Big?

<ducks and runs for cover>

Bump again. Argh there needs to be a Rio Karma discussion board/forum somewhere where it's all dedicated to people who are more interested in this.

I can't decide if I want to get this or wait for the iRiver iHP-200 which is loaded with features (20 GB hard drive, FM tuner, 16 hours battery life, only a tiny bit bigger/heavier than 3rd generation iPod, comes with remote with an LCD screen, firmware upgradeable which iRiver is pretty good at releasing, recording with built-in microphone, USB 2.0 file transfer, optical in and out, magnesium body, etc.)

Of course I probably don't need all of these features, but it'd be cool just to have them in case I ever am bored. I love gadgets.

Argh there needs to be a Rio Karma discussion board/forum somewhere where it's all dedicated to people who are more interested in this.

Hmm. I doubt that many of us here are exactly dis-interested. Face it, we're all pretty crazy about our empegs, and we _know_ what talent the Empeg LTD guys have. In other words we're being patient. We know that they will tell us infomation when they can, and that Rob will start dropping hints when we forget to prod for it.

Of course, your idea is still valid. If the Karma sells like we all hope it does, a support forum will be needed.

Of course I probably don't need all of these features, but it'd be cool just to have them in case I ever am bored.

Fair enough. I personally prefer to have a gadget where the features continue to wow me after 18 months of ownership, rather than one with mediocre core features and lots of surface-shallow bling-bling features that get boring after a day.

I too am eagerly awaiting the release of this portable... I currently own an Archos and I love it. It's flexibility is a little more suited to my needs than the one Empeg is working on, but I love the empeg's browsing features. I'm spinning like a top trying to decide if I want to wait and see what the Karma is like, or bite the bullet and upgrade the hard drive in the Archos to the 60-80GB level...

What do you mean when you say the archos has more flexibility than the pearl?

Anyone else think it's a little weird that they their player is named Karma when Creative's is named Zen. Did I miss the memo on the eastern religion naming fad?

Did I miss the memo on the eastern religion naming fad?

Remind me in a few product releases' time to tell you a funny story about that.

Peter

Well, I hope I am wrong...

The archos uses a standard laptop drive that can be swapped out quite easily. The Pearl is using some special Micro Drive, correct?

Also, the Archos requires zero software to load music and/or data files. I can load music on it anywhere without emplode, or music match, or whatever.

The downside is the Archos has a very limited UI for managing tracks. We all know how empeg excels in this area. I haven't personally been swayed by the current crop of hard drive portables for these reasons... I'm waiting for Karma/Pearl/What ever it is called this week to try and change my mind.

I hate going to empeg meets as you don't know what you meant to know

Re: Archos

There's an open source effort that's replaced the firmware on the archos with something substantially better here:

http://rockbox.haxx.se

They've added, among a ton of other things, on the fly playlist modifications/enqeue, etc.

It has made the archos much more usable.

-brendan

"I hate going to empeg meets as you don't know what you meant to know..."

Is that english?
I hope that means you know something and want to set me straight. I hope, but I think you're full of it... Yep. Full of it. Prove me wrong...

And brendan... Thanks, I have been using RockBox for sometime now, but I had not noticed those items you mentioned. I'll have to check out the recent builds immediately!

I just got the 30 gig iPod, and I really like it. The ability to take every CD I own with me while I work out, or mow the lawn, or take a walk... it's amazing. And the iTunes software makes it incredibly fast and easy to RIP music, build a series of playlists, and then instantaneously upload all changes to the iPod. I also like Apple's new music store. I can find an old song I liked, and buy it for a dollar. I still use Amazon for my CD purchases - that way I have an instant hard copy - but if there's only one or two songs I need, Apple music store gets my dollar.

My only quibble with iPod is the headphones. Apple is the master of user-interface design, so it comes as some surprise that their headphones ignore the shape of human ears. Designed by euclidian geometry rather than human form, these ear buds hurt. I replaced mine wtih some soft rubber Sony ear buds that feel and sound fantastic.

Perhaps the other MP3 players are good too, but I have not tried them. If you already own a Mac, the iPod is the clear choice. I somehow doubt the others can compete with Apple's complete solution. I like having one system that allows me to manage all my music effortlessly, from ripping CDs, to organizing playlists, to burning CDs, to buying single tracks of music... this device (working with my Mac) lets me do it all, and then carry it all around with me where ever I go.

