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Bill Gates says cell phone will beat iPod
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Hrmmm
I bought a Siemens SX66 in the hopes of a little less to carry around. I thought that the Mobile Windows would be fun to have. Also the idea of having Media Player with me to watch movies and listen to tunes sounded nice. After a week I realized that it was a bother to carry around such a clunky device. I used about 4 of the programs within Windows Mobile Pocket PC 2003 SE which were WMP, IE, MSN and Solitaire(imagine that). Volume on the phone was very poor without the headphones plugged in. By the two week mark, I hated the phone.It seemed like more of hassle to carry, it did not fit nicely into a pocket and when I wore the carrying holster for it I would try to hide it with my shirt(it was huge). I have since exchange the phone for a V3 Razr by motorola and I am loving it. I think the idea behind it was good but not for me. I will stick with my Razr until the current design of the all in one has been rethought or apple designs something
Hope this helps somebody.
I bought a Siemens SX66 in the hopes of a little less to carry around. I thought that the Mobile Windows would be fun to have. Also the idea of having Media Player with me to watch movies and listen to tunes sounded nice. After a week I realized that it was a bother to carry around such a clunky device. I used about 4 of the programs within Windows Mobile Pocket PC 2003 SE which were WMP, IE, MSN and Solitaire(imagine that). Volume on the phone was very poor without the headphones plugged in. By the two week mark, I hated the phone.It seemed like more of hassle to carry, it did not fit nicely into a pocket and when I wore the carrying holster for it I would try to hide it with my shirt(it was huge). I have since exchange the phone for a V3 Razr by motorola and I am loving it. I think the idea behind it was good but not for me. I will stick with my Razr until the current design of the all in one has been rethought or apple designs something
Hope this helps somebody.PDA vs. iPod vs. Phone...
I kind of agree. Just look at what happened with the PDA- it looked like usage would explode, then it just kind of went away. Until Blackberry brought in a new killer feature - always on email. I think the iTunes phone is a step towards what we might see in the future for iPod.
Like the PDA iPod will have to evlove. And I think it will- but for now especially due to size, battery life and form/functionality, iPod is king for music. Why have one device that does a bunch of things crappily. There are a lot of people who are serious about music, and they won't ever want a cell phone connected to it...
I personally think iPod should incorperate HD Radio (the new standard for FM and AM, buit on the current system and completely backward compatible). That would leap-frog complaints of 'no FM tuner.'
centauratlas said:
I kind of agree. Just look at what happened with the PDA- it looked like usage would explode, then it just kind of went away. Until Blackberry brought in a new killer feature - always on email. I think the iTunes phone is a step towards what we might see in the future for iPod.
Like the PDA iPod will have to evlove. And I think it will- but for now especially due to size, battery life and form/functionality, iPod is king for music. Why have one device that does a bunch of things crappily. There are a lot of people who are serious about music, and they won't ever want a cell phone connected to it...
I personally think iPod should incorperate HD Radio (the new standard for FM and AM, buit on the current system and completely backward compatible). That would leap-frog complaints of 'no FM tuner.'
I think the iPod will die, but not before 2010.
I don't know about everyone else, but I hate carrying around a phone and iPod when all I've got it two small front pockets. It makes my pants look bulky and stupid.
Eventually there will probably be a phone that includes a harddrive.
Japanese phones already have options of using your own flash card and have headphone slots.
Hell, you could probably even take Razr and slap a harddrive in it and the outcome would be no bigger than a normal flip phone.
The only issue would be the battery.
I don't know about everyone else, but I hate carrying around a phone and iPod when all I've got it two small front pockets. It makes my pants look bulky and stupid.
Eventually there will probably be a phone that includes a harddrive.
Japanese phones already have options of using your own flash card and have headphone slots.
Hell, you could probably even take Razr and slap a harddrive in it and the outcome would be no bigger than a normal flip phone.
