iPod shuffle is now only $49

[aryayush]

Which is illegal, isn't it.?

(1) CDs are not illegal but are DRM free;
(2) eMusic, Amazon MP3, iTunes Plus and several other online stores sell DRM free music; and
(3) All the music you or I or almost everyone in India owns is DRM free and, yes, mostly illegal.

The point is – they all play on the iPod shuffle.

So yeah, cut the crap.

Ya, it's just that Apple used iTunes + DRM + iPod to gain the market.

Yeah, sure. Microsoft is using the exact same business model with the Zune. I don't see them gaining any ground.

The iPod caught on because:
(a) It has always had an edge in having the largest storage capacity;
(b) The whole iTunes + iPod combination works like a charm;
(c) It is brain dead simple to use;
(d) The user interface is the best in class;
(e) It has all the important features that actually matter and they all work, for a change;
(f) Excellent battery life;
(g) It's sexy and cool; and
(h) Excellent marketing.

 

[kumarmohit]

Ok cut it you too, both of yoiu have points which are valid and invalid in Indian context.

GX: All ther DRM stores you mentioned do not work in India.
arya: in Indian contrext you should also leave out the iTMS part

^^^apart from that:
(a) agree
(b) + (c) Not exactly I have seen three people copy paste dat files from vcd expecting the iPod to play vidz. They had no idea dat has to be transcoded. One moron spent 350 bucks to get a pirated full version of Itunes to get it working.
(d) agree but sometimes i find it over simplistic.
(e) nope not exactly, I never got the notes thing working and do not get me started about images
(f) well for a music player, yes, for video needs, no
(g) please, cool is fine but sexy is a bit too much, i mean its a really lousy lay, compared to a hydrocarbon form of life
(h) where, in India, the only iPod advertising i saw is the mail Apple sent in my mailbox

 

[ring_wraith]

Okay, I've heard weird stuff, but some of the stuff here tops it.

No screen is a feaure??!! How?????? Having an airtight setup with iTunes is not a fllaw??? Oh come on ayush, admit some stuff once in a while. The only reason the shuffle sells over the creative zen is because with the shuffle you get some flaunt value, unlike the creative, whose MP3 players are relatively unknown in India. I went through hell and back trying, and failing, to find a leather cover for my Zen in Gandhi Bazaar. Every second idiot had iPod covers though.

So it's just brand-name and the niche that sells iPods. Honestly answer this, if Apple was a brand you had never heard of, and creative was what apple was today, would you still be rooting for the shuffle??

 

[napster007]

(a) It has always had an edge in having the largest storage capacity;

agree

(b) The whole iTunes + iPod combination works like a charm;

evr heard of a company called "CREATIVE" its got its own store + drag and drop. it'll take a poop on ur "iTunes + iPod combination"

(c) It is brain dead simple to use;

again DUDE check out the brand called "CREATIVE" and then talk. (ZEN)

(d) The user interface is the best in class;

Bullshi* ...........how many damn times do i have to tell you.....go check out CREATIVE

(f) Excellent battery life;

again dude........Creative.

(h) Excellent marketing.

all the time ur were saying......"cut the crap". Well DUDE.....u just wrote a whole buch of crap


Let me give you a link to show you how ur ipod SUC*S in comparison to the creative zen vision m

 

[goobimama]

No screen is not a feature by itself. But if by not having a screen the device can be made smaller and be given more battery life, then yes, it is a feature. Cause a display on such a device is totally useless.

Airtight setup with iTunes, agreed, they should allow drag and drop support. But that does confuse users. Give people too much choice and they are hesitant to go forward. The iTunes interface is a killer one, and if one is sort of forced to use it, it turns out to be a beneficial in the end. As always, you can use third party iPod managers to do whatever it is you want to.

Now as for brand names, let's just say Apple is today because of what it has done. So there's no question about "What if creative was apple of today" and all that. Cause if Creative was the Apple of today, it would only because it had produced some great products that became very popular with people.

 

[aryayush]

No screen is a feaure??!! How??????

This is the problem with the Internet. Sometimes you just cannot get your point across effectively.

This is just like the previous scenario when I'd once said that "more features != better". Both statements sound stupid when taken at face value. Of course more features are better and a screen is a great feature to have in a music player.

