** MP3 Players **

[Lushcrush]

This makes me wonder if I should wait.

Microsoft prepping iPod killer
By Jim Welte - MP3.com
June 16, 2006 at 04:29:00 PM | more stories by this author
Xbox maker is reportedly preparing to launch its own MP3 player and is already engaged in licensing talks with major labels for its own music-download service to compete with iTunes.

Microsoft is reportedly not only prepping its long-rumored iPod killer, but it's also ready to take a whack at iTunes, too.



iPod in the crosshairs.
The software giant and Xbox maker is preparing to launch its own MP3 player and is also in the midst of licensing talks with the four major record labels for its own music-download service, according to reports in the New York Post and Reuters today.

Calls to Microsoft were not immediately returned.

Citing "multiple sources close to the major record labels" the Post reported that the new player would be a direct challenge to the video-ready iPod, and that the music service is actually better than iTunes. The service would target sales of individual, or a la carte, downloads, and would also offer a subscription option.

"It seems like an exact head-to-head competition with Apple," one source told the paper. "It's really like an Apple approach, to control the device and the whole stack of technology. This is like Xbox versus PlayStation."

Robbie Bach, who previously oversaw Microsoft's Xbox division, has taken the reins of the music project, the report said. Bach was promoted to president of the company's entertainment and devices division after it was restructured in December.

It is not clear how the new music service effects or interacts with MSN Music, the company's current download service and music portal, as well as Urge, the recently launched music-download and subscription service from Microsoft and MTV. It's also unclear when the device would be released and when the service would be launched.

A Microsoft move into running its own major music-download service would mark a shift in strategy from indirectly competing with iTunes through a variety of Windows Media licensees, such as Napster and Yahoo Music Unlimited, to directly taking on the Apple juggernaut.

The report comes amidst increased digital-music-related activity among the Internet's major players, with Amazon reportedly readying its own branded media player and a service that would be integrated into its music-CD sales division and Google also eyeing a jump into the space.

Don't wait Sling ... Microsoft never killed anything but antitrust law

[boojumsnark25]

haha, you all pay 250 bucks if you want to, i put together a 20GB mp3 player that's about the size of a cd player.

The cost? about 30-40 bucks.

I don't care about size, as long as it plays music, so it's perfect

[Dirt Bag]

haha, you all pay 250 bucks if you want to, i put together a 20GB mp3 player that's about the size of a cd player.

The cost? about 30-40 bucks.

I don't care about size, as long as it plays music, so it's perfect

By size do you mean like data size (GB) or like literal size? Because data size is a big thing I wanted. Mine does look big and is not good for running but i have a wristband radio thing that i use when at the gym and running.

[steelerfan513]

haha, you all pay 250 bucks if you want to, i put together a 20GB mp3 player that's about the size of a cd player.

The cost? about 30-40 bucks.

I don't care about size, as long as it plays music, so it's perfect

By size do you mean like data size (GB) or like literal size? Because data size is a big thing I wanted. Mine does look big and is not good for running but i have a wristband radio thing that i use when at the gym and running.

its 20 GB. he meant literal size.

i dont need this; i already have my overpriced nano

[boojumsnark25]

haha, you all pay 250 bucks if you want to, i put together a 20GB mp3 player that's about the size of a cd player.

The cost? about 30-40 bucks.

I don't care about size, as long as it plays music, so it's perfect

By size do you mean like data size (GB) or like literal size? Because data size is a big thing I wanted. Mine does look big and is not good for running but i have a wristband radio thing that i use when at the gym and running.

Not sure what you mean, but I slapped a 20GB 2.5" notebook drive into it a shell of an old mp3 player. Not sure what you mean by literal vs. data size, but i would assume that would be data size?

Tricky part was getting the BIOS onto the notebook drive...downloaded an image of the mp3 OS from the web and used WinHex to copy the boot sectors needed for startup. Ran fine.

[Dirt Bag]

haha, you all pay 250 bucks if you want to, i put together a 20GB mp3 player that's about the size of a cd player.

The cost? about 30-40 bucks.

I don't care about size, as long as it plays music, so it's perfect

By size do you mean like data size (GB) or like literal size? Because data size is a big thing I wanted. Mine does look big and is not good for running but i have a wristband radio thing that i use when at the gym and running.

Not sure what you mean, but I slapped a 20GB 2.5" notebook drive into it a shell of an old mp3 player. Not sure what you mean by literal vs. data size, but i would assume that would be data size?

Tricky part was getting the BIOS onto the notebook drive...downloaded an image of the mp3 OS from the web and used WinHex to copy the boot sectors needed for startup. Ran fine.

I was talking about when you said "I don't care about size, as long as it plays music, so it's perfect". So you mean you don't care how many GB it has? Or you don't care what the length x width is. Sorry if I was unclear.

[boojumsnark25]

haha, you all pay 250 bucks if you want to, i put together a 20GB mp3 player that's about the size of a cd player.

The cost? about 30-40 bucks.

I don't care about size, as long as it plays music, so it's perfect

By size do you mean like data size (GB) or like literal size? Because data size is a big thing I wanted. Mine does look big and is not good for running but i have a wristband radio thing that i use when at the gym and running.

Not sure what you mean, but I slapped a 20GB 2.5" notebook drive into it a shell of an old mp3 player. Not sure what you mean by literal vs. data size, but i would assume that would be data size?

Tricky part was getting the BIOS onto the notebook drive...downloaded an image of the mp3 OS from the web and used WinHex to copy the boot sectors needed for startup. Ran fine.

I was talking about when you said "I don't care about size, as long as it plays music, so it's perfect". So you mean you don't care how many GB it has? Or you don't care what the length x width is. Sorry if I was unclear.

ah, gotcha...sorry for the misunderstanding. I thought you meant literal size as some computer term i hadn't heard of.

Yeah, i don't care about literal size.

[Free Bagel]

My player (well...a picture of it from the net):

[Popcynical]

I got a Sony atrac/mp3 player. It's pretty nice... except the file management program (SonicStage) sucks big ones. 20 GB, battery lasts about 25 hours, and it's pretty sleek/small as well.

[creamdoorthirtyniner]

4 GB Black Nano, and love it to death. I have a 2 Gig Creative MuVo too, but the iPod is SOOO much more user friendly, and the quality of sound is the same.

Plus, the Nano is about a 20th the size of the muvo, which I like personally. And the iPod is an icon too, you pull out the sleek sexy nano from your pocket and people look. I pull out a bulky iRiver or something and people give it a half glance...