Funny, I was going to crack a joke about the upcoming Sony PMP...something like, "The new Sony PMP will require using 1) their new proprietary music format, 2) klunky Sony software and 3) storage on those stupid mini discs that they can't seem to get the world to adopt."csubear said:
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Sony to Compete with iPod
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With so many stupid names for music players out there, I wonder why no one bothered branding one with: "PiMP" (Portable individual Music Player).
iPod future.
I'm now a 2%'er. One of those Apple users prepared to put up with high prices and poor performance (relative to PC systems at equivalent prices in real-world applications) in return for design, style, quality and integration.
Most people (off this board) are not. Apple has an excellent product in the iPod. A clear category killer if it's kept up to date. This means catering to the market - not telling people that they don't need more capacity (I do) or video (I might). Unfortunatly Apple has never in its history turned a superior product into a commanding market share and kept it there. I doubt the iPod will be different. In time a major player (like Sony) will produce a device that anyone who isn't obsessed with the Apple logo will appreciate as value. It doesn't have to be better. Most people don't buy the best of anything. They buy something okay that gets the job done and doesn't cost too much.
To 99% of people an iPod is a digital Walkman. $300 is simply too much (as for $500 - that's the cost of an entire PC). Even $250 is a lot.
Apple can either compete (which it probably won't) or can watch it's early lead evaporate in time and end up producing Rolls-Royce protable devices for its existing niche market.
Logically I think it's clear which path it'll take. Apple always does (and I'm a fan). To suggest Sony can't out-engineer Apple given time has to blinkered. Do you remember when they were knew to the videogame console market? They own it now.
If Apple are #1 in 5 years in the portable market it'll be as a division of Sony, not a competitor.
I'm an fan, just a pragmatist.
Penman
PS This was written on a $3K, 1Ghz notebook that's not yet a year old. Smart buy? For people like me yes. Do I love it? yes. Would I reccomend it? Most people can't afford it.
I'm now a 2%'er. One of those Apple users prepared to put up with high prices and poor performance (relative to PC systems at equivalent prices in real-world applications) in return for design, style, quality and integration.
Most people (off this board) are not. Apple has an excellent product in the iPod. A clear category killer if it's kept up to date. This means catering to the market - not telling people that they don't need more capacity (I do) or video (I might). Unfortunatly Apple has never in its history turned a superior product into a commanding market share and kept it there. I doubt the iPod will be different. In time a major player (like Sony) will produce a device that anyone who isn't obsessed with the Apple logo will appreciate as value. It doesn't have to be better. Most people don't buy the best of anything. They buy something okay that gets the job done and doesn't cost too much.
To 99% of people an iPod is a digital Walkman. $300 is simply too much (as for $500 - that's the cost of an entire PC). Even $250 is a lot.
Apple can either compete (which it probably won't) or can watch it's early lead evaporate in time and end up producing Rolls-Royce protable devices for its existing niche market.
Logically I think it's clear which path it'll take. Apple always does (and I'm a fan). To suggest Sony can't out-engineer Apple given time has to blinkered. Do you remember when they were knew to the videogame console market? They own it now.
If Apple are #1 in 5 years in the portable market it'll be as a division of Sony, not a competitor.
I'm an fan, just a pragmatist.
Penman
PS This was written on a $3K, 1Ghz notebook that's not yet a year old. Smart buy? For people like me yes. Do I love it? yes. Would I reccomend it? Most people can't afford it.
greenstork said:
cyks
macrumors 68020
...I'm just waiting/hoping for a waterproof MP3 player...
I love my 20G iPod...and use it regularly at the gym- but always wish I could bring it into the pool with me. After having music while using weights and running- it just seems quiet doing silent laps.
Even the "made for the gym" Nike MP3 player isn't waterproof... just slightly resistant....
Hopefully with new competition- new features will be forced to be looked at.... waterproofing would be one i'd be interested in.
I love my 20G iPod...and use it regularly at the gym- but always wish I could bring it into the pool with me. After having music while using weights and running- it just seems quiet doing silent laps.
Even the "made for the gym" Nike MP3 player isn't waterproof... just slightly resistant....
