Dell's 30GB Digital Jukebox
By Peter Rojas 
posted February 8th 2005 2:55PM
posted February 8th 2005 2:55PM
Dell quietly rolled out a new 30GB version of their Digital Jukebox MP3 player. If you didn't like what they were
doing before this isn't going to turn you around, since it's essentially just their 20GB player with a higher-capacity
drive, but this new 30GB model does retail for $299 and have a 1.92-inch LCD screen, 12 hours of battery life, and
support for WMA and WAV as well as MP3.
[Via DAPreview]
For the same price as a "real ipod", I'm still drawn to apple somehow.
I could have lived with cheap and ugly, but this is ugly and equaly priced.
iPods ALSO support WAV files. But oh, it's a Dell - I'll be ready for it to break down this time.
Why waste time on something that's obviously not going to sell and give the company a bad reputation?? I agree with Woolly, it is ugleee!
I actually think it's better looking than the iPod. To each his own, I guess, but the iPod's starting to look very late 90's to me. Especially with that grey click wheel the 4G models have; the 4G models actually look worse than the 3G. But the whole rounded white thing is just played out. Even Apple knows this, which is why they're supposedly going in a different direction with the upcoming 5G iPod (think bigger iPod Mini).
I say that as someone who just ordered an iPod. Seriously. But I was looking at the Dell DJ20 too, and the only reason I didn't buy one (yes, the only reason) is iTunes. I want a player that syncs with iTunes, and that's it. The Dell DJ doesn't, so it's out.
I clicked on "comments" just to say how ugly the damn thing is but #1 and #2 beat me to it.
In today's climate, ugly just doesn't cut it for a consumer device.
You guys may have your personal opinions, but seriously, you can't get more intuitive than the control scheme on this baby. big ass buttons for going forward, back and to the main menu, all built on to heralded creative os. This thing will kick the ass off the ipod in usability and drive space, and of course price. Maybe you can't use itunes with it, but personally, I don't choose my mp3 player based on the software that interfaces with it on the computer. There are a bunch of other programs that are as easy to use or more than itunes, like, gasp, windows media player. The fact that it is built in to the majority of the pc's out there doesn't hurt either.
Seriously, what can the ipod do with the next generation. They can't go any smaller,.and other than the 80 gig update that is sure to come up pretty soon, what can they do. Oh, I don't know, maybe make the thing reasonably priced. I know, heresy, but they don't have that many options left up there sleeve. Seriously, 600 bucks for a 60 gig player with a cheap cellphone screen is SUCH A JOKE!!!
Good for you. Now let the millions en mass go and buy the iPod.
Nice astroturf there, Joey. My only question is was that posted by a smart piece of software or a very poorly-paid human?
iPod equal iFad.... just watch!
Nothing stays "hip" forever...
Whatever happend to the iMini... very quiet lately. I guess the press stopped playing with the free iMinis they got from Apple already!
lol. Some of you all are really feelin salty about Apple's success, and seem to miss the reason why it's successful. Aesthetics does play a part in it, and the iPod knocks the socks off of this Darth Vader mask-looking device. But, software is probably the biggest drawback to most other mp3 players. This device may sync with WMP or MusicMatch, but neither program is built on their connectivity, so there arent nearly the options that iPod and iTunes have. And the most prominant reason for the iPod's success is its simplicity. 5 buttons and a scroll wheel, and all buttons are built into the scroll wheel. You never have to take your thumb off of it while sorting through your music, unlike this devices apparatus for scrolling. Dell makes cheap products, and those looking for a bargain iPod may find this appealing, but people who want their money's worth, get an iPod
Have some of you been married 7 times already? "I've had this thing for 2 weeks, I need something new!" or "The mini's been out a month - next!"
Maybe you guys need to cut back on the coffee or for a walk. While we are on internet time, you need to have to have a longer attention span than that of a fly - or maybe you need to stop staring at something for 24 hours a day - no wonder you're bored.
Portable music is not a fad. People have been listening to musuc for a lot longer than most people could even read ... is reading a fad to you also?
I'm not saying the ipod will last forever but it clearly has miles and miles to go and while you're ready to hardwire flash memory into your nads, the rest of the world is still getting used to the idea of having a couple hundred to thousands of songs at the ready.