The only issue would be the battery.
this is inevitable and most likely/unfortunately can cripple apples hold. apple simply does not have the resources. once the phone companies start their services it will be clumsy and expensive. However in two to three years they will be polished and less expensive. Hard drives will be smaller and designs will be well thought out (still not close to apple).
you see. apple always comes up with cool stuff. but they just dont have the resources to compete against the Phone/wireless companies AND microsoft. there is no way wireless companies are going to let apple in with iTunes. it cuts them out of the revenue stream. microsoft (is that name in reference to bills....nevermind) is already forming their alliances with the wireless providers and working on their DRM to allow users to purchase the song on the phone and transfer that file to a computer. right now you have to at best download a song to your phone and download a duplicate for your PC. phones dont support file protected formats right now.
this is really bad but im sure everyone including apple saw it coming. its going to take at least three years but it will happen.
apple will have to make a compromise and share the pie.
you see. apple always comes up with cool stuff. but they just dont have the resources to compete against the Phone/wireless companies AND microsoft. there is no way wireless companies are going to let apple in with iTunes. it cuts them out of the revenue stream. microsoft (is that name in reference to bills....nevermind) is already forming their alliances with the wireless providers and working on their DRM to allow users to purchase the song on the phone and transfer that file to a computer. right now you have to at best download a song to your phone and download a duplicate for your PC. phones dont support file protected formats right now.
this is really bad but im sure everyone including apple saw it coming. its going to take at least three years but it will happen.
apple will have to make a compromise and share the pie.
Not until...
They fix battery life. I want a phone that only has to be charged rarely, and an iPod that is the same.
It is much more likely that I will use an Ipod as an occassional external drive than I will use it as a cellphone.
It is also more likely that I will use my cell phone as an occasional camera than as a music box.
These devices just will not converge well. And the market for seperates will be larger than the market for combined.
They fix battery life. I want a phone that only has to be charged rarely, and an iPod that is the same.
It is much more likely that I will use an Ipod as an occassional external drive than I will use it as a cellphone.
It is also more likely that I will use my cell phone as an occasional camera than as a music box.
These devices just will not converge well. And the market for seperates will be larger than the market for combined.
fine let cell phones merge with iPods..just as long as they use iTunes I'm OK with it....Bill is missing the other big point...
Its about the software too! iTunes is a great interface! waaay better than any of the others I've seen. Personally I use iTunes more at home than on the go in an iPod - its just easy, and the sound quality is pretty darn good too.
Its about the software too! iTunes is a great interface! waaay better than any of the others I've seen. Personally I use iTunes more at home than on the go in an iPod - its just easy, and the sound quality is pretty darn good too.
why not cut out the cellphone carriers (sorta)?
wimax + voip + ilife -> could be cool
the essentials imo of an all-in-1 would be talk/text, web, camera, & music.
music->itunes; camera (at least 2mp still & video w/h.264)->iphoto, imovie, idvd; various syncing, etc.
betting on emerging technologies & apple's growing presence in the market doesn't seem like a bad idea since they have some time before the ipod takes any serious hits (& they're working with motorola anyway). and this way they don't have to rely on a cellphone manufacturer or carrier.
wimax + voip + ilife -> could be cool
the essentials imo of an all-in-1 would be talk/text, web, camera, & music.
music->itunes; camera (at least 2mp still & video w/h.264)->iphoto, imovie, idvd; various syncing, etc.
betting on emerging technologies & apple's growing presence in the market doesn't seem like a bad idea since they have some time before the ipod takes any serious hits (& they're working with motorola anyway). and this way they don't have to rely on a cellphone manufacturer or carrier.
So basically...
1. SOMEDAY all the common portable devices will be able to be combined without any sacrifices. This super-device will be just as easy to use, just as cheap, just as small/light, just as fast, hold just as much data, be just as durable/reliable, and last just as long on one charge as the best ONE-function devices do today today. So there will be no reason to use anything else.
2. Apple is ultimately doomed because they are not doing ALL of that at once TODAY.
3. And Apple will never do anything new in the future. The current iPod is the last new product Apple will ever be able to design.
4. Nobody else can do all that today either. But still, Apple is the one that is doomed.
Nice logic
1. SOMEDAY all the common portable devices will be able to be combined without any sacrifices. This super-device will be just as easy to use, just as cheap, just as small/light, just as fast, hold just as much data, be just as durable/reliable, and last just as long on one charge as the best ONE-function devices do today today. So there will be no reason to use anything else.
2. Apple is ultimately doomed because they are not doing ALL of that at once TODAY.
3. And Apple will never do anything new in the future. The current iPod is the last new product Apple will ever be able to design.
