Filed under: iPod Family
Hands on with the "new" iPod 60GB
So, I went ahead and bought one. The 60GB iPod, which used to be the 60GB iPod photo, is currently connected to my 12-inch Powerbook, as is my old 40GB iPod, and all the songs from the 40GB iPod and all the songs in my Library are currently being copied directly to the new iPod 60GB. It's up to about 700 of 5,490 tracks.I mean, it is straight iPod to iPod action. How am I doing this? Through iTunes. One is connected via Firewire and the other via USB 2.0. Oh, you mean you want to know how I'm getting iTunes to do this? Oh, well, I'll get to that later today. But for now, let's take a brief tour of the "new" iPod 60GB.
I've uploaded a Flickr set to the TUAW Flickr page taken with my Nokia 3650's built-in camera that you can check out, showing the packaging and the unpacking of the new iPod. Check after the jump for more info...
None of the packaging or the included materials (manual, etc.) make any mention whatsoever of the once-upon-a-time iPod photo. Everything is now iPod. So we have new packaging and new lower price. The back of the box features a shot of the iPod playing "Hey Mama" by the Black Eyed Peas. As soon as I saw this, the song became embedded in my head, repeating in an eternally annoying loop of the chorus, so I thought I'd share in the hopes of infecting all of you with the song and getting it out of my head. As soon as the iPods finish exchanging songs (up to 2250 transferred so far), I'll play something else.
Inside the box, you have the normal peripherals. Headphones with the little sliding choker that has been coming with all the new iPods since the iPod shuffle was announced. USB sync cable and a USB power brick. I wonder if I can charge my PSP off of this too...
When I started up the iPod, I found that it doesn't come with podcasting support and version 1.2 of the software preloaded. It's still running 1.1, so one of the first orders of business was plugging it into my Mac and running the update. After iTunes placed the update on the iPod, it told me I had to plug it in to the power brick and into the wall for the update to complete. Is this new? In any case, it struck me as odd.
When I originally replaced my 15GB 3G iPod with my 40GB 4G iPod, I was taken somewhat aback by how much thicker and heavier the 40GB was than the 15GB, and I experienced the same "whoa" with the 60GB. It is noticeably thicker than the 40GB, and a bit heavier. I would guess it is twice as thick as the 15GB. However, it cannot really be that bad, as it still fits in the case that was designed for my 40GB iPod, albeit more snugly.
The model number on the box and the device is M9830LL/A, which means it's the same exact iPod as the iPod photo. This identifies the 60GB iPod photo as also being known as the "iPod with color display," although the page hasn't been updated with any info about the new 20GB version of the color version of the U2 iPod.
Move along. Nothing to see here.
Inside the box, you have the normal peripherals. Headphones with the little sliding choker that has been coming with all the new iPods since the iPod shuffle was announced. USB sync cable and a USB power brick. I wonder if I can charge my PSP off of this too...
When I started up the iPod, I found that it doesn't come with podcasting support and version 1.2 of the software preloaded. It's still running 1.1, so one of the first orders of business was plugging it into my Mac and running the update. After iTunes placed the update on the iPod, it told me I had to plug it in to the power brick and into the wall for the update to complete. Is this new? In any case, it struck me as odd.
When I originally replaced my 15GB 3G iPod with my 40GB 4G iPod, I was taken somewhat aback by how much thicker and heavier the 40GB was than the 15GB, and I experienced the same "whoa" with the 60GB. It is noticeably thicker than the 40GB, and a bit heavier. I would guess it is twice as thick as the 15GB. However, it cannot really be that bad, as it still fits in the case that was designed for my 40GB iPod, albeit more snugly.
The model number on the box and the device is M9830LL/A, which means it's the same exact iPod as the iPod photo. This identifies the 60GB iPod photo as also being known as the "iPod with color display," although the page hasn't been updated with any info about the new 20GB version of the color version of the U2 iPod.
Move along. Nothing to see here.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Brian said 1:29PM on 6-30-2005
The need to plug in after a reset is not new. I reset about 4 ipods a day so I am very familiar with that.
Reply
Akshat said 1:31PM on 6-30-2005
You mentioned the fact that you have plug in to the power brick after an update. For me, that has always been the case with the 40GB iPod that I have. It's annoying, especially when you keep your wall charger at work and you update the firmware at home. I wonder if the minis have the same problem, because now they don't even come with a charger at all.
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Aron T said 2:18PM on 6-30-2005
Ya know C.K., as much as I loved the photos, I don't think i'm alone in wondering why someone who owns a D70 would use their camera phone to photograph a momentous occasion.
