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Haha! Creative CEO calls iPod shuffle, "... worse than the cheapest Chinese player."
- Thread starter Willco
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While I agree with most of his points, everbody (Creative included) knows this thing is going to sell and sell well. Does that mean it's a good product? Not really, but I suppose you could say Apple still deserves the success on the basis on the iPod brand and its past great MP3 players alone.
He's got some good points, obviously, but he's ignoring that people don't buy what's technically the best, they buy what the marketing people tell them is the best. The shuffle, no matter how handicapped it may be in relation to other devices of similar design, will be bought simply because people will stop at "$99 iPod? I'll take tw---no, THREE!"
mightynine
Member
Meanwhile, Apple will look at their sales chart, smile, shake their heads, and move on.
mightynine said:
You know, this is what gets me about this forum...if something like MGS3 doesn't sell, or if some manufactured pop artist blows up, or Shrek 2 makes a killing, the mainstream are referred to as idiots. But when a product that most objective people know has ridiculous weaknesses gets deserved criticism, fans of same brand just say "it'll sell a gajillion units anyway, so booyah!!". Well WTF is the difference? Aren't the mainstream being idiots in this case as well? Can't have it both ways. It isn't like Steve Jobs, the iPod brand or Apple Corp are getting cut up here anyway (well, Hoo's comments notwithstanding :lol).
Agent Icebeezy
Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
iPod's = trash
I hate that these fuckers sell, when they are inferior in technology
I hate that these fuckers sell, when they are inferior in technology
mightynine
Member
Shinobi said:
I'm simply stating facts. All the Creative CEO is doing is using the iPod name to get some free pub in the hopes it might translate into a bump in sales. Instead of working harder at beating Apple at their own game.
Meanwhile, the iPod shuffle WILL cut into their sales, no matter if it goes like gangbusters or not. So worry about that, not the fact that it may or may not be superior to your product in terms of features.
And as to whether or not the mainstream is dumb on the iPod shuffle: I don't know. To some people, not having a screen, and maybe even a FM tuner is absolutely absurd. (And just for the record, I thought the main reason some people would buy one of these players would be because nothing on the FM dial intrigues them, so I don't see the real point of the whole FM thing. I have an FM tuner in my Riovolt MP3 CD player, and it's worthless. But I digress.) To others, not having the screen is no big shakes. I can see both sides of the argument, myself.
And for the record, I was originally thinking about a shuffle, but the more I think about it, I might just splurge for a regular iPod, then dump all the music I own on it. Wouldn't have to bring the CD player and CDs on trips.
And while putting a player on random is no new idea, building a whole product's identity around it is.
john tv said:
Please do not confuse Apple fans with iPod fans
Apple's iPod market stems FAR FAR FAR from it's Apple user base (which has 3.5% of the computing market only).The point of the Shuffle is the bare basics. For anyone who watched the laborious keynote address (it was 2am and I couldn't sleep), you would realize that Jobs had two simple plans: offer a device at an equivalent price of other flash players that gave more space than those out there(512 and 1GB) and to do it in a fashionable (debatable... but it'll have its niche market), practical manner (saying the Shuffle is not practical would be to sell it short. It's light, thin, and extremely portable).
It seems as if everyone who downs the Shuffle claims that the "better" products are those with FM tuners and screens. I'm not convinced this is true (but don't get me wrong, I'm not convinced the Shuffle is better either). My point is... if I'm in the market for a cheap iPod... or a device of a lesser value similar to the iPod... I'm going to look this way. I think the FM tuner is a completely moot point considering that the most popular MP3 player in the world does not have one (and when it does... bet it will be satellite... get ready... it's prolly 2 years away).
Also... the device is not JUST for Shuffling. You can pre-set playlists (albums) and put them on the Shuffle as well.
Edit: Had the reply up for awhile... sorry if there are repetitive points.
Shinobi said:
You know, this is what gets me about this forum...People are so obsessed with finding hypocritical personality trends that they often take two common GA idealogies with inherent contradictions and pretend that the people displaying the first characteristic are the same as the people displaying the second. I don't know if you're hoping posts like these blow peoples eyelids off their face when they discover just how invalid their web of logic truly is...but what you're talking about doesn't really APPLY TO ANYONE.
Unless you have names. It would be really nice if people who are so good at discovering the comprehensive GA double-speak (You, Belgurodo etc.) would keep tabs on the perps so we didn't have to feel so akward as you yell frantically at a wall.
Fresh Prince
Banned
Don't speak for me dude- I bought it casue it was the best valuejohn tv said:
And Creative's CEO is correct too fad muvo's aren't as good as iRivers
Agent Icebeezy
Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
Pochacco said:
I'm equal oppotunity. I've always hated them. I have an Archos av480. Mine shits on anything Apple has ever come with media player wise
Fresh Prince
Banned
Distinction there all Apple is a mp3 player wait till the 10th Gen iPod to get in-line with a true 'media player'Agent Icebeezy said:
radios shipping overview
Member
Freestyler
Member
Jealousy will get this man nowhere. I can't wait to see the Creative CEO get fired for making such shitty products that can't even compete when they have a 4-year headstart on Apple.