Hopefully with new competition- new features will be forced to be looked at.... waterproofing would be one i'd be interested in.
Penman said:
Comparing video games to this is rediculous. Sony released a 32-bit system before Nintendo did, and only a little before Sega. Sony's hardware sucked, it was their 3rd party developers who saved them.
Sony can't out-engineer Apple. I'll say that now. Yes, they can throw a 20gig hard drive in a plastic case and add controlls, but that'll just eliminate Dell and Gateway, not Apple. Also, for the Walkman, it was the first and it became a brand name. Same thing with the iPod. People know the iPod name and use it to describe all MP3 players.
If the PSP, or PMP (which was cancelled), does compete with the iPod, it'll be amazing. Cell phones, watches, nor other devices have not beat the iPod. The PSP will be a gameing device. I'd be amazed if it does half of what Sony says it can do.
I'm witholding more opinions untill the PSP does come out.
Okay - I worked in the gaming indusrty when the PS1 was launched. It did not 'suck'. People took to it immediately. All consoles live and die by the developers and their games. Sony had Tomb Raider early on. It was rather popular I recall.
I like Apple products. A lot. Let's not drink the cool-aid though. There's no magic to what they do. Skill, flair - not in question. To imagine that becuase they were first and best they will always be first and best is ridiculous. Apple don't do 'deep' engineering anymore. They build boxes to put other peoples chips in, on PC standard buses running modified open-source software. It's smart. It's how they survive. It works.
If Windows sucked as bad as people here would have you believe Mac would be a more significant OS. Apple stuff is often better but it's too damn expensive for the average consumer. You can argue it till you're blue in the face but go to your local Frys (I'm in CA - i'm sure you've something similar) and look at how people shop. They want speed and value - not design and subtlety. As a switcher myself - you only realise how nice Mac OS is when you've been using it 3 months and stop wondering why it doesn't work like Windows which you're used to and thus seems logical. Until then it's a bit of a pain and you keep looking for control that Apple's decided we don't need. (OS X printer drivers are the devil's work)
I'm going to buy a 60Gb iPod the moment they hit dirt. I have too much music for anything else. Is it worth $500? Of course not. It's overpriced, like BMW's, Mercedes, Opus 1, Starbucks Coffee and Nike sneakers.
Just admit it. We like Mac's becuase they're luxury items. Apple are a niche player and always will be (unless they change their pricing model and compete for the average Joe). You can enjoy your Apple stuff without thinking that everyone else on the planet's a moron who should know better. Other companies make excellent stuff too. Even other computer products. Have you seen the JDM Sony 2lb carbon fibre notebooks? They make everything else seem clunky.
We've chosen a great solution for many things that happens to be an expensive one which makes us dependant on a single, ocassionally slow, supplier.
Penman.
I like Apple products. A lot. Let's not drink the cool-aid though. There's no magic to what they do. Skill, flair - not in question. To imagine that becuase they were first and best they will always be first and best is ridiculous. Apple don't do 'deep' engineering anymore. They build boxes to put other peoples chips in, on PC standard buses running modified open-source software. It's smart. It's how they survive. It works.
If Windows sucked as bad as people here would have you believe Mac would be a more significant OS. Apple stuff is often better but it's too damn expensive for the average consumer. You can argue it till you're blue in the face but go to your local Frys (I'm in CA - i'm sure you've something similar) and look at how people shop. They want speed and value - not design and subtlety. As a switcher myself - you only realise how nice Mac OS is when you've been using it 3 months and stop wondering why it doesn't work like Windows which you're used to and thus seems logical. Until then it's a bit of a pain and you keep looking for control that Apple's decided we don't need. (OS X printer drivers are the devil's work)
I'm going to buy a 60Gb iPod the moment they hit dirt. I have too much music for anything else. Is it worth $500? Of course not. It's overpriced, like BMW's, Mercedes, Opus 1, Starbucks Coffee and Nike sneakers.
Just admit it. We like Mac's becuase they're luxury items. Apple are a niche player and always will be (unless they change their pricing model and compete for the average Joe). You can enjoy your Apple stuff without thinking that everyone else on the planet's a moron who should know better. Other companies make excellent stuff too. Even other computer products. Have you seen the JDM Sony 2lb carbon fibre notebooks? They make everything else seem clunky.
