So, all the rumours of a ViPod (or Video iPod) were sort of right, MacRumors even managed to snag a pic ahead of time. There was also some other neat stuff like Front Row, an updated iMac and iTunes 6.
The new iPod seems cools, with video playback and a larger screen, but I wont be dumping my PSP in favour of the new iPod just because of the video capabilities any time soon. I still need to get a 1gig memory card for my PSP if I really want to watch movies on the move, the free Spiderman 2 UMD gives a nice taster and Ive got plenty of Family Guy, Mighty Boosh or Nighty Night episodes Id like to have on-the-move. Buy a new iPod for it though? I dont think so. The new iPod feels like Apple have effectively upgraded the iPod screen and thought, "Hmm, we can play video on this too", so they added that. Not a bad idea in my opinion.
The new iMac follows the exemplary design traditions of the iMac family and adds Front Row and a built-in iSight camera and no doubt some under-the-hood updates, processor and such. Front Row looks like its basically a media centre interface for the Mac with easy access to iTunes, iPhoto and Movies and funky remote. I would really like to be able to download the Front Row software and maybe even buy the remote, though Im not too sure how it works, maybe irda, no idea. the addition of iSight as standard should hopefully spur some more 3rd party video conferencing apps and what not, though I confess I dont have an iSight, Id like one, but I suspect like many others I dont know anyone with one.
I am currently downloading and installing iTunes 6 so Ive yet to see if there's any interface tweaks (I doubt it) but the video purchasing of music videos and TV shows seems like a VERY good progression. Hopefully there will be some UK TV shows up pretty smartish to have a play with, but I suspect I wont be dumping UKNova for a while yet.
All in all, not a bad set of announcements, Im looking forward to playing with some of these at the UK Mac Expo at the end of this month. I expect a stream of the show on the Quicktime site at some point soon. Here it is.
