Just caught the end of the Apple keynote, and they did indeed launch the iPod mini. I found it odd they compaired it to the Rio Cali 256 flash unit and not the Nitrus.

The iPod mini is a 4gb player, not sure what hard drive it uses. $250 price, USB2 and Firewire, same dock connector as the bigger iPod. Size was compared to a buisness card, thickness of 0.5 inches. Ships next month to the US, April worldwide. Same interface as the iPod.

http://www.apple.com/ipodmini/

i still luv my karma, but i think those things are gonna sell like hotcakes even at $250 which seems kinda high.
this new unit just drives home the fact that
apple has got the mp3 market locked up, period!!
man... whats next? a car player??
i just hope Rio can stay alive and not go under..


b

I could be wrong (in fact, I usually am about such things), but it seems that Apple is repeating a past mistake with the iPod and their DRM. Sure they are the market leader right now, but they’re keeping their DRM system to themselves and not opening their file format up to competition. If they persist in this I think people will gradually become more comfortable with WMA because it is useful on more players (though clearly not EVERY player).

Apple seems to be the monkey who can’t get his hand out of the jar because he won’t let go of the apple. Sure they’re enjoying a lot of popularity now, but people don’t like to be routed into only being able to use one product (M$ Windows notwithstanding). It’s going to be a while before they are really challenged though when newscaster are saying things like “if there is anything computer geeks agree on, it’s that the iPod is the one indispensable gadget every geek must have.”

apple has got the mp3 market locked up, period!!

What, by coming out with a micro HDD product four months later than the competition, with less than half the battery life and a larger form factor, and then pretending during a keynote that the competing products don't actually exist?

By the way, Rio announced its 4GB player today (before Apple). Same price, twice the battery life, smaller form factor.

Rob

apple has got the mp3 market locked up, period!!

What, by coming out with a player and a music download service that uses a proprietary DRM-protected file format?

No. By markedly superior marketing.

For example, there's no mention of a 4GB Nitrus on the www.rioaudio.com site. It's hard to decide to purchase something you don't know exists.

Looking at the pictures, I do have to say the iPod Mini's might have the color thing going for them too. When talking about her Karma (that is still on backorder), the thing my wife is most excited about is how "cute" it is (i.e. little). If it were available in multiple colors (or even better would be changable faceplates) there would be no contest. As it is, she has verbally abused the iPod in favor of the Karma (I showed them to her side by side in Best Buy) on more than one occasion on no other basis but how it looks. As for the mini vs nitrus, I'm not sure which would be more appealing in for the "cuteness" (as I don't really care about how cute something is). I certainly like the form factor of the nitrus better, but multiple colors is certainly an advantage.

For example, there's no mention of a 4GB Nitrus on the www.rioaudio.com site

The press release will be there shortly, but in the mean time..

http://www.digitalnetworksna.com/shop/_templates/item_main_Rio.asp?model=215&cat=35

Rob

Thanks I needed that

Hmmm. That links to a Cali for me.

I've also noticed a lack of Rio Karma coverage in PC Magazine & PC World, whose 'articles' are mostly marketing anyway. They do mention Ipod quite a bit and some of the other players, but I don't think I've seen the Karma mentioned. I've seen the Nitrus & the solid state players, but the Karma's been conspicuously absent.

-Zeke

ps: That's great news on the 4GB Nitrus, I hope it sells like mad.

Yup with an endorsement

Hmmm. That links to a Cali for me.

Same here.

What, by coming out with a player and a music download service that uses a proprietary DRM-protected file format?

AAC is propritary? Anyhow, the end user dosen't care that their player uses MP3, AAC, WMA or whatever. They care it plays their music easially.

Apple has a good chunk of the digital music market now not because of one thing. But because of several. Marketing is a big one, and the solid integration. Being able to install iTunes, start putting in CDs, and then plugging in an iPod to have it sync automaticially is amazing to end users. Rio by what I understand is getting closer with the newer Rio Music Manager to this type of integration, and I am glad to see it.

Random question, how close to the iTunes install/rip/sync is the Karma? Mind you, I never enter a preference screen, ever bother with manual driver installs, and hit about 6 next buttons.

apple has got the mp3 market locked up, period!!

I dunno, I think they've just fluffed the chance to lock it up. If Ipod Mini were the size of a Nitrus and looked like a real Ipod, I might be worried. As it is, it's bigger than Nitrus and uglier than either Nitrus or Ipod.

Peter

"What, by coming out with a micro HDD product four months later than the competition, with less than half the battery life and a larger form factor, and then pretending during a keynote that the competing products don't actually exist?"

i never said apple's products are superrior to RIO, infact i think RIO products are better, and thats why i continue to purchase them only.
But unfortunately as you know, thats not all that sells the product. Apple's packaging, design, and marketing are unmatched..

b

Anyone able to take a similar picture of the Nitrus? Having owned the T68i, and now the T610, the mini is smaller then I thought.

The good news is that the market seems to be balking at the cost for the most part, so the Nitrus may win out being that it will probably be found for lower then MSRP.

Source of image