Can this combo outdo the iPod and iTunes?

San Francisco Chronicle, Cnet ^ | 5/22/2006 | San Francisco Chronicle, Cnet

[Jameison]

Never before has the Windows music environment looked so appealing. Microsoft, MTV and iRiver announced what we’re calling the Windows Media ecosystem, which consists of Windows Media Player 11, MTV’s Urge service and iRiver’s Clix player. If you’re looking for the Windows Media answer to iTunes and the iPod, this is it.

Windows Media Player 11

Cnet rating: 8.0 out of 10 (Excellent)

The good: Simple and visually effective interface; excellent performance, especially with large media libraries; solid integration with Urge, its de facto music service

[oldleft]

I actually buy all my music from walmart.com. It's cheaper, and plays great on Media Player. I have a Creative player though, and I know .wma won't play on iPod so that limits their market.

[Jameison]

This iRiver Clix looks sounds really good, and at a good price too.
I might get myself one.

http://sfgate-cnet.com.com/iRiver_Clix_2GB/4505-6490_7-31861628-1.html?&part=sfgate-cnet

[SaveTheChief]

There are dozens of media players out there these days. Some of them are pretty snazzy but no matter how hard they try, they cannot match the simple elegance and usability of the iPod.

I would much rather spend my money on Apple than MTV.

[Jameison]

"I would much rather spend my money on Apple than MTV."

MTV has it's uses.
The young 'uns seem to spend lots of time watching it. :)

[cmsgop]

Well Said

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Can this combo outdo the iPod and iTunes?

I like the iRiver's support for OGG, but iPod with Rockbox can give me that with a nicer exterior. Windows DRM makes MTV Urge useless to me.

[Drammach]

Fine for MP3, but once you add video, I don't want an unreadable 2"x3" screen.. Or even a 5x7..

If you're going to do video, you need high-res 8x10 color..
If I have a video option, music videos and movie trailers will not be enough..
I want a browser, readable text, a screen that doesn't strain my eyes, and an E-Book option..
Basically, I want a $200 - $250 laptop with good sound and video, forget the Ipod, Iriver, etc...
And I'm not limited to 2 Gig of memory..

What a waste of money..
Get a laptop.. Spend the extra cash and get something that already does it all..

[upier]

I heard about this and the first thing I thought was why would you create something that ignores the largest segment of consumers (iPod users)? A better plan would be to sell music that can be downloaded for iPods as well as all other devices. Then you would have a large enough volume to be able to undercut iTunes. It just seems like bad business to me.

[SaveTheChief]

MTV is a cancer on society, void of any practical information or value, replete with titillative images and depravity, all marketed to children.

[Jameison]

"Get a laptop.. Spend the extra cash and get something that already does it all"

Funny you should mention that.
Got myself a very nice HP laptop, with an AMD Turion 64 ML-32 processor, 100GB hard drive, 15.4 " WXGA widescreen , Double-layer DVD+R/RW and 1024MB of DDR memory .
Plus it came with Windows XP Media Center Edition, and even a remote control back in Feb.
And you can play the DVD without even turning the computer on.
On top of all that, I just got my $200 mail in rebate from HP and Office Depot.
Love that machine.
The iRiver Clix will be for a completely different use.

[Jameison]

"MTV is a cancer on society"

Wouldn't quite pt t that way myself.
Sure, they are superficial and all that, but not that much more than the rest of the drive-by media TV networks, and most of their viewers tend to be in their teens.

[Jameison]

"A better plan would be to sell music that can be downloaded for iPods as well as all other devices"

You can't.
Apple won't let ya.
That's why only iTunes sell music to iPod users.

[oldleft]

Maybe I'm just getting older, but I realized the other day that VH1 is now cooler than MTV.

Watching a spoiled brat whine about her birthday isn't cool. Watching a drunk transsexual get in a bar fight sure is. MTV has the edginess of a spoon nowadays. I'm surprised anyone under 30 even watches it.

[RobRoy]

All of my computers have had windows media player backed off from version 10 to version 9. With version 9 I get great radio streaming at 128k of stations like "rock history". I actually have the laptop hooked up in the living room as the source of the music.

I lost all of that with version 10

[RobRoy]

I run the vga from my laptop into an Epson projector. We play DVD's and get a nice nine foot picture with spectacular color and sharpness. The svideo input is pathetic in comparison.

[BurbankKarl]

Your joking right..... this is riveting television....

MTV: Sweet Sixteen - Chelsi gets a $50,000+ party and a Mercedes-Benz for a present

[Astronaut]

In a word, No.

Apple does it best. The integration between the operating system, iTunes, and the iPod is unmatched. Nothing that Microsoft can cobble together like a Frankenstein monster can match the elegance and ease of use of Apple's products.

[devane617]

SIRIUS Satellite Radio S50 beats anything yet, including IPOD.

[Jameison]

Heeeey, I watched that program, don't knock it.

Ok, ok, it's a bit lame, but hey I need some light fare every now again, especially if there are plenty of eye candy involved .
Helps me to umm......unwind. :)