[Diggory Laycock]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/32469.html

[Xaaron Swiftblade]

if it's noticeably cheaper and has a comparably simple interface, i'd say they got me sold

[mc786030]

omg i need one of those

[awcopus]

Hello people. It's optimized for Windows Media Player, "DRM''ed to the hilt."

Not really a Mac-friendly device. Forget about integration with iTunes.

[Grrr]

For those of us that speak English, what does "DRM'd to the hilt" mean?

Also, Doesnt Toshiba just happen to be the same company that produces the tiny HD's for Apples iPods?
So if the HD was supposedly the reason why iPods are relatively costly, and Toshiba can do it cheaper, then it would be nice if this is a hint that iPod prices will drop.
Wishful thinking perhaps..

[awcopus]

DRM = Digital Rights Management

Apple's form of DRM is what we experience at the iTunes store when we download AAC-encoded songs. They are protected using a relatively permissive scheme. Three authorized computers...playlists can only be burned onto 10 discs...etc.

The Windows Media Player DRM, I would assume, will be more draconian.

But this is moot. I would never use a device that doesn't sync up with iTunes as perfectly as the iPod. Not gonna happen. Also I'm kind of partial to Apple's interface. This thing looks a bit less intuitive to me.

[::maroma::]

Ehh...doesn't tickle my pickle. Nothing so special that I'd trade my iPod for one. In my book, the iPod still reigns supreme.

[DeathMan]

I wish they would put the two of them in a picture together, so we could get a feel for the relative size of this thing.

I have a hard time converting size specs to acutal sizes.

[chabig]

"Digital Rights Management" is what the media producers call DRM. To the rest of us, it stands for "Digital Restrictions Management."

Chris

[cloudship]

Originally posted by DeathMan:
I wish they would put the two of them in a picture together, so we could get a feel for the relative size of this thing.

I have a hard time converting size specs to acutal sizes.

From The Register:
The player, the Gigabeat G20 MEG200J is just 1.27cm thick, a smidge thinner than the 1.55cm iPod. It measures 8.95 x 7.65cm and weighs 138g - the iPod is 10.25 x 6cm and weighs 158.76g.

So here you go (1mm = 3.25px)

[kikosxl]

Microsoft wants to use its Media Player as a vehicle to deliver "secure" content from media outlets to end users using DRM technology.

MS would be paid by the RIAA and MPAA for this "security" service.

"Security" translates to restrictions for end users who will be allowed to, i.e., copy a song a limited number of times or share a song among a limited number of devices.

[zachs]

Here's a comparison of the current iPod vs the GigaBeat:

iPod


Storage: 30 GB hard disk drive (over 7500 songs)
Size: 4.1 by 2.4 by 0.73 inches, weighs 6.2 ounces
Supported formats: AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, AIFF, WAV

GigaBeat


Storage: 5 GB external hard disk drive (about 1200 songs)
Size: 3.5 by 3.01, weighs 4.8 ounces
Supported formats: MP3, WMA

I'll take my iPod any day.

[djjava]

i'm sorry, but the ipod is just so much prettier. I see people with ipods on thr train all time, and i get jealous. I don't see that happening with this gigabeat thing.

[tungtied07]

yeah, I just got an iPod (10gb 3rd gen). I had the same feeling as the user djjava. Before i got the ipod, i had a jealous feeling when i saw people who got ipods...
I seems like the iPod has already made its name in the MP3 player world, because when I see other peoples mp3 player other than the ipod, i don't get quite as jealous...lol
Just my opinion... lol
thanks, paul

[DMK]

nothing beats the iPod, sync, firewire, and it�s Apple.

[cloudship]

Originally posted by zachs:


Storage: 5 GB external hard disk drive (about 1200 songs)
Size: 3.5 by 3.01, weighs 4.8 ounces
Supported formats: MP3, WMA

This is the old Gigabit model, released in March this year. The new model sports a different design and a 20 gig hard disk.

I own an iPod and also think it is superior in design, but this one seems better than any other MP3 players (minus the iPod). 1.8" hard disk, column-style navigation, small format: still better in looks and portability than comparable high-capacity MP3 players. If I were a PC user I might have been interested.

How much does it cost anyway?

Anyway, I'll keep my iPod.

[hunkhuang]

Gigabit is just lewser... i'm sorry to say that !!

[motti]

Personally i like this one much more, same interface as the ipod has but looks like a B&O designed device:

philips digital audio player

[-Q-]

Seeing them side-by-side really reinforces to me that the iPod is so much better looking than the Gigabeat.

iPod for me, thank you.

[Appleman]

iPod for me as well: nothing (until now at least) beats the design, userinterface and talking with iTunes.

