Points taken. I don't own a Mac. I'm not an Apple 'fanboy' and yes, I do run Linux. Correction on the 'drag and drop' comment earlier. Scripts, cp, etc. will be the way 'true' geeks transfer music. I'm just lazy.
All I was trying to say is that it will be difficult for any product to usurp the top spot from iPod.
Anyone been to a Walmart/Target/Best Buy/Circuit City/Fry's/Apple Store lately? Notice the insane amount of accessories available for the iPod? Anyone notice that more and more car manufacturers are including ports or docks for iPods in their cars?
I'm not sure what the 'average' consumer is thinking about when purchasing a digital music player, but to know that there are a gazillion after-market items I can get for an iPod is somewhat comforting. Plus, the ubiquitity of the iPod means millions of websites devoted to tips, info, hacks, etc. for the iPod. And don't forget the 'cool' factor (which is hard to put into words).
Do not get me wrong. I have a couple of issues with the iPod. I used to own a Minidisc player (EXCELLENT hardware, TERRIBLE software). It had swappable, rechargeable, gumstick batteries. Plus, the exterior didn't scratch easily. And the battery life was incredible.
But come on, iPods are INSANELY easy to dump music to. I don't even use iTunes and it's still insanely easy. Drag and drop will always be the best way for us geeks to get our music on these things, but the ease of use, the ubiquitity of accessories and information, and, finally, the cool factor will make it very hard for any other player to make strong inroads into the market.
As a former long-time owner of a Sony Minidisc player, I can give you a glimpse of why the hate is so strong here. It's about (what my best friend calls) 'wasted potential.'
Let me give you an idea of what my Minidisc life was like for about 5 years:
The device is capable of so many uses. You can record, you can play, you can run with it, you can hook it up to a million sound systems, etc. etc. etc. But the software is designed with keen observation from the lawyers in the company. Many of the features that you, in your sweet heart, KNOW are there are disabled. Recording and then copying are severely restricted. Getting music onto the damn thing takes the effort equivalent to climbing a mountain.
Long story short, it's a gallant horse with strong legs in a tight and painful harness. Severely limited in its movement, the animal withers.
The wireless component of the Zune give it immense potential to dethrone the Ipod. But, we all know that DRM and MS's history will give us a scenario much like the one I consistently experienced as a Minidisc fan.
As long as getting access to the 'net is NOT considered a public right (such as electricity, water, sewage removal, etc.), the private telecoms will attempt to capitalize.
Societally, this poses an issue. To be a public utility, everyone must NEED the Internet. If this is so, then many of the 'brick-and-mortar' locations we go to must be replaced with more efficient 'online' locations. This is tricky. As yet, products and services offered online are offered offline. If a basic service (such as banking) moves in its entirety to the virtual world, then the Internet becomes not just a luxury, but a necessity.
This, of course, requires a societal shift. But we are moving this way. Think of communication tools. People 'can't live without' email. Heck, if I don't spend 6-8 hours a day online, I feel useless.
Until access to the Internet is considered a RIGHT, we'll never be able to freely give it away. I say we all put our brains together and create a product/service/idea that is truly revolutionary but can only be gained through the 'net. Moreover, this p/s/i must be so fundamentally essential to the world from that point on, access becomes essential for every man, woman, child, and anything else I missed.
I've also been a Minidisc 'fan' since day 1. I'm on my 4rd unit now. I'll be brutally honest. The only reason I still have the damn thing is because it cost me about 300 bucks. I'm on the verge of getting a flash-based MP3 player.
The arguments in the article of MD vs. other players isn't entirely with merit. But the author does cite some advantages that were great a couple of years ago. But with flash-based players out in the market, the advantages of MD diminish.
Sony DID have the ability to push them and totally dominate a market. But they misstepped with the RIDICULOUSLY INSANE SonicStage software. It's a true piece of garbage. My mother could write a better software package. Sigh. In the early days, even with SonicStage, there was no alternative. MD was 'the bomb.' I would record concerts (shhh, don't tell the f'in RIAA...), record notes for classes, it was great. Only NOW, after years of complaints to Sony, can you download these recordings to your computer as WAV files with no restrictions. YEARS of complaints I tell you. Almost all the complaints were about SonicStage. Sigh.
