If at first you don't succeed...
Summary: Dell is back in the music business, despite a failed effort to gain any ground in this space a few years ago with its DJ mp3 player. This time around, they're calling it a Ditty and gearing up for a September release, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
Dell is back in the music business, despite a failed effort to gain any ground in this space a few years ago with its DJ mp3 player. This time around, they're calling it a Ditty and gearing up for a September release, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The pricing is said to be below $100 and the device will have WiFi connectivity.
I hate to be there "been there, done that" guy but it's hard to shake memories of failed efforts in the past. Even the biggest names - Microsoft and Sony among them - have taken a stab at unseating Apple's mighty iPod but have all failed. Can Dell, the struggling PC maker that walked away from its last music player venture with only 3 percent market share, be the one to finally make a dent?
Maybe.
Dell is reportedly using software it picked up when it acquired Zing, a small startup that boasted wireless connectivity as a way of always being tuned to Internet radio, online music services and more. Zing's features take the connectivity beyond music, using wireless to allow users to connect with friends, share pictures and more. It sounds like the Ditty has potential to be more of a mobile social networking device than just a mp3 player. And that could be what sets it apart from others. But it will have to move quick to deliver just the right marketing message to the right audience.
Apple already has a head-start through its marketing campaign that showcases iPhone as more than just a phone. And, as the capacity of memory cards goes up and the price goes down, turning an everyday cell phone into a 2-gig, 4-gig, or 8-gig music player is relatively inexpensive.
Hardcore iPod fans will surely snub their noses at this latest entry. After all, they're locked into the iPod because of the DRM-restricted music (and videos) they've been buying from iTunes. But for those who are open-minded enough to pick up a track from other sources, the Ditty could be worth consideration. I say we give Dell a second chance in this music game. Perhaps the lessons learned in Round One will make the product better in Round Two.
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Talkback
The killer feature.
1) The player has an Amazon MP3 purchase app optimized for the player. After signing up, you can purchase tunes from Amazon direct to the MP3 player.
2) This can be done over ANY wifi network. What would be ideal is set up preferences, you can hear the samples, etc.
3) You can press a button (or your main computer with the sync app detects when your MP3 player has connected to your WiFi) and then all MP3s purchased on the player automatically get sent to your main computer.
This only really works (easily) with DRM free content. It eliminates the need to sit at your computer. There are a lot of scenarios where this can be the "ultra cool" factor.
At school, you buy a tune over WiFi. You are browsing CDs at Best Buy and want to sample some songs, and or a CD reminds you of a song you always wanted. You hear something on the radio at your work, you are sitting with a hyper expensive latte at Starbucks and you want to impress a girl...
It makes getting new music seamless. I suspect that Starbucks might be interested in offering this service to people for a couple bucks a month, get some more traffic.
Can someone comment on purchases of iTunes comment and re-syncing it to your computer?
TripleII
Further reading, nothing new.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10002382-1.html?tag=nefd.top
[B]Software would connect the device to an online subscription service that Dell expects to launch later this year. Through licensing agreements with online music providers, Dell's new service will let consumers download songs and move them between devices like PCs and cell phones.[/B]
You know it won't be easy, one touch, flexible, and you KNOW it will be DRMed out the wazoo.
I read so many stories like this. Where is the imagination in these companies, where is the something new ideas? Sigh.
TripleII
Yup
The one that defines their generation and spoke to them
personally. The one that is an emotional trigger and a catalyst for memories?
Ya, we're renting that.
Genius Dell. Just genius.
Do you mean something like this:
It's close...
It would be so easy to build a client-server over a wifi enabled MP3 player.
TripleII
Even further....
TripleII
Struggling?
That's a weird response.
[B]And that could be what sets it apart from others.
...
But for those who are open-minded enough to pick up a track from other sources, the Ditty could be worth consideration. I say we give Dell a second chance in this music game.
[/B]
They have been struggling of late, they are trying to re-invent themselves. Even Mr Dell has said as much. It's good that they see it, they can do something about it. I would love a WiFi enabled player, but see my posts above.
TripleII
No thank you
My now dusty and unused Zune held the same promise, failed to gain traction and now I can't even give it away.
I only use SanDisk and Apple devices for music and video, they're easy to use and I know the rules.
Could work
Subscriptions certainly make it different than having to using iTunes a la carte model.
Though no company has made money in the subscription model, Dell could easily get traction by bundling a Ditty with all mid range consumer PC's. If it retails for less than $100 they could easily make itup on the upgrades you'd likely on that class of machine anyway.
This way, they'd get lot's of players out there and if this new software makes it simple enough, they could be successful.
I'm one that prefer owning my tunes but subcriptions wouldn't stop me from loading ripped tunes on my drive.
Anyway, why simply concede? The market for mp3 players is gonna be there for a while and there is always room for GOOD competition.
I would imagine that Dell isn't entering this lightly, they can't afford to. They've been a part of developing the road map to how-not-kill-the iPod. Thet wouldn't jump in if it wasn't some strong potential for profit.
What about "(h)ardcore iPod fans"...
[b]don't[/b] have to deal with DRM?
I hate to break it to you, but you [b]can[/b] use an iPod
without using ITMS, and can buy it from any non-DRM
source, as long as it's in a compatible format (AAC (16 to
320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to
320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple
Lossless, AIFF, and WAV), and therefore aren't "locked into
the iPod because of the DRM-restricted music..."
I'm a little surprised that a 'senior editor at ZDNet' would
write such an ill-informed statement.
Actually, I'm not.
Seconded
blogs.
The message is, Apple users (as a class) are too guileless
to care about their rights. Without a shred of irony, the
recommendation is Dell.
A Windows media codec would be the container for most
creative content if not for iPod and iTunes. Dell, exemplary
technologists and rights advocates that they are, were just
never going to let that happen?
Please.
More power to Dell for trying. Maybe they have had a DNA
transfusion. Either that, or suckers are born every minute
and they know it. Whichever of those two scenarios seems
more likely.
IPods, iTunes and DRM
That sentence could have be written a different way - thanks for calling me on it.
Sam Diaz
Sandisk Sansa is going to be my next player
Only thing is most of theses players are refubs. You can get 4gb one for under $100.
but size does matter
Why would I be interested in switching to any player with a puny 8GB?
Love my Insignia player
This thing does everything I want:
Long battery life (25 hours of play time).
Power management is good--when plugged into 12V in my car, if I turn off the car, the player turns off, too. Comes back on when I restart the car.
Comes with software for converting MP2 video from my HTPC.
Works well with Audio Books.
Plays well with my bluetooth headphones.
Menu system is simple/friendly.
This is a huge feature for me: I download (RSS) a lot of talk radio shows/news. When you turn off the player, and turn it back on, it resumes where you left off. This doesn't really matter for music, but it means a lot when you're listening to a 1 hour MP3 file.
I took it on a road trip with my wife--she brought her ipod. After a couple of days with my player, she asked if I thought she would be dumb if she got rid of the ipod and bought a player like mine. I told her that I thought she would be dumb if she didn't.
Disclaimer: We don't download from itunes. We buy CDs and rip them. We both think being forced to hose with itunes is silly.
Does it really matter?
RE: If at first you don't succeed...
RE: If at first you don't succeed...