We've chosen a great solution for many things that happens to be an expensive one which makes us dependant on a single, ocassionally slow, supplier.
Penman.
the_mole1314 said:
tentimestwenty said:
i live for the day that one of these is released
or even one that i could just whack 50 songs on for a day
though i suppose the argument against this is that i could just get a current iPod and import a 50song playlist
hmmm
I told Yah, Keep watching
I told yah xDANx, KooStarck, patmcfar8, 12thgear and etc you guys know who you are. Sony is trying to get the inside and do it for themselve. I recall most of you all replying that this was a good Idea for them to work together. Now Sony is competiting..mmmmmmmmm....lets see what happens next. Good Job Supporters "Know the Game, not the Business"
I told yah xDANx, KooStarck, patmcfar8, 12thgear and etc you guys know who you are. Sony is trying to get the inside and do it for themselve. I recall most of you all replying that this was a good Idea for them to work together. Now Sony is competiting..mmmmmmmmm....lets see what happens next. Good Job Supporters "Know the Game, not the Business"
iPod competition
competition for the ipod can only be a good thing. it will force apple to innovate in order to remain competitive. in 4 generations of ipods (including the mini) the ipod has offered nothing substantially new over my 5 GB original ipod. They have a new connector, some improved software, less battery life, and a cover on the firewire port. Current "competition" is still working on creating a competitive user experience, I don't even know of a competitor for Macs (iRiver?).
I've heard rumors of apple getting into the projector market, as well as apple creating a video ipod that includes a built in projector, so you can just shine it on the wall wherever you are. these two rumors combined with stonemedia looking into the viability of a new Newton and Steve saying 2004 is going to bring some nice new products....it's shaping up to be quite the video iPod. Please take my money! 😀
competition for the ipod can only be a good thing. it will force apple to innovate in order to remain competitive. in 4 generations of ipods (including the mini) the ipod has offered nothing substantially new over my 5 GB original ipod. They have a new connector, some improved software, less battery life, and a cover on the firewire port. Current "competition" is still working on creating a competitive user experience, I don't even know of a competitor for Macs (iRiver?).
I've heard rumors of apple getting into the projector market, as well as apple creating a video ipod that includes a built in projector, so you can just shine it on the wall wherever you are. these two rumors combined with stonemedia looking into the viability of a new Newton and Steve saying 2004 is going to bring some nice new products....it's shaping up to be quite the video iPod. Please take my money! 😀
Sony building cheap
Yeah, you go to the Chinese government and tell them you would
like to hire chinese prison inmates to build your competitive product
to the iPod and you are willing to pay .25 per hour. The Chinese
Govt. looking for a way to support the prison system say, "Okay, you
give them .25 an hour and we bill them .24 an hour for bed and rice.
The prisoner happy because he is earning money...the chinese govt.
happy because we bill prisoner and Sony happy they can have unit
built for less than .50!" This capitalism is such good idea...we like it
fine. Most our prisoners be good workers ...most be there for 30 years
or more"
JohnGillilan said:
Yeah, you go to the Chinese government and tell them you would
like to hire chinese prison inmates to build your competitive product
to the iPod and you are willing to pay .25 per hour. The Chinese
Govt. looking for a way to support the prison system say, "Okay, you
give them .25 an hour and we bill them .24 an hour for bed and rice.
The prisoner happy because he is earning money...the chinese govt.
happy because we bill prisoner and Sony happy they can have unit
built for less than .50!" This capitalism is such good idea...we like it
fine. Most our prisoners be good workers ...most be there for 30 years
or more"
doogle
macrumors regular
Its all good news. If SONY wants into the portable player market then Apple is more than vindicated and SONY's marketing people are saying the portable music market is BIG and going to get BIGGER. SONY is a real competitor (and possibly the only one capable) for Apple...Even if Apple is only left with 30-50% (optimistic) of the market once Sony appears, thats great.
Remember too that Apple will have a whole year (or so) to release more updates and possibly a Sony Killer before Sony even hits the market. The other thing to remember is that the Walkman was Sonys last big hit inot portable music, after that they have been quiet if not unsuccessful.
