its iPods and iTunes service, as a competitor, at least not before the U.S. firm's expected iPhone hits the shelves, Mustonen said. "The comparison with iPod is wrong; it is a single purpose device, and it is not connected," Mustonen said, adding that Apple was moving in the same direction with the possible launch of an iPhone, according to media and financial analysts. "Then you can compare us," Mustonen said.» fonte: USA Today, «Nokia claims ground in digital music battle», 30/10/06 diz Loyd G. Ford no radio & Records (29/9/06) «Anyone who doesn’t think the iPod is amazing technology has not put in the earbuds and sampled their own personal library rotating with ease. iPods are not only indicative of a greater movement in entertainment technology but also signal a choice that radio should pay attention to while inspiring us to move toward the epicenter of what is happening—before it’s too late.
Radio is a companion medium. Every time we aggressively engage in being a “companion,” radio wins and increases the influence we’ve had for decades. If we don’t, we become less influential to a new generation of consumers who demand more interesting ideas»
A enorme variedade de acessórios que se relacionam com o iPod é outro sinal do impacto deste aparelho. O sofá (poltrona?) iChair tem as colunas junto às orelhas para relaxar e ouvir. Custa 313 euros em PBTeen «Despite the success of Apple iTunes, few people stock their iPod with tracks from the online store, reports a study. The Jupiter Research report says that, on average, only 20 of the tracks on an iPod will be from the iTunes shop. Far more important to iPod owners, said the study, was free music ripped from CDs someone already owned or acquired from file-sharing sites. The report's authors claimed their findings had profound implications for the future of the online music market. (...)However, the report into the habits of iPod users reveals that 83% of iPod owners do not buy digital music regularly. The minority, 17%, buy and download music, usually single tracks, at least once per month. On average, the study reports, only 5% of the music on an iPod will be bought from online music stores. The rest will be from CDs the owner of an MP3 player already has or tracks they have downloaded from file-sharing sites(...)». fonte: «iPod fans 'shunning iTunes store'», BBC on line, 16/9/06 anunciadas ontem por Steve Jobs: - serviço pago de downloads de filmes para um novo iPod (a competir com o site da Amazon) - um novo aparelho que permitirá passar os ficheiros descarregados do computador para a tv, i iTV (lançado nos EUA). «São exactamente os mesmos ficheiros, os mesmos, a passar no meu iPod, no meu computador e na minha televisão de ecrã plano» (fonte: http://www.meiobit.com/arq/008527.html) «The iPod marked just such a threshold. MP3 players existed before Apple created the iPod and iTunes, but previous systems weren't convenient or cheap enough to make up for the lesser fidelity of MP3s, which sample less than one-tenth the sound CDs do. After the iPod, digital music — legitimate and pirated — took off, while CD sales sagged. In 2005, the industry reported that CD sales were down 8% to 667 million, while song downloads grew more than 150%, to 353 million. The trend is on about the same track in 2006.» fonte: «If you wanted to watch ‘Superman,' which would you choose now?», USA Today, By Kevin Maney, 30/08/06 É uma mera especulação, mas há quem diga que pode ser mais do que isso... «a WiFi-equipped iPod would be able to stream music from Internet radio stations and even purchase and download songs Over The Air (OTA) from the iTunes Music Store. The problem with streaming is that it's only as good as the WiFi access point that you're connected to. I don't know about you but my MacBook Pro seems to have consistently poor Airport reception. If the iPod is going to rely on WiFi it's going to have to be well implemented. The bandwidth required for audio streaming is relatively small (less than 1Mbit/second) and you don't need much local storage when streaming, other than a little space for the cache. Streaming video on the other hand, requires requires 2-3Mbit/second of bandwidth. Two things would be needed in a wireless iPod: 1) The iPod user interface is going to need a tune-up. If the iTunes Music Store is going to offer streaming radio stations and possibly even television the UI needs to be overhauled. It seems only logical that Apple would create a version of iTunes that runs on the iPod. People are familiar with iTunes from using it on their desktop machines and if they're not iTunes users, placing it on the iPod gives more exposure to Apple's flagship music application. 