Rumor: iPod mini with flash and color screen

[Alexander Turcic]

Our favorite Apple rumor machine Think Secret claims that Apple's iPod mini will soon lose its harddrive in favor of 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB flash media. Prices could be around $199, $249 and $299, respectively. The new release will be 20 to 25 percent smaller than the current version, and also feature a color screen. More details over at Think Secret.

[Brian]

It's now official, and it's called the iPod Nano.

Technical Specifications:
iPod nano
Capacity

* 2GB or 4GB flash drive(1)
* Holds 500 to 1,000 songs in 128-Kbps AAC format(2)
* Stores data via USB flash drive

Display

* 1.5 inch (diagonal) liquid crystal display with blue-white LED backlight
* 176 x 132 pixel resolution, .168-mm dot pitch
* Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

Audio

* Skip-free playback
* Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
* Audio formats supported: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Music Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF and WAV
* Upgradable firmware enables support for future audio formats

Headphones

* Earbud-style headphones with 18-mm drivers using Neodymium transducer magnets
* Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
* Impedance: 32 ohms

[Antoine of MMM]

Nice design, mos def a rip-off of the RAZR philosophy. Makes me think at least 1GB of flash would be in a PDA this fall though.

OT: where do yall get those avatars, I want one of me like those

[Pride Of Lions]

There's no reason why a PDA couldn't have more massive flash storage. I bet Tapwave would've pushed the envelope if they had stayed around. I still bet that we'll be hamstrung with a "massive" 256MB or something.

OT: I think they was a fire sale group discount over at avatars.com (or something.) Could it be a really strange bit of coincidence? Serendipity?
POL9A

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by Pride Of Lions

OT: I think they was a fire sale group discount over at avatars.com (or something.)

Actually not even close Have a look here...

[doctorow]

Originally Posted by Antoine of MMM

Nice design, mos def a rip-off of the RAZR philosophy. Makes me think at least 1GB of flash would be in a PDA this fall though.

Ditto. Rip-off perhaps, but still beautiful design. If I hadn't only bought the iPod mini recently...

[Laurens]

Originally Posted by Antoine of MMM

Makes me think at least 1GB of flash would be in a PDA this fall though.

Will microdrives still be viable in PDA's now that flash memory is becoming cheaper and cheaper? Sure, microdrives will still be cheaper in higher capacities, but 4Gb of storage is more than enough for me.

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by Laurens

Will microdrives still be viable in PDA's now that flash memory is becoming cheaper and cheaper? Sure, microdrives will still be cheaper in higher capacities, but 4Gb of storage is more than enough for me.

I'd always go for flash memory instead of microdrives. Flash = less battery consumption, faster and more reliable.

[Laurens]

Review by Ars Technica. Includes a stress test with photos.