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Microsoft's iPod-Killer: Portable Media Center?
securitas writes "The Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Todd Bishop reports on what's billed as an iPod-killer: the Microsoft Portable Media Center line of digital media players that 'will store and play back video, music and photos.' The devices are expected to be demonstrated at CES this week. Hardware manufacturers Samsung, ViewSonic, iRiver, and Creative are apparently developing versions of the devices that 'will run a specialized version of Windows CE.' Analysts say that the PMCs will come with 40 GB hard drives and retail for $400 to $700. I got a look at an early version of the RCA Lyra Audio/Video Jukebox mentioned unfavorably in the article due to its size. The size is a function of needing a reasonably-sized screen to watch video. The article has an image of a Portable Media Center prototype. The devices are slated to ship in the second half of 2004."
The Blue Screen of Death has now been replaced by the Color Bar Test Pattern.
It costs 300 dollars more. And it runs Windows CEment.
add bluetooth so it can connect to the internet via a bluetooth cell phone and play internet radio.
What people want is something small, stylish and cheap. For this kind of price I think most people would buy a palm PC instead, which although with a lot smaller storage they are cheaper and can do more.
Just because it does everything does not make it valuable to consumers... look at the N-Gage.
The device is HUGE - check out the article image - the screen is just small enough to be annoying to watch a video clip on and just big enough to be too bulky.
I am all for this type of device, but Microsoft is no innovator. They shoudl wiat for Apple to creat ethe device, then rip it off. What is Bill THINKING!?!?
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
Microsoft's iPod-Killer
Ha yea, I bet a whole bunch of Mac owners are gonna swap their iPod's for a Microsoft "Portable Media Centers".
These don't really seem like competitors to the small, sheik, audio-only iPods. They seem like competitors to the previous Lyra Audio/Video Jukebox, and the like.
These things aren't going to be iPod killers. One thing that the iPod has over just about every other hard disk MP3 player out there (besides fabulous design and iTunes music store) is great battery life. A fried of mine has an Archos, and it needs recharging after 4-5 hours, whereas I can listen to my iPod all day at work.
What would kill the iPod for me would be something with the form factor of the iPod that also had PDA and cell phone functionality - especially if it used Bluetooth to connect to a cell phone headset and either Bluetooth or WiFi for internet access.
The next Cmdr Taco duplicate will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and see it early!
porn.
pocket.
{Goodbye productivity!}
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
While Tablet PCs aren't that great, from what I know, they have hard drives, screens, and can play media such as these do... ...only these won't have the added benefit of also being PCs.
And with "real" (ie non-Tablet) laptop prices coming down to $700 - $800, I think it will be hard to justify less functional devices for roughly the same amount of money!
libertarianswag.com
Be assured, if Apple don't launch the ultimate portable multimedia device to rock your world, SOMEONE will. But like the mediocre and confusing MS PocketPC products, failed MSX 'standard' of the 1980s, MS Smart Display etc, successful versions of such potentially ground breakingly useful products can only come from design innovators, not huge multi-nationals who lack the cohesive vision. Evidence? Original Palm Pilot, iPod and Tapwave Zodiac, each (almost) meticulous in their execution.
O'WONDERWe're working on it.
Before even mentioning DRM issues and probable lack of good portability between music formats.
;).
I have I must admit very much supported Microsoft hardware (you can shoot me later) because all the hardware I have ever bought with MS stuck on it has lasted a long time and is made durable and much more comfortable than competitors.
So I'd hazard a guess the thing will be pretty good at dealing with the bumps and scrapes inherent with portable players. But believe me, if the software is anything similar to the stuff they put on Windows Smartphone (Mobile phone/cellphone) it has got no chance. Straying off topic a tad but them things hang, call people without you asking, hang up calls without you asking, dont respond to cellular events too well (like someone rings and hangs up phone believes the sender is still ringing in).
So if its the same "specialized" version of WinCE they used on thier phones expect an abysmal effort at software design. But at least it wont smash when you drop it
This is the future. I've always carried around a book, paperback usually, in the winter I can fit it in my inside coat pocket. When I'm on a bus, or a plane, or i'm just bored, I whip it out and start reading.
Now, instead, we're going to whip out our portable media devices and watch "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" instead. Ahh, the future! Behold!
40 Gigs, video, audio...
and 1 hour of battery life.
I've actaully reverted to my old Palm because CE's battery life is so poor.
If I seem short sighted, it is because I stand on the shoulders of midgets
No way you're going to get the 128kbps internet radio that most are used to... you could make a case for 56K audio designed to be streamed from a modem, but realistically, from a cell phone you'll more likely to be getting the low end of 20-60 kbps, that ain't gonna happen either...
Highly unlikely, with the technologies that are around right now, and really, internet radio this way would be far too costly and lousy sounding.
It's really no surprise that everyone here is quick to point at the PMC and declare that it is useless. What is surprising is that a group of such 'gifted' people can't bring themselves to recognize any reality besides their own.
