Granted, some of us have found ways to convert our own DVDs into files that we could then upload to our iPods, but Apple is now making the process much easier.
In addition to upgrades and improvements to iPod, Nano and Shuffle, Apple announced Tuesday that the iTunes Movie Store is now open for business:
With more than 70 movies available today, and many more to come, you should not have any problem filling up all that hard drive space. Movies are going to run you $14.99 for new releases, $12.99 for pre-orders, and $9.99 if you can wait a week after it’s released to download it. The iTunes movies can only be viewed on your iPod or in iTunes. You will not be able to burn them to DVD or share them. Also, they will be in 640×480 resolution, which is near DVD quality but not quite. I think Apple is headed in the right direction here but only being able to get 640×480 resolution when HD-DVD is on the horizon and only being able to watch them in iTunes and your iPod are both drawbacks.
Apple also announced that iTV will be launched Q1 2007:
…the concept here is that you can connect your current TV, be it traditional or HDTV, to this box and you will then be able to access everything in your iPod or in iTunes wirelessly. With component video, HDMI, optical audio and RCA-style stereo audio ports, you should be able to connect this to any TV. The iTV also has an Ethernet port, 802.11 wireless connectivity, and a power cable.
Some other highlights:
iPod generation 5.5: $50 price drop, longer-lasting battery, brighter screen, game integration, text-based search, gapless playback, 80GB model available
Nano 2G: text-based search, gapless playback, smaller size, better battery, more color options, 2 GB, 4 GB and 8 GB models
Shuffle 2G: smaller (1.6 inches long and weighs about half an ounce), built-in clip, 1 GB for only $79
iTunes 7.0: different layout, 3 new views (including the sweet “Cover Flow”), gapless playback, replaces missing cover art
For complete analysis of these changes, click here.
