zed2004
15-12-2004 14:45:19
Here is just page 2 of the article found on NYTimes.com, front page of Technology section, first article.
it's pretty long but interesting
i've highlighted some points
You need a free account to view it http//www.nytimes.com/2004/12/16/technology/circuits/16stat.html
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[b34f10e2c67]Evaluating the Rivals to IPod Mini [/b34f10e2c67]
Only one company learned from the iPod's secret identity as a piece of jewelry. The domed, tapered Rio Carbon looks like a shining puddle of molten silver. At 3.3 by 2.5 by 0.6 inches (at its thickest), it's actually more mini than the Mini. An alien stumbling upon the smooth, shiny Carbon in the rubble of our civilization might mistake it for one of those worry stones that you're supposed to rub for stress relief.
The company pegs the battery life at a jaw-dropping 20 hours between charges, double what the Mini gives you. And even though it has a built-in voice recorder, the Rio Carbon can be found online for $40 less than the Mini.
Four great players, each with some superpower that the iPod Mini lacks. It's curtains for Apple, right?
Not so fast. On something that's as personal and frequently used as a music player, little things make a big difference, and it's in the Little Things department that the iPod Mini really shines.
[quote34f10e2c67]For example, when your player contains a thousand songs, you need a way to scroll through them quickly. You can run your finger around the iPod's famous click wheel fast to jet down to the W's and then slowly to pinpoint "What a Wonderful World."
But the Rio's thumb wheel has no such variable speed; it's four songs per turn, period. Working through any list longer than about 12 songs is an excruciating exercise. The Dell's "rolling log" control does zip farther through a list the faster you spin it, but it's awfully hard to speed up or slow down when you're basically twirling a section of a drinking straw. The Virgin's up-down buttons scroll at two different speeds, but that's still more frustrating than the Mini's "any speed you like." [/quote34f10e2c67]
[quote34f10e2c67]Each player comes with its own disappointments.[/quote34f10e2c67] The backlighting of the Dell, for example, is dark blue, offering precious little contrast with the tiny black type. The volume controls (separate + and - buttons) sit on the top of the unit, looking and feeling identical to the Off button right next to them. And often, pushing inward on the rolling-log thing - which ought to mean "execute this command" - opens yet another menu instead.
The Virgin's buttons are recessed too far, its backlighting is even dimmer than the Dell's, and making the thing work with your PC can involve an ugly ritual of firmware downloads and restarts. (The company admits to muffing this process, and promises to improve it.) More important, the lesson of the iPod's looks seems to have sailed straight over Virgin's heads; this is one aesthetically challenged player.
On the Creative Zen Micro, the iPod's wheel has been replaced by a touch-sensitive vertical strip. In theory it ought to offer variable speed scrolling, but in practice it's a sticky, balky nightmare. You'll find a similar lack of polish when you want to use the Zen Micro's hard drive to transport computer files (a terrific feature of the iPod and all of its rivals) and discover that you must tell the software in advance how much space you'll need for them. How could you know that ahead of time?
The sculptured Rio Carbon looks cool on a tabletop, but it's all wrong for your palm. You wind up with the hard, flat chrome surface against the curve of your fingers, and the domed front pointing up at your face. Truth is, this player's case has been designed upside down.
Furthermore, the Carbon's too-tight carrying case blocks all access to the controls. There's no physical Hold switch to prevent button presses in your pocket or purse. Finally, note that if you opt to use your own headphones (those with a metal ring around the miniplug), you get loud crackling in your ears with any movement of the cord. The company cheerily suggests that you solve the problem with Scotch tape. (Rio also says that it will fix this problem on the next batch of Carbons.)
Remember, too, that for once in its life, Apple is the sole superpower; the iPod makes up 92 percent of the hard-drive player market. If you're an iPod Mini owner, you're part of a whole ecosystem of Web sites, shareware programs, armbands, portable speakers, carrying cases, FM car transmitters and so on. If you buy one of its upstart rivals, you're pretty much stuck with what comes in the box.
All right, so the iPod Mini's rivals aren't as elegant or as polished, they're not as thoughtfully conceived, and they may not fill you with as much pure, overwhelming technolust. Apple's message seems to be, "Perfection has a price."
Thousands of people, however, don't require perfection; they'd much rather save the 50 bucks. Thousands more would really like a built-in radio or microphone. On the Web, you'll even encounter a small army of militant iPod haters, people who despise the whole phenomenon white earbuds, good reviews, status-symbol status and all.
For these demographic groups, the arrival of rivals to the Mini is a welcome development. [quote34f10e2c67]Choose the Dell if you want an almost-Mini for $50 less; the Creative Zen Micro if the radio and microphone appeal to you; or the Rio Carbon for long battery life and stylishness that rivals the Mini's. They may not play your emotions quite the way the original does, but every now and then there's something to be said for logic.[/quote34f10e2c67]