Convince me to get YOUR company's mp3 player!

[Q Classic]

with the ipod, you have to get a third-party utility to prevent autosync from deleting all your music when connecting it to an empty itunes library.

[Adagio]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
The auto-sync feature actually makes sense if you think of your computer as the "master" and the iPod as the "slave." Thus, the conents of the iPod is always synced to your computer, but not necessarily the other way around.

But that would kinda make it impossible to actually transfer files from one computer to another, wouldn't it?
Let's say you transfer a few word documents over to the iPod, then you go to your friends house and connects it, which then deletes all mp3s, but he can transfer the word files over

[Asher]

The iPod doesn't permit you to transfer from the iPod to the computer anyway (which is a stupid limitation as well).

[Q Classic]

well, adagio, that's just a great way of assuring that no piracy will ever take place with the ipod...

if you're just going to transfer some word files, though, might as well use a usb keychain/mp3 player or gmail...

[Asher]

Upcoming versions of Zens and likely other WMA-based players will not require drivers (iPod does require drivers, btw).

MS has standardized the portable device interface, of course Apple wants no part of this...

They will likely become as easy to use as USB keydrives then, but with 20-40-60-80-100GB capacities.

[Adagio]

Originally posted by Q Cubed
if you're just going to transfer some word files, though, might as well use a usb keychain/mp3 player or gmail...

It's just very large word files

[Tingkai]

Man, there's a lot of false rumours about the iPod here.

You can use it as a portable hard drive.

You don't have to use the auto-sync.

[Q Classic]

The wiping-of-the-ipod-when-conected-to-a-computer-with-an-empty-library is no rumor.

This is a problem, especially when the person who has the hundreds of original cds gets a brand-new computer and installs the iTunes and iPod software on it...

[Asher]

Originally posted by Tingkai
Man, there's a lot of false rumours about the iPod here.

You can use it as a portable hard drive.

This works on non-Mac systems now? Last I heard, it was only possible on Macs (which makes it completely useless).

You don't have to use the auto-sync.

When you're dealing with massive audio collections (and I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume they are at least 1GB in size ), it's almost a necessity.

Consider my situation: I use my Zen all the time, and I connect it to my laptop and desktop. I want all three to have identical music collections.

Using the iPod's brilliant autosync, if a file is on my iPod but not on my laptop, it'll delete the file off of the iPod.

If I have any additional songs on my iPod that I want on my laptop, it won't transfer them to my laptop.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher

The Zen's equalizer/DSP is actually much more powerful than the iPod's. Look at the EAX settings, for one.

I'll admit I don't know much about EAX. Does it make a difference with headphones or does it require a 5.1+ system for full effects.

It has added features, but most of the stuff I wouldn't use (like increase or slowing down the playback speed).

The battery thing is a problem, but it's a trade off. I'm not a tech geek. Design matters for me and the iPod simply looks better and it does what I want it to do and it does it well.

Originally posted by Asher
It says something more about the buyer, since everyone I know who has had a Nomad product hasn't had any problems like that, while I know quite a few people with iPods that went south.

It's a personal thing for me. A couple of years ago, I spent about six months trying to get an interview with Tam, the Creative CEO, for a story. He refused and the PR support was terrible. So the way I see it, if he wasn't willing to help me do my work then I'm not going to give him any of my business.

For the iPod, I went to the repair centre and they offered me a replacement on the spot, but mine's engraved so they'll have to special order it. Will take about two weeks. In the meantime, they lent me a 3rd generation iPod as a loaner.

That's extremely unusual service in HK.

So I'm not happy the iPod went on the blink after just two weeks , but for the customer service.

[Imran Siddiqui]

*ahem*

Sorry to rain on the iPod v. Creative fight (), but anyone have an answer as to is there a store where I can try out the Zen Touch to see if I like it?

[Q Classic]

So I'm not happy the iPod went on the blink after just two weeks , but for the customer service.

how can you fault a company's customer service when they teach you how to do this?

[Imran Siddiqui]

[Asher]

Originally posted by Tingkai
I'll admit I don't know much about EAX. Does it make a difference with headphones or does it require a 5.1+ system for full effects.

It has added features, but most of the stuff I wouldn't use (like increase or slowing down the playback speed).

EAX on the Zen is just 2-channel, since that's what headphones are. In addition to the basic equalizer stuff we've been used to for ages, it also has the novelty speed up/slow down thing (Nomads have had that since like...2000), things like noise reduction (eliminates "clicking' and the sort you sometimes get in bad rips/old vinyl recordings), make it sound like it's in a stadium/living room/garage/etc).

The DSP in the Zen is far more capable and actually reprogrammable, which is why they can do things. It can cancel echos, add echos, etc.

Of course, what most people use it for is the equalizer. But the novelty things like what I mentioned are just examples of how much more powerful the Zen DSP is.

It's a personal thing for me. A couple of years ago, I spent about six months trying to get an interview with Tam, the Creative CEO, for a story. He refused and the PR support was terrible. So the way I see it, if he wasn't willing to help me do my work then I'm not going to give him any of my business.

Why don't you spend six months trying to get an interview with Jobs then.

Why would the CEO of a tech company donate their time to an interview with a non-tech journalist?

Creative PR was great. Back when I worked for SidGames, they sent me a free GeForce 2 to review, free of charge. They also had engineers answer my questions for me without complaint.

As for the customer service, read my post about my friend that was in Europe when his iPod arrived, so didn't qualify for the $200 rebate he was entitled too. Customer service were jackasses.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher
Why don't you spend six months trying to get an interview with Jobs then.

Why would the CEO of a tech company donate their time to an interview with a non-tech journalist?

I was working for a business mag in Asia with a circulation of 100,000+ and a high income readership profile. Creative is a publically traded Singaporean company and that creates responsibility to keep investors informed.

Companies not only market their products, but also their stocks in the sense of providing relevant information to investors.

American CEOs do this all the time. I did an interview with the CEO of EMC, not from a tech perspective, but from a business perspective.