2) Wireless networking preferences will need to the added to the iPod to control the configuration of access points. Some form of data entry (either clickwheel based scrolling or a touchscreen/stylus combination) will be needed to enter credentials at protected hot spots. A wireless iPod could also be the forbearer to a new subscription version of the iTMS where subscribers could download all the music they want for a flat fee per month. There are several of these subscription music services already on the market (Rhapsody, Napster, Yahoo, AOL, Virgin) and Apple may be considering ways to extend it's market dominance in digital music into subscriptions as well. (...)» fonte: «Coming to an iPod near you: streaming and subscriptions», ZDNet, Posted by Jason D. O'Grady, 28/08/06 «(...) The iPod remains an amazing phenomenon but its heydays are over unless, as happened before, it reinvents itself with a new line such as a much-rumoured cameraphone. Tomi Ahonen, a mobile expert, claims that with a fall in total market share (of players and phones) from 80% to 14% in 18 months, the iPod is "wilting away before our eyes"(...)». fonte: Guardian, Dump your iPod, the mobile's taking over, Victor Keegan, August 24, 2006
«The company said Wednesday that it sold 8.1 million iPods in the third quarter, while analysts were expecting about 8 million. (...) Apple's share of the digital audio player market is stronger than ever, according to NPD Group, which says Apple's May market share was 76.9%. At the end of 2005, Apple's share was 72.7%.» fonte: Forbes.com, «Apple's Profit Soars On iPod Sales», Rachel Rosmarin, 07.19.06, 6:45 PM ET Trata-se de um estudo que inquiriu apenas ouvintes de rádio do formato AAA (“Adult Album Alternative”), mas os resultados são elucidativos: «- Ownership of a portable MP3 player (iPod or other brand) has jumped from 13% to 48% in two years.
- Listening to an iPod/MP3 player as the primary music choice is up over 400% in two years.
- IPod/MP3 users (48% of total) and Downloaders (33% of total) spend far less time listening to music on FM radio than the total.
- iPod/MP3 Users and Downloaders are more likely to buy CDs than the total.
- CDs purchases as the primary way to obtain music has decreased significantly.
- Satellite listenership has grown 166% in two years but total audience still pales compared to audiences of other music choices like FM, internet, iPods, etc.» O estudo está aqui. «A Apple quer proibir que outras empresas usem a terminologia Pod nos seus produtos. A empresa quer proteger a marca iPod e para isso está a desencadear processos contra fabricantes que incluam o termo Pod nos seus produtos, segundo notícia o Financial Times. Designações como a TightPod, uma linha de capas para sistemas Mp3 e portáteis, e a ProfitPod, um scanner de infravermelhos utilizado em consolas, estão entre os alvos da Apple.» fonte: Meios e Publicidade, Apple quer proteger marca Pod, Ana Cavaco, 17 de Agosto de 2006
«It's been widely discussed that Apple and Sirius met to discuss a potential satellite radio-enabled iPod, and that nothing substantial came of that meeting. Steve Jobs doesn't add anything to the iPod that's not bulletproof, and portability hasn't been satellite radio's strong suit so far. But now that Sirius has reduced the size of its satellite receiver chips, Jobs could change his mind.
Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin recently showed off a digital audio player with a built-in satellite receiver at a conference last week, as Richard Menta recently pointed out. Could the satellite MP3 player player Karmazin says will be available by the end of the summer be a satellite iPod? Regardless of who makes it, an MP3 player with satellite reception could be pretty attractive, assuming users' needs are keep near the top of the priority list. (...).
