[Brian]

Originally Posted by Laurens

Also, listening to music is something you can do "in the background". Watching video (or reading text) requires you to stop and pay attention, not something you can do while driving your car or working out at the gym.

As I mentioned in the article, I think one of the main areas of mass market appeal for a video iPod is all of those LCDs in mini-vans and SUVs that are becoming increasingly popular. A video iPod wouldn't be aimed at front seat passengers, but rather the passengers with those LCDs in front of them, especially kids. I could easily envision Apple teaming up with the likes of Pixar (*cough*), Disney, the Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon so that parents have an easy way of putting Sponge Bob, Rugrats, and Nemo on those screens.

I also mentioned video travel guides. Digital mobile video in the form of travel guides would also become a reality, and imagine the possibilities if iPod integration were to include vehicle navigation integration for "location aware" guided tours, for one. It might sound pretty far-out, but it's just one example of what mobile video could offer.

Even though watching a movie or reading is active and not passive like listening to music doesn't mean that portable video won't become very popular. Frequent fliers and commuters on trains and buses (who are numerous in large cities) would all be able to watch portable video on a PVP like the iPod video. I also think that watching video using the video iPod won't necessarily be limited to it's own screen as it will probably have video out capability for displays and TVs in addition to those in-car LCDs I mentioned earlier.

Apple will hit the digital video market hard and will do so in unique and new ways that have mass market appeal while differentiating itself from the rest of the market. The main reason they'll be able to do so will be due to the content they'll be able to provide thanks to the iTunes Music/Movie Store combined with the fact that the iPod is now a platform. Don't limit your thinking to feature length movies, but rather shorter format video content like music videos, videocasts like NerdTV, Quicktime movie trailers, TV shows, etc. A typical 30 minute TV show without commercials is just over 20 minutes, a perfect length for video on the go, not to mention a much smaller download.

Originally Posted by Pride Of Lions

Brian, you're doing a great job of finding information for us. Keep up the good work.

Thanks .