#242603 - 25/11/2004 19:32
Going over to the dark side...
|
stranger
Registered: 04/09/2001
Posts: 78
|
...I've caved in and bought an iPod Photo 60Gb, and it is a thing of beauty indeed. They have also finally introduced the playlist-within-playlist thing with Smart Playlists, so I basically ran out of reasons not to buy one. I am soooo disappointed that Rio /DNNA dropped the ball by not bringing out a larger capacity Karma, I really am. Their silence over future product directions has been absolutely stupid, stubborn and enraging. Do they have no common sense at all???
Of course, this has now left me with 2 new problems...
i) a way of networking the iPod with only Firewire and USB2 connections
ii) a way of keeping an Empeg, an external HDD, and an iPod in sync.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#242604 - 25/11/2004 20:45
Re: Going over to the dark side...
[Re: ngchol]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 12/11/2001
Posts: 7738
Loc: Toronto, CANADA
|
Problem #1 solved: http://www.redchairsoftware.com/anapod/index.phpAnd I suspect using the same software you can likely find a few other bits or script something to do #2. Bruno
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#242605 - 25/11/2004 20:58
Re: Going over to the dark side...
[Re: hybrid8]
|
stranger
Registered: 04/09/2001
Posts: 78
|
Excellent! That's 50% there, as the web server looks like read-only functionality, but it's a great start and I'll buy it for now.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#242606 - 25/11/2004 21:06
Re: Going over to the dark side...
[Re: ngchol]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 12/11/2001
Posts: 7738
Loc: Toronto, CANADA
|
Maybe you can convince the software authors to make a version of their software for the empeg... They've already got the portable Rio products covered...
With the functionality already in Hijack, and some published source, it shouldn't be too hard to whip something up. Of course we don't have speedy firewire or USB2.0, but neither do some of the other portable players.
Bruno
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#242607 - 26/11/2004 21:42
Re: Going over to the dark side...
[Re: ngchol]
|
pooh-bah
Registered: 13/09/1999
Posts: 2401
Loc: Croatia
|
Quote:
...I've caved in and bought an iPod Photo 60Gb, and it is a thing of beauty indeed. They have also finally introduced the playlist-within-playlist thing with Smart Playlists, so I basically ran out of reasons not to buy one. I am soooo disappointed that Rio /DNNA dropped the ball by not bringing out a larger capacity Karma, I really am. Their silence over future product directions has been absolutely stupid, stubborn and enraging. Do they have no common sense at all???
My thoughts exactly.
I was soliciting elsewhere on the BBS an advice on portable players (in the last several months I am spending significant time on public transport, so that started me thinking), but got nothing to base decision on. I would appreciate a brief review of new iPod by an enligtened person (that is, an empeg owner). Are UI features anywhere remotely comparable to those of empeg?
Thanks!
_________________________
Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Q#5196
MkII #080000376, 18GB green
MkIIa #040103247, 60GB blue
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#242608 - 26/11/2004 22:41
Re: Going over to the dark side...
[Re: bonzi]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 21/05/1999
Posts: 5335
Loc: Cambridge UK
|
Quote:
Are UI features anywhere remotely comparable to those of empeg?
As one of the contributors to the Rio Karma UI, I may be biased, but here's my take on this.
Apple are undoubtedly highly capable in the design of intuitive user interfaces. When there is a tradeoff to make between intuition early in the learning curve and convenience later in the curve, they always go for the solution that is fast and easy to learn. I find this can make some aspects of the iPod UI a little cumbersome after becoming familiar with the product (i.e. after 30 mins). Nonetheless there is nothing horrible in there - some aspects are cleaner than the Karma and vice versa.
It is featureset where the Karma and iPod start to diverge. Both Karma and iPod have many advanced features, but the Karma features tend to be oriented toward core functionality (i.e. audio playback) while the iPod's unique features are more esoteric (for a DAP), many of them having nothing to do with music at all. For example, Karma does gapless playback, has a fully parametric equaliser and supports OGG and FLAC. iPod has PDA features, games, and will play iTMS content.