Users could specify the sort of music they want to hear, either specifically or in general, on a computer or on the device itself. The satellite MP3 players would act as TiVos, scouring channels for requested songs and saving them to memory. Requests might even be sent back to Sirius in order to create ten or so democratically-created radio stations, increasing the likelihood that requested content gets played.» fonte: «How the Satellite iPod Might Act», Wired, 5/7/06
Este é o título de um texto do Wall Street Journal, republicado no suplemento económico do JN de hoje. O texto reproduz este artigo de Walter S. Mossberg e Katherine Boehret, que anuncia um novo sistema, capaz de disputar com o iPod o mercado da música digital (embora tenha uma série de limitações, identificadas no texto): «How do you dislodge Apple's mighty iPod music player, and its popular iTunes music service, from their total dominance in the digital-music market? Numerous hardware companies and music services -- most backed by Apple's historic rival, Microsoft -- have tried, and failed, with all sorts of approaches. Some contenders were cheaper. Others had built-in features the iPod lacked, like FM radios. Some had more capacity, or greater battery life. Others relied on monthly subscriptions instead of per-song fees. But the public has mainly yawned, and none of these approaches has gained any traction. On Wednesday, a small New York City company called MusicGremlin Inc. rolled out a fresh approach to denting the iPod hegemony: the wireless music player. Its new 9 Gremlin portable player has built-in Wi-Fi wireless networking, so it can download songs from an accompanying subscription service directly, without requiring the use of a personal computer. Not only that, but Gremlin users can wirelessly exchange entire songs right from their players, legally, as long as both the sender and receiver are subscribers to the MusicGremlin Direct service, which costs .99 a month. This process, called "beaming," allows you to share songs with your Gremlin-toting pals, no matter where they are, without ever using a computer or a CD burner. You can even peer into other users' Gremlins to see what they're playing and what they've downloaded, and pluck any song you like from their devices, if they give you permission.» fonte: «Mossberg Solution: A Gremlin challenges the iPod», June 14, 2006, Wall Street Journal «Apple is rumored to release an updated iPod within the next few months, and that will place even more pressure on precious, NAND flash memory supplies. According to a recent research report issued Wednesday by Gartner Research, global sales of portable MP3 players will soar to 187.7 million units this year, up from 134.5 million in 2005. A major chunk of that growth will come from Apple, which leverages its market dominance to craft longer-term memory supply contracts. The Gartner report pointed to a 5.8 percent supply deficit during the fourth quarter of this year, and a 2.6 percent shortage during the first quarter of 2007» fonte: New iPod Release Could Prolong Flash Memory Shortages, digital music news, 22/6/06 «More information is now surfacing on the possible launch of a Microsoft-branded iPod competitor. The device would be the latest attempt to chip away at the continued dominance of Apple in the space, and would be accompanied by a hand-in-glove, music software companion. A recent report in Reuters pointed to Robbie Bach, a major player within the Xbox division at Microsoft, as a contender to lead the project. Discussions and rumors have been circulating on a Microsoft bid for some time, driven by the inability of numerous partners to offer a serious threat to the iPod+iTunes stalwart. The latest iTunes competitor to emerge was Urge from MTV, which beta launched in May. That system plugs into the freshly-unveiled Windows Media Player 11, which delivers enhanced media management, device synchronization, and a competitive interface. But early reviews have been sour on the release, both on early-stage bugs and the overall strength of the play. The system is part of the Microsoft