e.Digital Promises Another iPod Competitor

joefefifo writes: "e.Digital has a press release describing their Odyssey 1000, supposedly due out in the fall. Some stats: Looks like an iPod, uses USB 2.0., has a 20GB capacity, built-in mic for voice recording and navigation, FM Tuner with 12 presets, Mac & PC compatible, iTunes compatible, runs e.Digital's MicroOS 2.0. Except for the choice of OS, looks pretty sweet. Any chance someone will get it to run Linux instead?" Like Toshiba's little player, it uses USB 2 rather than Firewire.

Comments

Previous e.digital MP3 player no good

[mstra]

I got a Treo 10 several months ago (early in 2002), and the thing was truly no good.

Software never was able to consistently connect to the device, it's a TON heavier than my iPod, and I swear, the thing RATTLES.

I'll stick with my iPod, thanks.

m.

E.Digital is a penny-stock scam!

[Anonymous Coward]

Many, many people see e.digital as being nothing more than a pump-and-dump penny stock scam, and there certainly is enough evidence to back it up.

This article barely touches the depth of shady deals this company is engaged in:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/bauder /20020707-9999_1b7bauder.html

They've announced several vaporware mp3 players, which caused a stock pump, and when nothing panned out the 'dump' came and the stock once again dropped. The few units they were able to manufacture are now being liquidated on ebay and various liquidator companies.

Most recently, the company has engaged in extremely questionable financial arrangements in order to stay afloat - they recently took out a $1.5 million loan with 100% of their company's assets as colatteral, to a shady off-shore entity, in a clear case of death-spiral financing.

This company currently has several hundred million outstanding shares, and is still issuing more.

The principals of the company have made something of a career out of pump-and-dump companies - look at the histories of Patriot Scientific (java procesor hype) and ATC (hyped audio technology). They're also involved in promoting movies and solo-flying machines. All the same gang. Decades of scam companies, lies and misleading statements to shareholders, and never once a real product or profits.

E.Digital does not deserve in any way to get this kind of exposure on slashdot.

(Disclaimer: I have never owned any shares, but I do know several people who were hoodwinked into purchasing shares, and lost a huge amount of money.)

Re:E.Digital is a penny-stock scam!

[HEbGb]

I'll have to agree, based on what I know about them. From $0.05 to $24, and back to $0.45, all without profit or real sales, is quite a ride.

There's quite an active discussion of them over at the Reging bull stock chat site.

A very long but extremely informative post about these financial issues is here.

Re:PC Compatible? Sweet!

[galaxy300]

I believe that Apple announced a PC compatable version of the ipod last week at MacWorld.

Re:usb 2?

[Anonymous Coward]

Plug a single USB1 device into a USB2 root hub, and every device will be throttled to USB1 speeds.

USB2 is a stupid idea.

Re:Not *truly* Mac compatible

[Oculus Habent]

Most PCs don't have USB 2.0 yet. FireWire is becoming more available. DEll now offers a video editing studio with FireWire card for $50. It is already being used in a number of peripherals (many USB 2.0 devices also have FireWire interfaces).

FireWire also allows devices to communicate directly, reducing system overhead.

It also allows more power than the USB specification.

--
Just my thoughts.

Re:Heard it before

[owlicks58]

As we speak I'm using my original Bondi Blue iMac, the computer that you weren't supposed to be able to upgrade. Too bad the only original thing on this is the motherboard and monitor! I have an upgraded processor, more RAM than it was orignally intended, upgraded Hard Disk, upgraded 3-D card, and a firewire port add on! People who whine about macs not being upgradable are fools who don't know anything about Macs

Apple doesn't charge a royalty for Firewire

[Catbeller]

Another fine myth: Apple charging freight for using 1393.

Nope. Years back, the fee was $1.00. Now, I think it's nothing.

How much does Intel charge for USB? And why are they influencing the market by retarding adoption? Firewire is superior to USB 1&2 in every way, and Firewire 2 will be insane.

FW is expensive because Intel wants it that way. They don't want Apple to succeed, and they've too much investment in USB teh to let it go.

Re:usb 2?

[Oculus Habent]

nVidia's new nForce2 chipset has USB 2.0 and FireWire support. I have seen firewire on the front panel of some Compaqs (a little while ago). It is available on Dells. I can't speak for anything else, as I don't regularly go computer shopping. The latest in MicroATX computers (Shuttle) have FireWire onboard.

Sure, USB 2.0 is a bit faster. But it incurs more host overhead (especially communicating between two devices) and doesn't offer as much power.

USB 2.0 would be great if FireWire didn't already exists. It is not needed, and the decision between USB 2.0 and FireWire hurts people's ability to purchase new devices.

USB 1.1 is fine for what it is: high speed serial ports. Keyboards, mice, tablets, floppy drives, low-end webcams, some scanners... It doesn't need to be more than that. FireWire is physically as easy, and is a more versatile technology.