Most of the fans of MD (the ones that still clamor about it, at least) have been fans forever. And most of us are feeling far less than nostalgic. We're ready to jump ship.
Sony can still save MD. A flashy ad-campaign touting the indestructability of MD's would help. Drag/drop support would help. Sleeker low-end models (with prices that directly compete with low to mid-end flash-players) would help. Just a handful of things that would cost a behemoth like Sony a few million dollars to implement. But, as the author implies, the Sun may be setting on MD. I still have glimpses of hope. But these too seem to be, well, sigh.......
Split the desktop computer into various parts. These parts then combine to give us a fuller, more powerful computing experience.
My ideal world (in terms of computing):
My PDA (not much smaller than today's cellphones) has the ability to display a keyboard on any surface (this exists today). It can somehow emulate a screen in the air (holographic technology) or transmit video signals directly to my retinas (this exists today as well). The wireless network (WiMax anyone?) will be powerful enough to pipe all my hideously large data to my home 'computer.' In fact, the PDA could be devoid of a harddrive. The battery system will be much more powerful than today's systems. I can also use the PDA as we do today.
Once I'm in my home, I simply put the device on a table and it can wirelessly communicate to anything in my home. So it pumps a video signal wirelessly to my TV. I have a wireless keyboard in the living room that talks to the device as well. Somewhere, in the basement or in a closet, I have a large array of hard-drives. Better yet, quantum technology has advanced to the point where a small crystal can store gigabytes or even terabytes of data. Don't forget that all the data gets between the keyboard, the TV, and the harddrive(s) wirelessly. Yet the interface systems never lets me remember that.
In other words, take the different parts of the computer today (CPU, display, input, storage, etc.) and separate them. Have each independent part wirelessly communicate with each other. As time progresses, each part could be revolutionized in its own way (i.e. E-Ink in the paint on your walls, your walls turn into a giant screen, or harddrives that actually use the spin of quarks as bits, or input devices that tie directly into your brain....)
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Points taken. I don't own a Mac. I'm not an Apple 'fanboy' and yes, I do run Linux. Correction on the 'drag and drop' comment earlier. Scripts, cp, etc. will be the way 'true' geeks transfer music. I'm just lazy.
All I was trying to say is that it will be difficult for any product to usurp the top spot from iPod.
Anyone been to a Walmart/Target/Best Buy/Circuit City/Fry's/Apple Store lately? Notice the insane amount of accessories available for the iPod? Anyone notice that more and more car manufacturers are including ports or docks for iPods in their cars?
I'm not sure what the 'average' consumer is thinking about when purchasing a digital music player, but to know that there are a gazillion after-market items I can get for an iPod is somewhat comforting. Plus, the ubiquitity of the iPod means millions of websites devoted to tips, info, hacks, etc. for the iPod. And don't forget the 'cool' factor (which is hard to put into words).
Do not get me wrong. I have a couple of issues with the iPod. I used to own a Minidisc player (EXCELLENT hardware, TERRIBLE software). It had swappable, rechargeable, gumstick batteries. Plus, the exterior didn't scratch easily. And the battery life was incredible.
But come on, iPods are INSANELY easy to dump music to. I don't even use iTunes and it's still insanely easy. Drag and drop will always be the best way for us geeks to get our music on these things, but the ease of use, the ubiquitity of accessories and information, and, finally, the cool factor will make it very hard for any other player to make strong inroads into the market.
As a former long-time owner of a Sony Minidisc player, I can give you a glimpse of why the hate is so strong here. It's about (what my best friend calls) 'wasted potential.'
Let me give you an idea of what my Minidisc life was like for about 5 years:
The device is capable of so many uses. You can record, you can play, you can run with it, you can hook it up to a million sound systems, etc. etc. etc. But the software is designed with keen observation from the lawyers in the company. Many of the features that you, in your sweet heart, KNOW are there are disabled. Recording and then copying are severely restricted. Getting music onto the damn thing takes the effort equivalent to climbing a mountain.
Long story short, it's a gallant horse with strong legs in a tight and painful harness. Severely limited in its movement, the animal withers.