If it wasn't for hard disk capacity I would definitely suggest that any empeg owner is likely to be more comfortable with the Karma. As it is, you need to decide whether 20GB is enough (you can always cycle content) - and don't forget the better battery life. However, I would strongly recommend that anyone purchasing a Karma does so from a high street store and takes an extended warranty (that coming from someone who would usually never consider doing such a thing). Consider the number of iPods sold vs the number of Karmas, then google for the failure stories..
Rob
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#242609 - 26/11/2004 23:41
Re: Going over to the dark side...
[Re: rob]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 12/11/2001
Posts: 7738
Loc: Toronto, CANADA
|
The iPod UI could be a lot more intuitive though. Specifically with regards to the new click wheel. I don't own one, but every time I pick up a friend's I can't help but try to navigate it like an empeg or TiVo. That is, push one direction for enter and the opposite for back or cancel. But alas, it doesn't work that way. you have to press the middle button for enter. And the four click buttons seem to do only what they're marked for, regardless of where you are in the menu navigation (which I suppose is handy for some people). I suppose in that respect I prefer the layout of the previous one, with the buttons up top.
I love the Karma feature set. I don't appreciate it's lack of storage nor its form-factor. Likewise, I think most of the other Rio players also had very awkward form factors. The Chiba and Cali for instance I find very unfriendly.
Bruno
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#242610 - 27/11/2004 00:47
Re: Going over to the dark side...
[Re: hybrid8]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 21/05/1999
Posts: 5335
Loc: Cambridge UK
|
Quote:
I think most of the other Rio players also had very awkward form factors. The Chiba and Cali for instance I find very unfriendly
I think that's one of the dangers of outsourced industrial design. Every year is like a new adventure, which could be a hit or a miss, but with little regard to previous successes and failures. At Numark we do ID in house and I think it shows, as control surfaces get progressively more refined every generation, and some consistency is achieved across related product lines.
That said, I quite like the Karma form factor. It could have been made quite a bit thinner (just look at all the empty space inside the back cover!) and that would have been ideal for me. The Carbon came out pretty nice as well - probably Rio's most stylish ID to date.
Rob
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#242611 - 27/11/2004 00:48
Re: Going over to the dark side...
[Re: rob]
|
pooh-bah
Registered: 13/09/1999
Posts: 2401
Loc: Croatia
|
Thanks for the nice summary.
_________________________
Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Q#5196
MkII #080000376, 18GB green
MkIIa #040103247, 60GB blue
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#242612 - 27/11/2004 02:33
Re: Going over to the dark side...
[Re: hybrid8]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
|
I'm fine with how the Karma UI works and even how it looks. Okay, touch thinner would have been great but apart from that it's okay. What annoys me constantly is that damn Hitachi drive inside going nuts and requiring me to get a paperclip out to reboot it  The constant retries and backlight staying on means that the Karma gets really warm and the battery gets drained. Only ever had to do the smack the Karma hard trick once.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#242613 - 27/11/2004 05:40
Re: Going over to the dark side...
[Re: tman]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 12/11/2001
Posts: 7738
Loc: Toronto, CANADA
|
My main problem with the form factor is that it's not well suited to the development of third-party accessories. Not to say that development would be as rampant as it has been for the iPod, but it does make a difference.
I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for the killer Rio portable. The Carbon is a good step for the low end mini category.
Bruno
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#242614 - 03/12/2004 21:55
Re: Going over to the dark side...
[Re: rob]
|
carpal tunnel
Registered: 19/05/1999
Posts: 3457
Loc: Palo Alto, CA
|
Quote:
Quote:
I think most of the other Rio players also had very awkward form factors. The Chiba and Cali for instance I find very unfriendly
I think that's one of the dangers of outsourced industrial design. Every year is like a new adventure, which could be a hit or a miss, but with little regard to previous successes and failures. At Numark we do ID in house and I think it shows, as control surfaces get progressively more refined every generation, and some consistency is achieved across related product lines.
You can, obviously, get ID people to stick with a theme. The results can be pretty damn nice 
Hugo
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous Topic
Index