[E.B.M.Head]

Cowon and Archos also have some great players in their line up. It depends on your needs. The iPods have some pros and cons like all players.

 

[joneeboi]

Interesting. I find there are three kinds of people in this world: those who own iPods, those who genuinely don't want iPods and those who are too cool to own iPods. The first two I won't expand on, but the last one I will. They will find one flaw in the iPod lineup and then use that one aspect to motivate their purchase of another player. They'll say something like, "I don't like iTunes, so I bought a Zune." Or they'll say, "People only like iPods because they look pretty," and they'll buy an Archos. At this time in technology history, I can't see why anyone would reasonably not want to get an iPod, be it current generation or generation past. I currently own an iPhone 1G and I hope to buy a reasonably-priced iPod 5.5G 80GB for my home rig.

And then we can get into the iPhone and see which of the alleged "iPhone killers" really have slayed the beast. There are truckloads of copycats with certain spins one way or anything, eg. touch screen with more physical buttons, huge screen with hidden physical QWERTY keyboard, but which of them are actually comparable options (looking at it from a complete package perspective)? IOW, Apple's got it going on, and who can compete with it now and in the next 5-10 years?

Discuss.

 

[LFC_SL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joneeboi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Interesting. I find there are three kinds of people in this world: those who own iPods, those who genuinely don't want iPods and those who are too cool to own iPods.

Not sure if "cool" is the right word
Quote:

Originally Posted by joneeboi /img/forum/go_quote.gif They will find one flaw in the iPod lineup and then use that one aspect to motivate their purchase of another player.

Says who?
Quote:

Originally Posted by joneeboi /img/forum/go_quote.gif They'll say something like, "I don't like iTunes"

I used that reason for the first 3 generations of iPod

Quote:

Originally Posted by joneeboi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Or they'll say, "People only like iPods because they look pretty," and they'll buy an Archos.

I bought an Archos xs202s instead of a 5G iPod
Quote:

Originally Posted by joneeboi /img/forum/go_quote.gif At this time in technology history, I can't see why anyone would reasonably not want to get an iPod, be it current generation or generation past.

I have been without a dap for 1.5yrs after the then golden retriever pup had better ideas when she saw the Archos... (R.I.P.)
Quote:

Originally Posted by joneeboi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Apple's got it going on, and who can compete with it now and in the next 5-10 years? Discuss.

I don't know and I will be buying my first iPod in the next 3 weeks (depending on how close to £0 I feel like living before I get my student loan in 2.5 weeks

)

A long way of saying in the end I have joined the dark side

(I would have said yes to Darth!)

 

[auee]

I believe that, with the possible exception of Microsoft, the reason why no other company's DAPs will supplant Apple's ipods is iTunes. I have no experience with the Zune software, but the ipods are so easily integrated with iTunes that anyone with rudimentary computer experience can easily fully use and enjoy all of the functions of the ipods. At one point I compared the Sansa Clip to the ipod mini and found the latter so much more intuitive to use from both a hardware and software perspective that the Clip could not compete.

 

[doomlordis]

I use a ipod touch every day, i have owned cowon (still do X5), creative, monoliths, samsung etc and the only reason i use the touch is for everything it does except music playback, that is an extra.
My journeys are around 3 hrs a day on bus , they have wifi so i can browse the net and i watch tv series on it.
If i was just needing music i use my X5, it sounds better.

 

[tds101]

On the whole the Touch is a pretty complete package - really hard to beat IMO.

 

[dvessel]

There's one big advantage Apple has over everyone else. They have a long tradition of building the whole widget from top to bottom (software to hardware) almost to their demise in the 90's. They are a lot more streamlined these days and the end result is an internal synergy if you can call it that. They don't do everything internally but they have control where it matters. How many other companies this big does this without leaking money? They are very focused in what they do. They understand it's about user experience and that wow factor. MS is beginning to understand this too but they are very late..

Another thing is that Apple doesn't do focus groups as they don't believe that most people know what they really want until they see it. (I agree with this somewhat.) They are more likely to think a little deeper on why certain things are done the way they are and rethink them then simplify.

I often see the argument that it's all just marketing. It plays a part but you can have the best marketing in world with the craptiest products. It will eventually sink in and fall apart. They're executing very well on all fronts. Marketing, engineering, design, management, etc..

