Sonys iPod Killer...or merely a challenger?

[emperor]

Sony NW-HD1 (US$400)
20GB capacity
3.8 ounces(107.7 grams)
3.5 x 2.44 x .54 inches(4.6 cubic inches)
30 hour battery life (25 @ 128K bit-rate)

Apple iPod 20GB (US$399)
20GB capacity
5.6 ounces
2.4 x 4.1 x .62 inches(6.1 cubic inches)
8-hour battery life

Available in Japan from July 10th, in USA from mid-August and in Europe from September.

...oh one more thing; you have to compress to ATRAC3...
...



http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,64059,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_6
http://www.macobserver.com/article/2004/07/01.5.shtml
http://www.etaiwannews.com/Business/2004/07/02/1088734424.htm
http://www.nypost.com/business/24251.htm

[katakori]

what about the vaio pocket then?
i figure this one could be a serious competitor for the ipod, if it didn't have a big lump on the side...

http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/VGF-AP1/feat2.html

[emperor]

what about the vaio pocket then?
i figure this one could be a serious competitor for the ipod, if it didn't have a big lump on the side...

That one a tad bit bigger than a regular iPod and battery life is 20 hours, whereas this NW-HD1 is closer in size to an iPod mini and battery life has increased to 25/30 hrs.
http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6865

..but they still both have that ATRAC3 nonsence jive-talkin me into a 180 manuveur back to Apple.

[American Oyaji]

In honor of Marlon Brando...

"It could have been a contender..."

What is the ATRAC3? And why do you cringe from it?

[emperor]

In honor of Marlon Brando...

"It could have been a contender..."

What is the ATRAC3? And why do you cringe from it?

If you have a large collection of MP3 format music you will have to use Sony's software to convert it all to the ATRAC3 format and allow it to be managed by Sony's Sonicstage Software before you can use your Sony mp3/minidisc player to listen to it.

The sound is ok and the compression is apparently slightly stronger than mp3 but:
1. theres already such a huge difference is file size between CDaudio and mp3 that atrac dosent make that much of a difference
2. and the cost of memory for computers and otherwise is getting so much cheaper these days - who really cares if you can trim a few MBs or a GB off your music collection
3. DRM(digital rights management) issues

[mr. sparkle]

If you have a large collection of MP3 format music you will have to use Sony's software to convert it all to the ATRAC3 format and allow it to be managed by Sony's Sonicstage Software before you can use your Sony mp3/minidisc player to listen to it.

Not a good idea to recompress your MP3s to another compressed format. You are going to experience generational loss in quality. I suggest that you compress to ATRAC3 from the .AIF files on the original CDs.

Otherwise, you're hosed Sony style.

[emperor]

Not a good idea to recompress your MP3s to another compressed format. You are going to experience generational loss in quality. I suggest that you compress to ATRAC3 from the .AIF files on the original CDs.
Otherwise, you're hosed Sony style.

..asuming you had the CDs to begin with...

[tokyojoe]

ATRAC3 is generally considered to sound inferior to other lossy compression formats. In addition, sonic stage has an annoying check-in/out system for managing your music.

[American Oyaji]

check in/out system?

[Steve Bildermann]

Firsr Review of Sony player

In Japanese

[American Oyaji]

Apple doesn't like Sony's misleading ads.

[url]=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=77&e=3&u=/mc/20040707/tc_mc/applehitsbackatsonysmisleadingwalkmanmarketing] Apple fights back [/ur][/url]

[emperor]

Apple doesn't like Sony's misleading ads.

[url]=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=77&e=3&u=/mc/20040707/tc_mc/applehitsbackatsonysmisleadingwalkmanmarketing] Apple fights back [/ur][/url]

Relax OA i got your back - you probably just need a cup of ambition or 40 winks
Apple Fights Back

[emperor]

Apple doesn't like Sony's misleading ads.

[url]=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=77&e=3&u=/mc/20040707/tc_mc/applehitsbackatsonysmisleadingwalkmanmarketing] Apple fights back [/ur][/url]

Relax OA i got your back - you probably just need a cup of ambition or 40 winks
Apple Fights Back

..I wouldnt be surprised if someone in Sony gets the sack for this...


..Whoops pressed quote instead of edit... think i need a "cup a Jo" meself..

[Taro Toporific]

Microsoft to enter music download market, sources say
Globetechnology.com, Aug 30
...The launch of Microsoft's iTunes rival will be timed along with the beta release of Microsoft's new Windows Media Player 10, expected on Thursday, sources say. The store will also be in beta mode, lacking some of the features that will be added later, sources said.
People familiar with the company's plans say the MSN Music song store will have Web-based components, but will also depend heavily on its role inside the Media Player software. ... The software maker is also under close, ongoing scrutiny by antitrust regulators in the United States, Europe and Japan, which limits what it can do in the ...
The problem, from Microsoft's perspective, was that Apple was looking a little too much like Netscape for comfort. Netscape had originally been threatening to Microsoft because the upstart Web browser looked likely to become a rival platform. If developers wrote software for Netscape instead of Windows, people would interact with their computer through the browser instead of through the Windows operating system and much of Microsoft's power could be lost, the software company's executives feared
....Digital media executives say that many, if not all of the major music services have been offered a home inside Microsoft's Media Player, although not all have yet taken the company's offer. But because MSN will now play a prominent role inside the player, that spot will be less valuable than it has been previously, some executives said.
Microsoft is planning a branding campaign around Windows Media that will help those other services, however. The company is helping to create a "Plays for sure" logo that will be used by device makers and on-line music services to assure consumers that purchases from participating companies will be compatible with each other, sources familiar with the plans say.