4. Nobody else can do all that today either. But still, Apple is the one that is doomed.
Nice logic
lets not be too hasty....
I love my iPod Mini and my PSP doesn't come close to being as usable as a portable music player.
However.... The PSP is first generation.
Add Bluetooth so you can connect wireless headphones and a wireless keyboard and things get interesting. Now develop PIM software and it gets more interesting.
Adding a cell phone shouldn't be too difficult. Add video out so I can play movies or games on an HD monitor....
Is it a cell phone that does other stuff or is it video and game player with a built-in cell phone?
Probably a few years away, but I'd buy one. If a BT keyboard snapped on to protect a touch screen, now we really have something.
So, if you call this an evovled cell phone, then Bill is right. It could, however, just as easily be an evolved iPod.
The key here is that such an all-in-one device is most likely several years away. I agree with others here that currently technology doesn't cut it so the iPod isn't dead yet.
But Bill's point is well taken. Evolve or die.
~iGuy
I love my iPod Mini and my PSP doesn't come close to being as usable as a portable music player.
However.... The PSP is first generation.
Add Bluetooth so you can connect wireless headphones and a wireless keyboard and things get interesting. Now develop PIM software and it gets more interesting.
Adding a cell phone shouldn't be too difficult. Add video out so I can play movies or games on an HD monitor....
Is it a cell phone that does other stuff or is it video and game player with a built-in cell phone?
Probably a few years away, but I'd buy one. If a BT keyboard snapped on to protect a touch screen, now we really have something.
So, if you call this an evovled cell phone, then Bill is right. It could, however, just as easily be an evolved iPod.
The key here is that such an all-in-one device is most likely several years away. I agree with others here that currently technology doesn't cut it so the iPod isn't dead yet.
But Bill's point is well taken. Evolve or die.
~iGuy
No they can't, they have still 20% more to go.Beck446 said:
Honestly, of course cell phones will assimilate the iPod... or will that be the other way around? Either way, you can bet steve knows this; hes been around the block twice with this kinda stuff (mac vs IBM and NeXT vs. everybody), he's got a long term plan for the iPod/Media system, count on it.
No way! keep them apart. Mobile phones are clumsy, imprecise, confusing, irritating and awkward to navigate. All I want my phone to do is store a few numbers, look cool and work in the back end of beyond. The iPod is intuitive to use and has the capacity to hold ALL my music not just a small spattering.
Mobile companies have put too much crap into the phones that they dont know what they are *Im a phone. No, a camera. Wait, now Im a diary*. If a phone company made a simple phone that was as easy to use as an Apple product with buckets of style I bet that that would be the top phone of the year.
Mobile companies have put too much crap into the phones that they dont know what they are *Im a phone. No, a camera. Wait, now Im a diary*. If a phone company made a simple phone that was as easy to use as an Apple product with buckets of style I bet that that would be the top phone of the year.
A Phone/MP3 Player is the next step. I'm not saying that the iPod will be replaced but maybe the iPod Shuffle will. In my estimation, there will always be a dedicated music device like the iPod that can/will hold you're entire music library. However, integrating a lower capacity MP3 Player like the Shuffle with a cell phone makes nothing but sense.
Why carry two seperate devices when one will do the job? The technology is here right now to do this, but it is a matter of integrating it correctly. So far, Sony Ericsson has done the best job in their W800, but even that hasn't hit the market so who knows how it will work.
If I had my way Apple would do what they did with the iPod to take the phone market. First release a device that everyone wants and give them a piece of software (iTunes?) that will let them manage/transfer their music they have on this phone/mp3 hybrid. After they iron all that out, then you worry about buying songs wirelessly with your phone. From what I can see the carriers are holding Apple back because they want to sell songs wirelessly, so I say don't let that hold you back and just get the device out there. Once the device is out there, if it is adopted then the consumer will demand the iTunes wireless store.
That's my 2 cents.
Why carry two seperate devices when one will do the job? The technology is here right now to do this, but it is a matter of integrating it correctly. So far, Sony Ericsson has done the best job in their W800, but even that hasn't hit the market so who knows how it will work.
