“Apple’s iPod MP3 player was one of the hottest gifts during the past holiday season. Driven by a hip marketing campaign and bolstered by Apple’s Music Store, the word ‘iPod’ has become synonymous with MP3 players; and its smaller, limited and cheaper Shuffle model unveiled last week will likely serve to solidify Apple’s lead,” Don Lindich reports for The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “But as the recent 2005 Consumer Electronics Show demonstrated, it is a much more competitive marketplace.”
Lindich reports, “Leading the pack were two entries from Olympus’ new m:robe line. The m:robe 500 offers a large, high-resolution touch-screen display used for controlling the unit and viewing photographs, which are either downloaded from a PC or taken with the m:robe’s built-in 1.22 megapixel digital camera. Photographs can be automatically mixed with audio tracks to create music videos you can view as you listen.”
“At the same $499 price point of Apple’s iPod Photo, the m:robe 500 offers a much larger display and greater functionality, albeit with a smaller hard drive and larger physical dimensions that make it hard to carry in a pocket. The m:robe 500 offers 20 GB, vs. the iPod’s 30 GB, an advantage for Apple. Even with its smaller hard drive, serious digital photographers are likely to make the m:robe 500 their player of choice by virtue of its large, colorful display,” Lindich reports. “The $249, 5 GB m:robe 100 compares with Apple’s iPod Mini while offering 25 percent more hard drive capacity. The m:robe 100 is one of the most attractively styled MP3 players available with a smooth, black finish that makes it look like the monolith from ‘2001: A Space Odyssey.'”
“After a hiatus of many years, Olympus will once again advertise during the Super Bowl — specifically to promote the new m:robe line, demonstrating the depth of its commitment to this new product category,” Lindich reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We require some actual proof before we’ll swallow Lindich’s statement that “serious digital photographers are likely to make the m:robe 500 their player of choice by virtue of its large, colorful display.” Lindich’s mistaken assertion that Apple’s iPod photo offers 30GB for $499 doesn’t inspire much confidence in his reporting skills. Apple’s iPod photo comes in two sizes: a 40GB model, available for $499, and a much larger 60GB model that sells for $599. And, the Olympus bath…, err, m:robe won’t directly play songs purchased from the world’s market-dominating online music store, Apple’s iTunes Music Store, either. Do you think Olympus’ m:robe Super Bowl ad will mention that fact?
Viridian and zupchuck are both on the money.
Also, one of the first criticisms of the iPod photo was that it didn’t directly download from digital cameras; so how can this Olympus be anything special if it can’t do it either? Where is the bandwagon to harp on that “missing” feature?
He may be a Mac user, but there is still some slant in his article that makes me think that he is looking for some excuse to dethrone the iPod. This article doesn’t do it.
Zupchuck,
Good point concerning the ability to transfer photos directly to the iPod. Are you listening, Apple?
I’d have a big problem with the touch screen interface. With my iPod it’s easy to make track changes without looking at the iPod itself. I guess you might eventually learn to put your finger exactly where it belongs on the m:robe (weird name, even more so than iPod when it first came out). Oh well, I don’t care, I won’t be getting one, but like others have said, more competition never hurt.
“A hip design makes it cool to carry.”
If you have to tell your audience it’s hip… it’s not.
brought to you by the Magic word “play”
To me, it’s ugly. Looks like a fake iPod U2. Plus, when you go to the store, are you really going to ask for the “m:robe?” How do you even say that? iPod is much more esoteric. These companies forget how important a name can be.
And heck, they can’t even make a decent camera. I would not even think about buying something from Olympus’ core competency.
It’s fun watching the competition try to compete with Apple. Apple makes everything look so easy that soda-pop companies think they can make software to sell music online.
Just crazy.
“At the same time a new mini with 10 gig capacity and new more tasteful colors like maybe dark blue and maroon”
Double anodized Black with SS trim please!!
“Even with its smaller hard drive, serious digital photographers are likely to make the m:robe 500 their player of choice by virtue of its large, colorful display,” Lindich reports”
I doubt a serious digital photographer will be satisfied with anything less than a 17″ display… Ok, may be they may compromise for a 12″ display, after looking inside their wallet.
Pete said on Jan 17, 05 – 06:06 am
“… time will tell him just how mistaken he was – he doesn’t need correctional feedback from a bunch of fanatics …
Get over the platform. Stop wearing it like a badge of honour … Fanaticism is a dangerous thing.”
Hey Pete – Mac users are on top now, and we intend to enjoy ourselves. After years of being branded fanatics by Windows users who refused to see that the Emperor has no clothes, Mac users are now seen to be intelligent cutting edge visionaries.
Besides…the only “fanaticism” I see are Windows users steadfastly maintaining support for a failed operating system despite massive evidence that Windows is unstable, vulnerable and lowers productivity.
Given a choice, why would anyone use Windows?
Magic Word = Soon, as in “Soon, people will be saying to each other… you’re still using Windows? Yuk.”
Pic here:
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_product_robe.asp?l=1&p=&bc;=&product=1146
As soon as I saw the three choices (Camera, MP3 Player, Pic Viewer) offered at startup I knew I’d never buy it. Extra steps! Extra complexity! Extra wasted neurons! When I want to eat my spaghetti I don’t want to pick up a utensil and have it ask me if I want it to be a fork, a knife or a spoon. I reach for a fork to have a fork. I reach for an iPod to listen to music. If I want photos I’ll ask for them later, not at startup! To that end, I wish Apple had put the Photos menu one layer deeper. Can you customize that?
“the world’s market-dominating online music store, Apple’s iTunes Music Store”
In the Sunday, Jan. 16 article “Can Mac mini help Apple win back double-digit market share in the personal computer market?” you dismiss the importance of market share in your red letter “take”. But today you are gloating over the “market dominance” of iTunes and iPod. What gives? Are you trying to have it both ways?
atomic flowre
I use to think he iPod was over priced, then I took a closer look at the competition. The iPod isn’t over priced, it’s just an expensive device that’s well made. Don’t confuse ease of use with with cost.
Yes, you do pay some for the advertising as you do with any product that advertises.
First there is no 30 gig ipod photo only 40 and 60, second if you want a “built-in 1.22 megapixel digital camera” buy a cell phone and third this guy has no idea what he is talking about.
Hello. Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong.
I am from Slovakia and also now teach English, give please true I wrote the following sentence: “Includes destination guides, travel blogs and advice, cheap airline ticket information, flight information, reservations and lodging.”
Thanks :-(. Danah.