PlaysForSure network of compatible devices and services, though an incompatibility with the iPod is likely to create serious adoption problems. The MTV launch was timed with the release of the iRiver Clix, which offers an innovative click-screen approach and tiny form factor, though most iPod competitors have had difficulty gaining significant market share.» fonte: «More Chatter Bubbles on Microsoft-Branded iPod Killer», Digital Music News, 19;6,06 «Quem gosta de correr ou de caminhar para se manter em forma já muitas vezes se terá perguntado, afinal, quantos metros percorreu. A Nike e a Apple desenvolveram um sistema que permite responder. Os ténis comunicam com o iPod e este indica a distância que foi feita, a velocidade média e as calorias perdidas, tal como acontece nas passadeiras dos ginásios. A junção entre um bom par de ténis e um leitor de áudio portátil não é de agora, pois milhares de desportistas gostam de correr acompanhados da sua música preferida. Mas esta é a primeira vez que a maior marca de ténis e o principal fabricante de leitores de áudio portáteis se juntam para oferecer novas funcionalidades relacionadas com a prática de atletismo. O sistema chama-se Nike+iPod e a ligação entre os ténis da Nike e o Nano - o modelo mais pequeno dos iPod - é feita através de um transmissor que é colocado na sapatilha e de um receptor que é ligado ao iPod. O kit, que apenas inclui o transmissor e o receptor, estará disponível dentro de dois meses e deverá custar 29 dólares (cerca de 23 euros). O utilizador pode continuar a ouvir música enquanto tem o novo sistema ligado e até registar o seu desempenho em www.nikeplus.com, para poder depois consultar a sua evolução numa espécie de diário dos treinos. "Sabemos que estas duas marcas funcionam muito bem juntas", adiantou Trevor Edwards, vice-presidente da Nike para a gestão global da marca, citado pela BBC News. "Partilhamos o mesmo tipo de utilizadores", explicou. Esta não foi a primeira tentativa de ligação entre a Nike e uma empresa de electrónica de consumo, mas a experiência anterior, com a Philips, não foi bem sucedida. Tal como não é inédita a produção de roupas da Nike adaptadas aos iPod» fonte: Isabel Gorjão Santos, «Ténis Nike vão comunicar com o iPod e dizer ao utilizador quanto correu«, Público, 25/5/06 «Attempts by Sony to lure customers away from the iPod have so far been disappointing. By now, the story is a tired one. Sony’s lineup of Network Walkman portable MP3 players have failed to put a dent in the dominant iPod, and Sony Connect has mostly been met with lukewarm reviews and consumer indifference. But despite the setbacks, the company is keeping its head in the portable MP3 game. Last week, Sony SVP Takao Yuhura met with the press to announce the arrival the next iPod killer, as well as a new download service to replace Connect. Unfortunately, Yuhura offered no details on the upcoming player/service pairing, leaving pundits wondering whether Sony will be more competitive this time around. Meanwhile, one executive close to the situation told Digital Music News that a new lineup of players will not carry ATRAC-3 compatibility, though that information has not been corroborated by additional sources.
So what will the next generation of digital music services look like for Sony? A possible clue may come from another Sony service called LocationFree TV, which allows PlayStation Portable (PSP) owners to receive television programming and other content wirelessly and on-the-road, all from a home-based unit. Like the SlingBox from Sling Media, the concept is all about content ubiquity and portability, and Sony could expand the platform to include portable MP3 players. Meanwhile, Yuhura was vague on when the new players would appear, only indicating that they will go on sale sometime next year.» fonte: «Sony Targets iPod Once Again, New Strategy Emerges», Digoital Music News, Richard Menta, 1/5/06 Por um lado, o fenómeno iPod é demasiado importante para ser ignorado, por outro porque não potenciar as suas capacidades para associar a rádio? É o que faz a empresa norte-americana Griffin com este