The Ipod (and DAP) Is Dead

From near the end of the article:
"Some advice to manufacturers of these music players: Take a page from Palm's playbook and rig your devices to sync with iTunes.?"

I would hope Sanza doesn't don't do this. Drag and drop is far, far superior. And overall the author ends up sounding like a huge Apple fanboy.

Also, a lot of the features of the Touch are useless, though I like the internet option. It'd be nice if these manufacturers would focus on *gasp* sound quality in their players.

multipurpose devices are going to be the future - few people want to carry three or four 1/2 lb bricks in their pocketses.

The spending majority tends to think of consolidation like this as progress, so it will continue.

As far as I am concerned, they can cram as much stuff as they want into devices as long as they continue to get smaller and lighter every generation.

honestly, when i want to listen to music, i'd rather not spend 15 minutes searching folders to do... drag and drop. i do drag and drop in itunes from an organised and reorganisable database: itunes. it takes maybe 30 seconds to find everything.

and of course the author probably knows nothing of the amp3. that player will never be on many people's radar. why complain about a dap which was never ever meant for people like us anyway? it is like me complaining that people think 'shimano' means the bike is good, or bad.

it simply has no bearing on anything.

I agree. We're going to get consolidated devices. A lot of this is going to be loaded into our phones, but iPods (and others) are going to be more and more like the Touch.

Also, watch camera iPods demolish the point-and-shoot camera market. They'll be "good enough" for most people. The DSLR will remain for serious photographers, but cheapie cameras are going to be like the iPod was to portable CD players.

If you classify an iPod as something that was first introduced to the mass public in the early 2000s, then yes, a dedicated music player (nothing more, nothing less) is a dying trend. Many people, myself included, would rather have one device sitting in their pocket, rather than a multitude of objects. There are exceptions (iPod Shuffle for the gym, audiophile DAPs), but as it stands, this trend of convergence will most likely not die down. As long as companies can keep the march of convergence continuing without major compromises, it seems that majority of consumers will not complain and still buy them.

funny: i am in complete agreement. I'd rather a decent ish camera in my iPod touch for candid photos and iPhoneography. For best SQ, I can relax to an AMP3, though it has no support for compressed lossless or gapless.

Whatever we say, there is no all in one audiophile solution. I know that some people hate EQ and some like it. HifiMan 801 doesn't have it - neither does the AMP3. Also, those two don't have gapless - something which carves its initials into music more than anything else. With gaps, you basically change the nature of a vast swath of music.

Do I think the touch is the best sounding device? No, but it certainly holds its own against any other mass produced player out there, unless you are looking for a specific output style, e.g. loads of bass or EQ or something.

They are all cookie cutter players anyway using a handful of parts spread betwixt them. My shuffle 1g will never be replaced unless the clip get rockboxx for bicycling and other activities. Likewise, the iPod touch, my do it all and still sound good device will not be replaced by anything unless, likely, it is another iPod touch.

Wake up, we're in year 2009, and everybody has in their cellphone "point-and-shoot" camera that is a lot better than this crappy nano's thing.

Unless it has drag and drop, no requirement for sync software, UMS, play by directory, and Rockbox I'll never buy it. I'll rather do without. I've resurrected a old DAP that required drivers/sync software and was virtually useless, thanks to Rockbox.

If I had to buy a Ipod, it'll be the 5.5g.

Two words: 1. iPhone and 2. 3GS

Quite simply the single best device I have EVER bought. I've said it before and I'll say it again...

1. DAP with fantastic SQ
2. Adequate point and shoot camera with numerous 3rd party apps for improvements/enhancements
3. Turn by turn GPS
4. App Store.
5. Augmented Reality
6. Fantastic games!
7. Sling player (Astounding)
8. Phone
9. Messaging
10. Push email/calendar/tasks from work Exchange server
11. Battery that lasts 2 days when using all of the above most of every day.
12. iTunes store
13. JAILBREAKING AND ALL THE BENEFITS THAT BRINGS!
14. Videos, etc etc etc

I have used 100's of mobile devices over the past 10 years and nothing, absolutely nothing comes remotely close (Remotely...VPN over iPhone) to the 3GS. Love or hate Apple, I don't care, the 3GS is MIND BLOWING

In Japan the itouch/iphone isn't even a contender.

Come on, drag yourself into 2009. You might like it!

Nah. I see by your sig you think the Apple's are the worst DAP's. With irivers as the best. lol

"DAP: iRiver H320 > iAudio X5 > iRiver H120 (Modded 30gb) > Kenwood HD30GB9 > 32Gb 1st Gen iPod Touch 2.1 > 32gb iPhone 3GS OS 3.0"

Could be just the progression of DAPs he's used.

Mass market is at the heart of it all. On that level, dedicated music players are no doubt dying. But specialty devices (hate to bring up the Amp3, but I will, or the HiFiMAN 801 too) will exist as long as they fill a niche and can support themselves profit-wise.

Call me old school, but when I want to take digital photos, I drag out the Nikon D40. I never take any photos with point and shoot cameras for the most part, unless someone hits my car or there is a news event in progress, etc.

When I want the best SQ, I hook up the best phones I have with the Amp3 or Fuze/LOD, or I put a CD into my PS3 and turn up the PSB speakers I have here at home.

When I want to make a call while out and about, I use a boring cell phone, a 2-year-old LG Chocolate.

I had the Touch 2G, and I liked it okay. But I never really used the Web much or played games or used all the apps, etc. I sold it. I guess I'm just boring on that front.

Heck, if they could make a device that does all those things as well as I want, then great. Hasn't happened yet, I don't think. Most HFers are not mass market consumers for these types of products, but we're definitely in the minority.

Also, isn't the main problem with a single purpose device battery life? Can you realistically use the iPhone to watch videos, shoot photos/videos, listen to music, play games AND talk with any realistic battery life? I don't know, just asking. I would guess not. If they can solve that issue, then for sure the single purpose machine is the future.