I agree with earlier comments- Sony software sucks bigtime and their attempts at integration with other hardware and software is a record of failure. We are the winners here.
Remember too that Apple will have a whole year (or so) to release more updates and possibly a Sony Killer before Sony even hits the market. The other thing to remember is that the Walkman was Sonys last big hit inot portable music, after that they have been quiet if not unsuccessful.
I agree with earlier comments- Sony software sucks bigtime and their attempts at integration with other hardware and software is a record of failure. We are the winners here.
wsteineker said:
No kidding... Thats all you hear about, and there all talking about killing the iPod, but no one ever mentions these other so called "Great" MP3 devices.
Sony doesn't get it.
As far as the music player device is concerned Sony doesn't get it. iPod is not just a stand alone device. It is an extension of your computer and your CD collection (via iTunes) and it is an extension of your own created music (via Garageband) and it is an extension of a huge on-line music library (via iTMS). If Sony came out with a really well engineered player it would probably still fail because Sony doesn't seem to be supplying all of the other features that make iPod popular.
I also doubt that Sony will provide anything at low price. Historically, Sony products are fairly expensive. My own personal experience with them is that the quality was poor. I've spent around $10,000 on Sony goods and most of that no longer functions. The DAT deck still works (somewhat) after an out of warranty repair. I would be disinclined to buy another Sony product.
As far as the music player device is concerned Sony doesn't get it. iPod is not just a stand alone device. It is an extension of your computer and your CD collection (via iTunes) and it is an extension of your own created music (via Garageband) and it is an extension of a huge on-line music library (via iTMS). If Sony came out with a really well engineered player it would probably still fail because Sony doesn't seem to be supplying all of the other features that make iPod popular.
I also doubt that Sony will provide anything at low price. Historically, Sony products are fairly expensive. My own personal experience with them is that the quality was poor. I've spent around $10,000 on Sony goods and most of that no longer functions. The DAT deck still works (somewhat) after an out of warranty repair. I would be disinclined to buy another Sony product.
Mainyehc
macrumors 6502a
And now, I'm a happy owner of a 20GB 3G iPod!
It wasn't a NetMD, it was an old but great MZ R-70, which could only record tracks in the ATRAC3 format, not even MDLP, meaning that the total record time for an 80' disc would be... 80'!
Still, it was a hell of a player/recorder. It was 250, and had a great full aluminum case, and two headphone jacks, one with remote plug (nowadays, the MD Walkmans carrying that price tag have an aluminum top cover and plastic bottom, or are all plastic, and even top level models come with only one headphone jack), plus a microphone jack and a combo optical/line-in jack. 30'' skip protection, great sound, small but nice LCD, blah blah...
I loved that thing, and I still miss a lot of their features when using my iPod... The two jacks (yes, I suppose I could buy a Y-splitter), the Mic jack, the fact that I could use my brother's MZ E-60 remote, (the E-60 is a player only, which hasn't an LCD in it's body but in the remote instead - I'd love to see an iPod remote with an LCD, that would provide some basic browsing functionality), and of course, the HUUUGE battery life (I had the original AA Ni-CD, plus two other Ni-MH, and of course, all the alkalines I could get my hands on)...
What have I ended up with? THIRTY-TWO MiniDiscs, which I keep in 3 11-disc Sony boxes... And I actually carried those 3 beloved boxes wherever I went!! I have no idea of how much each one of those boxes cost me, but they sure weren't cheap (like 40/$40(?) each!!). And besides, burning my "almost legal" mp3 using my old PC's line-out wasn't that fun, as it wouldn't be either with my iMac's line-out, or even the digital optical-in (great for track mark syncing though)...
When I decided to buy my iMac I was tired of the 1x transfer rate of my MD, but I wanted to keep my old discs, and maybe reformat them with a NetMD (indeed saving in discs, as I'm almost sure that those 32 discs, reformatted, would last me for a lifetime)...
