Apple thinks big(ger): video iPod to pack 4-inch display!

Apple's forthcoming "true" video iPod will feature a 4-inch display with a quarter-inch border, allowing the device to maintain dimensions typical of previous iPods, further sources have confirmed.

This only makes sense, but it's nice that it's happening so soon. They could have waited to release a video iPod until this model was available - the current screen, while bright and sharp, is really too small to properly watch video - and it's interesting to me that they chose to go ahead with it. If this rumor is true, they're going to piss off lots of current video iPod owners who jumped early and missed out on the big screen. Maybe they had the content deals lined up and didn't want to wait in case competitors jumped into the space early.

What I haven't read a lot about is how the touch-enabled wide-aspect screen will blow open the iPod's abilities as a PDA with true input capabilities. Up until now iPods have been very read-only when away from their base computers, save for the lame "on-the-go" playlists, but with a 4-inch touch screen, true input is possible, even if it's likely to be a bit clumsy. Full-screen keyboard floating atop the input fields? No sweat. Heck, they could even squeeze a phone in there if they wanted to increase the costs a bit (no side-talkin', please). Even just Bluetooth text messaging capabilities, like the DS, would be cool. Every time I ride the Boston subway I see tons of students listening to iPods - it would be fun to be able to blast a text message to them. :)

Can't wait to see this thing, and the commensurate upgrade of the ITMS. Movies, anyone?

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