6 replies to this topic

[Physix]

This is something I found on Yahoo! news.

Working with a host of manufacturing partners, Microsoft is introducing a

device that plays movies and stores digital photos as well as songs in a bid to grab a

share of the fast-growing digital media player market.


"We

think this is going to be one of the hot devices for Christmas 2004," said James

Bernard, product manager for Portable Media Center. The U.S. software giant has

enlisted Creative Technology Ltd. (CREA.SI) and Korea's Reigncom

Ltd.'s (060570.KQ) iRiver International unit to develop devices for the European

market.


Microsoft said the Creative devices will be available in

Sweden, the United Kingdom and Denmark first, retailing for between 550 euros and

599 euros ($678.50-$738.90) and 399 pounds and 449 pounds

($724-$814.70).

The Creative players will be sold with 20

gigabytes or 40 gigabytes of storage capacity, the latter would provide 175 hours of

video playback or 10,000 songs, Microsoft said.


The devices play

MP3 files as well as audio and video content recorded in Microsoft's digital

format. The devices run on the Windows CE operating system.


But

longer term, Microsoft is betting heavily on its strategy to create devices that plug into

their computers from which they can store and access all their entertainment content.

[Westside7th]

What would you use a movie viewer for? If you want

to watch movies, get a lap top to carry around and watch them. Who would want to

watch a movie on some tiny screen? It doesn't sound like it will appeal to the

masses. I myself wouldn't pay that much for something like that. How big is it?

It probably is big and bulky. IMO, I don't think something that expensive will

sell very well.

[gforce]

Originally posted by thecoasterguy@Mar 18 2004, 12:17

PM
iRiver International unit to

develop devices for the European market.

I had a iRiver mp3 player once, and it

was the worst thing I've ever bought in my life.

[ssfan313]

I have a iRiver, its not the best out if some better ones

out there but i like it. I have the tiny traingle one, i dont know the actual model

though..

[Physix]

Originally posted by Westside7th@Mar 18 2004, 02:19

PM
It probably is big and

bulky. IMO, I don't think something that expensive will sell very well.

It's suppose to be pretty bulky. I

think I read it weighed 300 grams or something. Which isn't really big.

[nitro9003]

It sounds kind of good but, I'm already getting

an ibook soon and that is basically an mp3 player with iTunes and a movie player with

iDVD. I like the ibook better.

[sfmm_freak]

Originally posted by Westside7th@Mar 18 2004, 03:19

PM
What would you use a movie

viewer for? If you want to watch movies, get a lap top to carry around and

watch them. Who would want to watch a movie on some tiny screen?

It doesn't sound like it will appeal to the masses. I myself wouldn't

pay that much for something like that. How big is it? It probably is big

and bulky. IMO, I don't think something that expensive will sell very well.

Actually most A/V(audio/video)

players are rather small, and have a large screen.

RCA Lyra: <a

href='http://www.circuitci...mark=bookmark_0

&oid=79246&catoid=-8721'

target='_blank'>http://www.circuitci...toid=-8721</a><

br />
3.5 inch screen.

there are a few other A/V players, but yea,

most got bad reviews. They were at CES and are announced for later this year.

about your questions... You would use it becasue its a MP3 player and a video

player. Laptops arent as portable, and are far more expensive. Some people only want

it for the video and dont care about the size of the movie. Just because you wont pay

for something like this, dosent mean other people wont. And accrding to the attention it

got at CES, it will sell well.