Think we will ever see an LCD remote?!?!?!

ya...and i kinda dig iriver ihp-100's hige LCD remote...althrough it could be a little smaller..
but hey...lcd is better then no lcd

I'd definitely buy it as long as it was reasonably priced.

well..i believe the only reason ipod has such big lcd on the main body IS becaue it dosent have a lcd remote

Originally posted by psxguy85
I prefer a remote with an LCD and exact same buttons as on the ipod itself so I don't have to remove the ipod from my backpack and out of its case when I want to change playlists and stuff. I am annoyed by removing it from the case all the time to change songs. I hate the current apple remote.

i second that.

i'd dig an lcd remote... i dont care if the pod has a huge lcd on it. i migrated from md to the pod and i miss my old md remote... SO functional, small, etc. the pod remote is woefully inadequate.

Originally posted by Phoomp
Don't you think you would also want a case for an LCD remote designed by Apple. And don't you think you would want to protect the remote as well, perhaps in a pocket or your backpack?

It's kinda like floor mats in cars. Originally, floor mats were intended to protect the floor of the car from damage. Now, we have mats designed to protect the floor mats from damage. It's possible that someday we will have mats designed to protect the mats designed to protect the floor mats designed to protect the floor.

Long story short, an LCD on the iPod would simply be redundant and an unnecessary expense for a device that is already an unnecessary (albiet a fun one) expence.

I'm sorry, I don't have to *prove* my intentions or wants to you any more than I did above. I just want an LCD remote, I wouldn't mind paying under $100 for the thing, and that is THAT.

oh and in addition to that i want something that doesnt have flashy chrome crap that develops orange marks whenever it gets used a bit and a clip that actually has decent enough space to do its job well

I think the current remote is fine, except like what was mentioned above, the orange film/tarnish that develops when you actually use the remote. Such an eyesore. That's pretty much my only gripe. The metal on the remote should either be the same chrome (that doesn't tarnish) like on the iPod or a brushed metal like the buttons on the remote.

I believe an LCD on a remote would be impractical:

First, it would be this HUGE, HEAVY, unwieldy piece of electronics. The sheer weight of this "improved" remote would hang from your shirt rather than clip to it. The exisiting remote is heavy enough.

Second, the MD remotes have an LCD, but don't let you navigate the UI.

Third, it would be redunant, as was already mentioned. Why have two things that do the same job?

Fourth, having a 160 x 128 resolution LCD on a remote along with buttons would result in a square/rectangular shape. It will not look sleek like an MD remote because the MD remote only provides you a readout of the current song. It would not match the iPod design principle at all...a large square thing that dangles from your shirt.

What Apple SHOULD do to improve the remote:
1. better material, which doesn't tarnish
2. cords and plugs that do not fray or break
3. lighter design with a better, stronger clip, with more "bite"
4. and instead of an LCD, they should have buttons which toggle shuffle and repeat. They should also have buttons which allows you to switch to the next playlist or previous playlist.

Originally posted by psxguy85
I prefer a remote with an LCD and exact same buttons as on the ipod itself so I don't have to remove the ipod from my backpack and out of its case when I want to change playlists and stuff. I am annoyed by removing it from the case all the time to change songs. I hate the current apple remote.

I agree... When you are running jogging or rollerblading it is sometime too combersome to have to deal with the Ipod unit itself.. I more times think to myself how I wish the remote had a LCD screen on it...

its not for everyone but would be a great opptional accessory

acutally sony's MD remotes RM-MC11EL/RM-MC35ELK can navigate and can also control all the functions that can be change on the unit except for record.
and plus, i think sony MZ-N10's remote is perfect...it's small, slick and can display 2 lines of text

whats the point of a LCD remote when there is LCD on the ipod already, i dont think LCD remote let you search your collection of music for the one you want, so when u know all of you music, whats the point of having a LCD.

Originally posted by scarf

all i want is the exact same controls that we already get on the current remote + an lcd screen that displays whats being currently played

YES, YES this is good. I don't think people who are disagreeing with the remote understand what people who want the remote intend to do with them.

How about this:

-A smallish remote that displays 2 lines of text

-A back and enter button

-a jog dial on the side

-a hold button on the other side

-pause/play button

-ff/rw button

That way you could navigate the menu using the lcd display to show the menu branch your navigating using the top display line and the bottom display line to let you scroll through the options in the menu.

Not that i would buy it--

I would bet someone that Apple will release one before or on the next release of iPods. They have heard us, and I believe they will do it...

i dont have any hard data to back up this claim, but the inline remote was first developed by Sony for the Japanese market. This shouldnt come as a surprise because they were the creator of the Walkman and the MD. The American market doesnt take to Japanese specific things too well and is rather slow to catch on.

One of the main points of the remote is to change volume, track, etc. while in a crowded area where removing the player from your pocket/bag can not be done. If you have ever experienced last train in Tokyo then you will understand why having a linein remote is a convience.

Now, i agree that the iPod is the best desgined MP3 player, but the remote is very poorly designed. In fact, in Japan an iPod user can be picked out of a MD listening crowed only by looking at the remote because there (1) is not a remote or (2) there is no LCD on the remote.

As previously stated, almost all of the functions of an MP3 player can be controlled by the remote. My needs are simply the current iPod remote almost fits my needs with the exception of an LCD display.

For the next generation of iPod's, I would make the screen detachable (wireless), and that the screen is a clear touchpad... It would have all the functionality of the iPod, and the sound would either come from the iPod itself, or the wireless unit.

Kinda making the iPod a server, and the screen a client.
Other than that, I don't know why a remote should have a remote. IMHO, the iPod is small enough, and is made to fit in your hand. I never use the remote because of the akward shape, and because both sides look identical. Even in the day, i think that the volume sign is the play button.

Why not make the iPod voice activated?