[aroon]

from /.

"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."

and the news story:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/busine...otebook05.html

http://www.cesweb.org/

interesting but i have my doubts on the whole ipod killer part.

 

[austonia]

yeah that dude doesn't have a clue... iPod is like 10x smaller than microsoft's video player. Thats like comparing iPod to Archos AV320... uh.. not the same catagory

 

[Stephonovich]

Microsoft is again trying to control every aspect of the computer/gadget market. Once Dell buys out Gateway, all hell will break loose. Until Microsoft buys Dell. Then, um, something worse than hell will break loose.

But seriously, isn't the MP3 player (even if they do have video playback) market already saturated as it is? You've got the iPod, Rio Karma, Zen, iHP-120... and that's just the smaller ones. Stop caring about size and you've got NJB3, Archos, and tons more.

(-:Stephonovich

 

[dmkozak]

Quote:

Originally posted by Stephonovich Once Dell buys out Gateway, all hell will break loose. (-:Stephonovich

Do you know something no one else knows?

 

[aroon]

id say its far from saturated. sure there are lots of mp3 players but the avg consumer hears mp3 and thinks ipod. end of story. the same thing doesnt fly when people hear something like car company or computer manufacturer, online retailer, etc.

 

[davidtoc]

i don't see it as an ipod killer. it's a completely separate type of product. the screen is still too small to be able to really enjoy videos. the iPod is an mp3 player. period. It's small, very easy to use, and it has great sound quality. That's all i need. If I want to watch videos, i wouldn't want to watch them on a screen the size of the iPod's. Plus, $700??? No freakin' way is it going to hurt the iPod's market share at that price.

dave

 

[philodox]

Quote:

Originally posted by austonia Thats like comparing iPod to Archos AV320... uh.. not the same catagory

I know, compairing the ipod and the av320 is crazy... the ipod is not even in the same league

lol... but I agree, they are completely different beasts

 

[Stephonovich]

Quote:

Originally posted by dmkozak Do you know something no one else knows?

My dad works at Gateway. Ever since Ted Waitt retired (albeit only for a bit) and handed the keys over to Jeff Weitzen, it went downhill. Tech support was outsourced, customer satisfaction is no longer a priority, on and on...

Actually, though, I don't think Dell will buy 'em out. I was just joking. They're selling a ton of their Plasma TV's, and other consumer electronics. Computers, maybe not, but toys...

(-:Stephonovich