The iPod Has Become a Platform

[James Fee]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.microsoftmonitor.com/archives/010333.html' target='_blank'>http://www.microsoftmonitor.com/archives/010333.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The iPod arguably is a platform now, although I would contend it achieved that status sometime ago. Apple claims there are 1,000 accessories now available for the iPod. That means third parties make money off stuff they have created for the iPod. Then there is content, 2 million songs and lots of exclusives, audio books and now podcasts. Third parties make money off the first two, anyway. Some games and other content is available for iPod, and not distributed through Apple or its iTunes music store. Then there are the 10 million iTunes accounts. The question: What will Apple do with this platform? I don't think Apple has truly figured that out, otherwise there would be a serious software development kit and even more opportunities for third parties to extend capabilities."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/iPod_Nano.jpg" /> <br /><br />We've gone back and forth on the topic "Is the iPod a Platform" and I'm thinking we've crossed over to it being THE platform for digital media. I guess it is time for me to drop my Dell Axim and use my iPod to store my contacts and calendar from Outlook. With the Nano being released, I'm guessing it is going to be a cold dark winter for Microsoft and its partners. The only solution I see at this point is for Microsoft to take a bigger role in marketing their music offerings because their partners just can't seem to compete with Apple.

[Jason Dunn]

I guess it is time for me to drop my Dell Axim and use my iPod to store my contacts and calendar from Outlook.

I'd be really, really interested in seeing the results of you trying to do that. I predict it would be an utter failure, but we'll see. ;-)

[James Fee]

I'd be really, really interested in seeing the results of you trying to do that. I predict it would be an utter failure, but we'll see. ;-)If I don't have to use Activesync...

I haven't used my Axim X50 in about 3 months. The wife has picked it up as a solitare game pad.

[phillypocket]

I guess it is time for me to drop my Dell Axim and use my iPod to store my contacts and calendar from Outlook.


If you can even think about replacing a pda with an mp3 player, I have to wonder why you had a pda in the first place.

Though I may eventually get a large capacity media player for the size advantage none of them today even come close to matiching the versitility of my axim.

[mcsouth]

:D One could argue that having your Outlook content on your iPod would be similar to having it on some of the original Windows Smartphones - it's kind of a "look but don't touch" kind of thing.

The original Windows Smartphones had limited abilities to let a user add new information - at least in my experience. I know that you could not add tasks without using third party software.

So my point would be that if you are currently using a PDA to carry your Outlook content for reference, then porting it onto an iPod would fill that need, as well as provide a more focused music player.

For those of us who do most of our editing to Outlook content on our PDA's, obviously the iPod approach would not be appropriate....

[mathiaspettersson@msn.com]

That's it, I can't bear it any longer. I'm SWITCHING!

Do iPods support "USB mass storage device"? If so, will they play mp3's dragged-and-dropped?

[jeffd]

If the ipod really can replace your pda, you clearly didn't do much with your pda.

[James Fee]

If you can even think about replacing a pda with an mp3 player, I have to wonder why you had a pda in the first place.I've had them since my first Newton 100. They have no value anymore. I have a Blackberry and why should I carry a PDA in addition to my iPod? I can't be bothered playing games on them.

[James Fee]

If the ipod really can replace your pda, you clearly didn't do much with your pda.Nope, just for contacts and calandar. Sure I got sucked into wasting money on all that crappy software, but no more.

Glad to see this thread is about my abandonment of PDAs and less about the iPod as a platform. :drinking: