Den Guru: Who Designed This Crap? The Great Ipod Scam

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.denguru.com/2006/04/04/who_designed_this_crap/' target='_blank'>http://www.denguru.com/2006/04/04/who_designed_this_crap/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"WARNING: If you own an Apple Ipod or have a passionate desire to own one, reading this article could be hazardous to your health. On the other hand it might help you break or avoid a nasty and expensive habit. I don't remember most of the dreams I have, whether nice or nasty. But, man, did I remember one from last week. I was on this really long and rambling road being chased by millions of Ipods of every size and shape. Though none of their earbuds were plugged in, there were so many of the things I could hear the mother of all mixes, every song, podcast and TV show available on Itunes. That's not all; behind all the Ipods was a bunch of silent zombie-like humans led by Steve Jobs. All of them had tons of folding money falling out of their pockets and eye sockets. I recognized most of these celebs. Everyone was there from Job's Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak to ex-Disney head Michael Eisner to a passel of entertainers including Britney Spears, rapper Ghostface Killa, Michael from NBC's "The Office" dragging a zombie birthday cake and Josef Suk, classical violinist."</i><br /><br />This is a rather entertaining, but certainly controversial article, especially if you're an iPod fan. The 309 comments posted to the article would seem to indicate that it touched a few nerves. ;-) I'll add my own story to this topic: a friend of mine went out and bought a 30GB iPod Video a few days ago. We talked about why he bought it, and after a few days he ended up returning it. Why? He had a mixture of MP3s and WMAs, and the iPod won't play WMAs. No, importing the WMAs and transcoding them so they sound like crap isn't a realistic option. My friend was even more irritated by this when I pointed out that the iPod DSP can play WMAs, but Apple disables that. He also found iTunes frustrating to use. When he first ran it, it imported his music for him, and he started getting hard drive out of space errors. He didn't realize that iTunes didn't move his music, or create pointers to it, the software made duplicate copies of all his music. The thought of re-ripping his WMA music into MP3 or AAC didn't appeal to him. <br /><br />He had put a screen protector on iPod immediately after purchasing it, but didn't clean the screen first, and a hair was trapped under the screen protector. The screen protector left behind adhesive when removed, and when my friend tried to buff it out using a soft cotton cloth, the iPod screen was immediately scratched "all to hell" as he put it. Now, certainly his experience isn't the norm given how well the iPod is selling, but I found it somewhat refreshing to see that I'm not the only person who thinks not everything about the iPod is sheer perfection. ;-)

[Jeremy Charette]

Is it perfect? No.

Is it easy to use (aside from the initial conversion of files)? Bet your ass.

That, and the support from iTunes (cheap, easily downloaded content; and free podcasts) make it a winner in most consumers' eyes.

Sure, I had to re-arrange my music library, and convert all my WMA files to MP3s. I scratched the screen, and ended up buying a protective silicon case for it. But beyond those minor quibbles, it's been nothing but a joy to use.

Don't forget, the "other side" could make the same argument. Windows Media Player doesn't have a "store" to purchase content. The interface design on most WMA compatible players is horrible. There's nothing as easy to use as the click wheel. There isn't as much peripheral or accessory support as the iPod lineup has. You can't get any other player laser engraved from the factory (at no extra charge to boot).

Goes both ways. I was a die-hard Rio fan until that company closed up shop. I've since gone Apple, and haven't looked back.

[Jason Dunn]

Windows Media Player doesn't have a "store" to purchase content.

What? You keep saying that, but it's utterly false! There are, what, 10 stores? Napster, MSN Music, emusic, fye, Music Giants, musicnow, music match, pass along, puretracks, Rhapsody, Songtouch, Soundbuzz, and Wal-Mart is what I count in my player right now. And I'm not counting Court TV, XM Radio Online, Get Music, and several others that offer different solutions. There's a LOT of music options.

Now is it as nice of an experience as iTunes? No. I think MSN Music is the closest to being fast, easy to use, and have a great UI. Napster is teh suck. iTunes is a way better integrated experience, but saying that WMP doesn't have a music store is completely unfair.

The interface design on most WMA compatible players is horrible. There's nothing as easy to use as the click wheel. There isn't as much peripheral or accessory support as the iPod lineup has. You can't get any other player laser engraved from the factory (at no extra charge to boot).

