The latest in iPods – iPod video
The latest in iPods – iPod video
IPods have been a great market hit since their appearance in 2001, almost 5 years ago. Since listening to music is one of the favorite activities of today’s individuals, the constant evolution of this device was an important request, so the new product presented a diverse range of new features, accessories and capacities. The iPod evolved from a simple and basic music player to a sum of music player, recorder, and photo viewer and now to a both music and video device.
The most important new feature of the latest generation of iPods, meaning the 5th generation, is the video. Basically, these inventive and technologically advanced, yet small devices support both MPEG-4 and H.264 videos at significantly high resolutions, which are not far from a VSH tape. Actually, in more precise terms, the H.264 codec can play video at frame rates up to 30 frames per second, video bit rates as high as 768 kilobits per second and pictures as big as 320 pixels wide by 240 pixels high. Comparing the iPod video with the TV 27 FPS or the movies 24 FPS, it is obvious that the small device it is much better. Regarding the audio qualities, comparing to a CD quality, the iPod video is superior. On the other hand, the MPEG-4 video supports a bit rate of 2,500 kilobits per second and pictures as big as 480 pixels wide by 480 pixels high, meaning three times the size of the actual screen (in comparison with the H.264 video, which supports pictures the same size as the screen pf the iPod).
The reviews on this item are so far, excellent – the quality of the motion images is great, with almost perfect colors, even when the device is connected to a TV set in order to watch a video. Even more, watching the videos on the actual iPod is possible due to a larger screen, which also allows the high visibility of sharp texts and photos. Still, even though the battery is claimed to last around 20 hours, which is an evolution since the last iPod model, the battery is much rapidly consumed when watching videos.
The range of improvements since the last model of iPod is impressive: the new video iPod comes with a new design, but in the same black and white colors and with a new set of accessories, which range from world clock, smaller earphones and a thinner slipcase to AC adapter and FireWire cable. Concerning the new package design, the iPod video comes with a new look: the box is flat and in a square shape; the color of the new box is black with silver accents, such as the Apple logo and the text.
The latest generation of iPods surprised the market in many ways: from the video capacities to the other improved features since the last model in 2005 and from the design and package changes to the wide and evolved range of accessories that are available together with the new iPod video. The evolution of the iPod shows an increased interest in constantly developing this device and always considering the needs and desires of the consumer. It is expected that the next generation of iPods to be even more optimized, with a lot of changes in the video settings and a longer capacity of the battery when watching videos.
The advertising campaigns of iPod and iPod video
The advertising campaigns of iPod and iPod video
The ipod presents, besides an interesting technical evolution, an original and innovative way of promoting and advertising, which differs in style and slogans from the first ads of the first generation of iPods, to the most recent iPod video advertising campaigns.
The first campaigns concentrated upon the new product promoted both the iPod and iTunes brands. These advertising campaigns were leaded by the slogan A thousand songs, in your pocket, which was launched in November 2001. The colors which were selected for the first iPod campaigns were brisk and full of live: turquoise, cyclamen, bright grass green and other joyful nuances were chosen to represent the idea of both music and video, meaning both visual and auditory sensations. The wrap advertising was used, at the same time with the other and more traditional types of BTL advertising: there were various light rail wraps in busy centers or midtowns, using the same visual message as the banners. Large banners and billboards were displayed in various busy centers, with high visibility. The promotion was intense, forward and dynamic, with only intense and optimum quality for all the elements: the colors were vivid, the actual ads were large and the represented images were dynamic. The TV ads were concentrated upon the idea of music, dancing and mobility and the text of these was just limited to the slogan of the product and of the Apple brand (Think clear).
In 2003, the new advertising campaign that Apple introduced was due to the conjunction with the launch of the iTunes music store. The campaign concentrated mostly on the interpretation of popular songs by different persons wearing iPods. This campaign was a big hit, due to the fact that it was based on famous pop, rock and hip hop songs, belonging to artists such as Eminem or Pink.
