Microsoft Has Answer to iPod

Interesting.

I predict that when it is released people will say "it's not iPod" (which is the whole point), but Microsoft aren't a company to back down easily. Microsoft are long-term investors.

What would work really well for Microsoft is if it has 360 connectivity; download and upload via the console and use the PC for transferring in higher bit-rates than the 360 uses. Maybe also some sort of integration with Vista?

Microsoft also need to make sure that the player's chassis isn't taken over by an oversized control method *cough* iPod *cough*. Making the screen a good resolution and colour depth would also help against the video iSquint, erm, iPod.

The article states that it needs a good menu system. What about Creative's? Microsoft and Creative may as well be the same company; such is their relationship, and they couldn't be accused of plagiarising the iPod menu since Creative invented it (check the U.S. Patent 6,928,433).

The article also states that the battery-life record is held by Apple, with 20 hours. What about Hi-MD, with battery life easily exceeding 4 times that amount with removable and convenient AA's?. I get over 20 hours battery life (1 x 2300Mah AA) from my Hi-MD unit using uncompressed PCM and SONY MDR-F1 headphones. Battery friendly they are not.

I personally would love to see a Hi-MD succesor that uses CF as removable storage and AA batteries (let's not forget optical and mic in!). The market is too small for that though

I predict that it will get a good market share at the beginning (not compared to apple, but compared to some of the smaller competitors), simply because it is microsoft. Microsoft has had its shortfalls, but its freaking microsoft. Tech junkies will jump at it, because its microsoft. Because it is microsoft, it will be better at SOMETHING. it will have SOME feature that iPods dont. I think this slight market share will bring in enough income to make a very able competitor to iPod a few generations down the line, but not outright

The thing that made iPod the iPod isnt because "iPod" sounds nifty. It's because all the hollywood stars had it. and then because of that other "cool" people got it. so more people became aware of it because it was in the media so much.

If Microsoft is better, "cool trendsetter people" will buy it, and in a year or so, iPod will be the CRT of portable music.


Just a theory. My point is i expect little at launch. and alot down the road

I just found out a few days ago that the Toshiba Gigabeat's can be managed via the XBOX 360.

I would imagine (hope) that the Microsoft DMP will connect to the 360 wirelessly though.