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Emotionally Fragile Luke · Jul 22, 2002, 02:39 PM

The interface and design are such a blatant copy of the iPod I wonder if Apple is going to sue. Even the damn font looks the same.

<a href="http://www.edig.com/news/releases/pr072202.html" target="_blank">http://www.edig.com/news/releases/pr072202.html</a>

<img src="http://www.edig.com/images/Odyssey1000web_small2.jpg" alt=" - " />

spiky_dog · Jul 22, 2002, 03:09 PM

Apple hired an outside company to design the iPod. Who says these guys didn't just hire the same firm? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

zurek106 · Jul 22, 2002, 03:40 PM

Apple is always having this done to them! I remember one time going into a circuit city and seeing a computer that looked exactly like the iMac, but upon closer inspection I saw that it was running Windows! Then Microsoft copied off of Apple's OS by introducing Windows. Almost Everything any other computer company does is a copy off of Apple! I am sick of it! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

The Milkman · Jul 22, 2002, 03:47 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by spiky_dog:
Apple hired an outside company to design the iPod. Who says these guys didn't just hire the same firm? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> <hr /></blockquote>Are you sure? I know Pixo wrote the OS. But I thought the design was an "inside job".
I could be wrong of course.
Mm
EDIT: spelling

[ 07-22-2002, 04:45 PM: Message edited by: The Milkman ]

wulf · Jul 22, 2002, 04:01 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by The Milkman:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by spiky_dog:
Apple hired an outside company to design the iPod. Who says these guys didn't just hire the same firm? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> <hr /></blockquote>Are you sure? I know Pixo wrote he OS. But I thought the design was an "inside job".
I could be wrong of course.
Mm<hr /></blockquote>Besides, even if someone else designed it for Apple, that doesn't stop the copyright/look-and-feel belonging to Apple. Judging by the look of the interface (as well as the casing), I think Apple would have a good case...

namikun · Jul 22, 2002, 05:32 PM

Didn't Jonathan Ive say sth about "The Team" having done a great job designing it in the iPod promotion video? I guess he was refering to the Apple Industrial Design Team, right?

Brien · Jul 22, 2002, 05:38 PM

*cough* lawsuit *cough*

PowerMatt · Jul 22, 2002, 05:41 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by zurek106:
Apple is always having this done to them! I remember one time going into a circuit city and seeing a computer that looked exactly like the iMac, but upon closer inspection I saw that it was running Windows! Then Microsoft copied off of Apple's OS by introducing Windows. Almost Everything any other computer company does is a copy off of Apple! I am sick of it! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> <hr /></blockquote>Without ripoffs of Apple, the whole world would be beige and borring.

Emotionally Fragile Luke · Jul 22, 2002, 06:09 PM

Apple Designed the hardware for the iPod and they hired another company to write the OS but Apple helped design the OS as well.

If Apple hired a company to work on the OS they would include in the contract that they cannot sell the OS to any old company that walks in the door.

saltines17 · Jul 22, 2002, 06:21 PM

ROFL... that's even more blatant than the Cube rip-off's from a little while ago <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Although, it DOES have a built in microphone, which is very cool.

However... it has half the memory...

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Jim Collier, President and COO of e.Digital said, "The Odyssey 1000 sets the standard by which all other portable entertainment products will now be judged....There is nothing else available that matches its elegant looks, full range of features, and cutting-edge Drag �n RipTM technology."<hr /></blockquote><img border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" title="" src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" />

Apple damn well better sue, and win.

SupahCoolX · Jul 22, 2002, 06:23 PM

Regardless of who made the iPod (software and hardware) for Apple, they still hold patents on the design, copyrights on the software, etc.

And you know what, all of these ripoffs (including those ones on the first iMacs, etc) still look like feces. Even when copying Apple's awesome designs, these people STILL can't come up with anything decent.

slider · Jul 22, 2002, 06:53 PM

Oh come on, did some of you forget who we're talking about, APPLE, the own everything, cover all your bases, and self proclaimed defender of the music industry's intellectual property because we have a lot of intellectual property too, Apple.