=aron=
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Henry said 1:44PM on 6-30-2005
Can the new iPod still be powered by a firewire cable?
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Michael Katz said 1:43PM on 6-30-2005
The iPods only seem to ask me to plug it in if I use it via USB, if used via firewire, there is no request to plug it in, I suspect it's because the USB can't provide the same power as the firewire.
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Michael Katz said 1:46PM on 6-30-2005
Askat I suspect the mini does not have that issue since the mini uses a hard drive that needs less power which the USB port can provide. The larger hard drive needs more power and the USB port cannot provide it.
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Raghav said 2:01PM on 6-30-2005
Every time I've tried to update my 1G Mini via USB, I've had to plug it into the wall, which, like Akshat mentioned, is annoying when the two cables aren't in the same place.
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Dev said 2:04PM on 6-30-2005
Does the iPod-to-iPod action (which sounds dirty no matter how you say it) have anything to do with the bit in iTunes which now shows you which playlists are set on your iPod? I don't think I've seen the reason for this new feature covered yet, and since you can't play songs directly off your iPod through iTunes, didn't knwo what the foosh it did.
Oh... Hi, C.K.
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Akshat said 2:12PM on 6-30-2005
Hmmm, differing information from Raghav and Michael Katz. It really doesn't matter either way for 1G Minis because they come with a power adapter. How about the 2G Minis? I can imagine a lot of people would be pissed if they had to buy a $30 power adapter just to upgrade the firmware. I wonder if there's a difference in available power over USB on a Mac vs. a PC.
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Mike said 3:05PM on 6-30-2005
If you do the update using firewire it wont ask you to plug it into an external source. Only when you use the USB does it ask to be plugged into the outlet.
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Tony said 3:07PM on 6-30-2005
Akshat,
Bought an iPod mini on Sunday. Updated it yesterday. It did not ask to be plugged into anything other than the standard USB plug. The manual does say that, if you are using your iPod with a laptop, you should have the laptop connected to its AC adapter in order to charge the iPod mini via USB.
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Maxim Blinder said 3:16PM on 6-30-2005
the plugging in bit makes sense... if the usb doesn't have enough power to keep the ipod alive, apple wants to make sure that it doesn't run out of juice in the middle of a firmware upgrade... that could be catastrophic. firewire has enough power, so no problem, but when using usb, the data must be copied to a buffer, and them applied when it's plugged it..
but i'm just guessing, neither of my 3g nor 4g 40gig firewire ipods have ever had to be plugged in when updating :)
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DukeTogo said 3:16PM on 6-30-2005
The power requirement when you update the iPod firmware is very likely for YOUR protection.
If a firmware update failed due to power issues, then you'd be walking around with a big white walnut-masher instead of a cool digital audio player. ie. the iPod would be dead
Requiring you to plug into the wall (or apparently FireWire) is just one step Apple likely takes to minimize that situation. Presumably it also saves them having to deal with half-baked firmware-fried iPods.
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C.K. Sample, III said 3:27PM on 6-30-2005
Dev, you can play the songs on your iPod in iTunes if you have it set to manual rather than auto-sync.
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iFelix said 10:51AM on 7-01-2005
So.... can I ask... how many of those um 5,490 tracks are legit?
All I presume?
Not that you can actually answer in a public place, you never know who may be reading...
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C.K. Sample, III said 5:12PM on 6-30-2005
iFelix, all are legit, with the exception of DJ Danger Mouse's The Grey Album, which The Beatles will sue me for if they happen to read this.
I used to work for two different CD stores back in college so I have a very large collection of CDs and I am basically a music-holic. I buy an average of 1 new album a week, too. I am the music industry's best customer and they still try to destroy me with DRM. This is why I hate them.
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Jan said 5:23PM on 6-30-2005
How did you manage to make iTunes copy your Music from
one ipod to the other? You promise the link but I cannot find
it!
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Jan said 5:23PM on 6-30-2005
How did you manage to make iTunes copy your Music from
one ipod to the other? You promise the link but I cannot find
it!
Reply
C.K. Sample, III said 5:39PM on 6-30-2005
Jan: http://www.tuaw.com/2005/06/30/copy-one-ipod-to-another/
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Billy K said 8:20PM on 6-30-2005
This is sad. Really sad. I will never forget the experience of unpacking my 3G 20gb iPod. It was the coolest packaging I've ever seen.
This is shite.
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