Apple’s new iPod nano has a built-in video camera. Is the quality of the video good enough to put a dent in Cisco’s latest purchase, PureVideo’s Flip video camera? Pater Kafka in AllThingsD:
Apple (AAPL) has passed my “good enough” test. The nano doesn’t do the job as well as a single-use device, but it’s adequate for my needs.
That’s an important story because most technology pundits are predicting the death of the iPod. Apple wisely waited for years before adding video and audio features to the iPod, which was first a music player, then a media player, and now an almost all-purpose device?
Almost? All purpose? The latest iPod nano has a microphone and speaker. It also has a built-in FM radio. The iPod is not yet dead, and Apple is working to extend the product’s life cycle through enhanced usability and more features.
How does the iPod nano’s video compare to the stand-alone Flip video camera (a true one-trick-pony)?
I don’t think the gap between the two cameras is big enough to help Flip. If you’re really serious about video quality, you’re probably not carrying a Flip to begin with. And given the choice between a video camera that takes a decent picture and one that also lets you listen to music, watch movies and play games…well, that’s a tough sell…
Apple’s media centric future is tied up in iPhone OS, represented by the expensive iPhone, and the increasingly affordable iPod touch. The new iPod nano is an interim, low-end product, priced just $50 lower than the iPod touch. Kafka:
The only question for me is whether I spring for a nano now, or hold off in the hopes that the iPod touch line gets a camera sooner than later.
What’s important to note is that Kafka springs for an Apple product. When will we see an iPod touch with a built-in video camera, digital still camera, and an FM radio?
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