Someone also pointed out on the news page, that it probably gets the 13hour battery life running the radio, not the disk, good point I thought. And that the Mac support probably (or won't) run at USB 2.0 speeds. I think their introduction of the product shows that they know their wrong and are bracing them selves for an Apple legal onslaught. If fact that may be why they announce it early, to see if Apple would react before they dump too much money into this rip-off. It's so obvious.

slider · Jul 22, 2002, 06:55 PM

OH, one more thing, can someone with the skills post a side by side of the UI. Thanks

Emotionally Fragile Luke · Jul 22, 2002, 07:43 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by slider:
OH, one more thing, can someone with the skills post a side by side of the UI. Thanks<hr /></blockquote><img src="http://a772.g.akamai.net/7/772/51/4086986ebc0955/www.apple.com/itunes/images/sync_soundcheck071502.gif" alt=" - " />

<img src="http://www.edig.com/images/Odyssey1000web_small2.jpg" alt=" - " />

[ 07-22-2002, 07:46 PM: Message edited by: Emotionally Fragile Luke ]

Footy · Jul 22, 2002, 08:32 PM

Hey, that on screen battiery icon is so facing the oppisite way of the iPods. Nothing alike.

slider · Jul 22, 2002, 08:37 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Footy:
Hey, that on screen battiery icon is so facing the oppisite way of the iPods. Nothing alike.

<hr /></blockquote>Oh yeah, well there goes the lawsuit.

Footy · Jul 22, 2002, 08:37 PM

I just went to check out their web site and their prices sure seem to be right. Hmmm!

What is the iPod look alike costing?

[ 07-22-2002, 08:48 PM: Message edited by: Footy ]

slider · Jul 22, 2002, 08:43 PM

Funny that their other MP3 players look like sh!t, they obviously needed some help. I don't know how they could have made the jump from producing garbage like their treo to the iPod look alike.
<a href="http://www.edigital-store.com/mp3-players.html" target="_blank">http://www.edigital-store.com/mp3-players.html</a>

Nebrie · Jul 22, 2002, 10:42 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by slider:
Funny that their other MP3 players look like sh!t, they obviously needed some help. I don't know how they could have made the jump from producing garbage like their treo to the iPod look alike.
<a href="http://www.edigital-store.com/mp3-players.html" target="_blank">http://www.edigital-store.com/mp3-players.html</a><hr /></blockquote>Well, here might be why: from slashdot:

Many, many people see e.digital as being nothing more than a pump-and-dump penny stock scam, and there certainly is enough evidence to back it up.
This article barely touches the depth of shady deals this company is engaged in:
<a href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/bauder" target="_blank">http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/bauder</a> /20020707-9999_1b7bauder.html [signonsandiego.com]
They've announced several vaporware mp3 players, which caused a stock pump, and when nothing panned out the 'dump' came and the stock once again dropped. The few units they were able to manufacture are now being liquidated on ebay and various liquidator companies.
Most recently, the company has engaged in extremely questionable financial arrangements in order to stay afloat - they recently took out a $1.5 million loan with 100% of their company's assets as colatteral, to a shady off-shore entity, in a clear case of death-spiral financing.
This company currently has several hundred million outstanding shares, and is still issuing more.
The principals of the company have made something of a career out of pump-and-dump companies - look at the histories of Patriot Scientific (java procesor hype) and ATC (hyped audio technology). They're also involved in promoting movies and solo-flying machines. All the same gang. Decades of scam companies, lies and misleading statements to shareholders, and never once a real product or profits.
E.Digital does not deserve in any way to get this kind of exposure on slashdot.
(Disclaimer: I have never owned any shares, but I do know several people who were hoodwinked into purchasing shares, and lost a huge amount of money.)

G4ME · Jul 22, 2002, 10:59 PM

Hey they made one improvement, no finger prints.

davidmd · Jul 23, 2002, 12:06 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />(SAN DIEGO, CA - July 22, 2002) - Its sleek, its powerful, it has the capacity to download 4,800 songs, or 400 CDs, at lightning-quick speed -- and its PC and Mac compatible.<hr /></blockquote>Apparently they need to start "copying" some correct grammar. They don't even know how to use it's/its in a press release. This company is just sad and pathetic, and I hope Apple sues their asses into oblivion.

ChillieMac · Jul 23, 2002, 12:34 AM

Sure they ripped Apple off, but the facts they provoke NEED to be addressed!

1)The promtion of USB 2.0. If more products come out that are popular and sell great than Firewire....Firewire adoption is in trouble and that means fewer cool products and choices for us Mac folk. This is why there is a Windows version of iPod now...hardware sales to a large, unmoving market and the adoption of Firewire...a hidden Switch campaign.

2) 2 highly requested features added for less than iPod offering. How hard technically and how costly would it be to bring Voice recording and FM tuner to an iPod?