The wireless component of the Zune give it immense potential to dethrone the Ipod. But, we all know that DRM and MS's history will give us a scenario much like the one I consistently experienced as a Minidisc fan.
That's why I have an Ipod.
As long as getting access to the 'net is NOT considered a public right (such as electricity, water, sewage removal, etc.), the private telecoms will attempt to capitalize.
:)
Societally, this poses an issue. To be a public utility, everyone must NEED the Internet. If this is so, then many of the 'brick-and-mortar' locations we go to must be replaced with more efficient 'online' locations. This is tricky. As yet, products and services offered online are offered offline. If a basic service (such as banking) moves in its entirety to the virtual world, then the Internet becomes not just a luxury, but a necessity.
This, of course, requires a societal shift. But we are moving this way. Think of communication tools. People 'can't live without' email. Heck, if I don't spend 6-8 hours a day online, I feel useless.
Until access to the Internet is considered a RIGHT, we'll never be able to freely give it away. I say we all put our brains together and create a product/service/idea that is truly revolutionary but can only be gained through the 'net. Moreover, this p/s/i must be so fundamentally essential to the world from that point on, access becomes essential for every man, woman, child, and anything else I missed.
Good luck to the project manager on that one
I've also been a Minidisc 'fan' since day 1. I'm on my 4rd unit now. I'll be brutally honest. The only reason I still have the damn thing is because it cost me about 300 bucks. I'm on the verge of getting a flash-based MP3 player. The arguments in the article of MD vs. other players isn't entirely with merit. But the author does cite some advantages that were great a couple of years ago. But with flash-based players out in the market, the advantages of MD diminish. Sony DID have the ability to push them and totally dominate a market. But they misstepped with the RIDICULOUSLY INSANE SonicStage software. It's a true piece of garbage. My mother could write a better software package. Sigh. In the early days, even with SonicStage, there was no alternative. MD was 'the bomb.' I would record concerts (shhh, don't tell the f'in RIAA...), record notes for classes, it was great. Only NOW, after years of complaints to Sony, can you download these recordings to your computer as WAV files with no restrictions. YEARS of complaints I tell you. Almost all the complaints were about SonicStage. Sigh. Most of the fans of MD (the ones that still clamor about it, at least) have been fans forever. And most of us are feeling far less than nostalgic. We're ready to jump ship. Sony can still save MD. A flashy ad-campaign touting the indestructability of MD's would help. Drag/drop support would help. Sleeker low-end models (with prices that directly compete with low to mid-end flash-players) would help. Just a handful of things that would cost a behemoth like Sony a few million dollars to implement. But, as the author implies, the Sun may be setting on MD. I still have glimpses of hope. But these too seem to be, well, sigh.......
Split the desktop computer into various parts. These parts then combine to give us a fuller, more powerful computing experience.
My ideal world (in terms of computing):
My PDA (not much smaller than today's cellphones) has the ability to display a keyboard on any surface (this exists today). It can somehow emulate a screen in the air (holographic technology) or transmit video signals directly to my retinas (this exists today as well). The wireless network (WiMax anyone?) will be powerful enough to pipe all my hideously large data to my home 'computer.' In fact, the PDA could be devoid of a harddrive. The battery system will be much more powerful than today's systems. I can also use the PDA as we do today.
Once I'm in my home, I simply put the device on a table and it can wirelessly communicate to anything in my home. So it pumps a video signal wirelessly to my TV. I have a wireless keyboard in the living room that talks to the device as well. Somewhere, in the basement or in a closet, I have a large array of hard-drives. Better yet, quantum technology has advanced to the point where a small crystal can store gigabytes or even terabytes of data. Don't forget that all the data gets between the keyboard, the TV, and the harddrive(s) wirelessly. Yet the interface systems never lets me remember that.
In other words, take the different parts of the computer today (CPU, display, input, storage, etc.) and separate them. Have each independent part wirelessly communicate with each other. As time progresses, each part could be revolutionized in its own way (i.e. E-Ink in the paint on your walls, your walls turn into a giant screen, or harddrives that actually use the spin of quarks as bits, or input devices that tie directly into your brain....)
That's where I think this is all headed.