Later that year, in October 2003, iPod released a new series of ads, based on the silhouette campaign, which was the base for most of the print ads, like banners, billboards and wraps, even from the appearance of the first generation of iPods: the images basically showed black silhouettes of people dancing while wearing iPods. This new campaign was realized based on the same intense colors and dynamic images like the first campaign. Even more, the success of the campaign was owed to the popularity of the performed music, such as The Vines’ Ride, The Caesars’ Jerk it Out, Gorillaz’ Feel Good Inc., Steriogram’s Walkie-Talkie Man, Jet’s Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Propellerheads’ Take California, Ozomatli’s Saturday Night, N*E*R*D’s Rock Star (Jason Nevin’s Mix), Franz Ferdinand’s Take Me Out or Daft Punk’s Technologic.
With the release of the new iPod video, the image of the product and its promotion began to change. The slogan of the new product was One more thing…, meaning the new and expected video feature, which was a big plus comparing with the latest model of 2005. The ads for this new product were focused on the video playing capabilities of the device. Actually, the ad featured U2’s Original of the Species from the Vertigo: Live From Chicago DVD. Based on the same idea, there were 2 more videos which featured Eminem and Wynton Marsalis. Still, at the same time, the ad which was presenting the dancing silhouettes continued, but it was modified into something more representative for the new video device: the backgrounds were not simple vivid colors anymore, they were textured and had various patterns, symbolizing the evolution concerning the image and the video properties of the new model of iPod. The 2 variants of the videos featuring the 2 popular artists ranged from an orange urban theme of the hip hop music to a cool blue one of the jazz look.
The latest iPod ad, released in March 2006 is not based on the silhouette style anymore; instead, the producers opted for a video showing various CD covers, integrating in an iPod nano, under the same older slogan A thousand songs, in your pocket.
Comparison between the play station portable and the iPod video
Comparison between the play station portable and the iPod video
The new iPod video was one of the most surprising products of 2006, due to the fact that iPods didn’t include the video feature, since the launching of the 5th generation of iPods in 2005.
Still, the natural comparison the customers (and not only) made was the one between the play station portable, also known as the PSP and the new model of the iPod series. PSP is basically a handheld game console which was produced by the company Sony Computer Entertainment, back in 2004. The public’s reactions to this new device which was rather different than almost everything on the market was very good, due to the fact that the small device allowed customers to play famous games, and, at the same time, watch clips.
Comparing the batteries of these 2 devices or, better said, the life of the batteries, it is a fact that the PSP device lasted much longer than the iPod. While playing a movie, the battery of the iPod dies after almost 2 hours and a half, while the PSP battery lasts up to more than 7 hours, which is a big plus.
Comparing the audio quality, it must be said the fact that both the devices provide a good audio quality; still, the iPod video turned out to provide a slightly clearer sound than the play station portable. This is due to the act that the audio in the iPod video file is encoded into AAC audio. On the other hand, the PSP seemed to have more bass in some cases, but overall, the difference was not that relevant and significant. The video quality of the 2 devices is another subject worthy to discuss and debate upon. It is known the fact that the PSP has a much larger screen. Even so, in this case, the large size advantage does not equal a better picture: the iPod manages to show a very sharp picture and sharp and clear text (even long ones). On the other hand, when discussing the difference in the video conversation, the fact is that a video iPod takes around 12 hours to encode a video, while the play station portable only needs a bit under 3 hours to do the same thing.
Comparing the 2 devices, it is obvious that they both have advantages and some flaws. Even though the video quality seems better on the iPod video device, the PSP presents a longer life of the battery and faster ways to encode videos. Still, the iPod is a smaller device, so it is natural that some features are not that optimized as in the case of the PSP. Even more, due to the fact that it is smaller, the iPod is much easier to transport and to use in various occasions. The studies even showed the fact that both items are sold mostly in vacation periods, meaning the fact that the customers use them as an entertainment item in their both summer and winter holidays.
The 2 devices, even though they are similar in many ways of their practical usage, present both pros and cons or advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the customer’s needs and desires, they can choose the one that best fits their necessity, available time or quality expectations.
