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Toshiba's iPod Competitor
a lonely moose writes: "It looks like Toshiba basically copied Apple's iPod. They got cheap on screen size and unit weight, and without iTunes, it'll be darn hard to handle as elegantly as the iPod. Anyway, check out
MacCentral's article and the smoking forum at the bottom."
iTunes doesn't have a way to do it, but there are a number of freeware/shareware programs that will copy music off the iPod, including some that integrate directly into iTunes. Check out versiontracker.com for more info..
USB 2.0 is faster than Firewire (current IEEE 1394 spec). Gigawire should be faster than USB 2.0.
My other first post is car post.
A+ Certified means dick. The A+ test was nothing but memorizing what IRQ meant what and a whole bunch of obsolete information. I went to Barnes & Noble the day before I took the A+ test and picked a study book off the shelf, read it twice, took the test, and got certified. The test was a joke. I worked at a computer repair store for 3 years [i worked there for 2 before I took the test to get a $0.50/hr pay raise, getting my CCNA got me another $2.00/hr], and the majority of laptops that came in where off-brands. Toshiba was no more frequent than Dell or Compaq or Gateway. The Toshiba Satellites are very very good laptops. Oh well.
macosx is based on bsd and nextstep. how is that riping off linux?
I'd say that Apple definitely has the advantage here because:
1) The Ipod is smaller, lighter, and has a bigger screen.
2) The battery is a Lithium Polymer, which can support playback of up to 13 hours, by some user reports, while this hunk of junk may very well use AA's.
3) It costs, oddly enough, $10 more, even though Toshiba makes the hard disc, and it has *ahem* a smaller screen.
4) The backlight can't be nearly as good.
5) USB 2.0 can't power the unit, while firewire can, so I never have to bring an AC adaptor *anywhere*.
I think that you maybe didn't read the article?
Speaking from a Mac user's perspective, the Toshiba player isn't too useful. USB2 is only available on the Mac to tower users who spend extra money, and I saw no mention of Mac software anyway. The removable hard drives are a long term advantage, not a short term one.
:-)
Myself, my iPod just arrived in the main today, so I've put my money where my mouth is. I'm off to work with it now!
"Common Sense Ain't" -Unknown
I just finished writing an article for DV Magazine about FireWire yesterday, so I've got this on the brain.
While USB2 does have a theoretical maximum data rate of 480 Mbps compared to 400 Mpbs with FireWire, FireWire does a much better job of time-critical streaming with its isochronous mode. Thus you can actually use a much higher percentage of the theoretical bandwidth with FireWire.
Of course, we're talking 400 freaking Mbps here. A real-time stream of DV is only 25. Maxed out MP3 files are 0.32 Mbps. Heck, Panasonic is going to have 1280x720 HD decks that use FireWire later this year, and THAT is only 100 Mbps.
USB2 also has less bus power than FireWire, so it can't charge bus-charged devices like the iPod as quickly.
Also, while 1394b is coming, the name Gigawire is purely theoretical.
1394b includes faster speeds over copper and optical connections (800 Mbps initially, with 1600 and 3200 coming), with run lengths up to 100 meters. It'll also do 100 Mbps over CAT-5, so you can route real-time video over existing wiring.
There will be two new connector types. Bilingual cables will hook up to both legacy 1394 devices and 1394b. This means you can mix and match 1394 and 1394a devices and computers. There will also be the beta connector for 1394b only applications (not beta for "non-quite-done" but for the b in 1394b). There won't be any more of the 4-pin v 6-pin confusion in 1394b, thankfully. As long as you don't have any beta-only stuff, you can just use normal 6-pin FireWire cables for all your stuff.
My video compression blog
Try the Archos Jukebox. I believe they offer a variety of hard drive sizes (10 and 20? Can't remember). I'm going to buy the 20GB one, I think -- it makes a handy portable hard drive for data, too.
5) USB 2.0 can't power the unit, while firewire can, so I never have to bring an AC adaptor *anywhere*.
Hard to take you seriously when you can't even get simple facts straight. USB has always provided power to peripherals. Check their web site if you don't believe me.
This tagline is umop apisdn.
unless of course you're using an unpowered firewire port, such as those found on most forewire pc-card adaptors.
-- D-23994, Muff#2613
USB provides power, but not _enough_ power. Less than 500mA at 5V. Firewire provides 12v to 16v at around 12W in most cases - far better than the 2.5W of USB.
FOR THE LAST TIME -
The drive in the iPod USED to cost $399. TODAY, it costs $99, RETAIL. I imagine Apple gets them for way less. A FireWire hard drive incorporating the same Toshiba mechanism used in the 5 GB iPod can be purchased for $99. (The FireFly drive).
Makes you wonder why they never lowered the price of the iPod when the price of the drive went down, doesn't it? Perhaps some pressure from other vendors will persude them.