But not on players with the memory capacity and the size of the shuffle and the Stone. The shuffle is so well designed. You just plug it in, hit Autofill and then hit Play. Sync it once every fortnight and it will keep serving you random songs from your music collection.

Why do you need the a screen? Sure, it would be awesome if you could navigate through your collection like on the other iPods, but is is simply not possible on a screen that size. Look at the screen on the Stone. Is it really that useful? I don't think it is.

The lack of the screen on the shuffle is a feature because it simplifies the whole experience and saves battery life.

It's not a feature per se.

Having an airtight setup with iTunes is not a fllaw???

No, absolutely not. I, for one, am dying to buy an iPhone so that I can blissfully tie myself into the iPod+iTunes system. It's much better than all the other methods I've used so far to keep my media and devices in sync. I know a lot of people will disagree, but nothing can make me budge on this one. iTunes is a Godsend, absolutely the best media management application in the business. Right now, all my videos are being converted in anticipation for the iPhone, whenever it comes.

Say what you will, the iTunes+iPod combination rocks.

Oh come on ayush, admit some stuff once in a while.

Check out these links:
Early Adopter Tax Resurfaces with the iPod Touch January Software Upgrade
Opinion column: Why doth thou ignore Asia, O mighty Apple?
AirPort Extreme users aren't too happy about Time Capsule

They are all authored by yours truly. If Apple does something that deserves critcism, I don't blindly vouch for it.

But I won't be "admitting" that their products are inferior just to show that I'm objective. If they deserve praise, I'm going to praise them. Label me a fanboy, burn my effigies, do whatever you want.

Honestly answer this, if Apple was a brand you had never heard of, and creative was what apple was today, would you still be rooting for the shuffle??

If I hadn't even heard of Apple, how would I have even known the shuffle and why would I be in favour of it? I'm praising it because it a good product at a very competitive price. The fact that it is from Apple tips the scales in its favour, sure, but that is not the primary factor.

Having said that, my general opinion is that Apple products are very good, generally the best in the industry. This opinion has been formed after having used and seen a lot of their products. I don't think there is anything wrong with forming an opinion about someone/something based on your past experience dealing with them.


My name is spelt Aayush, by the way.

agree


evr heard of a company called "CREATIVE" its got its own store + drag and drop. it'll take a poop on ur "iTunes + iPod combination"



again DUDE check out the brand called "CREATIVE" and then talk. (ZEN)

(d) The user interface is the best in class;

Bullshi* ...........how many damn times do i have to tell you.....go check out CREATIVE



again dude........Creative.



all the time ur were saying......"cut the crap". Well DUDE.....u just wrote a whole buch of crap


Let me give you a link to show you how ur ipod SUC*S in comparison to the creative zen vision m

Best reply ever! LOL!

I was asked why the shuffle is better than the Stone and I gave my reasons. Your counterpoint for each of my points was basically one word: "Creative".

Cool! Logic, reasoning and intelligence rolled into one hell of an extremely informative post. Congrats, man! You've pwned everyone out here. Like I said – best reply ever!

 

[kalpik]

Last time i checked, the thread title said "iPod shuffle is now only $49", not "Apple vs Creative". I don't mind a healthy discussion on the iPod's feature set, but the all important word here is "healthy". So lets keep it clean people

 

[aryayush]

Has kalpik always been in bold green?

 

[napster007]

But that does confuse users. Give people too much choice and they are hesitant to go forward.

PLAESE SHED SOME LIGHT ON ME AND GIVE AN EXAMPLE

The iTunes interface is a killer one

i was not talking about the itunes but the ipod

Now as for brand names, let's just say Apple is today because of what it has done. So there's no question about "What if creative was apple of today" and all that. Cause if Creative was the Apple of today, it would only because it had produced some great products that became very popular with people.

1.)Apple invents.....i agree dude
2.)their hardware is top notch........i agree dude
but....don't even get me started on their software.

anyways let me tell you what creatie is doing....... Giving more features than the apple and not charging a PREMIUM for it or for its brand name.

so u tell me is it wrong?

Your counterpoint for each of my points was basically one word: "Creative".

this type of defence shows exactly y u have a brain in the size of a peanut and can't think beyond ur rotten apple!!

Cool! Logic, reasoning and intelligence rolled into one hell of an extremely informative post.

