The Dell Digital Jukebox (DJ) is an MP3 player that will try to challenge Apple’s market leading iPod. The Dell Music Store is the other half of Dell’s new music thrust, designed to compete with Apple Computer’s forthcoming iTunes for Windows music downloading service. The Dell Music Store reportedly doesn’t work with Macs, it’ll be Windows-only, but it will work with PCs and music players other than Dell’s. The Dell DJ and Dell Music Store are expected to debut in late October.
Dell is providing few details about either offering according to USA Today. “The music store ‘will cover most major labels and artists,’ says chief marketing officer Mike George. It will work with Microsoft’s Windows
MikeD I hear you BUT wouldn’t they have to look for d/l and install the Dell tool the same? It is not going to be part of Windows (ie, not Micros**t).
The key will be DRM. Apple’s advantage right now is that they have a single price point and flexible user rights. I’m not paying 89 cents for a WMP file that won’t let me copy certain songs to CD or another computer/ music player.
The sad part is what this does for open standards (once again). Dell is a schill for Microsoft. If WMP wins out over AAC and MPEG-4 we are all losers in the long run.
Looks to me like this new ugly offspring in the Dell pigstall might cause Apple some trouble. first, it borrows enough of the iPod design to be recognizable by the lemming hordes. Second, it’s tacky enough, and will be cheap enough, to make a lemming leap with joy. So it has all the “qualities” to become a terribly successful gizmo in the market. I hope Apple’s rumored enhancements to the iPod will be enough to contain this frontal assault.
It’s 1999 again!
Dell Announces “Digital Jukebox”
http://www.dell.com/us/en/gen/corporate/press/pressoffice_news_1999-09-22-rr-003.htm
The name flopped in 1999, it probably will again..
I’m holding out for “Digital Jukebox 2007”!
Ahhh, but Dells usually come with software like their helpdesk preinstalled don’t they? I’m pretty sure they still brand the OS and add their own support apps etc. Just guessing here, I’ve haven’t touched a new Dell in years.
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MikeD (from the Beastie Boys no doubt) is right. Practically all PC makers do this. Toshiba laptops come with Toshiba’s own power management utilities, for example, and IBM installs it’s own utilities on ThinkPads.
Clearly, Winblows isn’t even good enough for the PC makers who install it on their machines.
A-holes, it doesn’t matter what we know, it only matters that the mainstream computer / electronic gizmo press will prop the Dell DJ up because it’s from Dell. Just as they will spread some FUD about iPod and iTMS. Watch and see history repeat itself. Why get an Apple when you can get a Dell that does “the same thing” for “half the price” is what almost all potential customers will be assalted with via the willing accomplices in the press. Along with Dell’s ads. People choose Windows 90% of the time and they have no idea how much better they could have it with Mac OS X. They will also be toting around Dell DJ’s as if they are the coolest things ever.
With iTMS Windows they do not need to get a Mac. AND if they like iTMS quality they’d realize that to enjoy similar quality products they should get a Mac.
Dell will not do the same thing at half price. This time price will not be an issue: they will be able to try for free on their PC the Dell Junkbox and Apple iTMS.
Now even Windows user cannot be so stupid to still using the JunkBox when they have iTMS free on their PC.
“Just look at the thing. The Dell Axim (imho) is ugly. The Dell DJ takes the cake though. How can it be so poorly designed when they essentially copied Apple?”
Simple. They can copy it exactly, but they’ll get sued by Apple and it would be a piece of cake to get the judge to slam on Dell. The second option is to make it better. Yeah right.. this is Dell (’nuff said). The third and last option is to design it more poorly and use excuses such as innovation and cheaper price to cover the fact.
Does this answer your question?
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Look at this POS! It looks like an Palm Zire with “insecurities” (read: smaller screen). I was honestly expecting something better than this. The Reo HD mp3 players are a lot more attractive, IMO. It had better be SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than the iPod for it to compete against it. If iPod is the Heidi Fleiss (highly priced, incredibly attractive) the mp3 Player world, than thin POS Dell device is the Divine Brown (enough said). If a Beverly Hills call girl costs only 20% more than a off the street HO BIATCH, would anybody actually CHOOSE the HO BIATCH? I think not.
I am excited about Dell’s DJ. I am sure it will flop for the many reasons above.
When Apple releases iTMS for the Lemmings, I hope they get a decent advetising agency to do the promos.
One suggestion is, “Apple, it just works…”
You can replace Apple, with iPod, iTMS, OS X, or just about any product made by or for Apple.
I am excited about the release of the Dell DJ� Some of these posts I feel are unnecessary, and extremely unfair. No one has even used the Dell DJ or its music store. I love music but I feel the ipod is too pricey. Personally I don�t care how an MP3 player looks because 99% of the time the player will be in my pocket. Like millions of people I don�t buy something because it�s the best, I buy something because it is the greatest value.