This CD was packaged in an orange sleeve from the ADC (Apple Developer Connection). The packaging lists the contents:
Macintosh Products Guide
“Have you ever wondered if the right software or hardware existed to perform a specific task on your Mac? Or have you heard about some of the latest products for your Mac and wished you had a convenient resource to learn more about them?
On this CD you’ll find Apple’s Macintosh Products Guide, the only tool you need to help you locate information on over 12,000 software and hardware products for the Macintosh platform. Here you’ll learn about the hottest products available for your Mac, including games, productivity applications, printers, scanners, image editing applications, utilities, digital cameras, USB peripherals for the iMac, and much, much more. And many of the products listed in the Macintosh Products Guide have direct links for easy online purchase.
We’re sure you’ll find the Macintosh Products Guide on the web an invaluable resource for all your product information needs—one you’ll turn to again and again. With that in mind, be sure to visit the Macintosh Products Guide web site for the latest information on the wide range of products available for your Mac. Point your browser to www.apple.com/guide.”
On January 9, 2004, HP’s then-CEO, Carly Fiorina, announced an “iPod+HP” partnership between Apple and HP. The first iPod+HP device was this Generation 4 iPod, available with 20GB and 40GB of storage. Three more iPod+HP models were added during the partnership, including iPod mini, iPod photo, and iPod shuffle.
During her speech at the Consumer Electronics Show, Fiorina announced the partnership and held up an example Generation 4 iPod+HP device, reporting that the Apple iPod from HP would be sold in a custom “HP blue” color, a powdery shade of blue resembling the color of faded denim. Based upon the demo unit she held, the iPod front and scroll wheel were blue, while the back remained polished chrome. When the iPod+HP device was released, it was not offered in blue, but remained white. However, the back of the device was engraved with the Apple logo, the word “iPod,” and the “HP invent” logo.
According to the Stories of Apple website, “this was the first (and only) iPod license ever allowed: Apple would manufacture a version of the iPod for HP and the iTunes software would be pre-installed on all HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario computers.” The partnership was not successful and was terminated after 18 months.
Regarding the iPod+HP design and functionality, the device was very similar to the Apple iPod Generation 4 sold by Apple at the time. According to EveryMac: “There is extremely little difference between Windows-compatible Apple iPods and the corresponding models that were offered from Hewlett-Packard. Each are identicial except HP added an HP logo below the Apple logo on the back of each player and shipped their models in a box that matched the design of other HP products.”
This model originally contained a 20GB or 40GB 4200RPM ATA-66 hard drive that could hold 5,000 or 10,000 songs. It uses a ClickWheel for navigation and has a 2-inch grayscale screen at 160×128 resolution. Its battery supported up to 12 hours of continuous music playback with features including Shuffle, voice record, games, and an alarm clock.
Perhaps to make up for the inexplicably non-blue iPod color offering, HP used its extensive printer and printing accessory experience to sell “HP printable tattoos” for the iPod. An HP press release reported, “Digital music enthusiasts can now personalize the look of their Apple iPod from HP as easily as they customize their playlists with the launch of HP Printable Tattoos.” The stickers were butterfly-shaped and included both pre-printed designs and blank sheets so “digital music enthusiasts” could design their own iPod skins.
This iPod+HP model originally contained a 20GB hard drive; however, this device has been retrofitted with a new battery and flash memory storage.
My collection also includes this same model with the original hard drive intact. This iPod is in slightly worse condition than the example shown here. I acquired the non-retrofitted iPod in late 2023.
The Remote Loop is an accessory for the Siri Remote, Apple’s remote for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD. When the Apple TV HD (Generation 4) was released with support for games, the Siri Remote included motion sensors for use in some games.
As the Nintendo Wii demonstrated, TV screen safety became an issue when the controller’s motion sensors require swinging a remote at the TV. Apple created the Remote Loop to keep you TV screen safe. According to Apple:
“The Remote Loop keeps your Siri Remote safely tethered to your wrist so you won’t have to worry about accidental slips or drops. It clicks into the Lightning connector on the remote for secure attachment and easy removal. And you can adjust the size for a snug and secure fit. The Remote Loop is compatible with the Siri Remote for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.”
The Remote Loop sold separately and was similar to the iPod touch Loop. However, the Remote Loop uses a connector similar to a Lightning port, but with retracting spikes on both sides. The spikes serve to securely attach the loop to the remote and are released by squeezing the buttons on both sides. A similar connection method was used in early 30-pin Apple connectors that shipped with iPod and early iPhone devices.
The Remote Loop measures 8.68 inches long, 0.36 inch wide, and 0.22 inch deep. It weighs 0.1 ounce. The Remote Loop was only available in black.
This Macintosh Products Guide CD is from Winter 2000. The cover art shows a graphite iMac DV Special Edition and it specifies that the CD contains “A catalog of over 16,000 products for your Mac.”
The publisher of the CD is ADC (Apple Developer Connection). The back of the CD says that it will help you “learn about the hottest products available for your Mac, including games, productivity applications, printers, scanners, image editing applications, utilities, digital cameras, USB peripherals for the iMac, and much, much more.”
Replacing the “squat” design of the Generation 3, the iPod nano Generation 4 returned to a “skinny” design similar to its predecessors. The new wraparound curved aluminum and glass case was offered in an unprecedented nine colors: silver, black, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, and (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition. The display was a wide-format 2-inch (diagonal) color LCD display at 320×240.
The iPod nano Generation 4 used either 8 GB or 16 GB of flash memory, capable of storing 2000 or 4000 songs, 7000 or 14,000 photos, and 8 hours or 16 hours of video. All colors were offered for both capacities.
The iPod nano Generation 4 features included an accelerometer (automatically switched to “Cover Flow” navigation in landscape orientation), games and videos only played in landscape, a new Genius feature to dynamically create playlists, and shake-to-shuffle for songs. Accessibility options were added including larger text and spoken menu items. It also included Nike+iPod support, FM radio tagging (using the Apple Radio Remote), support for audio crossfade, and games including Maze, Klondike, and Vortex.
The iPod nano Generation 3 used a design unique to the iPod family with “squat” proportions in a thin case. It was available in 4 GB or 8 GB versions, with the 4 GB model offered only in silver, and the 8 GB models offered in silver, light blue, light green, black, and (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition, and later pink option was added. All models had a chrome stainless steel back.
Compared to the iPod nano Generation 2, the Generation 3 added a larger 2-inch (diagonal) color LCD display at 320×240 resolution, support for video on the internal display, and video out via the dock.
The software is greatly improved with enhancements including a Cover Flow option for selecting albums. Three games were also bundled: iQuiz, Klondike, and Vortex.
