This is just a short blog today, I'm tired and looking forward to Christmas! I was playing with one of the new iMac remotes recently and I thought it was pretty cool. I hope that in the coming months it will be compatible with all the desktop and laptop lineup. I also got a gift from a drug rep today, an integrated laser pointer and powerpoint controller which works a treat. These two things got the thinking.
I noticed that the Shuffle bears more than a passing resemblance to the remote packed with the iMac. And here is the idea. Why not make the shuffle a combined remote along with all the stuff it does now?
There would be a number of benefits to this, not least of which would be that Apple could market the iMac (and possibly other hardware) as coming with a free iPod. This could only serve to emphasize the halo effect. As a byproduct of this the shuffle could be used for many things. Controlling Frontrow is a given but there are many potential uses for a remote. It would be awesome if I could control my Keynote/Powerpoint presentations in the hospital using the same piece of hardware I listen to music with, plus be able to use it at home or elsewhere to control my (Mac controlled) TV set.
Naturally this would push up the price of the Shuffle as a stand alone item, given this idea would require it to integrate Bluetooth/IR (preferably the former). But as I see it the nano has rained on its parade, something which is only going to get more significant if they release a 1Gb nano as has been mentioned on the Web recently. Why not stop selling the Shuffle as a standalone iPod but supply it as a bundle with all Macs?
Anyway, just a thought. Have a good Christmas everyone!
I thought of the same thing when I first saw the iMac remote.
Posted by: Decile | Thursday, December 22, 2005 at 18:48