Right now, no one can compete with the ipod because most of Apple' s competitors still think it's a portable HDD that can play music because they have sold everything else based on specs or on price so they don't "get it" when people choose the ipod based on something else other than specs/feature or price alone - they come off looking like bigger idiots because they pile on the feature without actually considering what the point is (it records but you can't move the file off! or Yes, spend $300 for staticky FM in big city streets just like the first Walkman!) or even on the software side - "Great WMA sound - some of which is burnable to 3 CD's, some to 5 - good luck remembering! Or spend hundreds of hours arranging and downloading a playlist of music you like well enough to spend the time fiddling with but don't like enough to own!"
It's about convenience for the consumer - it's not about making it more convenient for the company. Until they figure that out, the ipod will continue to sell 20-30 million a year and the closest competitor - about 400,000 a year ...
what no AAC?
screw that, I'll stick with my 40G iPod.
Hello NAPS, goodbye AAPL
iPod = fad, HDD Music Players <> fad
iMini = ??? (does anyone care...)
as far as walk goes... just got back from a long one down at the beach!
iPod successor = gigaBeat (maybe, but it sure is a nice player) http://www.swedegoingberserk.com/2005/01/ipod-killer.html
Personally I'm looking forward to a phone, like the s710a from SE, but with a 4GB memory on board and sick battery life! Enough gadgets to keep track of already. Cellphone, music player and camera all in one, please!
yo, have any of you actually used a player with creative's user interface, you can't get more intuitive than that, the only thing hampering it was some fairly obtuse hardware controls on the particular devices. the combination of the software with a scroll wheel like on this player, how intuitive can you get. Maybe if some of you actually try it out, you will have cause to say that your ipod is actually better.
And anybody who thinks that the majority of people buying the ipod today are buying it for any other reason other than the name, are truly fools. And the key thing about these customers, and the reason that apple should be scared, is that these people are not loyal. As soon as the next cool thing comes along, these people are gone. And who's left? The mac fanatics, or the single digit percentage of the market that use mac computers.
If mac doesn't come out with the next big thing, (or lower prices, but that is unlikely considering how much apple likes its crazy profit margin), they will lose the majority of their customers. I think there is a chance that they will be able to keep their hit status with the 5G, but it is inevitable, as soon as apple loses their hit status, they will lose their customers, who will quickly discover the many worthy competitors to the ifad.
#8 u stole my term 'iFad'!
I'm glad it's catching though ;)
iFads suck bal1s.
the great thing about the ipod is ITS NOT A FAD.. Everyone since I can remember has been carring around their music, it be it on a cd or a mini disk or a portable tape player. Hell you can barely go to a Gym any more with out seeing someone with headphones on. ipods have been out for 4 years now and its growing 400% each year.
Hell the ipod shuffles is all anyone can talk about now anyways..
So the ipod is here to stay.
alive? Email me Darryl
That's what they say about all fads. All things aside though, noone other the ap*le-fanatics with their relentless mac propanganda and wannabe teeny boppers will want one in few months.
the iFad is done.
Joey,
Spoken like a typical Windows drone. Dell Rocks!
What crap. The day Dell figures out what people actually WANT will be their best day. This isn't it. Do tell, when has Dell come out with "the next big thing" ? Not lately; not ever, AFAIK.
People buy the iPod because it works wey well. Since Windows users make up the majority of iPod sales, and Windows machines sell for as little as $500, how many Windows users will spend $300 on a fad player?
iPod shuffle??? Talking about it???
I haven't heard one person talking about it... and yes I do get out alot. I have yet to even see one and I live in an "ap*le-fanatics" area...
Why, maybe the iPod will be replaced in a few years with another super cool device. But it isn't gonna be DULL, nor the crappy korean and singapourean companies that'll come up with an iPod replacement. It is going to be Apple! Again!
Some people think that, afer the iPod, Apple just closed its doors and went home to roost. Apple is just getting warmed up, and all other companies can do is sit, wait and then copy what Apple does. From the very beginning, when apple created the pc market, has anyone shown the creativity and superior products that Apple has put out? (well, maybe the Schulley and Amelio years). Apple wanabes can only compete on price by creating cheap imitations. Will they be able to top Apple's scroll wheel and iTunes interface? Not a chance in hell.
Look at Dell - c'mon. They blatantly copied the body profile of the mini -but badly; they can't event come up with their own shape, ala Rio, which is bad too. Dell's interface still stinks and always will because, unlike Apple, they have zero creativity and are married to windblows.