Millions of people around the world commute by train or bus every day. A PMC is designed almost specifically for these people.
But that's not really where the PMC is headed, if you read between the lines. MS wants to be "the king of all media" and if you could download your TiVo'd shows onto your PMC, you could then watch your shows at your leisure wherever you were. Likewise, as these things grow a video out port, you will be able to playback any saved video on any display device.
The PMC is not an iPod killer. They aren't even competitors.
I have been pwned because my
Personally, I'm curious to see what Steve his up his sleeve at MWSF.
Que Deus te de em dobro o que me desejas
[May God give you double that which you wish for me]
or is portable video virtually useless? Like another poster said, music lets you do other things while listening. Also, music sounds virtually identical whether listening to it on an Ipod or on your massive PC rig at home. While walking down the street listening to tunes you aren't being constantly reminded that the item delivering the music to your eyes is the size of a cigarette packet.
Completely different for video. You actually have to focus on a tiny screen and devote pretty much all of your attention to it (unless you are a woman, we all know how good they are at multitasking). You have to make sure you havent got glare in the screen and you can watch the video where you won't be disturbed (like AT HOME, perhaps?). Music on the move is in easily digestible 2-10 minute chunks. You can squeeze off a track while waiting for the bus or queueing up at the supermarket. Try watching LOTR in 40 odd 5 minute sessions. OK so movies are pretty useless on portable devices unless you are in the same place, undisturbed for several hours. Such as an airplane. If only there was a way for airplanes to deliver movies to passengers while they are waiting for their three hour flight to land...
What other uses then do we have for portable video? Music videos, maybe? Well you might as well just listen to the music separately. A black man staring at the camera shaking his hands about making kung fu motions with 100 pounds of gold round his neck doesn't add much on a 50 inch plasma, let alone a 6 inch LCD. With music videos and movies pretty much worthless as far as portable video is concerned what else is there that is of any value to the mainstream consumer? Funny movie clips? Recorded video? (we have devices called video cameras for the playback of such video). Porn is one thing that would be mentioned on Slashdot, but as any guy knows, you need to be on your own to enjoy porn. You wanna blow 500 bucks just so you can jerk off in a rest room squinting at what you think is a woman getting fucked?
So when your next walking down the street and you feel a pang of jealousy seeing someone with one of these on their waist, think to yourself, 'What am I actually missing out on?'
Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
so.
Microsoft, and many slashbotters will never get this, but I will try anyway. Jobs understands that in product design, sometimes less is more. Steve knows when to make something, but more importantly - when NOT too.
The iPods works because it is a simple elegent music player that ppl can take with them to the gym, or whatever. Nobody is going to walk around with a movie player. Why would they? Can you ride a bike, jog, work out, watching a movie? - urrr no. End of product.
Memo to Microsoft - stick with the formula that got you where you are today - cloning and rebranding other ppl's ideas - give up on inventing your own.
Got it. It's more than twice the size of an iPod. Given battery life on other devices with decent color screens, there's no reason to believe these will offer two hours of continuous playback reliably without spare batteries. Or maybe that's why it's so thick and weighs twice as much as an iPod or PDA.
Even at $400 it's twice the price of those cheap no-name portable DVD players you can get. It's too expensive to give to kids for car trips, and they'd be happy with one of those cheap portable DVD players anyway. Business travelers might like it, except they already carry laptops that can play the DVDs that they already own or rent for $2 a week.
Any decent content will be pay-per-view and won't be viewable on a TV unless you have a high-end PC running XP Media Center Edition in your living room hooked up to that TV, which amounts to a few thousand people right now. And with Media Center PCs retailing for $1600 or so in a market where most PCs sell for half of that or less, it's going to be a few years before that changes.
It's as expensive as a high-end PDA but isn't a PDA. It's a second or third gadget to carry around and with all that extra space needed for more batteries, it's not a zero-carry.
I wish the first-generation licensees luck.
I have an IPod, and I paid a premium for it mostly because it is a very small form factor. It is the only hard drive based mp3 player I can carry in a shirt pocket without looking like a complete embicile. The IPod does one thing and it does it incredibly well.
This won't be an IPod killer because it's going to do everything and it will do it in a mediocre manner. How many people need an ultra portable video player? I live in the city and do a lot of walking so having a portable audio player makes perfect sense. But it would be dangerous to do the same thing and watch video.
Something for the kids perhaps? Not at $400-800, unless the thing is indestructible. Why would I shell out for that when I can shell out a fraction of that for a game boy that will keep them far more distracted.
I can see only two valuable uses for this:
1) Long flights - but how many of us have enough long flights to pay for this and don't carry a laptop along already.
2) Photo/Video storage on the go - if you take a lot of pictures, it's nice to have a device to store the data on while you are on the go.
Other than that, what possible use do I have for this device. I've got enough crap to lug around as it is, why would I want one more device?
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