Apple announced the launch of the new iPod and ceo Steve Jobs revealed that full-length features from The Walt Disney Co. would soon be sold over the Internet, reports BLOOMBERG. New Disney releases would cost $14.99; catalog titles would be offered for $9.99.
The new iPod is available in a 30GB model at the new low price of $249 and an 80GB model, which holds up to 20,000 songs or 100 hours of video, for $349. Time Warner Inc.'s AOL unit and Web retailer Amazon.com Inc. previously announced deals with several studios to sell or rent features.
Apple also announced that it would also start selling games on iTunes for $4.99, and introduced new iPod Nano models with storage of as much as 8GB. The new Nanos will sell for $149, $199 and $249. A new iPod Shuffle will have 1GB of storage and sell for $79.
The new iPod features a 60 % brighter and more vibrant 2.5-inch color display. The new iPod features seamless integration with iTunes 7 and the iTunes Store, which now includes more than 75 Hollywood movies, 220 television shows and popular videogames designed specifically for the fifth generation iPod.
"The world's best digital music player has evolved into the world's most popular portable video player too," said Jobs. "The new iPod's brighter and more vibrant display and longer battery life make it perfect for watching Hollywood movies and TV shows right in the palm of your hand."
The new iPod features Apple's patented Click Wheel for precise, one-handed navigation, and is seamlessly integrated with iTunes 7, which now features gapless playback for enjoying albums the way they were intended to be listened to. iPod's new Search and Quick Scroll feature makes it even easier for music fans to find exactly what they are looking for and Apple's patent pending Auto-Sync technology automatically downloads digital music, podcasts, photos, audiobooks, movies, music videos and popular TV shows onto the iPod and keeps them up-to-date whenever the iPod is plugged into a Mac or Windows computer.
With its stunning high-resolution color display, iPod allows users to view album art and photo slideshows while playing music, or watch video and play games in full color. Popular video games designed specifically for the fifth generation iPod include: BEJEWELED, CUBIS 2, MAHJONG, MINI GOLF, PAC-MAN, TETRIS, TEXAS HOLD'EM, VORTEX and ZUMA, and are available for purchase on the iTunes Store.
The 30GB model features up to 14 hours of battery life for music playback and up to three-and-a-half hours of video playback, and the 80GB model features up to 20 hours of battery life for music playback and six-and-a-half hours of video playback. The new iPod features brightness control allowing users to easily change the brightness.
Apple (www.apple.com) ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
