Wednesday, September 10, 2008

No Camera


OK, so I was wrong, Apple made it through yesterday's iPod event without announcing the addition of a camera to the iPod Touch. I still think the enhancement is coming, to support the evolution of the Touch into a full-fledged mobile Web-enabled device and take advantage of its built-in WiFi capabilities. They went for the gamers in this product refresh, and certainly I'm not going to question the wisdom or the timing of the good people out there in Cupertino.


My little failed prediction aside, I have to say I continue to be amazed by how far these incredible products have come, really in just a few years. The new Nanos are unbelievable, and Santa is watching.

In our house, video-capable iPods have completely replaced the clunky and dreaded "portable DVD" devices we used to lug around with us on long drives with the kids, flights to Aruba, anywhere brief interludes of screen-based distraction could avert moments of hellish insanity reminiscent of Martin Sheen's experience sitting in that hotel room in Saigon, waiting for his next mission.

Invariably, the overpriced behemoth's battery would fail exactly when it was most needed, or the disc containing the only movie the kids' wanted to see would go missing at the bottom of a carry-on bag, or we'd get some kind of panic-inducing "Error" message, just after the flight attendants had passed by with the drinks cart and we'd made the catastrophic error of eschewing Dewar's for a Diet Coke.

No more. We're all about iPods and around-the-ear headphones for the girls' portable audio-video needs these days. Apple's gift to parents everywhere. Another one.

4 Comments:

Blogger Vanessa Shannon said...

Yes arent they fab. But, how do you get your girls to take care of their ipod? I cant tell you how many times I have found my 6 year olds shuffle laying in places it shouldnt be. I shudder to think what he would do with his very own nano......

9:20 AM  
Blogger Dad said...

We got Madison a Nano for Xmas last year, she was a few months away from turning 7 and the qualifying test was her ability to click-wheel her way to songs and videos on my iPod, which she passed with flying colors.

The thing has definitely been knocked around a bit, but it's still working just fine - great battery life and unbelievable video quality. Ava, who will be 6 in January, has been using my older video iPod on trips, she still can't find her way to the content she wants on her own, we typically cue up a video, lock the volume at an acceptable level and hand it to her, at which point she's transfixed by whatever is happening on the screen for as long as the selection lasts.

Not sure exactly what we're doing this holiday season in terms of updating the machinery, but it seems likely that we'll see Ava step up to an iPod of her very own. The indoctrination continues.

12:06 PM  
Blogger alisha said...

oh joy! Maybe you are back to your old blogging ways? I did miss it! Keep blogging!

3:02 PM  
Blogger @GiftedHand said...

ohhhh nice to see you got an award, well done , you writing is very inspiring, I only wish I was so eloquent. Its been some months since I last visited, it seems I have a to catch up on.

We need some magic for our 9hr flight to USA from London in 3weeks wit our 2 little girls, wo betide us if there isnt something on the chair tv they like! So weve been discussing wether to get a portable dvd , but thought not due to the short battery life, but to possibly buy an video iPod for our 5yr old, that I hadnt thought of?? How long does a charge last I wonder?

The only thing is that the 2yr old will want one too, as shes 2 going on 5, oh and me too , I soooo want an iPhone too!!!

oh I will have to re open discussions with he mans when he gets home later!

6:08 AM  

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