Inside Hardware Design - Competing Against the iPod

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.""

Comments

You'll know they've got it wrong when...

[ackthpt]

"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."

You'll know they've got it wrong when...

• They silhouette the player instead of the dancer.
• They mix metaphors like 'ivory tower' and 'dark rebel'
• They use words like 'synergy', 'user experience', 'radical' or 'extreme' to describe features.
• It's got a remote control.
• The player, software and services are heartily endorsed by the RIAA
• They actually make a better product and price it competitively.
• It doesn't look like a piece of tacky plastic jewelry.

Ergonomics?

[RevengeOfPoopJuggler]

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...

Re:Ergonomics?

[Paradox]

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...

Common misconception, "More Features Means More Value." Maybe one day people will crave a PDA that is also a phone and an MP3 player. That day has yet to come.

The iPod is so popular in part because it is a simple, no-frills solution. For most people, the world of players is confusing, riddled with complex features that they don't understand or need. Apple realized this, simpified the approach, and people love it. They then went on to simplify the whole music acquisition process. iTMS is so good that it competes with illegal downloads.

It may not be very geeky, but it's this kind of clarity that the vast majority of novice computer users appreciate. Customization is something experience and confident users will do, and the simple truth is that the vast majority of modern computer users never reach that level of confidence and knowledge.

Same As It Ever Was

[American AC in Paris]

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.

Re:Same As It Ever Was

[BewireNomali]

Ipod is to DAPs what Google is to search. In popular culture its tough to separate the two.

I freelance in the film industry. a couple of weeks ago I was going to this reception for an independent film premiere here in NY. there was a rush at the door, a bottleneck as invitations were checked. I was there with a friend of mine who does OK with the ladies, but has a Rio (notice I said BUT, as in it is not a good thing to socially own a Rio DAP). Earbuds are in... so he bumps into a rather attractive girl who turns and looks receptive. She notices him so he takes out his rio to turn down the volume. She's like, "What's that? Your Ipod?" He responds, "No, It's a Rio, it's just like an Ipod..."

It doesn't matter what he said after that. Her face slackened, any interest she might have had was gone. It was such a crushing blow that I went and got myself an Ipod the next day.

Never underestimate the power of popular culture. The IPOD will not be unseated. The WALKMAN was never unseated as the premiere mobile music player in the 80s and that's despite the million clones that came thereafter. Sony lost footing because they couldn't anticipate portable CD players. Any DAP company needs to invest in the next gen device, the next evolution in the movement of personal music.

Don't throw rocks at the throne. Build your own throne; people will come and worship.

Re:Same As It Ever Was

[snorklewacker]

"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.

compromised ergonomics

[jcsehak]

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

I thought the exact same thing the first time I saw those earbud headphones. They look like a couple primitive shapes stuck together. Come to find out, they're the most comfortable earbud headphones I've had, even without the foam.

I hate to be an Apple apologist, but I can't think of anywhere they've sacrificed ergonimics for design. I think they just eschew curves and stuff that look ergonomic, but don't actually make the thing easier to use.

Great Buisness Plan

[Quick Sick Nick]

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

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

Better/Cheaper iPods with REAL competition

[stuver]

Personally, I would like to see real competition with the iPod. I love mine and wouldn't give it up for the world, but there are plenty of things I would like to see included but Apple really does not have any motivation to do so.

First off, I would like to see an AM/FM tuner included. If they really want to make that something special, they could include a TV/weather band tuner as well.

Also, I would like to be able to replace the battery myself without having to pay a crapload of money for them to do it or risk damaging my iPod if I do it myself.

One of my biggest complaints, and I think just about everyone with an iPod would agree with me on this one, is that if you are into the whole minimalist thing, the iPod looks beautiful right out of the box. However, use it even once and the shiny chromed back is already getting scratched up and if you do not do something to protect the screen, within a year the screen is almost unreadable.

All that being said, real competition would be the motivator for Apple to make the iPod even better and cheaper. And at $300 or so a pop, they had better do something or risk losing their corner on the market.

Re:Its all about the marketing.

[pootypeople]

Actually, I've used other players alot because friends think I'm stupid for having spent so much on my iPod; that is, until they use the iPod next to their player. I think the best example is the Creative Zen Micro. I cannot figure out how to use the darn thing. It's got touch-sensitive controls, but the buttons don't click- it's like tapping a mouse pad, which I never did to begin with. There's some good features with the zen (a removable batter cover would be nice on a ipod, but would screw up the whole "look" of the player) but the usability makes it just plain unfun. Most of the other players remind of me of this. The click wheel is *the big feature* of the iPod. It's a great interface for scrolling through long lists, and it's so easy to use that ANYBODY (and I mean anybody - my grandfather included) can just pick up an iPod and get down. That's user-friendly, and that's Apple. Until somebody else comes up with a better idea (and so far, no luck), the iPod is going to continue its dominance.
James

Sour Grapes

[wedding]

Every one of the interview subjects sounded like a mouthful of sour grapes. Why is it so hard to admit that you got your ass kicked, and are noew attempting to do something to come back?

Every single one of them had some dig at the iPod, and then a marketing spiel about their own POS product that's in the clearance bin at Sam's. Tell us something NEW and we'll consider your product.

Everything has its place

[Urusai]

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!

Compromised Ergonomics?

[joelsanda]

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

How in the world can anyone claim this?

I can perform the following actions with one hand holding the iPod and my thumb controlling it:

• Turn on/off
• Select a playlist/composer/performer
• Adjust volume
• Read notes
• View my calendar
• Fast forward/rewind/pause

And that's compromising ergonomics? The iPod probably makes the fewest ergonomic assumptions than any other product I own/have owned.

Well, alright, it assumes you are a homo sapien with at least one opposable thumb on one hand. But even with that assumption anyone belonging to the homo genus can use the iPod.

I have

[SuperKendall]

I've had other MP3 devices, like watch players. Also tried PDA MP3 playing and a few friends devices like rios.

I have the earlier 5GB iPod and frankly nothing else is as pleasant to use. I actually didn't like the control system of the later ones with the controls moved to the top, but now they are back around the wheel they are doing good. I just bought a Mini for my GF and she loves it - because it's so, so easy to use. The feature that can pitch-shift audio books is worth the whole price alone, if you ever want to listen to podcasts or speeches or seminar recordings.

A lot of people seem to think that people buy into the iPod because of marketing. But I think that's secondary, and the real success of the iPod lies in amazing word of mouth from actual users who really do end up becoming semi-evangelists because when something works decently well it sticks out like a sore thumb in a world of consumer electronics that are half-crap. When I tell people I'm still using an MP3 player I bought years and years ago without a drawer full of others strewn along the way, people go "wow!". When people can get off the upgrade mill and get something that's more reliable and friendly it makes them very happy.