Apple is announcing the next version of the iPod in tomorrow's Newsweek. It has a new iPod mini-like scroll wheel as expected. the next-gen iPod is supposed to have a battery life of 12 hours, roughly a 50% improvement over current models, is one millimeter thinner, new menus, multiple playlists, a variable speed control for playing songs faster or slower (iPod DJs are gonna love this), and drop in price of a hundred bucks (the 40GB will cost $399, the 20GB will cost $299, and there won't be a 15GB model). No 60GB model, apparently, though that could change in a couple of months when Toshiba's new drives start shipping It will be interesting to see if the new iPod improves on some of the alternatives I previously discussed. A great alternative though would be the New Creative Zen MP3 player
MSNBC July 18, 2004
Newsweek July 26, 2004