[bojangles]

Two words: Ug Lee.

[Charnov]

I am waiting for the new RIO's (now that they have serious backing from the company that owns Denon and Marantz).

The Karma


The Nitrus


Both of these are TINY (the nitrus fits completely in my palm...one of the new Ceramik 1.5 microdrive players)

[Appleman]

Welcome to the forums!

And no, I think the Rio has had their time and is ugly, not enough features etc.

So: iPod still rules for me.

[awcopus]

I would consider those RIOs for running players. Save my iPod for walking around or sitting on planes, but use a solid-state player for vigorous activity stuff.

I am used to running with my iPod on my arm, but wouldn't mind relieving it of this particular chore.

[ABassCube]

Wow...I'm sorry, that thing looks like an utter piece of crap. Ugh, it's hideously ugly, and the interface probably sucks. You just can't beat the iPod's ultra-intuitive interface and insanely awesome integration with iTunes. You'll have to kill me and rip my iPod from my cold dead fingers before you get me to use any of these pathetic so-called "iPod replacements".

Adam

[solitere]

Originally posted by chabig:
"Digital Rights Management" is what the media producers call DRM. To the rest of us, it stands for "Digital Restrictions Management."

Chris

Right! I wonder who uses the Windows Media format anyway. Everybody wants to use MP3-format anyway. Every comercial music website that ever tryed to sell windows media player-files has failed.

[Appleman]

Originally posted by solitere:
Right! I wonder who uses the Windows Media format anyway. Everybody wants to use MP3-format anyway.

You'll be surprised after a couple of years how many people are using that format.

Examples: Netscape, ICQ, AOL, Claris Emailer-Eudora-etc.

They break down every standard.

Remind the joke about standards:

"How many Microsoft engineers does it take to replace a lamp bulb? None.
They simply declare darkness as the new standard!"

[Charnov]

Wow...I'm sorry, that thing looks like an utter piece of crap. Ugh, it's hideously ugly, and the interface probably sucks. You just can't beat the iPod's ultra-intuitive interface and insanely awesome integration with iTunes. You'll have to kill me and rip my iPod from my cold dead fingers before you get me to use any of these pathetic so-called "iPod replacements".

Adam

Actually the RIOs were some of the first mp3 players. They were best differentiated by their excellent firmware. Their navigation system is extremely efficient and intuitive. Judging from the old models (which the hardware sucked IMO), the menuing should be very good.

Or were you talking about the Tosh?

And, frankly, I am sick of white. When is there going to be other colors of iPods? (and not aluminum, either)

Also, when is Ogg Vorbis going to be supported?

[ABassCube]

Originally posted by Charnov:
Actually the RIOs were some of the first mp3 players. They were best differentiated by their excellent firmware. Their navigation system is extremely efficient and intuitive. Judging from the old models (which the hardware sucked IMO), the menuing should be very good.

Or were you talking about the Tosh?

I was talking about the GigaBeat. But I've always hated the RIO's too; although I never had one, my friend did before the iPod was announced and he had a horrible experience with it. I think the iPod is the only MP3 player truly done right.

Adam

[Tarcat]

I'll take my iPod anyday thank you very much. That things ugly. I like the envy I get on the subway with my iPod.

[billybob128]

did anyone look at the size of the screen on the gigabet or wateve its called its tiny and the whole thing is UGLY

[klinux]

Originally posted by Appleman:
You'll be surprised after a couple of years how many people are using that format.

Examples: Netscape, ICQ, AOL, Claris Emailer-Eudora-etc.

They break down every standard.

Remind the joke about standards:

"How many Microsoft engineers does it take to replace a lamp bulb? None.
They simply declare darkness as the new standard!"

WMA v9 is a much superior format to MP3. In fact, ACC, WMAv9, MP3Pro, RA9, are all, for a lack of better words, next-generation alternatives that sound better to the aging MP3 standard. Sure, if you encode at 320, then MP3 is virtually indistinguishable from all of the above codecs but at 128, one can hear the difference between the next generation codecs and MP3.

In fact, before I got my iPod, I listened to music using my PocketPC. I have had good results with VBR WMA at 70 kbps encoded from the original CD that sounds as good as 128kbps MP3 downloaded from the net at half the size. (Currently encoding my CD collection @ 192 AAC.)
***
Also, Netscape is not a standard. Neither is ICQ nor AOL. Having one company, be it Microsoft, AOL, or Apple, dominate the market place is not good IMO. Case in point: I like how iPod is the leader in the portable digital audio
market. I would not like it if iPod is 98% of the market (like Windows on the OS front) because it will stifle competition like WIndows.

I did like how Eudora stored e-mails compare to Outlook and its use of the bloated PST format though.