programa iFill: uma vez descarregado (custa 20 dolares mas há uma semana de experiência à borla), permite receber e gravar directamente no iPod as rádios com transmissão na internet. É uma ideia bem interessante: escolhe-se a rádio que passa a música que nos interesse, põe-se o ipod a gravar e de manhã é só ouvir! (pelo que percebi não utiliza o iTunes, mas se estiver errado corrijam-me por favor) «Apple posted another strong financial result for the quarter ending April 1st, with revenue topping .36 billion. That represents a 34 percent jump over the year-ago period, and the second-highest quarterly result for the company. The three-month period - which technically corresponds to the second fiscal quarter of 2006 for Apple - also saw robust iPod sales and strong overall profits. Specifically, Apple shifted 8,526,000 iPods in the period, a 61 percent surge over the year-ago quarter. And earnings surpassed 0 million, or $.47 per diluted share, a 41 percent rise» fonte: «Apple Posts Strong Quarterly Earnings, 8.5 Million iPods Sold», Digital Music News, 20/4/06 «Insiders at Taiwanese phone maker BenQ say that Apple procurement executives have been talking to various Taiwanese phone makers during the past few months in an effort to cut a manufacturing deal on an iPod Phone. They say that Apple will launch an iPod with phone functions within the next few months. "An iPod phone is definitely coming. BenQ will not be making it as we are in competition with Apple however several of our suppliers have been approached to manufacture parts. Among manufacturers in Taiwan it is common knowledge. The issue for many is the availabilty of parts if the phone takes off" said the BenQ executive. (...) Analysts believe that if Apple does come out with a music-playing cell phone, it will likely have the biggest impact on Motorola, the leading cell phone maker in the U.S. "Even a modest showing for an Apple multimedia cellphone could put a dent in Motorola’s profits," Barron’s says. "If Apple were to grab just 1% of the 900 million phones expected to be sold world». fonte: «iPod Phone Confirmed», SmartHouse, David Richards - Tuesday, 21 March 2006 [obrig E] «Quando o iPod chegou às prateleiras das lojas, em 2001, foi o primeiro leitor de áudio portátil digital com um disco rígido, na altura de cinco gigabytes (GB), uma capacidade que superava tudo o que havia no mercado.
Hoje, o iPod clássico tem duas versões, com 30 ou 60 GB, e o mais barato custa 319 euros. Para além disso, foram lançados outros dois modelos: o Shuffle, que é pequeno como uma caneta de memória que se liga ao computador, e o Nano, que foi lançado no ano passado, cabe no bolso da camisa e faz lembrar as caixinhas onde se guardam os cartões de visita. Este, na versão de dois GB, custa 208 euros. Também no ano passado foi lançado o iPod Vídeo, que é semelhante à versão clássica mas que permite ver os vídeos disponíveis na iTunes.
Na terça-feira, um artigo publicado no CNET News, um site dedicado às tecnologias, referia que o iPod levou muitas empresas a produzir acessórios e criou um mercado na ordem dos mil milhões de dólares. Atrás dos leitores vieram as capas, os auscultadores, ou os suportes e tudo isso ajudou a criar uma enorme legião de fãs.
Dois anos depois do iPod, em 2003, a Apple lançou a iTunes, que é hoje a maior loja de música na Internet, onde se podem descarregar ficheiros de áudio por 99 cêntimos. A quantidade de conteúdos disponíveis depende da iTunes a que se acede, uma vez que em cada país foi aberta uma loja diferente. Na iTunes norte-americana existem dois milhões de músicas, 3500 vídeos, 35 mil podcasts e 16 mil audiobooks, ou seja, livros cujo texto foi gravado em áudio e que agora podem ser ouvidos nos iPod.
A junção entre os iPod e a iTunes acabou por ser vital para a Apple, até porque esta optou por não disponibilizar a sua tecnologia de protecção anti-cópia e impediu que os ficheiros da iTunes pudessem ser descarregados para outros leitores de áudio portátil. Em resultado disso, os clientes da iTunes apenas podem copiar ficheiros para o computador, PC ou Macintosh, e para o iPod.
