Dell DJ Price and Specs?

[MacRumors]

One reader notes that Dell made a small revelation on their website, providing some pricing and specs for their upcoming Dell Digital Jukebox (Dell DJ).

The "Dell Music Bundle" ($343 retail, $268 now) is described in the "Learn more..." link. This bundle includes a Dell DJ 15 Music Player, Sony Elements of Style Headphones, Dell DJ Car Adapter Kit, and Dell DJ Sport Case.

The "Dell DJ 15 Digital Music Player" is a 15GB of music with USB 2.0 and "up to 16hours" of battery life according to Dell.

Also described and mentioned by name is the MusicMatch software which will serve as the jukebox software for the Dell DJ.

[arn]

So, current iPod is:

10GB - $299.00
20GB - $399.00

Dell DJ looks to be 15GB for less than $300.

(I don't know how much those accessories cost retail)

arn

[peterj1967]

16 hrs of battery life would be pretty impressive

[Stike]

Music Match! I love that! Most PC people are switching from Musicmatch to iTunes now, because they hate it...
So, the iPod will beat the crap outta thhe Dell DJ

[jon snow]

I agree, musicmatch was unusable. I own two ipods, a 5g and 30g, and while xplay was a good piece of software for my windows laptop, it was nothing compared to the ease of use and compatibility of itunes. Even with more battery life, there is no way that this Dell produce will be close to the style and functionality of the ipod.

[daRAT]

Musicmatch is the weak link in the Dell DJ package, unless they have a 'special' edition that is a simple version.

My biggest complaint about MM was the "nag" screens wanting you to buy MM.

Got Itunes loaded on the Mac and the XP box, so I am happy :]

Thanks Apple!

[mathematician]

Note that people will first check the hard facts on MP3 Players (iPod versus Dell DJ) and the Dell DJ wins in Battery Life, Storage Size, Equipment (the $300 model).

Then they will complain that
- MusicMatch is not very nice.
- iTunes doesn't even work with the Dell DJ

Apple has to lower the price for the iPod to make AAC/p a standard!

[aethier]

Originally posted by mathematician
Note that people will first check the hard facts on MP3 Players (iPod versus Dell DJ) and the Dell DJ wins in Battery Life, Storage Size, Euipment.

they are saying that the Dell Dj is 15 gigs, last i checked the ipod goes up to 40

aethier

[tutubibi]

Originally posted by mathematician
Note that people will first check the hard facts on MP3 Players (iPod versus Dell DJ) and the Dell DJ wins in Battery Life, Storage Size, Euipment.

Then they will complain that
- MusicMatch is not very nice.
- iTunes doesn't even work with the Dell DJ

Excelent post . That's what Joe Average is likely to do.

[ReelFocused]

A little competition could be a good thing.

[duce]

That's the point isn't it. Apple needs to let Dell and MM create their own technology, and not let them ride on Apple's coat tails. Dell is trying to promote specs not function. Same old game "my MHz are bigger than your MHz.
I wonder if this will go the way of IBM when IT choose IBM and later DELL because you could not be faulted to choose the perceived leaders. When ever you ask PC user why they bought a DELL they have no real justifiable reason. Only that they have those at work and my IT guy recommend it. Dammed lemmings every where.
Sorry for the rant, but it is maddening to know people will make poor choices because of misinformation.

[Macmaniac]

I bet Dell will butcher the design, I can see the review now. "While the specs for the Dell DJ are modest, its ease of use is 0, its joystick navigation system is clumsy, and having to use mutiple scrolling devices to get to ones music is very annoying, its no iPod."
All Apple needs to do is drop $50 off each iPod to be more competive!

[Vlade]

Originally posted by Macmaniac

All Apple needs to do is drop $50 off each iPod to be more competive!

Yes, that would be great!

[pkradd]

No Firewire on the Dell. SJ has already publicly stated in an interview with Newsweek that Apple is trying to produce a lower price iPod. Look for something in early Spring 2004 I'd guess.

[Kanada]

I think we should leave room open for the possiblity that the Dell may be well designed and thought out, not to mention cheaper when it comes out.

I got the original iPod a week after it came out and I own 3 macs but it doesn't mean I will shut my eyes if something better comes out.

If I were M Dell I would copy the hell out of the ipod, why not, it's an excellent gadgit, and add on a little more functionalty ( FM, native voice recording, longer battery life) while keeping the user controls simple.

If he can do all that I don't think we should sneer at it. I for one hate add on's, I am always losing them.

That being said I would probably wait for Apple to counter with a better product, but I wouldn't pooh pooh Dells offering just cause they make ****ty machines ( i own a 3 ghz 8250, it's only good for games because it runs on windows, it's a $4000 playstation really). I find I still do my computing on my 450 mhz Cube, which I will probably never upgrade cause I've loved it so, it should be a collectors item eventually. I still get comments from people who have never seen one.

I got the Dell at the beginning of the year before the G5 came out.I thought I need a faster machine, I do alot of home movies and photgraphy. But I hate all the software that i could use with the PC so I went back to editing on my Cube and a 400 mhz PM using Photoshop and FC4. Now I can't afford a G5 untill sometime next year. Rats!!!

I know your all saying I should have known better, but who knew about the G5 in Jan 03, not me.

[bertagert]

That link points to Dell's old web site, not the current one. Plus, the price is a bundled price. What is it that you need to buy to get the rebate.