A) VOICE RECORDING : Make a Firewire based mic and a simple recording software app on the Pixo OS. Use the new MPEG-4 audio standard and recordings would take up almost no room! Upside is no hardware mod needed for xisting iPod designs...just the mic which could be bundled or sold seperately to pay for the R&D.

B) FM/AM TUNER : Since software can "act" like a fax machine or a mixing board or an Intel processor (Virtual PC), software should be able to perform the functions of an AM/FM tuner in conjuction with headphones that act as antennas as they do for scores of walkmans. Again, no hardware cost...just software! OK, headphones : )

3) Lower cost than high end iPod...since Apple is charging for Jagwire and .mac they should lower the cost of the iPod further for Mac buyers since OS X came out or at least Mac buyers from 2002 and beyond. Discounts of the IPod's purchace price to "Switchers" at Apple Store locations etc. At the very least, add the new features from above without increasing the cost.

ratlater · Jul 23, 2002, 02:37 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by ChillieMac:
Sure they ripped Apple off, but the facts they provoke NEED to be addressed!

1)The promtion of USB 2.0. If more products come out that are popular and sell great than Firewire....Firewire adoption is in trouble and that means fewer cool products and choices for us Mac folk. This is why there is a Windows version of iPod now...hardware sales to a large, unmoving market and the adoption of Firewire...a hidden Switch campaign.
<hr /></blockquote>USB 2.0 is no threat to Firewire for any thing that requires speed. Theoretically USB 2.0 is slightly faster, but in practice it transfers at half the speed of Firewire. USB 2.0 is okay for peripherals, but for hard drives or cameras it sucks.

-matt

slider · Jul 23, 2002, 08:16 AM

Firewire is one of the truly wonderful things about iPod. I doubt you would be able to charge your Odyssey as efficiently or as quickly with USB 2.0. This is an application were Firewire is the better choice. Firewire cards can be bought for $15 so even if they don't have a Firewire port, installing one is a snap. If Apple didn't charge so much for some of their stuff (ie. ram) they should sell Firewire cards with their PC versions as a BTO.

Just checked, they do sell the Firewire card for the Windows version, $60.

[ 07-23-2002, 08:19 AM: Message edited by: slider ]

ChillieMac · Jul 23, 2002, 09:41 AM

Of course Firewire is fantastic and has clear advantages over USB 2.0, but inferior technologies have risen to the top to crush superior ones by sheer volume and makrketing and partnerships. Hard Drive based MP3 players, especially the iPod have the Killer App that consumers want and understand. Apple is definitely making the right decision startegicly to get as many PC users to get a PC with Firewire or get a Firewire card.

1) Making the term 'Firewire' free to use for the 1394b standard as well as not charging a license fee for it's inclusion in devices. Has opened up the standard and made great partnerships.

2) Making a Killer App like iPod that really shows off it's constant and PROVEN speed, unlike USB 2.0 which is undewr optimum conditions is slightly faster....maybe and does not offer a constant speed nor power supply capeabilities. Apple should make more 'Consumer Appliances...still digital camera, inkjet/laserprinters, tablets, pdas, phones etc. that do the same thing that Firewire has done for MP3 players.

Will someone respond to my first post regarding adding the features to the existing iPods (FM/AM tuner & Voice Recording)? If anyone knows how technically feasable these ideas are and weather or not you'd buy an iPod with these features, please reply.

My cat spat up watermellon in my RDF!

slider · Jul 23, 2002, 09:49 AM

OK, an AM/FM tuner would be nice, but I could also buy a $25 FM Tuner, I know, not the same thing. As far as voice recording, yeah I just don't really see this a popular feature, not one I would ever use. One thing I hate about radio, commercials. And with 1000, 2000, 4000 songs, it's just something I can do w/o.

slider · Jul 24, 2002, 06:21 PM

ironknee · Jul 26, 2002, 12:03 AM

i saw on the tv show Computerchronicles, a new mp3 player from creative labs that trys to look like the ipod but manages to only get as far as this odyssey...

anyone else see it? or is this the same one?

vmpaul · Jul 26, 2002, 12:09 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by ChillieMac:

1)The promtion of USB 2.0. If more products come out that are popular and sell great than Firewire....Firewire adoption is in trouble and that means fewer cool products and choices for us Mac folk. This is why there is a Windows version of iPod now...hardware sales to a large, unmoving market and the adoption of Firewire...a hidden Switch campaign.
<hr /></blockquote>Firewire is in no danger. Not only is it growing in computers but it also is starting to make a big move into consumer electronics. There are a number on tv's that are equipped and a number of stereo components have been announced as well.