Essa medida da Apple começou a ser alvo de contestação quando, há duas semanas, o Parlamento francês votou uma proposta legislativa sobre direitos de autor. Nessa proposta era exigida a interoperabilidade entre os ficheiros da iTunes e os vários leitores de áudio portáteis, para além dos iPod. A Apple considerou que essa medida se traduziria em "pirataria patrocinada pelo Estado" e justificou com o facto de os iPod não deverem ser compatíveis com outros ficheiros de áudio que não estejam "adequadamente protegidos" quanto ao copyright.» (fonte: Isabel Gorjão Santos, «O leitor de música digital iPod tornou-se um fenómeno cultural», Público, 1/4/06, pág 3)
«Mercury Radio Research has released the results of a survey of 1,000 people conducted in Jan.-Feb. about HD Radio and the iPod. Given the choice between the two technologies at the same price, better than 50% preferred HD over the iPod. In polling men and women aged 12-54 of various ethnicities, Mercury gave participants a description of HD radio and asked for their preference versus iPods. Overall, 53% gave the thumbs up to HD, while 37% chose the iPod and 10% answered “don’t know.” Broken out, 18-34 adults chose HD by a 51% margin compared to 43% who selected iPods and 6% answering “don’t know.” HD led by 59% to iPod’s 28% in adults 25-54, with 13% of respondents answering “don’t know.”
More info on the study, including format breakouts are available at radiomarketingnexus.com» fonte: Billboard Radio Monitor, Report: HD Radio Preferred Over iPod, March 15, 2006, By Mike Boyle
«The iPod has been a runaway success in the United States, though the story is a bit mixed globally. Steve Jobs recently claimed a healthy 78 percent of the US-based market during the current quarter, though overseas markets have been less receptive. During a Monday SXSW panel on consumer digital behavior, Yahoo vice president of Corporate and Sales Research Michele Madansky pointed to an entirely different consumer in Asia. "The brand is far less important," Madansky said in reference to the portable MP3 market. That highlights an incredibly well-executed iPod marketing campaign in the United States, according to the Yahoo research executive. The cult of iPod is a dominant force among US consumers, and one that Apple cultivates well. But analysts also point to excellent device functionality as a major success contributor, typified by a smooth iTunes+iPod connection. And globally, the picture is actually solid overall. iPod market share has been pegged at about 55 percent worldwide, though figures differ. In Asia, the iPod has caught fire in Japan, though other markets are far less hooked. Those countries offer the greatest challenge to Apple moving forward. Meanwhile, the mobile phone remains an inseparable appendage for most Asian consumers, and that is already having an impact on the portable MP3 market. Most recently, Samsung introduced an 8GB, HDD-based phone, offering a glimpse at next-generation storage and convergence possibilities» (fonte: Digital, Music News, iPod Dominates in US, Asian Markets Harder to Crack, 14/3/06). «Radio may be going through a tough patch, but Regent CEO Bill Stakelin warned Wall Street analysts not to write off the sector - - or his company. He pointed to improving ad sales in several Regent markets. And he said there are exciting things happening for the radio industry. Stakelin said it is exciting that Apple's new iPod comes with an FM receiver included and exciting that Motorola's newest cell phone comes with an FM radio included. So, Regent will continue to work on building its business. However, he warned, "We are always at the mercy of our dumbest competitor."» (fonte: «Stakelin still sees exciting things for radio», RBRepaper, Volume 23, Issue 44, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher, Friday Morning March 3rd, 2006) « iPOD RADIO? (...) One device that could really help HD radio gain traction would be an HD-ready iPod -- which is a definite possibility, says Richard Doherty, director of consultancy Envisioneering Group in Seaford, N.Y. Here's why: On Jan. 10, Apple introduced its first iPod-related radio product, an FM remote for iPod nano and the fifth-generation iPod. The iPod Radio Remote, selling for , allows users to skip tracks, adjust the volume on iPods, and listen to FM radio stations. It could be a sign that Apple, long pressured to combine iPod