THANK YOU!!

 

[goobimama]

i was not talking about the itunes but the ipod

iTunes goes with iPod dude. Haven't you heard?

PLEASE SHED SOME LIGHT ON ME AND GIVE AN EXAMPLE

Geeks aside, most people prefer to be taught to use one way. They have no preffered way of doing things. So once you show them how easy it is to import music into iTunes, rip CDs, burn them, sync your iPod, it all becomes really simple.
Now if you offer them choice, that is, you can either use Windows media player, or some Creative media player, or use Windows explorer, they will have to make that choice. And given their understanding of computers, that choice will not always been the most efficient one. It will be the most familiar one. Wouldnt you say using Windows Media Player to manage your entire music library is better than using Windows Explorer? You know, all those folders, and files and then do all that dragging and dropping? If you present a Zen Stone, Windows explorer is the first thing that the folks are going to hit. And that's not an efficient way.

And Apple is anything, if at all, because of their software.

@aayush: Kalpik has just been made a mod.

 

[kalpik]

this type of defence shows exactly y u have a brain in the size of a peanut and can't think beyond ur rotten apple!!

That was uncalled-for.. Consider this as a warning.

 

[gxsaurav]

Calm down kalpik, let them talk, it's not going below the belt yet.

I don't want to reply here anymore as what kalpik mentioned stands true. This isn't a creative or Apple thread. If it comes to that.....Creative got 10000 points to prove ipod naive in front of it.

 

[napster007]

^^out of curiosity.....don't you think all so called "non geeks" will know how to use the Windows Explorer better than the itunes??????

 

[aryayush]

@kalpik,
Congratulations, man!

Calm down kalpik, let them talk, it's not going below the belt yet.

Yeah, thy majesty gx_saurav hath spoken. All inferior beings like kalpik are to bow their heads and nod their willingness to listen to the great lord of wisdom.

 

[kalpik]

^^ Assuming that "Congratulations" was directed at me, thanks

 

[gxsaurav]

^^out of curiosity.....don't you think all so called "non geeks" will know how to use the Windows Explorer better than the itunes??????

Nope, Mac users don't use file manager. Copy pasting is more confusing, then opening iTunes, finding the sync button, dragging & dropping songs & then syncing

 

[aryayush]

Actually, it involves only one step.

Step 1: Plug in your iPod.

That's it. Everything else is automagically handled. Sounds darned simple to me.

 

[goobimama]

^^out of curiosity.....don't you think all so called "non geeks" will know how to use the Windows Explorer better than the itunes??????

Ah well here lies the debate. Which is a better way to manage your music? A dedicated music library or a File management utility? Just because Windows Explorer is more familiar, doesn't mean it is a better way to function. It that was the way that the iPod had to manage music, then it would in no way become as popular as it is today. It is only because of the flawless integration of iPod with iTunes that it has become the most popular device.

This is not a debate as to whether iTunes is better than WMP or something else. I prefer iTunes, someone else might prefer WMP, but giving choice is not always a good thing, as in this case it will end up being some built in software that 'just about works'.

 

[napster007]

^^dude u have to agree here that
1.) the "non geeks" really don't know the way to manage a music library or even use it unless they are showed.

question : For a "non geek" how is itunes any more better than any other music lib be it WMP or anything else?

 

[goobimama]

question : For a "non geek" how is itunes any more better than any other music lib be it WMP or anything else?

Let's consider WMP and iTunes to be equal in all respects (although I personally think iTunes kicks WMP in the rear end, still, for this debate).

At least in the US, Apple has an online store. For that the need to use their own software is a must cause of the way the store is. Right? Now why would Apple want to have half their iPod base get used to WMP, and then when they purchase a track they have to shift to using iTunes? Doesn't this create confusion? If they are used to using iTunes from the start, everything else falls into place.

What if the iPod gets a new feature, but WMP can't support it due to MS lagging in development (and vice versa). What if there's a bug in WMP that causes some problems with the iPod but MS is refusing to fix it so that at least someone might buy a Zune? And many more.

Keeping a one application philosophy clearly works best here. The iPod knows iTunes and vice versa.

Now you might say India doesn't have an iTunes store. So what? The iPod has already proven to be working with iTunes. The software is tightly integrated, and is dead simple (especially for Indian non-techie users).