ThinkSecret reports some new details about Apple reorganization in two divisions (Macintosh and iPod). Longtime hardware developer Steve Sakoman, a former Palm and Be executive, had rejoined Apple Computer as a vice president and now he will lead iPod software development. Mr Sakoman was involved in the Mac II development and was the main guy behind the creation of the Newton. At Be, he designed the first generation H0bbit-based BeBox (the one that had 5 AT&T chips), back in the early days of Be. He later left and when he came back became Be’s CTO and then PalmSource’s exec.
Steve Sakoman will Lead iPod Software Development
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According to another rumor site, AppleInsider, the microchip Apple plans to use in its 4th generation iPod will not only allow for hardware decoding of MPEG-4/AAC, but will also boast several encode capabilities. Along with its rumored color screen, the new iPod will also allow users manage or preview photos on the iPod display or TV screen via the “Home on iPod” technology thanks to a greatly advanced dock connector.
Until now, it have seemed improbable that iPod could ever evolve into an iPDA but with the father of Newton coming back home, it is more than a possibility.
I hope not. With cell phones getting PDA capabilities, the PDA market is quickly becoming obsolete.
If Apple makes a new Newton then they’re shooting themselves in the foot. It would be an incredibly stupid move at this point in the industry.
I personally would buy a Newton-like product from Apple now.
There is no doubt about steve sakoman’s talent. But there can also be no doubt about his lack of commercial success. Pretty much everything he has touched has been a commercial flop. That is not necessarily his fault but its still true.
Then again Steve sakoman’s involvement suggests we could see some interesting devices. Jobs has traditionally had a very good ability to gage what the market will accept so the combination could yield some amazing things.
What about a non-compete? It sounds like he’ll be competing directly with palm.
So how long till their is a webcam in his office looking out onto gloomy skys for over a year. That was depressing.
I hope him the best, but I though Steve Jobs hated everything Sakomon ever did so he killed it all. Seams odd to give him a devision.
What is JLG up to these days?
>What is JLG up to these days?
He’s a venture capitalist.
how ironic for a guy who’s baby, Be flopped.
“I hope not. With cell phones getting PDA capabilities, the PDA market is quickly becoming obsolete.”
I agree… but not at all! 😀
There is a particular kind of non-phone PDA that it has ever more success: Wi-Fi PDA.
Can anyone remember me which is the firt computer group that it introdused the IEEE 802.11b and -g by the names of Airport and AirportExtreme? I keep a fruit in my mind… Do you know why? X-D
I’m waiting for a “Wi-Pod”! 😀
“how ironic for a guy who’s baby, Be flopped.”
how is that ironic, flopping is a fact of life in venture cap world. Also Be died, didn’t flop. To flop you have to have never had any momentum or anything go for you. Be did make progress and was gaining ground, then died, their is a differance.
Segway, now thats a flop.
i’d also buy a pda from apple. i guess Newton is back, finally!!!!
i can taste it!
-2501
Why not just put quicktime and iTunes on a Palm and call it a day.
“how ironic for a guy who’s baby, Be flopped.”
how is that ironic, flopping is a fact of life in venture cap world. Also Be died, didn’t flop. To flop you have to have never had any momentum or anything go for you. Be did make progress and was gaining ground, then died, their is a differance.
Making progress? they had next to no third party vendors; need I remind one that they may as well give up if they don’t have atleast one of the big three onboard. who are they? Adobe, Macromedia and Microsoft. If you get atleast *one* vendor on board, with their applications to be ported natively to the platform, then there will traction as other third parties will see that one of the “big three” see a future in it.
Their hardware support was also abysmal by every stretch of the imagination.
Segway, now thats a flop.
True, product had a maximum carrying weight of 100kilos, where the majority of American consumers weigh more than that, also, the battery life was pretty pathetic. Compared to the little “nifty-fifty” scooters that are available, Segway was a rip-off from the beginning.
Also Be died, didn’t flop. To flop you have to have never had any momentum or anything go for you. Be did make progress and was gaining ground, then died, their is a differance.
It didn’t die of natural causes though, looks like suicide from the outside.
[i]”Segway, now thats a flop”.[/]
I still believe that cities will be built with a device like this in mind. It might take 30-50 years, though. You’ve probably never had the pleasure of driving one.
“rumored color screen, the new iPod will also allow users manage or preview photos on the iPod display or TV screen”
the ipod is successful because of it’s portability, easy interface and lack of environmental intrusion. you can take a personal music player anywhere… work, malls, for a walk in the street or park. video and photos, they demand to much attentions and interaction from the user, you can’t bring a portable video player in your work place and expect it to go over well at all. you can’t walk down a busy street with your eyes glued to a screen either. the ipod is for music.
with that said, the separation of the hardware divisions could mean some sorts of sister type devices based on the ipod design, although the market for swiss army media devices doesn’t seem to have much demand at the moment..
An iPod division is not necessarily limited to just hand held devices. Perhaps this division will develop home media boxes that delivers Quicktime based music and video to televisions and audio systems.
For years Apple has believed that QuickTime will be an important part of their future. However they thought that the Macintosh would carry QuickTime into the marketplace. In the last year Apple has discovered the iPod and media content will carry QuickTime into the market place. Now every copy of iTunes that gets deployed also deploys QuickTime onto that computer. Version 4.5 of iTunes now has a section for video clips. Could iTV be under development at this division?
I would buy any PDA from Apple and do see a lot in a mobile videoplayer… don’t mod me down yet… 6 weeks ago, I would also say ‘No, that is not the way to go…’, but then I got this Sony Ericsson P900 for trials (still have my Palm on the side) and to my amazement there is a lot of mediastuff around for this device and then I mean good stuff. If you browse the warez section, it is no trouble to find movies like Troy or good old BBC comedies like Dad’s army or Abfab… I ‘ve seen Friends, Seinfeld and yes, even StartTrek episodes available for the P900… all still in the warez dpt, but it shows were things are going…
And noooo, you don’t watch movies on small screens. I was the first to shout it. I will never watch a movie on my P900 … I mean: where is my 17” PB for? But hey, you do… you really do. Funny how I find myself watching commercials (part of my job) everywhere. Waiting at townhall: checking 4 new commercials… or if it takes longer: watch an episode of Mash. It is there and it is popular.
And full movies for the little screen do about 110Mb with great audio and decent Video (good enough to see the color of ones eye) ….
So, an Ipod with movie capabilities: yes please.
With more PDA functions: yes please…..
Let Newton mate with Ipod!