If you get an iPod, I also recommend the Belkin car adapter. It plays iPod through the tape deck, and charges the iPod battery as you drive. I use mine all the time. I have kids, and if they're in the car, I can flip to one of their playlists. Driving alone, I'm back to my stuff.

Summary: If you love music and you love simplicity, you'll love the iPod. Although I use it with a Mac, it works with Windows, too.

erm MP3 in car now there is a novel idea, nah will never catch on.

But, wait! There's more!

Now how much would you pay?

Wow, this iPod thing sounds so cool for car use! I've been looking for something I can use to play my MP3's in the car for a long time now, and this seems to be it! You can actually SWITCH playlists with this device?

P.S. What does the Unofficial Empeg Car/RioCar BBS stand for? Kind of a weird name for discussion of new portable MP3 players.

If you get an iPod, I also recommend the Belkin car adapter. It plays iPod through the tape deck, and charges the iPod battery as you drive. I use mine all the time. I have kids, and if they're in the car, I can flip to one of their playlists. Driving alone, I'm back to my stuff.

I suspect that I wouldn't bother. Can't see the need.

The effusiveness could have nothing to do with your employer's(DesignAccess) client list, could it?
-Zeke

In reply to:

---

I suspect that I wouldn't bother. Can't see the need.

---

Yeah, me neither. I have this really cool head unit called an 'Empeg'.. Actually, mine's a RioCar, but same thing, really..

Me.

From http://www.designaccess.com/index.asp ;

Design Access designs and develops custom e-learning and marketing communications solutions that solve our customer's business problems and achieve measurable business results

That was certainly a 'custom' marketing communication! Now if someone would tell me exactly what e-learning solutions are I'd be happy. Does it involve an RJ45 implant?

E-learning, that's easy:

Step 1: Create vague website.
Step 2: ?????
Step 3: PROFIT!!!

See?
-Zeke

No, no, no. The /. thread is in the Off Topic forum.

So we've had iRiver, Apple... anyone from Creative want a go?

I think I'll bow out of this thread now and let Karma talk for itself in the near future.

Rob

So we've had iRiver, Apple... anyone from Creative want a go?

Yeah, I'm shocked -- shocked -- that a company would resort to astroturfing discussion sites to promote a new MP3 player...

Peter

I bought a first generation Ipod. The big pluses for me were size, hardware interface (wheel control...yes I like it), and file shuttle. More times than I can count I've used it with my windows laptop and firewire card to move files around (mostly oracle dump files).

That being said, to say it works with Windows is a bit of a stretch. I've had to hack around the fact that Apple prefers to make me wait for Windows compatible updates and then short sheets the functionality.

When Karma is available, I'll punt the Ipod to Ebay and never look back.

No! Come back and drop subtle hints!

...or should I take that as a subtle hint that release is imminent?

(PS: I downloaded that new Archos software. I can't figure out the playlist functions, but it comes with Othello! Weee!)

I think I'll bow out of this thread now and let Karma talk for itself in the near future.

You heard it here first, folks, the Karma will have text-to-speech capaabilities!

"I'm sorry, Dave, I can't play that Britney Spears track.."

I really like my Rio S30S. It only came with 64MB of internal memory but it's miniscule and fits on my arm comforably while running like a madman. I bought a 256MB SD card so I have enough music for a workout with variety. Very neat product I must say...

Re: archos playlist functions

For the daily builds, reading the mailing list archive on the site and/or well, that's about it for documentation between versions.

-brendan

Sounds like they need a Tony Fabris. If ours wasn't so busy, perhaps we'd consider renting him out.

"For the daily builds, reading the mailing list archive on the site and/or well, that's about it for documentation between versions."

Arg... I was really afraid of that. I was digging through the news group stuff today in the hopes I would find some reference. All I could find was a lot of talk about features, but no real meat.

It really makes me appreciate this community. I have a bit of a gadget weakness. A lot of the ones I get suckered into buying have little to no support beyond the basics. I tip my merlot to the guys at empeg, and our faq master and friends for all your help.

That's why I personally am in such a conundrum over this Karma thing. I know it will be a fine piece of hardware/software, with a high potential for great community support. But my question remains, will it suit me better than my Archos at 60-80GB? The suspense is killing me... I have several friends who look to me for advice on these things. One bought an Archos when I did. Besides the fact that it is a homely thing, he agrees with me on its usefulness. One bought a Zen and got really annoyed with the software. Then he got an iPod. After all the trouble he's had with that, I think he's realizing that it has it's own weird quirks.

bah... I guess I will have to wait and see... Perhaps another glass of wine while I wait...