I downloaded the latest firmware for my iPod Classic 80 GB and as soon as it was installed on my iPod, it no longer turned on. Ouch. I was excited about the new movie rental option and now my iPod is broken.

I wonder if this firmware was rushed out in order to make it available in time for the Steve Jobs keynote.

The good news is the iPod is still under warranty. The bad news is that I am going to be without an iPod for the next week.

I am a HEAVY iPod user. I use it everyday, and it is going to be missed. With the writer’s strike going on in Hollywood it is where I get all my entertainment.

Am I the only one who is having these problems or is it more widespread?

One of the biggest complaints about the iPhone is its recessed headphone jack. It is back inside a hole which prevents users from using the type of headphones they choose.

iPods normally come with decent headphones, but most people end up purchasing a new set that better meets their needs.

After watching all the coverage of the iPod Touch release, one question remained. Did Apple make the same mistake with the Touch as it did with the iPhone.

Engadget posted a hands-on earlier today that seems to answer the question. This picture of the bottom half of the iPod Touch appears to have the standard iPod headphones plugged in. That is great news!!!

Guided Tour Of The New iPod touch

CrunchDeals: iPhone Owners Can Get a Refund

Here are my initial thoughts about the new iPods.

1) The new colors are nice
2) I am happy to see that they are keeping their “Classic” line of iPods that are hard drive based for those music heads that have a ton of music in their collection
3) iPodtouch - generally I like it. It is cool, and way less expensive than the iPhone which now suddenly seems outrageously over-priced. I think it is hilarious that you can have an iPhone for half the price and only miss the phone (which you can get for free from any carrier).

Update:
I wrote number 3 before the announcement of the iPhone price drop…good show…

I am disappointed in the size of storage in the iPodtouch. 8GB and 16GB is simply not enough space.

4) The partnership with Starbucks … So what!!!

Hold onto your hats kiddies… Here we go. I have at least 2 tabs up and refreshing to keep track of Steve Jobs keynote…. and I am crossing my fingers that there is a kicking new iPod… I needs me an update.

Special thanks to Crunchgear.com for the Pic
New Product Rundown

• Ringtones Custom-made through iTunes
• Complete Refresh of the iPod line
• Shuffle:
  • New colors: maroon, silver, purple, teal, light green and a Red version…
• Nano
  • Now plays video - and by the way…it is the short “phatty” design that was leaked 2 weeks ago on Engadget.
  • Coverflow on Nano
  • Games on Nano
• New Product Line iPod Classic
  —–New in name and capacity only———
  • 80GB for $249, 160GB for $349
  • The iPod you have always known and loved…
  • Longer Battery Life
  • Larger Capacity
  • Now with a Fully Metal Case
  • AVAILABLE TODAY!
• New Product Line iPod Touch
  —–Looks exactly like the iPhone minus the ear hole at the top———
  • 8GB for $299 and 16GB for $399
  • –>Not immediately available<–
  • 8 mm
  • Touchscreen
  • Looks like iPhone
  • Coverflow
  • Button Interface just like iPhone
  • WiFi
  • Smartphone functionality without the phone…sorry AT&T.
    • Clock
    • Calculator
    • Calendar
    • etc.
  • Safari Web-browser
  • You Tube — *yawn*
  • 22 hours audio playback
  • 5 hours video playback
  • 3.5 inch widescreen display
  • Multitouch

• iTunes Now Available Over WiFi…Preview and buy new songs right on your iPhone and iPodtouch
• iPhone Price Drop
  • No more 4GB iPhone
  • 8GB now$399

New iPods will be announced tomorrow, and none-to-early for me. Currently I have a fourth generation iPod that is on its last legs. Many times, I will be listening to a song or podcast and halfway through, it will simply skip to the next song. At other times, I will navigate to a song and my iPod takes forever to finally start playing. While it is searching, you can hear audible clicking as my hard drive tries and tries to find the MP3 file.I don’t know how long it will hold out. Hopefully long enough for me to save up the green to purchase one of the new iPods.

I hope the new iPods are cool….ie. have enough storage for my music collection. Apple has been edging ever closer to using just flash memory in its iPods. Right now, 8GB isn’t enough for me, and I don’t want to spend $499 to get 20GB. Also, the 5th generation iPod was the completely perfected version of the original iPod. It was as good as that form factor would ever get. I have a sneaking suspicion that the new iPod will be the first second (iPhone) generation of a new iPod interface. I don’t want to buy this one and have it be completely out-done by the 7th gen… but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Whatever the form factor, I will probably be getting one.