And speaking of windblows, who misappropriated Apple code beyond v 3.1, it and has been copying the mac ever since windows 95; they stink too. Luckily for M$ all they have to do is to produce some vaporware and promise a two year delivery, and that's enough to keep the masses chained to their insecure and crashy beta OS. And they talk about the Mac Kool Aid. Geez.
Anyway, Dull is irrelevant in the hd player market. And Creative and the like must be running scared with the shuffle cleaning house. Soon they won't even have the flash market to go cry me a river. Apple's marketshare is increasing, unveliabably as it sounds. It sure is great to live in an Apple world.
Snore. Snore. Snore.
That is my reaction to the iPod, and to any discussion of it by the majority of people. Look, it's a reasonably good player. But the amount of hype around it is just absolutely infuriating for anyone who isn't sucked in by it. All this bullshit about how iPods are changing music, for instance. iPod might have a slight edge on interface, but only a slight edge compared to many players. iTunes is admittedly pretty simple way of buying music online, but it's a crock of shit compared to some other download services. Everything else is just hype and aspirational buying driven by people's childish insecurity. People really can't think for themselves about why they do what they do, most of the time. Tossers.
And yes I have owned one but realised it was a bit crippled for my tastes.
"But it isn't gonna be DULL, nor the crappy korean and singapourean companies that'll come up with an iPod replacement." - HDL
Wow you're pretty out of it. If you havn't noticed Koreans are the most advanced in some technologies and mp3 players. iRiver will soon dominate the iPod. Creative is doing pretty well. All i hear about nowadays are about Creatives and iRivers. iRiver's H10 (5GB iPod Mini killer) is very popular among all my friends. The first thing they said when they saw it was "Ohh my good! Screw iPod Mini i want that!!!". No iRiver isn't copying iPod. iPod is now copying iRiver's color screen trend but in a cheap way. The retarded iPod Photo uses a cheap cell phone (65K color) screen while iRiver and Creative (Creative plans to) are using 260k color screens. If you didn't already know, South Koreans are rich f***ers. They have the money to discover and purchase HIGH QUALITY stuff. Before you say s*** about crappy korean products, do your research a**. Oh yeah iPod = plastic, iRiver = magnesium, aluminum, or carbon fiber.
What the hell is up with all the hype on the iPod? Yeah its a good product, but its rediculous on the hype its receiving. All the iPod is is hype. Yeah it has a slight interface lead and iTunes is a very nice software, but honestly its all hype. Everyone has one we better all rush out to get one, yeah right. There's only 10-20 million HDD base players on the market. Now think about that number. That is such a miniscule amount of the market. Apple had a huge commanding market share back in the 1970s and early to mid 1980s and then all of a sudden what happened to them? It's called capitalism and competition. Dell was started back in 1984 and they are the biggest computer maker in the world today. Competition will erode away at the iPod and Apple as it did in the late 80s and early 1990s. Apple has an "iFad" now but what happens next?
You guys are funny - just the fact that any post on this site about any new MP3 player coming out degenerates into "iPod sucks/no it don't" speaks volumes (pardon the pun!).
Don't knock the Dell Jukebox until you've tried one. It might not be as pretty as the iPod but its control setup is a lot more intuitive than the iPod. A simple example of this is trying to adjust the volume of a song that's being played while scrolling through the menu. The only way you can do this with an iPod is by plugging in the remote, which is lame since you already have the damn player in your hand to look at its screen! No remote is required to do this on the Dell Jukebox since like most consumer audio products; it has dedicated volume control buttons.
The Dell DJ sucks monkeyballs. iPod kicks DJ's fat ass all over thefloor and mops it up with the crapola software you can use with it, like music match. I wouldn't wipe my arse with it.
"the great thing about the ipod is ITS NOT A FAD"
Wrong pal. The iPod is a fad. The Digital Audio Player is not.
Everyone ended up calling a portable CD player/tape player as a Walkman... but how many of them are actually made by Sony?
Cheerio
Well...
First off, anyone who thinks the Dell beats the iPod because of its OS obviously has never used an iPod. The click wheel is great, yes, but the actual interface works so much better than the Dells. It also has many more bonus features like the calendar and all the cute little games, which the kids like.
No, the iPod will not dominate forever, but I do not see any of the other players dominating, everything will just kind of flatten out and people will pick and choose based on the music application they like.