If I had my way Apple would do what they did with the iPod to take the phone market. First release a device that everyone wants and give them a piece of software (iTunes?) that will let them manage/transfer their music they have on this phone/mp3 hybrid. After they iron all that out, then you worry about buying songs wirelessly with your phone. From what I can see the carriers are holding Apple back because they want to sell songs wirelessly, so I say don't let that hold you back and just get the device out there. Once the device is out there, if it is adopted then the consumer will demand the iTunes wireless store.
That's my 2 cents.
I pretty much agree with you. It is only a matter of time before something comes out that is either better/cheaper/more value than the Ipod. I personally, think if Apple would jump over to the software side of things and let companies license the Ipod and Itunes - they can maintain their dominance. As long as there is not much market saturationbeatle888 said:
. I'd like to think the majority of the population doesn't need 5+ hrs of music on a device, certainly the majority of the people I know don't need it. If that is the case for the market, cell phone enabled music players might take the market. I have many friends with Ipods, but they are definately thinking of doing the Itunes motorola phone for ease and convience.I think ole Bill has hit the nail right on the head. Nobody wants a large bloated cell phone, agreed, but the volume of storage devices is shrinking in conjunction with Moore's Law. Hard drives and flash based devices are getting smaller and smaller with larger and larger capacities.
I believe that if your phone held 20 gigs of music and was the size of a Razr, that people would flock to it. Why would you carry around 2 devices when you could fit it all into one compact package. Sure, you say, but that technology isn't available at the moment. Again, I agree, but I believe something in the 4-6GB range probably is, no problem.
If given the choice between my 10GB ipod + mobile phone vs one 4-6GB mobile phone with slicked out music/phone interface, it's a no brainer.
Bill Gates did lose the portable music player battle and that is why he is shifting his focus, and it's damn shrewd if you ask me. Apple will have to innovate into this arena and in all likelihood they do a far better job than Microsoft in the design and user interface. However, the battle will be won with integrated software. If MSFT can get more manufacturers onboard with their mobile software, they'll be way ahead of Apple.
Anyone who thinks these two devices aren't consolidating into one device isn't paying attention.
I believe that if your phone held 20 gigs of music and was the size of a Razr, that people would flock to it. Why would you carry around 2 devices when you could fit it all into one compact package. Sure, you say, but that technology isn't available at the moment. Again, I agree, but I believe something in the 4-6GB range probably is, no problem.
If given the choice between my 10GB ipod + mobile phone vs one 4-6GB mobile phone with slicked out music/phone interface, it's a no brainer.
Bill Gates did lose the portable music player battle and that is why he is shifting his focus, and it's damn shrewd if you ask me. Apple will have to innovate into this arena and in all likelihood they do a far better job than Microsoft in the design and user interface. However, the battle will be won with integrated software. If MSFT can get more manufacturers onboard with their mobile software, they'll be way ahead of Apple.
Anyone who thinks these two devices aren't consolidating into one device isn't paying attention.
Yah well show me a phone that can hold all 43GBs of music (And growing) that I have, has an interface as easy as the iPod, gets about 15 hours of battery life, a Windows player as slick and easy as iTunes, an accessory range as large as the iPod, and integrates into a growing number of cars and you have yourself a deal. Until then Gates is full of piss and wind...ows.
G.Kirby said:
People were saying the exact same thing about MP3 players before the iPod. All it takes is one nicely design phone that also plays music and this industry explodes.
I believe one thing could make the prediction - that cellphones take over the portable mp3 player market - come true... and that is if apple made one
They have the skills, the knowhow, the brand and the sense of quality to make an mp3-phone that will be as big a blast as the iPod...
A
They have the skills, the knowhow, the brand and the sense of quality to make an mp3-phone that will be as big a blast as the iPod...
A
There will always be a market for iPod like music players - at least for the next generation or so, but convergence is the real future.
A phone, ipod, pda, is not a bad idea when the memory miniturisation catches up, and probably battery life as well. It will suit many but not all because video will keep the iPod in the game as it requires even more memory, and so Apples move with Moto is smart but theres still plenty of life left in the pod.
A phone, ipod, pda, is not a bad idea when the memory miniturisation catches up, and probably battery life as well. It will suit many but not all because video will keep the iPod in the game as it requires even more memory, and so Apples move with Moto is smart but theres still plenty of life left in the pod.