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Microsoft: No iPod killer planned

Monday, June 5, 2006 · 10:01 am · 21 Comments

“Microsoft reps have denied recent rumors alleging that it has partnered with a number of Japanese consumer electronics companies to develop a device to compete in Japan with Apple’s iPod,” Bary Alyssa Johnson reports for PC Magazine. “‘The announcement that came out of Japan this week was simply about the Japanese launch of Windows Media Player 11,’ said a Microsoft representative who asked not to be named. ‘Due to translation issues the announcement was misconstrued to sound like Microsoft was developing a rival to the iPod; that’s just not the case.’”

Full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Has Microsoft finally figured out that there’s no reason to throw good money after bad?

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Comment Feed

21 Comments

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ron

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 11:13 am · Reply

Oh! Why not? We were so waiting for the MS POS.
M.X.N.T.4.1

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 11:14 am · Reply

Let’s face it, the only way microsoft can compete with the iPod is if they get the XBOX team to work on it. At least their product has shipped and seems to work pretty well.
Turd Ferguson

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 11:18 am · Reply

Does Bill Gates lack the gnads to copy even more things from Apple?

Microsoft should sell all its stock and give it back to the shareholders… or would Monkey-Boy throw another chair?
Waiting for Nintendo Wii

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 11:19 am · Reply

M.X.N.T.4.1,

No way. No Microsoft software or hardware for me. It’s far too unethical a company for my money.

Read this: Mac users should not buy Microsoft software (or hardware)
M.X.N.T.4.1

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 11:28 am · Reply

Waiting for Nintendo Wii,
Well I didn’t say I’d buy one but it’s the only way I can see them coming out with something that could even be considered competition – everything done in-house (hardware & software) and by a team which are seemingly capable of delivering something.

I too am waiting for the wii – if the wii didn’t exist I wouldn’t even get a console at all. That said, if I was to get any other console I’d probably more realistically look at the xbox 360 over the ps3. If the xbox 360 was made by another company then I’d consider it quite seriously.
AG Pennypacker

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 11:33 am · Reply

what you guys are missing is what MS is really copying.

They are copying His Steveness’ manner of handling the media – denial.

So they have retained their stance on copying, just not in the manner you were thinking.

Can’t wait for the iCopy!!

75% market share clearly screams “We’re unhappy with iPod + iTunes – give us something crappy! Anyone with half a brain can see that.
Solar flare

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 11:59 am · Reply

Could be M$ trying to bluff Apple into thinking that they are not making an ipod killer.

I personally think they are..
cptnkirk

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 12:11 pm · Reply

Solar flare said:
“Could be M$ trying to bluff Apple into thinking that they are not making an ipod killer.

I personally think they are..”

Wether they are or are not, there are too many cooks . . . AND the biggie: there way too late to market. Development would take them years. M$ does not play nice with most partners.
Left Rear Tire!

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 12:39 pm · Reply

“Could be M$ trying to bluff Apple into thinking that they are not making an ipod killer.

I personally think they are..”

Mee too, Bill is famous for lying to Steve about Windows, what has changed?
MicroSoft can and will defeat the IPod

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 1:00 pm · Reply

MicroSoft can come out with a FAR better product that the iPod, they just can’t do it until they get their **** together and finish Vista.

Vista will allow a much better music player than the iPod. Mark my words, MS has dotted every i with Vista, and that means digital music and video will rock. OK, so they’re late with Vista–but better bug-free and late than on time with bugs and holes. Anyone remember what Tiger was like when it first came out? That’s what “on time” does to an OS release.

I seriously can’t wait for Vista (I know I have to, gloat about Leapard it gives you wood). But what I seriously can’t wait for is MicroSoft’s own music player that will be closely tied to Vista next year if I’m correct in my guessing.

MS wins – they sell copies of Vista to people who don’t need it otherwise. (But who WILL have a lot of fun with the new search etc. once they own it.)

PC users win – they get an awsome music player. Guess what? It might not work well on Macs–that’s the breaks, you chose the little guy but the big guy has the power. Using Windows means siding with the winner, let’s face it. And there’s a word for people who side with the little guy: losers.

