Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

e.Digital Promises Another iPod Competitor

Posted by timothy on from the think-exactly-the-same dept.

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.

11 of 256 comments (clear)

  1. Get over it by G-funk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Except for the choice of OS, looks pretty sweet

    Huh? Except for the choice of OS? This goes too far. Who gives a crap if they don't use linux? It's not like it runs windows, it runs some OS they wrote, that does what it needs to do - play mp3s. If it works, and it does what it's supposed to do, good on them.

    Now I'm all for somebody getting one and putting linux on it, but that's "hey a cool hack" value, not something that needs to be done to make the product worthwhile.

    --
    Send lawyers, guns, and money!
    1. Re:Get over it by Cardhore · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah, I agree. It's not like F-22s or anything really care what operating system they're running, so why should a portable music player?

      --
      Got friends?
  2. DRM support by NiceGeek · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I don't care how cool it looks...I'm not supporting any device that has DRM support.

  3. Heard it before by AIXadmin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When the iMac came out, this same thing happened. With in six months there were rip offs from such notables as Dell, Gateway, and IBM. None of nock-offs have survived. The iMac is still around and selling well.

    Apple just seems to have some kind of magic when it comes to product design. That few others if any have.

    1. Re:Heard it before by deviator · · Score: 4, Insightful
      It's not magic - it's the right mix of very smart people combined with management who lets those designers (really artists) realize their vision with few restrictions.

      ...ever notice how Apple isn't constantly concerned with "make it as cheap as possible?" Sometimes it seems they're the ONLY company who won't compromise ideals in favor of cost; that's why their designs are so successful.

  4. Archos Jukebox by chaidawg · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Can anyone explain to me why people think there are no options for a PC based portable MP3 player? I have had the 20g Archos Jukebox for five months now and I couldn't be happier with it. Sure it only uses USB 1, but how often do you need to fill 20 gigs?

    I put my 5 gigs of music on it overnight when I first bought it and spend a couple of minutes each week putting on my new music. All of that with 2 sets of rechargable 6 hour life batteris for $300. I will admit that the UI is not as pretty as on the iPod but for the price and size difference, I don't care.

    If you want to take a look at one go to archos.com

  5. E.Digital is a penny-stock scam! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    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.)

    1. Re:E.Digital is a penny-stock scam! by HEbGb · · Score: 5, Informative

      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.

  6. DRM Support!! Whoopee! by -tji · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wow, look at that feature list... 20GB storage, 16MB buffer, AM/FM radio, and best of all:

    # WMA Digital Rights Management (DRM) support

    Those marketroids really know how to sell a product. I'm sure customers will be clamoring for that feature.

  7. Re:DRM use isn't mandatory by sweet+reason · · Score: 4, Insightful

    buying a DRM-enabled device does have an effect even if you don't use the feature: the more DRM-supporting boxes there are in people's hands, the less the RIAA will have to worry about losing customers who can't play DRM-encumbered music.

    --
    Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. -- A.E.
  8. Re:USB? Ugh. by iphayd · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "This is especially pathetic when you see that USB's max bandwidth is 480 Mbits, and FireWire is 400."

    This is the only incorrect statement in your post, and it is also why your results are crappy.

    It should read...

    "USB2's results are so pathetic because its max. bandwith is 480Mbps, while firewire has a sustained rate of 400Mbps."

    USB2's 480Mbps is FUD, aimed squarely across Firewire's bow. The pathetic thing is that it is working.