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You Fools! You Can't Kill iPod - You'll Only Make it Stronger! |
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 Using our very own syndicated feed of MacDailyNews (it's over to the right and down a bit, in the oh so cleverly named "Around Da Web" section) we happened across a story entitled "Microsoft poised to release 'iPod killer,' enlists Creative, iRiver, Napster, others".
MDN refers to a Reuters article (I just learned recently that it's pronounced "roy-ters" not "root-ers", and I feel like an idiot for pronouncing it wrong for years) that talks at length about Microsoft's plans for "a device that plays movies and stores digital photos as well as songs".
The deivce is going to be aimed squarely at iPods target market - the high-end MP3 player market. It'll be available in Europe first, roughly by the end of the year. The device ... ah heck, let's call it the iPod-killer just for laughs .... the iPod killer (ha!) will have a 20 or 40GB capacity, and will play both MP3 and WMA files. So far so good, except for the fact that iPod will have bigger hard drives than 20 and 40 by the end of the year. But let's be good sports and assume that Microsoft would update these specs when and if bigger drives were available.
The iPod killer (still funny) will weigh about 330 grams (or 11.5 ounces), and will be "roughly three times as thick as an iPod and roughly twice as long to accommodate its television-quality colour screen". It'll sport USB and have A/V capability to connect to your home TV and stereo. Now here's the biggie: It'll cost "between 550 euros and 599 euros ($678.50-$738.90) and 399 pounds and 449 pounds ($724-$814.70)".
So Microsoft's plan is just peachy so far: make a bigger, heavier, clunkier, more expensive cross between an MP3 player and a tablet and make it cost almost as much as a low-end laptop. People will come to buy it in droves! Hey - it's already working for the tablet market!
Alright, all sarcasm aside (What? Us? Sarcasm? Never.), it gets better. It seems that Microsoft doesn't even know what this thing ... er ... this iPod killer will run. At one point in the article it's stated that it's "going to be running an upcoming version of their "Portable Media Center" software". Later it says it will "run on the Windows CE operating system", which technically should be that it "will run the Windows CE operating system", not run on it, but that's being really nitpicky. The point is that Microsoft doesn't seem to have a concrete plan for what this thing will be running (not that that should really be a shocker to anyone at this point in time).
As for how this sucker will do once it hits the market, James Bernard, product manager for Microsoft's Portable Media Center thinks the ... ahem ...iPod killer... is "going to be one of the hot devices for Christmas 2004".
Speaking as the voice of reason, Mark Mulligan of Jupiter Research states that, "I don't think these devices will be changing the consumer electronics landscape in any way this year. By definition, they just don't have widespread appeal". Plus, remember way back when, we Mac users were clamouring for something like this and Steve Jobs straightened us all out by saying they would be just way too expensive and most of the features useless? One of the things he said was, "I'm not convinced people want to watch movies on a tiny little screen" (Insanely Great has the full down-lo on this).
And it makes perfect sense. Why take something like that with you, especially when you could get a laptop for almost the same price? It's not like you can jog or drive and watch the thing.
So in the end, it's not much of an iPod killer, is it? Besides, since one of Microsoft's visions for this puppy is for people to "download from a news-oriented Web site a round-up of the day's news to watch on the train", and you just know that if it doesn't already support the major Windows viruses that some will get written expressly for it, then at some point you'll get infected with a virus causing the unit to alternate between showing infomercials, clips of Steve Ballmer sweating and shrieking like an ape, and one of the episode's from the bizarro season of Dukes of Hazzard where Bo and Luke are replaced with dopplegangers.
Not a pretty thought. |
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March 18 2004, 10:17 PM EDT, by
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Comments:
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| iKen |
3/19/04, 7:37 AM EDT |
I hate the dukes of hazard dopplegangers! They Still give me nightmares to this day.
As for this "iPod Killer", all I can say is this: Microsoft better hope that the Rumors on the 4th Gen iPod are false if they want this thing to succeed.
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| Adam Jackson |
3/19/04, 8:07 AM EDT |
yea I read this, and just started laughing. haha
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| Pedro Vera |
3/19/04, 9:21 AM EDT |
Looks like a Pocket PC to me.
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| rlhamon |
3/19/04, 10:38 AM EDT |
I don't know why anyone would buy this device. If an argument of kids can watch a movie in the car well for 300-400 dollars I could have a dvd with lcd monitors installed in my car.
History showed that video on the go is not a big seller remember the pocket tv never was a big seller and the portable dvd player also never took off as expected. So to think that this device will take off is just crazy I think if Microsoft was to finally wise up I would think that the would scrap the TV or movie idea and look to a mp3 and video game unit. even that may not sell but at least it would have a possibility.
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| Man behind Curtain |
3/19/04, 12:22 PM EDT |
Beware this is indeed an iPod Killer. THe big brut is going to seek out iPods and sit on them until they are crushed or cry uncle which ever happens first. Then Bill will watch video of it on the train ride home.
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| Peter |
3/19/04, 7:13 PM EDT |
I mentioned on another board that I could see this being useful as way to take TV shows with you to watch on the train/plane/lunchcounter.
I could see it being useful for that, but not for $750. For $750, I'll leave 'em on the DVR.
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| JMacgyver Jr. |
3/19/04, 8:18 PM EDT |
I also heard it's supposed to get an amazing 3 HOURS of battery life!
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| stickman67 |
3/21/04, 5:28 PM EDT |
Kids watch too much television anyway ...
*Grumble, grumble, grumble ...*
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| okcalla |
3/22/04, 9:12 AM EDT |
for 750 you could almost buy a decnent laptop and have abigger screen music larger hd more functions same wight and not look like such a dork.
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| stickman67 |
3/23/04, 5:09 AM EDT |
1. And out of the desert came a new sage, and his name was Bill Gates. 2. And Bill Gates didst see what His Steveness of Apple had built, and didst like what he saw, and didst desire to build something very much like it but totally different of course. 3. So Bill Gates called unto the Lord, and he didst say: 4. "Lord! I hath collected a great sh*tload of portable cash which is burning a hole in my holy robe. Might I build that which is very much like His Steveness of Apple hath built but totally different of course?" 5. And the Lord looked down from his throne in Heaven and, stifling a yawn, didst say unto Bill Gates: 6. "Why not? I've never been able to stop you before." 7. And Bill Gates didst fall onto his knees and, with a smug sidelong glance at His Steveness of Apple, didst say: 8. "Yippee! More bucketloads of cash for me!" 9. And the people didst rejoice, for they were true believers, and didst think that things like the Blue Screen of Death and constant patches were features. 10. And the Lord didst look down from Heaven and merely rolled his eyes.
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| rlhamon |
3/23/04, 12:38 PM EDT |
stickman believe you've watched passion of the christ way to many times. stay away from the movie theaters ... stay away!
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| stickman67 |
3/23/04, 6:57 PM EDT |
I hear you, brother! I have seeeeen the light! The flickering, flickering light! Hallelujah, Mel the Prophet! Thy word is the truth and thy name the box-office drawcard that Madonna doth covet like a green-eyed vixen!
By the way, anyone know how to get bent nails out of your hands? Damn DIY Crucifixion kit ...
*Ouch!*
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