:lol It's funny because Apple has already sold more units of iPod shuffle before they're even made, than this wannabe has sold in four years :lol Way to own yourself there Mr Sing Wong Chin Hoo Kim Lee.
Can't wait for the next Apple piechart. iPod = 80%, iPod shuffle = 15%, competitors = 5%.
:lol It's funny because Apple has already sold more units of iPod shuffle before they're even made, than this wannabe has sold in four years :lol Way to own yourself there Mr Sing Wong Chin Hoo Kim Lee.
Can't wait for the next Apple piechart. iPod = 80%, iPod shuffle = 15%, competitors = 5%.
Agent Icebeezy
Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
That image is way too true
Ninja Scooter
Member
What does yao ming have to do with the Ipod shuffle?
anyway, i don't get all the hate. I was skeptical for a while about dumping all that $$ on an ipod, but since i got one about 6 months ago i've loved it and haven't felt ripped off in the least. Some of you just need to realize that not everyone gives a shit about having an FM tuner, or voice recorder, or Hard Drive compatibility or whatever other features iRiver and the other competitiors have. I just wanted to be able to carry around a fuckin SHITLOAD of music in my pocket and the Ipod gets the job done just fine. That makes me a "sheep"?
Agent Icebeezy
Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
Ninja Scooter said:
You mean bang for your buck or getting banged for your buck? I'll take the former
Lemurnator
Banned
tedtropy said:
That's like saying the DS should sell well based on Nintendos past success of the NES.
Manabanana
Member
Meier said:
It's too small for a display. Besides, most of their sales are coming from brand loyalty. They won consumers with a reliable product (iPod, iPod mini), and they're coming back for more, no matter what else is out there. BTW - The shit on a stick thing wouldn't work unless it was platinum white and rounded.
Lemurnator
Banned
Don't know why, I read this thread as CEO Pulls iPod Shuffle.
I nearly wet myself with joy.
Shuffle sucks.
I nearly wet myself with joy.
Shuffle sucks.
mightynine said:
I was simply stating facts as well...people deride Shrek 2 despite it being one of the biggest movies of all time (and deride the people for watching it), yet say Shuffle's going to sell like gangbusters regardless of the lack of features being criticized. Popularity and quality are two different things...most people know this, yet most iPod fanboys ignore it in Shuffle's case.
As for FM mode, it's just becoming more of a standard feature in MP3 players...why exclude it? Many players have the ability to record from FM as well, which is a pretty handy feature. Personally I'm still ticked off that no player I know of offers AM yet, as it would mean not having to switch between my radio and Minidisc or MP3 player when I go out (I like listening to sports radio at certain times of the day). Instead I have to listen to one while the other sits in my bag, which isn't a huge stickler but is something I wish I didn't have to do. But if Shuffle had a screen, I might've bought this anyway. It's simply not an option now.
As for the lack of a screen, it's hardly worth getting into it...when the average person has 14 hours of music, they're gonna want to sort through it visually so they can put it in the order they want to listen to it. There's no justification for not having it when even 64KB models include them.
Next I'm gonna hear that it's pointless for MP3 players to double as memory sticks, since it takes potential space away from more music. Just doesn't make sense to me.
My F*cking Grandpa said:
The awkwardness clearly being felt by iFanboys about Shuffle's criticisms speaks loudly enough.
Am I generalizing? Sure. But it's no worse then the idea that criticizing the Shuffle's lack of basic features as "more iPod brand hatin'", which is two different things. But I doubt such hypocricy will be criticized by you, since it doesn't go against what you think.
jiji said:
:lol :lol :lol Sadly there's a lot of truth in that text...
Again, the other features are nice bonsues, but the lack of a screen is absolutely ridiculous and indefensible.
mightynine
Member
Shinobi said:
The user could set up the playlist in iTunes and play it in that order on the iPod, as they want.
The argument on the screen boils down to, IMO, whether or not you absolutely have to look at something while it's playing. Take the 1GB model. Some people will not want to have to remember exactly how they set up their playlist, others could give a flying rat's ass.
Did leaving off the screen help Apple keep the price down? I don't know. Did Apple save money by not including an FM tuner? I don't know. But for once, Apple is offering something at a price point others are not. Though I suspect that will change now.
Creative's previous MP3 products have suffered from a certain amount of fussiness required to navigate properly. Not that I've had a problem with it, but I can see why it might present a barrier to wider acceptance. Their Zen Micro is definitely a big step in the right direction, they just need to fix their software now so that it too is much less fussy and prone to bugs/errors.
Teknopathetic
Member
If it's any consolation LakeEarth, etc., I knew the iPods were pieces of shit before the rest of GA hopped on Jobs' throb.
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