I would wait till the official launch happens before any speculation occurs.

As for the resonable price of an ipod. They're cheap for what you get. A huge portable harddrive that holds not only all your songs but anything else you want. Its the best looking, most functional and easy to use player on the market. Saving 50 bones on it wouldn't make or break my decision. Also, you guys are forgetting one thing. Apple has been planting ipods in a ton of retail stores lately. This means people can touch and feel before they buy. That with in it's self is a huge plus. Don't worry about Dell. Apple has this market covered for at least two more years.

[mymemory]

I think the iPod is way over priced and Apple needs competition.

Just think about this. An iPod has 5% of the technology of an iBook but it cost almost half ¿?

Here in Venezuela I can exchange one of my Pismos for one 30GB iPod, but is stupid. I rather buy and extra batery for the Pismo and take it with me, of course is an stupid comparison too.

I'm gonna wait for a 4th generation iPod maybe. With radio, mic and ofcourse a color LCD to be able to see pictures and small Quicktimes.

[Java]

One of the reasons why I so frequently buy with Apple is that they don't do the whole rebate deal.

Oh, this mp3 player is only $100 with rebates*. I just want the real price. Not the price after three weeks of waiting for a check to come in the mail.

I don't think Apple has to worry about the Dell DJ. I would think Dell would have issues with AAC. Apple is the standard in online music (I'm calling 70% standard) and they could care less about the Dell DJ.

Just my $0.02

[mainstreetmark]

Originally posted by peterj1967
16 hrs of battery life would be pretty impressive

Yeah, and my PB17 gets 4 hours of battery.

Posted Life = Actual Life * 2

[MM2270]

...I just want the real price. Not the price after three weeks of waiting for a check to come in the mail.

3 weeks? You'd be LUCKY to get it in 3 weeks. Try more like 6 months in most cases for rebates. Yes, rebates SUCK. I wish companies would stop them, because the fact is, you still lose the money for that period of time before you get that check in the mail.

Anyway concerning the Dell DJ, I'm skeptical about the 16 hrs of playback. Either this thing is HUGE, or somehow Dell's engineers came upon some brilliance. Honestly, Dell never creates anything innovative, so how did their engineers come upon a way to include 16 hours of battery life in a small unit and Apple couldn't? Like I said, this thing is probably really bulky to contain that battery. It's no iPod, but it will compete with it at least on some level.

Should be interesting to see what happens.

[Nutzoids]

STOP IT...RIGHT NOW...Shame on all of you...How many iPods has Apple sold so far...how behind the game is Dell on this? Come on Apple has no worries...Plus when is this thing planned for release...I'm guessing around the Holiday season...Guess what a few short months later Apple and Pepsi are teaming up to give away 100 Million songs on the iTMS...and when people go to download free songs and they find out that it won't work with there little behind the times "Dell Digital Junk" Dell DJ. Most people at this point have heard of the iPod...Or knows someone who has one...They are going to figure out what Dell is doing...Ripping off Apple...Relax my friends we are fine!


Pepsi & Apple
http://www.apple.com/itunes/
Scrool down and you'll see it...Feb 1

[VicMacs]

Originally posted by mymemory
Here in Venezuela I can exchange one of my Pismos for one 30GB iPod

errr, what can you get for a wallstreet??? i can settle for a 10 gb ipod

[Dippo]

I for one am NOT impressed with the Dell DJ. It would be nice to have a picture of it, but from what I read, it's has nothing over the iPod.

We really need to see how it looks and how user friendly it is before making an judgements. But from what Dell has done in the past, I wouldn't look for anything revolutionary just the same old thing but a little cheaper.

Of course anyone can stick a headphone jack on a hard drive and call it an iPod killer, and All of the MP3 players that have made that claim, have been killed by the iPod

No Worries

[MorganX]

Originally posted by Stike
Music Match! I love that! Most PC people are switching from Musicmatch to iTunes now, because they hate it...
So, the iPod will beat the crap outta thhe Dell DJ

Unfortunately all the people who own MP3 players won't be staying with iTunes long unless they buy an iPod.

The iPod, IMO, will only see a marginal thread from Dell. Their marketing power. The will sell quite a few, but based on the limited number of people who need a 15GB, combined with the fact that Dell is generally a discount PC warehouse, should keep a great distance between the iPod and the Dell.

Apple's in luck, the Dell is just ugly and doesn't work with iTunes. But they do have market power. On the other hand, the iRiver HD120, more of a threat IMO, has crappy software (musicmatch, WMP) and no market power.

I think iPod will be OK until Sony and Toshiba enter the market with their next-gen HD players. Then it will be on!

[skymac]

I dont care how much cheaper the Dell DJ is, I'm still going for the iPOD when iv got the money wich will be in about 2 weeks(i wont be able to use it t'ill i get my PB in 4 weeks since i'm still on OS 8.6). Plus the next gen iPOD will probably have more built in features a better screen and what not. as long as apple can do it without sacraficing size and weight the'll do it. i'll i have to do now is wait for iTMS Canada.
I agree with every one that this will prove how imortant it is to be ahead of the game and make a a name for your product and how much more innovative and original apple is. A bit of competition cant hurt if you have the better product since people will realise iPOD is beter than DJ. the DJ however will not be the worst mp3 player out there but certainly not the best.