I like iTunes, but that's just me.
Jim, you don't need the remote to turn up the volume on an ipod.
also, the ipod supports mpeg4/aac, the most advanced codec in the world. wma doesnt even compare. and the interface of the dell dj is crap, i've used it. the scroll wheel is more efficient.
I agree with #21, Apple created the first home computer that anyone could use, the first usable mp3 player, the most advanced operating system, and the largest online music store. Apple has always been ahead in technology.
the dell dj, and microsoft's wma crap.
how can you complain that the iPod is too expensive!! its only $50-$60 more than its competition. and it includes support for AAC. it also has an interface that allows you to get to a song in 3-4 seconds, out of a library of 10,000! you say the creative interface is better! the scroll wheel on the DJ is a physical moving part, meaning it can break. also im sure you can get dust and crap stuck in it. iPod is a fad, and for the right reasons. the dell dj is not a fad, is ugly, and too expensive for a "budget-hdd player".
damn guys, at least try both before judging. and whatever suits your needs, then buy the dell or ipod. this especially goes in regards to apple fanboys, you guys think you rule everything since the ipod came out. especially people who dont know jack about mp3 players but just buy them to look cool or cuz everyone else has an ipod. give me a f***ing break.
Hey Oceanplexian #28
"I agree with #21 ... Apple the first usable mp3 player..."
Acutally, Apple was 3 years late. The first Mp3 player released on the market, the Rio PMP-300, was released way back in 1998. Apple's iPod? 2001. Get your facts straight nextime. Only an Apple fanboy would think that Apple created the first mp3 player.
great argument threeball. #21 said "first usable mp3 player", yet your entire post was about disputing who made the "first mp3 player". read before you post, idiot.
what makes your post even more laughable is how the Diamond Rio was not the first mp3 player released. so, your post had no value whatsoever, other than to show others you lack comprehension skills, and your tendency to propagate folklore as fact.
http://news.com.com/2010-1041_3-5548180.html
tsk tsk.
#31: "Get your facts straight nextime." - threeball
How ironic.
Microsoft says "Plays for Sure"
Napster takes that and turns it into "The music stops playing when you stop paying!"
I don't understand how apple fans can be so obsessed over a stupid music player? Wow, you got an ipod, so do 10 million other metrosexuals and teenage girls, good for you. Maybe we can start arguing next about huntz vs heinz ketchup next OK. Let people buy what they want according to their own needs. Some people like looks, some features, some cost. People are different, I know you spent alot on it but deal with the fact a non ipod player might suit others better.
Face it, "ipod killers" don't exist.
All of you awaiting the downfall of the ipod are in for a long wait. Regardless of what others develop as a response, the ipod is a solid product and will continue to have a following for a long time. Apple evolved the digital player market, currently own it and will continue to.
Hats off to Apple for having such a market dominating product and making others scramble to keep up.
To the others, keep trying!
Apple has the market now, no question what so ever.
How about future market, how big is it, and how much of it is already taken by Apple and others?
How much growth is there left? Early adopters and Apple users now have their iPods, but what about regular Joe? Will he get an iPod or something with a MS "Play for sure" logo on it?
My bet is on the later... Apple still isn't a house hold name among regular consumers, or is it?
Personally I only think there's so much of a market for HDD players. Most people have no need for 20/40/60/80GB of storage for their 10 to (maybe) 50 CDs.
"But it isn't gonna be DULL, nor the crappy korean and singapourean companies that'll come up with an iPod replacement." - HDL
Samsung Electronics made 10 billion dollars in profit last year. That's more than Intel and more than Microsoft. If you compare that with Apple's earning that would make Apple a " bottom feeding crappy" company.
Bem, poucos v?me entender, quem sabe apare?algum perdido por aqui que fale portugu?... Me divirto s? pensar que os americanos n?v?entender nada e ainda pensar que ?spanhol.
Mas falando, mal, dessa coisa, o slogam de venda poderia ser "O iPod da Dell".
Que vergonha, chupa? descarada!!!!
Abra?
who cares what it looks like it has a much better battery and sounds so much better see u idiots
mp3-sound
NOT LOOK
SOUND QUALITY IS MUCH BETTER THAN THE APPEARENCE THE IPOD HAS NEAR CD QUALITY IT SUCKS! (THE IPOD)