But then I discovered it wasn't compatible with the Mac, and that was a great stab in my "relationship" with Sony (I thought I was a loyal Sony fan, having a Sony TV, Mini Hi-Fi, Tape Walkman - two, actually, 'coz my 1st was stolen -, two MD Walkmans - the R-70 and the E-60 -, consumables such as tapes and MDs, until I found that one is easily way more loyal to Apple products 😉 )... So, as I am a switcher, I might as well switch to Apple as far as music is concerned. Right now, I don't think I would buy a device other than the iPod, even if I chose to buy a new PeeCee instead.
So... show off your iPods to as many people as you can, demo them if you get the chance (I actually do it unconsciously coz' I love to share my music library with everyone... I guess I'll get that Y-splitter soon 😀 )! IMHO, that's the best way to make people surpass that huge barrier that is leaving the "lusting over" phase, and get to actually buy an iPod. Heck, all my university colleagues are lusting over my iPod, I suppose if Apple dropped the mini's price down to $199/199, their competition in the mp3 player market would be definitely blown away!
Most people I know won't get a Mac or an iPod because of its price (they already love it anyway)... However, give them an affordable iPod, and then we'll see if Apple should worry so much about competition... ehe! A 2 GB at $100 mini, and the 4 GB at $200 should suffice most people's needs (not mine, even though my iPod still has some 14 GB free space, I do believe I'll fill it in a couple of years), without cannibalizing the other three big ones. I don't believe they'll drop their prices that much, but anyway...
AS FOR THE PSP... I don't happen to have a Playstation, my only console is a NES, it still works and I love it! 😛 Yes, I know a few guys who have a Playstation I or II or both, and portable consoles like GB, GB color or GBA (don't actually know anyone who has a GBA SP)... But heck, they are A FEW people... It's a totally different market segment! I just DON'T like playing games, and I happen to be a music lover. Do you think I'd buy one of those gadgets?
Ok, when mere mortals like me ever think of buying a device like that PSP thing for playing movies and browsing the Web, then it's time for Apple to make the PowerPod (call it whatever you want), it shouldn't be that hard to come up with... It didn't have to have those super gaming abilities anyway, just a nice screen for, say, viewing photos (great for digital photography) and videos! (and this is reminding me of that "Newton revival" thread, but looked at from a different point of view... What about a sleek, yet affordable PDA-like thing for normal people, not just executives in suits? It would be a concept very different from a PDA, though... It could be a portable extension of your iLife, not your office, or your console 😉 )
Face it, Apple is (one of) the best at nearly everything it's into, so, I think we should just expect even greater devices from them... Go Apple!
csubear said:
It wasn't a NetMD, it was an old but great MZ R-70, which could only record tracks in the ATRAC3 format, not even MDLP, meaning that the total record time for an 80' disc would be... 80'!
Still, it was a hell of a player/recorder. It was 250, and had a great full aluminum case, and two headphone jacks, one with remote plug (nowadays, the MD Walkmans carrying that price tag have an aluminum top cover and plastic bottom, or are all plastic, and even top level models come with only one headphone jack), plus a microphone jack and a combo optical/line-in jack. 30'' skip protection, great sound, small but nice LCD, blah blah...
I loved that thing, and I still miss a lot of their features when using my iPod... The two jacks (yes, I suppose I could buy a Y-splitter), the Mic jack, the fact that I could use my brother's MZ E-60 remote, (the E-60 is a player only, which hasn't an LCD in it's body but in the remote instead - I'd love to see an iPod remote with an LCD, that would provide some basic browsing functionality), and of course, the HUUUGE battery life (I had the original AA Ni-CD, plus two other Ni-MH, and of course, all the alkalines I could get my hands on)...
What have I ended up with? THIRTY-TWO MiniDiscs, which I keep in 3 11-disc Sony boxes... And I actually carried those 3 beloved boxes wherever I went!! I have no idea of how much each one of those boxes cost me, but they sure weren't cheap (like 40/$40(?) each!!). And besides, burning my "almost legal" mp3 using my old PC's line-out wasn't that fun, as it wouldn't be either with my iMac's line-out, or even the digital optical-in (great for track mark syncing though)...
When I decided to buy my iMac I was tired of the 1x transfer rate of my MD, but I wanted to keep my old discs, and maybe reformat them with a NetMD (indeed saving in discs, as I'm almost sure that those 32 discs, reformatted, would last me for a lifetime)...