Usability? I didn't have any trouble figuring out my Zen Vision:M, and nor has anyone else that I've handed it to. On the flip side, when I was trying out an iriver device last year it was really strange. So there are good and bad devices in the WMA camp.

Accessory support? Full point, Apple. No argument there - I can't even find a case yet for my Vision:M!

Laser engraving? Definitely cool, and only for Apple right now. But that's only if you order from Apple online, right? If you buy one at retail, you can't get it engraved, can you?

[jeffd]

And of course lets not forget, my purchased WMA music with drm is playable on tons and tons of player made by different companies, so I have plenty of choice in wich players to purchase now and in the future. Music purchased on itunes can only be playd on ipods (or one of the half dozen ipod branded electronic items out there like phones, watches).

The screen issue was a tradgedy, but a mistake you only make once. I actually just finished installing my 2nd bestskinsever protector on my ZVM as I damaged it while installing the last one (totaly my fault, I attempted to move out bubbles forming hours after curing and it rippled the skin causing perminant stretch marks). This of course all because I thought I didn't need one, and even after babying it, it was getting scratches. 2 of them deep enough to every so slightly be noticable while watching video (in other words, pretty irriversable unless I gamble on a polisher). You just need to spend as much time as it needs to flawlessly apply it, so that later on you won't need to again.

BTW since I'm loving these cheap protectors so much, bestskinsever.com has invisableshield quality protectors at less then half the cost, my zenvisionM shields are 7 bucks shipped. So even after screwing up, i've only spend 14 bucks. Invisable shields are like 25 bucks a pop. ^^ Both are practicly the same, bestskinsever survive the key scratch test (Personaly done this since I knew I was replacing the skin anyways), install instructions are exactly the same (search message boards for better install methods and tips though since the one page manual is skimpy on details) and both can be peeled off leaving no sticky residue.

[klinux]

Jonathan Ives.

Sorry, was that a rheotorical question? :)

That article was a disorganized rant with exaggerated claims ("music really died the day Apple brought the Ipod"). Gerber's use of the term Ipod (sic) is certainly an annoying distraction just as if someone writes an article with Micro$oft instead of Microsoft. It immediately devalued any valid points he may have.

In addition, I will response to Jason's friends story with my own analogy.

I want a truck, my requirements demanded a truck with manual transmission and four-wheel and they are what I am familiar with. I then bought a Prius. Prius did not work for me. Prius cannot haul my stuff. It gets all scratched up at my construction site. I did not realize that Prius does not have maual transmission and four-wheel drive. I talked with other people I know and it was refreshing to see I am not the only one who does not get why Prius, darling with many consumers and the media, is popular.

iPod (and iTunes and ITMS by default) is no where close to sheer perfection and it is not for everyone - although it does come close for most. The fact your friend bought an iPod is simply a requirement mismatch. He has many specific audio needs (a truck, for example) and should have known, one can argue, that an iPod (Prius) is not right for him. Not that there is anything wrong with either.

[Janak Parekh]

Now, certainly his experience isn't the norm given how well the iPod is selling, but I found it somewhat refreshing to see that I'm not the only person who thinks not everything about the iPod is sheer perfection. ;-)
Oh, by no means is it perfect. Most iPod-centric and Apple-centric sites talk about the iPod's shortcomings all the time. However, I find it fascinating that people who don't like iPods per se are just as obsessed with them -- if not more obsessed with them -- than the users themselves. ;)

--janak

[Felix Torres]

The biggest, gaping-est, hole in the Apple digital music strategy is that it is a bi-polar solution; it allows for music playback in only two places: iTunes on computers and iPod portable players.

WMA and to a lesser extent MP3, with ORG trying to catch up, all aspire to provide native digital music access *everywhere* through different kinds of devices, each appropriate to the specific location/application.