with a radio service, has finally chosen its technological path.It's too early to say for sure, but signs suggest Apple will take the HD route (...)»"Três crianças, vestidas de iPod circularam na semana passada na Macworld, o evento anual da Apple em São Francisco, para divulgar o livro 'Cult of iPod' escrito pelo seu pai, o jornalista Leander Kahney, responsável pelo blog do mesmo nome na Wired. As crianças foram fotografadas, entrevistadas e ganharam brindes das empresas participantes. As crianças vestiam trajes feitos de papel. A menina usava roupa preta e peruca a imitar as silhuetas dos anúncios da televisão." "Crianças vestidas de iPod divulgam livro" Maria João Lima, Meios e Publicidade, 16 de Janeiro de 2006
(a partir do trabalho “iPod, a banda sonora do quotidiano”, de Rita Siza, na Pública de 14/8/05, págs. 44-51, alguns dados sobre a realidade indesmentível do iPod)
- 20 milhões de aparelhos vendidos em quase quatro anos;
- 11 milhões de norte-americanos têm iPods (11 por cento da população com mais de 18 anos) ou outro LDM;
- 27 por cento de norte-americanos (36 milhões de pessoas) utilizam a Internet para fazer downloads de música. E quase metade (43%) recorre aos serviços online (iTunes, Napster ou outro) para comprar música;
- o iTunes já vendeu meio bilião de músicas (a sua sucursal europeia, com um ano, 50 milhões de canções); Existem 17 subdivisões, entre as quais a portuguesa;
- já existem “comunidades de viciados” e noites “iPod jukebox” (uma espécie de karaoke só com músicas de iPods);
- centenas (milhares?) de páginas na Internet sobre o fenómeno nas suas diversas facetas;
- gerou negócios indirectos como i) o «podcasting»; ii) «iPodloaders» (que carregam o aparelho com um conjunto de canções teoricamente adaptadas à personalidade de cada um); iii) empresas que se dedicam a reverter para digital a colecção de CD ou vinis ou pelo menos um conjunto de discos/canções escolhidas (“copiar 150 CD para o iTunes requer cerca de 40 horas”);
- já existem vários estudos científicos acerca da cultura iPod (entre os quais os de Michael Bull, da Universidade de Sussex); (do mesmo trabalho de Rita Siza)
“Eu sempre tinha ignorado esta coisa dos iPods até o meu namorado me oferecer o Pistachio [muita gente opta por baptizar os iPods…]. De repente tinha um dispositivo que me permitia pôr música em todas as minhas actividades. Não só no trabalho, no trânsito, na sala de casa. Todas as minhas actividades diárias passaram a ter acompanhamento musical: pôr o lixo na rua, fazer ginástica, ir ao supermercado. E o iPod passou a fazer parte da minha indumentária, como se fosse um órgão externo transplantado para o meu corpo”. Michelle, 31 anos, analista numa empresa de telecomunicações.
“Para quem gosta de música e não quer ficar limitado ao circuito comercial, ditado pelas estações de rádio, pela MTV e pelas editoras, não restam grandes alternativas à Internet ou à rádio por satélite. Aqui [com o iPod] temos uma mistura de tudo isso. É a melhor maneira de descobrir coisas interessantes e me manter actualizado”, diz Michael Benson (“que já tem mais de 7 mil músicas no seu iPod” e é dono de um bar, em Washington DC, onde se realizam “noites de iPod dejaying”). A Grande Reportagem de sábado traz um trabalho desenvolvido (e bem informado) sobre o fenómeno do iPod (autor Luis M. Faria, páginas 52-55, edição nº 235).
Algumas ideias:
- é o melhor porque não há concorrência quem ofereça a mesma gama de serviços (embora não tenha sido o primeiro LDM a aparecer no mercado);
- também é uma moda, "em certos meios não se pode deixar de ter um" (e como moda pode durar pouco);
- há, por exemplo em Inglaterra, empresas que se dedicam a gravar os Cd ou vinis que temos em casa para iPods ou outros leitores digitais de música (isto para quem não tem tempo e quer ver-se livre dos discos);
- a desmaterialização das indústria musical "promete ser lenta e difícil, com os rendimentos a descer de ano para ano";
Finalmente: uma ideia muito próxima do âmbito deste trabalho - o iPod é inimigo da rádio! Porque é rival (desvia potenciais interessados em ouvir música, da rádio) e porque é muito exclusivista: ao contrário de outros LDM, não incorpora mais nenhum serviço, nomeadamente a rádio. Os iPods são responsáveis pelo aumento do numero de roubos no metro de Nova Iorque. Não há fios brancos nos ouvidos sem um ipod por baixo. Por isso a polícia pede atenção aos ipodianos….
É a Polícia de Nova Iorque que o diz: "don’t wear those iPod headphones":
Just in case you forgot that apparently rocking that iPod on the subway can get you in trouble with those of nefarious intent, the NYPD has apparently been handing out pamphlets with tips on iPod safety maneuvers:
TRANSIT SAFETY: DON’T BECOME A VICTIM! Keeping yourself and your belongings safe within the New York Transit System
LET’S STOP iPOD THEFT
* STAY ALERT
* KEEP YOUR iPOD… OUT OF SIGHT
* DON’T STAY BY TRAIN DOORS WHEN USING ELECTRONIC DEVICES
* BE ALERT FOR PICKPOCKETS WHEN LISTENING TO MUSIC
* CHANGE THE EARPIECE COLOR WHEN RIDING IN PUBLIC "Pois é, um novo espaço dedicado exclusivamente à cultura iPod nacional. Aqui poderão encontrar todo o tipo de noticias, informações, hacks, updates, passatempos, debates e ideias sobre os diversos iPods, e derivados. Queria apelar a todos os utilizadores que participem neste blog, pois ele é feito para vocês, por vocês!! :)" Nasceu em Março e está Aqui. Um trabalho desenvolvido no Correio da Manhãde hoje. "Depois do quase desaparecimento do obsoleto leitor de cassetes e de o leitor de CD estar a passar de moda, eis que a era digital nos traz o iPod. Um leitor de música apto a ler ficheiros mp3 e com capacidade para armazenar até 10 mil músicas, que pela leveza (158 gramas) é facilmente transportável." Mais duas notas deste trabalho: - "Para rivalizar com o iPod, lançado em 2003, as grandes multinacionais de telemóveis lançaram o contra-ataque de forma a não perder este nicho de mercado. A Nokia apresentou um novo modelo – ‘smartphone’ (o Nokia N91) – para assim concorrer com o iPod. O novo telemóvel da marca finlandesa permite guardar até 3 mil faixas, tirar fotografias, enviar emails e, claro, fazer chamadas." - "O fundador e presidente da Microsoft, Bill Gates, acredita que brevemente os telemóveis substituirão os leitores de MP3, como por exemplo o iPod." Etiquetas: Nokia, telemóveis, mp3, LAD a concorrência (Yahoo e RealNetworks Rhapsody To Go): "There’s a reason Apple Computer dominates the legal 99-cents-a-download digital music scene: It does it right. Apple’s iPods set the style and ease-of-use standards that other portable music players must try (so far unsuccessfully) to match. Its iTunes Music Store and iTunes software are equally unparalleled." De acordo com Eduard D. Baig, que escreve no Usa Today, o iTunes é simplesmente o melhor serviço (mais completo, mais funcional, mais eficaz). É Bill Gatesquem o diz! "I don’t think the success of the iPod can continue in the long term, however good Apple may be" Etiquetas: Microsoft Parece irreversível: passada a surpresa, há que bater o iPod da Apple com novos produtos, que juntem a reprodução digital de música com outros serviços. Este é mais um exemplo, com assinatura da Palm One (a empresa mãe dos PDAs). Mais caro, mas com mais funcionalidades. O ataque ao iPod começa por dentro: o aparelho está em crise, segundo este artigo do IHT."If someone as mainstream as Bush has caught on to something allegedly so hip, what can Apple do to keep iPod chic and cutting-edge?". Atenção a este dado: a Apple tem 75 por cento da quota de mercado mundial de aparelhos digitais de música.
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Transistor kills the radio star?
Um blogue de suporte a uma investigação sobre a rádio do futuro - ou o que quer que ela se venha a chamar...
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