But then I discovered it wasn't compatible with the Mac, and that was a great stab in my "relationship" with Sony (I thought I was a loyal Sony fan, having a Sony TV, Mini Hi-Fi, Tape Walkman - two, actually, 'coz my 1st was stolen -, two MD Walkmans - the R-70 and the E-60 -, consumables such as tapes and MDs, until I found that one is easily way more loyal to Apple products 😉 )... So, as I am a switcher, I might as well switch to Apple as far as music is concerned. Right now, I don't think I would buy a device other than the iPod, even if I chose to buy a new PeeCee instead.
So... show off your iPods to as many people as you can, demo them if you get the chance (I actually do it unconsciously coz' I love to share my music library with everyone... I guess I'll get that Y-splitter soon 😀 )! IMHO, that's the best way to make people surpass that huge barrier that is leaving the "lusting over" phase, and get to actually buy an iPod. Heck, all my university colleagues are lusting over my iPod, I suppose if Apple dropped the mini's price down to $199/199, their competition in the mp3 player market would be definitely blown away!
Most people I know won't get a Mac or an iPod because of its price (they already love it anyway)... However, give them an affordable iPod, and then we'll see if Apple should worry so much about competition... ehe! A 2 GB at $100 mini, and the 4 GB at $200 should suffice most people's needs (not mine, even though my iPod still has some 14 GB free space, I do believe I'll fill it in a couple of years), without cannibalizing the other three big ones. I don't believe they'll drop their prices that much, but anyway...
AS FOR THE PSP... I don't happen to have a Playstation, my only console is a NES, it still works and I love it! 😛 Yes, I know a few guys who have a Playstation I or II or both, and portable consoles like GB, GB color or GBA (don't actually know anyone who has a GBA SP)... But heck, they are A FEW people... It's a totally different market segment! I just DON'T like playing games, and I happen to be a music lover. Do you think I'd buy one of those gadgets?
Ok, when mere mortals like me ever think of buying a device like that PSP thing for playing movies and browsing the Web, then it's time for Apple to make the PowerPod (call it whatever you want), it shouldn't be that hard to come up with... It didn't have to have those super gaming abilities anyway, just a nice screen for, say, viewing photos (great for digital photography) and videos! (and this is reminding me of that "Newton revival" thread, but looked at from a different point of view... What about a sleek, yet affordable PDA-like thing for normal people, not just executives in suits? It would be a concept very different from a PDA, though... It could be a portable extension of your iLife, not your office, or your console 😉 )
Face it, Apple is (one of) the best at nearly everything it's into, so, I think we should just expect even greater devices from them... Go Apple!
johnnyjibbs
macrumors 68030
A 2GB $100 iPod would not only result in very little profit for Apple (despite using those new microdrives and huge volume sales) and would nicely kill the cool iPod brand in one fell swoop.spinko said:
Whatever Apple does in order to compete with Sony and others, they should make sure that you can change the ipod's battery without difficulties! The battery lasts only for about four hours and that just isn't long enough! That's why I love my Sony (1999) MD-Player: the battery still lasts for about 10-12 hours and with a replacement, I can stay mobile as long as I want to. That's why I'm not likely to buy the ipod.
What's the problem?
Hi All,
Aren't you all a bunch of happy campers.
Anyway, just to let you know
- Sony is going to be providing an EMD service very soon (www.connect.com).
- Sony has decided not to enter the MP3 player market but decided to adapt its' MiniDisc tech to the current climate with a think called Hi-MD. Hi-MD removes the restriction origionaly placed on the Net MD {check out restrictions, analogue to computer transfer is now allowed and most importantly, 1gb worth of music (or docs, vids, software etc..) one to one cheap disc. The supplied software is now properly developed (finally) but needless to say it is not Mac compat. Check your local Sony site for details/
-The ATRAC format has been improved and I quote
"Short for "Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding 3 plus", ATRAC3plus is an enhancement of Sony's original ATRAC3 compression technology originally developed for the MiniDisc format. This latest version analyzes longer periods of audio signals to obtain more detail on input signals and also introduces a newly developed algorithm that achieves optimal bit allocation for a wide range of audio signals. The result is higher quality sound at higher levels of compression. Connect, Sony's new music service which is due to launch in the spring of 2004 will support the ATRAC3plus format."