I’m ready for the liberal knee-jerk “MS always wants to sell you something” now. If Apple wants to throw in iLife (photos and music? snore) for free then that’s their funeral. We live in a capitalist society, and that means “freedom,” not “free stuff.” Big companies are evil because they make as much profit as they can? OK, but you’d do the same. Or there’s always Russia, I hear the food is great.

Oh, and since when did Apple give anything for free anyway? Everything unfair MicroSoft has done, Apple has done twice I’ll bet you.

Good thing this site has MicoSoft news or there would be nothing exciting here at all.
BuriedCaesar

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 1:40 pm · Reply

Troll alert…
ralph from berlin

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 1:55 pm · Reply

the food in russia is really great. other than you selfcentric american idiots, there are people who actually travel the world and learn for themselves. so because you never left your little village in fly-over-country, you can’t know: the food is really great in russia.
Him

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 2:34 pm · Reply

Mark my words, MS has dotted every i with Vista,…

Yes, one “i” to Vista.

But Leopard’s got both eyes trained on the kill. (Just look at the PR promo pics from Apple).

Don’t think Apple’s just sitting around waiting for MS to come up with some “killer app/device”. Mr. Jobs knows he has a 6 year advantage, and he’s not going to let it slip.
huh?

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 2:38 pm · Reply

I can’t help LMFAO over the juvenile comment by MicroSoft can and will defeat the IPod…

Thanks for the laugh. I really needed a good one to get my day going right.

By the way, Ralph. I love good homemade Russian food, and I’ve had the chance to experience it because of the high number of Russian immigrants in my area.

What I can’t stand is the whitebread, pork ‘n beans and storebought macaroni and cheese diet of middle America, not to mention all the fast food crap like MacDonalds and Taco Bell. Atrocious!!
MCCFR

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 2:44 pm · Reply

So MacDude has changed his name yet again and has posted another pile of drivel masquerading as informed opinion.

Personally, I blame the parents – a child of that age shouldn’t be allowed a computer of their own until they understand the responsibility that goes with spouting bullshit on the Internet.

Vista will allow a much better music player than the iPod. Mark my words, MS has dotted every i with Vista, and that means digital music and video will rock.

So long as you have a powerful system to begin with. What’s the recommended equipment spec again.

OK, so they’re late with Vista–but better bug-free and late than on time with bugs and holes.

How deluded can you get? Does this dweeb really believe that Vista will be bug-free when it ships?

Anyone remember what Tiger was like when it first came out? That’s what “on time” does to an OS release.

I remember what Tiger was like on my system. Faster than Panther. More capable than Panther. Arguably more intuitive than Panther.

Will Vista be quicker than XP on the same hardware? Doubt it.
Will it be any more intuitive? Not if the recent “seven clicks to delete a shortcut (albeit one owned by SYSTEM)” revelation is anything to go by.

So the only thing it might have going for it is that it might be more capable than XP. So long as you’re willing to get back on the hamster wheel of torture that is ownership of a Microsoft operating system.
AG Pennypacker

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 3:09 pm · Reply

So . . . . I thought that MicroSoft douche was just kidding.

What I want to know is how this kid can type and get his diaper changed at the same time!!!!!

That is the marvel here folks.
mecano

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 6:38 pm · Reply

these threads sure attracts some amazing people…of all ages.
iPodluvr

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 7:21 pm · Reply

I can’t bash M$ this time, and I never dis’ Mr. Gates, he is an important philanthropist and many good charities rely on him. It’s the PC centric media that put the egg on M$ face this time,
©

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 10:13 pm · Reply

RE: WMP11 – Read the EULA. Be afraid, BE VERY AFRAID. MS now has the balls to blatantly say in a EULA that they OWN YOU.
Brad T

Monday, June 5, 2006 - 11:28 pm · Reply

The probvlem with MS coming out with an MP3 player, is they still have to do what so far they have shown incapable of doing:

Creating a website and software that makes for a seemless and successful user experience.

Until they correct that, they won’t have the balls to come out with an MP3 player – because they’ll crash and burn like everyone else – that’s why haven’t produced one yet.

Because they are the real losers.