News
Mix: Flash prices, iFox, Brasso, USA Today, Sony PSP
Analysts report that the iPod nano, which can store more than just music files, is driving down prices of portable USB flash drives, memory cards and MP3 players.
Volkswagen is releasing a limited edition “VW iFox” in Europe that is equipped with a Blaupunkt Calgary MP3 radio, an iPod adapter and a 2GB iPod nano with a VW logo engraved on the back. [via Engadget]
Blogger Todd Dailey has posted an article on how to remove scratches from your iPod nano using a $4 can of Brasso.
USA Today’s Edward C. Baig gives the iPod nano four out of four stars and writes: “I wanted to spend meaningful time with the device before weighing in with a review. I wanted to make sure the Nano’s beauty was more than skin deep. It is. There’s a reason the Nano has rapidly emerged as Apple’s latest status symbol of choice: It’s a digital music player priced at $199 to $249 that is actually more affordable than its larger and more capacious siblings.”
Piper Jaffray analysts are predicting that Sony may challenge the iPod with the launch of a next generation PSP with an integrated hard drive to store music and videos.
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1
The PSP is a great little device, colourful screen (i’m Canadian, eh?) amazing sound and superb graphics.
The problem that I have with it is that I just have no use for it. I dont need a device that can play games, play music, cut the grass, make coffee etc etc. I just need a portable music player, and I really dont think that the PSP is going to be much “competition” to the iPod. They are 2 totally different kinds of devices meant to appeal to different tastes. There is some overlap in fuctionality, but I really dont think that one will affect the sales of the other. I really wish people would stop refering to the PSP and the iPod’s competitor.
Maybe it’s just ill-informed lil ole me.
Posted by ahMEmon on September 30, 2005 at 12:02 PM (PDT)
2
I’ve just bought a PSP and I’m in total agreement with ahMEmon. Its a gaming device, which is also good for watching movies (which if Apple don’t bring out a video iPod I’ll be using the movie aspect more) but its not so useful for music - as its not designed to be. Games first, movies second, and everything else is just a bonus. And its just too big to be a useful mp3 player. The nano (hell, even my 60gigger) can stay comfortably in my hand, but not the PSP. A HDD would be nice, but I’d only use it for film storage in a PSP.
Posted by rbi on September 30, 2005 at 2:00 PM (PDT)
3
Forgot to mention about the Brasso thing too - tried it years ago on a 20GB 3G and it made the back look great - but left many very very minor scratches instead of the bigger ones. But with a decent cloth (and not using the Brasso pads) I’m definately interested to try this on the back of my nano. Just a shame it seems I’ve thrown the Brasso out!
Posted by rbi on September 30, 2005 at 2:07 PM (PDT)
4
i like the psp for gamin, and the ipod for music. personally, i wouldnt buy a ipod that plays video, cause i simply wont watch it on it. im happy with my 60 gig ipod.
Posted by Navas on September 30, 2005 at 8:55 PM (PDT)
5
I’ve gotta agree, I own both an iPod and a PSP and think they’re both fantastic gadgets. But I wouldn’t use the PSP as a music player any more than I’d use the iPod to play Wipeout Pure.
Posted by phennphawcks on October 1, 2005 at 1:40 AM (PDT)
6
The problem with the PSP is there’s no simple way to get movies on it unless they’re stolen movies. Same thing with a video iPod, it needs to be dead easy to get a DVD compressed and into the player before portable video will take off.
I’d rather buy a DVD than a UMD movie, since I can watch a DVD on my TV whereas who knows what’s going to happen to UMD in five years. Until I can get the DVD onto the PSP with no hassle I’m using the PSP for games and the iPod for music.
Posted by Jeffery Simpson on October 1, 2005 at 10:33 AM (PDT)
7
who knows what’s going to happen to UMD in five years
I’m always skeptical about new shiny plastic formats for media, but Sony claims 5 *million* UMD movies have been sold so far and are on target for 9 million by year end. That’s pretty amazing for such a young format - creating a $250m media business out of thin air. It took Apple a lot longer to reach that dollar volume with iTMS…
The UMDs are like a trojan horse for Sony in that it gets them shelf space in both game stores and video stores, propelling the PSP into crossover territory. Given that they can now take up shelf space in many different channels, it’s easier for reps to sell through on other PSP-related merchandise.
That’s another reason why Apple needs to video-enable the color iPods sooner rather than later, and come up with a good way of selling packaged video formats.
And it is pretty easy to rip a DVD to a PSP.
Posted by Demosthenes on October 1, 2005 at 11:03 AM (PDT)
8
...creating a $250m media business out of thin air.
Gee, I guess I should start feeling guilty…after all these months the only UMD flick I have is the bundled Spidey movie that came with the PSP.
Naw…though I have to admit movies on the PSP DO look pretty darn good on that little screen.
Posted by flatline response on October 1, 2005 at 4:02 PM (PDT)
9
I have to admit movies on the PSP DO look pretty darn good
I think one of those articles linked above nailed it: the killer app for the PSP will be porn. Hey, it worked for the internet!
Posted by Demosthenes on October 1, 2005 at 5:35 PM (PDT)