Music in your car? Either your car radio has an aux line-in or an Apple-licenced adaptor for the iPod or its no go. Oh, you could drop a chunk of change and audio quality and go with an FM player...
...or you could buy a car or a car radio that natively plays WMAs and MP3s. You burn a CD or DVD and stick it in. (Check the Crutchfield catalog; practically every single car player supports MP3 and most support WMA. Many support Satellite Radio, which is the forgotten player in all these WMA VS AAC digital music discussions; my home receiver came XM-ready; all I needed to sign up was a $30 antenna. I almost did it, too, until I saw what their idea of latin pop is; NY street music. Blearghhh! Whole 'nother story that, though.)

Music in your home audio system? Ditto. You can hook up a pod or a Mac.
Or you can buy receivers with WMA capability built-in. You can buy music streaming devices. Standalong rack players both DVD and hard drive-based. You can buy CD or DVD players as low as $30 that play back MP3 or WMA. Brands? Samsung, panasonic, anything from China, Inc. You burn a DVD and stick it in; no wires, no muss, no fuss.

I have identified no less than five ways to play music back through my XBOX360 (I've tested four; the fifth involves non-Fairplayed pod music), yet Apple can't/won't think of *one* way to let you access AAC music anywhere but the Pod and iTunes.

Sorry, but that's not my life-style.
What my lifestyle calls for is a seamless device-independent solution that allows me native access to all my music, regardless of location or device, without a load of connections or battery-watching. WMA lets me do this, AAC/Fairplay doesn't.

Yes, I have a portable player.
But it isn't the only device I rely on to listen to music; in the car, I want a car-based solution; in the living room, I have a stereo system. I want to press play and go; not be running around, unplugging the pod from one location and plugging it to the other.

Lots of folks don't mind relying on the pod: well good for them.
But the pod is no darn good for me, so I stay away.

Things will change, of course.
Nothing lasts forever.
Ranting about the pod does no good, but educating non-poddies about the alternative, freer pod-free life can and will.

Personally, I hope Apple doesn't change a thing about their strategy. :twisted:

[Jeremy Charette]

Okay, so last night I checked out the music tab in Windows Media Player. Honestly, I didn't even know it existed before Jason posted about it. The store isn't quite as seamless as iTunes, but it's "ok". Don't like the fact that I have to click through to an external website to buy my music. I'm still waiting to see what Urge has to offer, but I suspect it will be a true competitor to the iTMS.

As far as devices go, the latest Zen Vision devices are nice, and even potential competitors with the iPod lineup. But the rest of the players on the market today pretty much suck.

I don't lock myself into one platform by doing one thing: I buy CDs. And not these DRM'd CDs that Sony and BMG have been releasing. That way i can re-rip my collection into the newest "super high compression but awesome sounding" file format in two years, or five years. My girlfriend buys stuff off iTMS like it's a candy store, but she'll learn when she can't use her music on any other device.

I have to say, klinux' analogy hits the nail on the head. If you don't like being locked into a single platform (software and hardware), don't get an iPod. If the limitations fit within your needs, it's still the best solution out there.

Different strokes for different folks I always say.

[Anthony Caruana]

So, to summarise

1 - The Nano (the only iPod he professes to have owned) scratches easily. I'll pay that. A fair enough criticism

2 - Apple doesn't release measurements to case makers so they don't leak the product secrets. That's a commercial decision for Apple and hardly a criticism of the iPod itself.

3 - He doesn't like DRM. This is hardly an Apple/iPod only criticism. it's more of an indictment on the music business. Even the stuff bought commercially from WMA sellers has DRM. It's just that the DRM is licensed to more hardware OEMs.

4 - He doesn't like the lower case "i" in the name and launches into a largely non-sensical rant

5 - iPods are sold for a profit. Of course they are. Apple's not a charity and they're selling iPods at the highest price the market will pay.

6 - He prefers his Creative Muvo. That's a personal preference.

7 - iPod batteries aren't user replaceable. Fair enough but I don't think you can make a device that's less than 1/2" thick and use AAA batteries. Apple made a design decision.

I reviewed a bunch of MP3 players earlier this year ofor an Australian magazine and really liked the Zen Vision:M. It's a great device. But I own a Nano and a 30 GB 5th gen iPod because I like being able to go to the iTMS and buy a song in just a couple of clicks.

I understand that there are limitations in FairPlay but arguing that consumers don't understand FairPlay and using that as a reason to criticise Apple isn't reasonable in my mind. Surely consumers have to take some responsibility here.