Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, Rumors, Other Events, Apple
Rumor: iPod networking in "The Circle"
Of all the rumors coming out around tomorrow's big Apple event, this one is the strangest: The Circle. Engadget has it on good authority (a.k.a. a French blog called "generation mp3") that Apple, in an ironic turn, will steal an idea from the Zune and start their own "social" concept, called The Circle.What exactly that entails, no one seems to know. Wifi sharing? Web radio? iPod-to-iPod connections? Steve will choose a new Lion King? Anything (and nothing) is on the table.
While it would be nice to see a way to transfer music and video between iPods, a closed concept like "The Circle" seems un-Apple, and so of all the unsubstantiated rumors, this seems the least substantiated. I have no doubt at all that we'll see a new iPod, and it's turning out to be pretty likely that both a touchscreen and a new Nano are going to appear, as well as a CoverFlow interface in one or both. But "The Circle"? Don't hold your breath. We'll find out tomorrow morning at noon central.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jb said 12:10AM on 9-05-2007
IFF there is any truth to this at all, PLEASE let them not use the word "social" anywhere in this context. The word is now tainted an unsettling color of brown.
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south said 12:36AM on 9-05-2007
"a closed concept like "The Circle" seems un-Apple,"
oh really? ;)
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Justin said 12:47AM on 9-05-2007
Thanks for using Central time.
-Wisconsinite
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Jeff said 12:55AM on 9-05-2007
Is it bad that the first thing I thought of when reading "The Circle" was a xeonphobic Bajoran terrorist group from "Deep Space Nine"?
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Eric said 1:09AM on 9-05-2007
Atleast this 'social' would be possible because everybody has an iPod that they can whip out. and its not poop colored.
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lakiolen said 1:40AM on 9-05-2007
Wouldn't The (Infinite) Loop make more sense, Apple-wise?
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Kalessin said 3:50AM on 9-05-2007
@4: Nice, but why would Bajorans be afraid of a high-speed Intel processor?
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Dave said 4:09AM on 9-05-2007
Oooh. This might be kinda cool. It would be fun to scroll around peoples pods and see what they got.
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Amit Bhowmik said 4:44AM on 9-05-2007
Ok so Apple is launching new iPods today. Will you still buy those or pick up the iPhone instead ??
Here are my views on what could be announced:
http://techtrod.wordpress.com/2007/09/05/apple-all-set-to-launch-new-ipods-today-so-will-you-buy-the-new-ipod-or-go-for-the-iphone/
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Neil Cochrane said 6:06AM on 9-05-2007
Heard about it a few years ago; it was called Bonjour then, maybe Rendezvous...
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artifex said 6:20AM on 9-05-2007
Apple asks, would you like to buy an O?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9vvKeaxfnE
:)
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basscadet said 8:57AM on 9-05-2007
wireless networking on any mp3 player would be ace. Zune implemented it and at the same time crippled it till it had no practical use. I fear ipods will have a similar fate (if it would ever be announced) as copyright problems would make it a pirate pod, target for all sorts of complaints. What would really be neat though, would be a wifi network support with "any" device that signals, not just ipods. Wishful thinking...
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Tony C said 8:59AM on 9-05-2007
Wasn't "The Circle" what MCI used to flog their "Friends & Family" calling plan way back when? I sincerely doubt Apple would resurrect something associated with cheezy commercials full of old Star Trek actors hawking long distance phone services. "Are you in the circle?"
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djc said 11:16AM on 9-05-2007
Well you can already "share" music between computers using iTunes - just turn it on in the preferences. I often find myself listening to someone else's library (connected to the same network in the same building).
So if it happens for iPods it's hardy a new idea for Apple. Just a new implementation.
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Michael said 12:17PM on 9-05-2007
Heh! As noted, it should be "The Loop."
So next time a politician says, "They're not in the loop." it'll be an instant advertisement for Apple. :D
At least something good would come out of it, anyway...
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