No joke, it is really good I have tried it out, bit for bit it is far superior to the MP3 format.
So, i.Pod will not take over the market (not just because of price, the MiniDisc walkmans have a lots of other features which will make ideal for home users, jo soaps, song writers/bands, researchers, linguistic, students recording lectures and on and on).
Although, I am thinking about get virtual PC for my Mac, getting software is a pain in the ars* Lets face it a Windows world is much easer, (for the poorer mac owner of course).
John.
Hi All,
Aren't you all a bunch of happy campers.
Anyway, just to let you know
- Sony is going to be providing an EMD service very soon (www.connect.com).
- Sony has decided not to enter the MP3 player market but decided to adapt its' MiniDisc tech to the current climate with a think called Hi-MD. Hi-MD removes the restriction origionaly placed on the Net MD {check out restrictions, analogue to computer transfer is now allowed and most importantly, 1gb worth of music (or docs, vids, software etc..) one to one cheap disc. The supplied software is now properly developed (finally) but needless to say it is not Mac compat. Check your local Sony site for details/
-The ATRAC format has been improved and I quote
"Short for "Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding 3 plus", ATRAC3plus is an enhancement of Sony's original ATRAC3 compression technology originally developed for the MiniDisc format. This latest version analyzes longer periods of audio signals to obtain more detail on input signals and also introduces a newly developed algorithm that achieves optimal bit allocation for a wide range of audio signals. The result is higher quality sound at higher levels of compression. Connect, Sony's new music service which is due to launch in the spring of 2004 will support the ATRAC3plus format."
No joke, it is really good I have tried it out, bit for bit it is far superior to the MP3 format.
So, i.Pod will not take over the market (not just because of price, the MiniDisc walkmans have a lots of other features which will make ideal for home users, jo soaps, song writers/bands, researchers, linguistic, students recording lectures and on and on).
Although, I am thinking about get virtual PC for my Mac, getting software is a pain in the ars* Lets face it a Windows world is much easer, (for the poorer mac owner of course).
John.
Who knows what the future will bring, I'm sure Apple will update their iPod just like most companies do, so the iPod probably have just as good a chance as anybody ?SonyorMacorPC said:
SonyorMacorPC said:
I haven't looked through the rest of this thread yet so if their is a Sony product called "i.Pod" that is coming/is out, then I apologize in advance.
However, if you are referring to an actual Apple iPod, then I fail to see how it "will not take over the market" considering that it already dominates it with a distant lead over all competitors combined.
SonyorMacorPC said:
Oh well, so much for your credibility.
briankonar said:
Are you serious?
The same $399 that you paid for that 1G iPod now gets you 8x more hard drive, a significantly thinner and lighter product, solid state touch pad navigation [I hate the now wobbly scroll wheel on my 1G iPod] controls that are a lot better ergonomically [hated twisting my thumb downwards to acces the play/pause button] , and a much better display.
Just to name a few.
tentimestwenty said:
Hey, if [insert name of quality car manufacturer here] sold $10,000 cars, they would kill every possible competitor including General Motors and all of its subsidaries.
No it wouldn't. So they won't. Like everything else in life, quality costs.
Apple = Quality Control = Reliabilty = User Satisfaction.
tentimestwenty said:
If you want a sub-$100 MP3 player to take along 4-5 albums, get a portable MP3-CD player. You can get up to 700 megs or so on there, and for alot less than $100. Cheapest 1Gig CF memory available is around $200, per DealRam. 2 Gigs is $400+, and 4Gig is $1000+. Thus, solid-state memory can't compete with an iPod yet, at least in the 1G+ market. A $60 MP3 player would have to be 256M, or max 512M, and even that would be pushing it given today's CF prices.
It seems unlikely that Sony could put a dent in the iPod market given that Dell, with their direct-marketing and bundling programs, has done very little to crack the market. Also, whenever you see an MP3 player in a (non-MP3) commercial or movie, it's always an iPod. Always.
Plus, you can download photos to your iPod. Just wait until they also have the capability to display those photos, which will probably be coming soon.
-D