 

[dvessel]

Here's a good article on how they work.

How Apple Does It - TIME

They seem to have problems with their servers so here's a print version:

How Apple Does It -- Printout -- TIME

 

[Aevum]

i dont want a competitor to the ipod, samsung and creative are trying to make products which compete with apple, and its taking a toll on development and quality, when the YP-P2 had the bluewave firmwares, that was true development, but when you just try to follow a product thats stuck in tech development becuase its made to satisfy basic customer conformism,

i want something like cowon, that might be a bit buggy, but gives good sound quality and plays every format under the sun, that isnt chained to the limitations of a plataform like itunes and not limited by commercial agreements with content providers,

if you want to compete with the ipod, you just need a mediocre dap with soso quality and a good commercial plataform,

if you want a good dap/pmp, you might need something else,

 

[Sherwood]

Luckily we don't have to speculate.

Sandisk. They hold about 15% of the market.

Would you buy one of these?

 

[dvessel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aevum /img/forum/go_quote.gif if you want to compete with the ipod, you just need a mediocre dap with soso quality and a good commercial plataform,

That's not competing, that is what you do when you want to get trounced. If anyone wants to truly compete in terms of market share, they have to beat Apple in their own game. Otherwise, be happy in their own little niche which I think is perfectly acceptable.

Look at the Mac line. It has a tiny market share but it's doing well. Market share doesn't mean someone has to come out on top to win. As long as there is some choice that fills a particular need, the small market share does not automatically equate to loosing. Well, unless you look at in in business terms which I don't care for.

 

[Ingen]

Apple make products which are meant to be pretty (can argue back and forth whether they are), trendy (go go marketing), and easy (to make sure anyone can make them work).

They do these things very well in fact, which is why they sell their products well. Much like the IBM PC was the norm for PCs rather than Apple, iPods are now the norm for DAPs.

This does not, in my opinion, mean that nobody else has a chance to get in. In return for slickness, ease and marketing, Apple tends to price their products quite dearly. So there might not be much imminent thread Apple, but long-term Although apple has won the initial battles for DAPs, the war is neverending.

Finally, someone said that there are "those who own iPods, those who genuinely don't want iPods and those who are too cool to own iPods". I think that is a poor categorisation. I'd say that some people buy their DAPs without thinking, there are those who buy it after thinking about functionality (ease of use, SQ, etc), and those who buy it after thinking about what image it portrays. I think Apple probably dominates the last group relatively more than their average market share. Finally, I think it is perfectly legitimate to not want a DAP if there is something about it which makes it a definite no-no. Some people won't buy a D2 because it doesn't have gapless playback, and I'd not call them "too cool for an iAudio".

 

[jonathanjong]

I want a Sandisk now, for some reason...

More seriously. xN to comments about how the Touch/iPhone really put Apple DAPs miles ahead of everyone else. Until Sandisk makes a product that can make me an espresso, even the hot brunette won't deter my Apple fanboyism. Now, a hot redhead...

 

[Dublo7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nywytboy68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Touch MAKES you think Apple are GODS!!!! I hate to admit it but that thing is HOTT!!!!

I agree. The Touch really is an amazing little thing.

However, I think the Zune 80 is a great device. If I didn't get a Touch, I probably would have got a Zune 80/120. It has a lot more to offer than the Classic.

Anyway, back on topic... is there any competition for Apple? Not really. It seems to be way too late in the game for someone else to step up. Apple are winning and will probably always be dominant.

 

[Narcosynthesis]

I bought a Sony A829 instead of the equivalent Nano, so in my opinion there are definately players out there comparable or better than the ipods in use.

The problem is that however much money and marketing is put behind them, they have pretty much no chance of catching up with the behemoth that is the ipod branding. In the same way that most people do the hoovering instead of vacuum cleaning (hoover being a particular brand of vacuum cleaners) people refer to all mp3 players as 'ipods' so without some huge gimmick it will take a lot of effort to gain the same reputation.

I bought a Sony because it gave me great specs and stunning sound quality in a format I liked, but I would be lying if I said that I also don't like the fact that it just isn't the ipod that everyone else seems to own...