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Inside Hardware Design - Competing Against the iPod

Posted by Hemos on from the a-hard-battle-to-fight dept.

ihatewinXP writes "FastCompany.com has a behind the scenes article detailing Rio's (and others) attempts to differentiate hardware and compete in the digital music market against the iPod juggernaught. From the article: "We decided that we had to be radically different from Apple. Where Apple was sort of the ivory tower, we were going to be the dark rebel. Where Apple was very geometric, we were going to be smooth and curvy. Apple was so enamored with absolute pure, minimalist design that some designers may argue that ergonomics were compromised.""

8 of 454 comments (clear)

  1. Ergonomics? by RevengeOfPoopJuggler · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apple was so enamored with absolute pure, minimalist design that some designers may argue that ergonomics were compromised.

    I'm sure the head of the iPod department will really give two shits about ergonomics when he goes for his daily swim in his pool filled with crisp $100 bills...

    1. Re:Ergonomics? by American+AC+in+Paris · · Score: 4, Funny
      I'm sure the head of the iPod department will really give two shits about ergonomics when he goes for his daily swim in his pool filled with crisp $100 bills...

      Exactly.

      He'll probably be thinking something more along the lines of "Oh dear GOD! It's like TEN THOUSAND TINY LITTLE RAZOR BLADES! OH, GOD, IT BURNS! AAAAAAAGH!!!"

      In closing, always use old, crumpled $100 bills in a swimming pool.

      --

      Obliteracy: Words with explosions

    2. Re:Ergonomics? by Leroy_Brown242 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I don't know, Scrooge McDuck managed to swim through gold coins just fine. Why not paper bills too? :)

      --
      Pretty Pictures!
  2. Same As It Ever Was by American+AC+in+Paris · · Score: 5, Funny
    Where Apple was sort of the ivory tower, we were going to be the dark rebel.

    ...so basically, try to do exactly what Apple did to you back when they released the iPod.

    --

    Obliteracy: Words with explosions

    1. Re:Same As It Ever Was by snorklewacker · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Next time some hot chick asks you, is that your iPod, YOU SAY YES!"

      (Apologies to Winston, the lesser-known Ghostbuster)

      So basically, either he deflected some shallow and vapid chick, or she sensed he was about to launch into some babble about his product choices. I think that Rio did someone a favor, I just don't know who.

      --
      I am no longer wasting my time with slashdot
  3. Great Buisness Plan by Quick+Sick+Nick · · Score: 5, Funny

    We decided that we had to be radically different from Apple.

    Because, hey, iPods aren't really selling that well.

  4. Ivory Tower by syntap · · Score: 4, Funny

    Where Apple was sort of the ivory tower, we were going to be the dark rebel.

    Why would anyone say those so soon after everyone saw Gandalf defeat Sauron?

  5. Everything has its place by Urusai · · Score: 5, Funny

    The crisp $100 bills are for lighting your cigar. The shiny nickels and dimes are for throwing at street urchins. The ones are for tipping the valet (tip: fold them over to double your largesse). The twenties are for doing lines of coke with the senator off the ass of a call girl.

    Remember etiquette! We are not savage beasts!