[American Oyaji]

I knew it was only a matter of time before M$ copied something ELSE from Apple.

Speaking of...anyone know what became of that Beatles' Apple vs. Apple Co. lawsuite?

[kotatsuneko]

iriver owns sony&apple for hd portable audio imho, the 340 will even free up your digicams storage plus let you view them in colour, 16 hour battery, no shitty drm etc

[Mulboyne]

Don't know about the iriver but here's another ipod/walkman comparison

New Sony Walkman Can't Break IPod's Stride

If Sony's product had come out two years ago, we all would have been blown away. It would have been hailed as a huge leap forward in personal audio because it is tiny, can store a ton of music and provides excellent audio quality...Overall, despite many good points, the Walkman falls short of the iPod. Sony can do better, but has yet to get its formula right. Given a choice, go with the iPod.

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

Sony seeks to dethrone iPod
Tokyo
February 18, 2005 - 2:48PM

Sony hopes to dethrone Apple's iPod as the hottest portable music player with a new product to be released by the end of the year.

"We are confident of being able to offer by the end of the year a product that is much more competitive than the iPod," Sony president Kunitake Ando said.

Ando said Apple had been successful because it had developed a product that was simple to use.

"We have to develop software that makes use of our products more intuitive and simple," he said. more....

[American Oyaji]

"We have to develop software that makes use of our products more intuitive and simple,"

Nooooooo. Really? You don't say?

AND you need drop your POS proprietary sound format.

[Oradea]

I have I-river, and it's got great battery life, easy file management, and no reason to line the pockets of either S#ny or #pple.

Does anyone know how the music on the psp works?

Sonicstage is one of the worst music management programs, it's rather complicated.

[mr. sparkle]

I'm lucky enough to have it the other way 'round. Apple lines my pockets!

[Captain Japan]

SHADES OF THINGS TO COME:Yahoo Japan to start music download site
Asahi

Yahoo Japan Corp. said Monday it will begin a music download service as early as this month offering tunes from artists signed to a number of major recording companies.

Yahoo! Music Download will be available on the Yahoo! Japan portal site and initially feature 73,000 songs from 39 labels, officials of the firm said.

The company plans to charge 158 yen to 368 yen per downloaded song, they said.

Some observers expect the new service to foster the growth of similar pay-for-music sites in Japan and hasten the decline in sales of CDs.

According to the officials, Yahoo Japan has teamed up with Label Gate Co., a joint venture set up by major record companies for the distribution of music songs. The record companies include Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. and Avex Inc....the rest...

[Charles]

Rumor mill says new iPods will be announced tomorrow. I could go for a new 6Gb color screen iPod Mini.

[Captain Japan]

Rumor mill says new iPods will be announced tomorrow. I could go for a new 6Gb color screen iPod Mini.

I could go for one with a battery that lasted more than two hours.

[FG Lurker]

Rumor mill says new iPods will be announced tomorrow. I could go for a new 6Gb color screen iPod Mini.

Yep... http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0502ipods.html

I'm curious what will happen with the iPod photo. The current one is very limited by its 220x176 display. If it had a 2.2" 640x480 display like my Sharp cell phone does then I'd be a lot more interested...

For now I'll just keep enjoying my 2nd gen 40GB one I got free!

[mr. sparkle]

Rumor mill says new iPods will be announced tomorrow. I could go for a new 6Gb color screen iPod Mini.

I could go for one with a battery that lasted more than two hours.

Hey CJ,
The truth hurts. It really does. However, there are ways to increase the batt life, though. Don't FF or REW. don't search, use playlists, don't use the backlight, don't crank it so loud, etc.

You're right though, I wish it would go at least 4 hours of "regular" use.

BTW, FUCK ThinkSecret...dumpster divin', rumor monderin' ruzzuh fruzzuh, causin' me more work, blood suckin' bastards.....


Can't say whether they're right or wrong in a public forum though.

[Captain Japan]

Hey CJ,
The truth hurts. It really does. However, there are ways to increase the batt life, though. Don't FF or REW. don't search, use playlists, don't use the backlight, don't crank it so loud, etc.

You're right though, I wish it would go at least 4 hours of "regular" use.

BTW, FUCK ThinkSecret...dumpster divin', rumor monderin' ruzzuh fruzzuh, causin' me more work, blood suckin' bastards.....


Can't say whether they're right or wrong in a public forum though.

I gotcha on all of the above points except one: How can I seriously rock out if I don't crank it loud?

[Kuang_Grade]

While Sony's dropping the Clie,
http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7125

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000933032176/

Sony is still plugging along with MD...3 New models due in April with 32 hours battery life and supposedly some form of direct MP3 loading/playback and extremely fast uploading to MD media (we'll see how serious Kutaragi was about that whole "Yeah, we sort of messed up on the whole MP3 thing" admission last month)...with hi-MD disks holding up to a 1 gig of data. Nice looking OLED display on this picture (the pic is of the top of the line model with a rumored MSRP of around $300 US.)

While HD based players have the clear benefits, after trying to find stuff on my 40 gig ipod (assuming I've remembered to charge it up), I'm starting to think a couple 1 gig MD disks and a player with good battery life and/or an AA external battery pack isn't such a bad idea either.

[mr. sparkle]

I gotcha on all of the above points except one: How can I seriously rock out if I don't crank it loud?

Get the headphones that block out reality. You know the kind. That way you can get up to stirrup destroying volumes w/o cranking up the pod. Just don't get run over by any loudspeaker trucks!

[tatsujin]

I see where your coming from on that Kuang - there is a certain appeal still with the MD.

I would be still using mine but the damn thing died! Still use MDs on my stereo though, like the durability