ROKR vs mini
by Peter Rojas 
posted Sep 7th 2005 at 3:17PM
Not only did Julio Ojeda-Zapata get a few minutes to play with the new Motorola ROKR E1 (aka the first iTunes phone) this afternoon, he also managed to snap a pic of it side-by-side with an iPod mini.
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
UGLY!
MACALEX @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
Ugly! iPod nano+cell phone functions seems to me the best thing that Apple could make, they should, probably iPod nano is the first step.
hockeyness @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
I don't know, I like the knowing my Ipod doesn't emit possibly harmful radiation. Because I keep my Ipod in my pocket, ..next to my babies.
Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
Yep. Ugly, no storage, and to top it all of, it's running the motorola's clunky, slow, and aggravating interface. Awesome.
Brian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
someone charge that mini up, quick!
Blue Balloon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
so.. rumor said Sony and Apple are play together which mean there gonna be neat SonyEcrisson phone with iTunes? eeeeek
Ray @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
#5.. In Apple terms, that is a full charge..
juliuss @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
>
rip @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
for some reason, I'm not that interested in a phone with the same name as a fat weatherman.
narco @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
Disappointing.
I was really hoping that mysterious spy-shot that has been appearing in the iTunes/phone related stories would be the iTunes phone. That one looked amazing. This is just a Moto phone with some bastard version of iTunes in it -- big deal.
Also, I never realized how ugly the mini is until just now.
Fishes,
narco.
Brian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
Screw the phone, put up a size comparison with the Nano.
Bob Wibulseth @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
Looks like I'll get a better experience duct taping the Nano to my phone
Urza @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
Ughh...that is ugly...the iPod, that is. The phone looks pretty damn nice to me...looks like it'd have a kind of PDA feel to it...compared to the overpriced, underequipped, POS iPod...
Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
the iPod is a FAD! :)
Ketha @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
ok guys, it's pish but come on, the nano is fantastic so the heats off... (i'm thinking they might have brought this forward from Paris)?
BUT the 'real' iPod phone is on the way, let's hope this is full apple design. This is just the start, let them get a foothole in a difficult market and bring on the next phone.
Ketha @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
ok guys, it's pish but come on, the nano is fantastic so the heats off... (i'm thinking they might have brought this forward from Paris)?
BUT the 'real' iPod phone is on the way, let's hope this is full apple design. This is just the start, let them get a foothole in a difficult market and bring on the next phone.
David Wood @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
Foothole? Does Steve Jobs have some secret pedal orifice the rest of us don't? That's FootHOLD.
David Wood @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
Foothole? Does Steve Jobs have some secret pedal orifice the rest of us don't? That's FootHOLD.
Jay @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
this phone is a joke. only idiots waited for this phone.
kevindineen @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
"Ughh...that is ugly...the iPod, that is."
Yeah it is kinda... so go get a iPod nano.
"compared to the overpriced, underequipped, POS iPod"
You are an idiot. Give me something that does what I want it to do (play music) w/ a good UI that makes it quick & easy to use... boom I'll buy them over & over. It's a bonus that it's teeny & also holds photos. Plug it's a storage device. The iPod is here to stay folks. It is the new Apple.
Oskar @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
You're missing the point (again). This is not meant to be an iPhone, iPod replacement, or Apple-branded product. Apple is not in the business of making phones. They make computers, software, and run an online music store. They only provide a mobile version of iTunes so that this phone, any phone, can work seamlessly with a PC/Mac running iTunes, allowing the transfer of music from iTunes (including protected AAC files which no other phone can play). It is not their fault that the phones are not as sexy as their own products. They are only providing a piece of software that runs on these phones.
On a side note, what will be interesting to watch is for a slimmed-down version of Mac OS X(x86 version) released for PocketPC phones next year. :)
James @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
Such a dissapointment.. it should have been an Apple styled cell phone - sleek lines and glossy plastics. Not this ugly Moto.
jazzay @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
The Entire Creative Zen Series
The Entire Rio Carbon Series
The Entire iRiver Series (H300 and H10/20/30)
The Sony players
bleh, you wasted your money on an iPod, your fault, im not gonna go any more unless you want me to rant about the mindlessness of the good ol USA
Jacob Varghese @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
With bluetooth 2 included, why would they exclude itunes file transfer?
http://direct.motorola.com/ens/Web_full_specs.asp?Country=USA&language=ENS&productid=29790&strPrimaryOption=FS&lSecondaryOption=-1
Arizona Glover @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
I wouldn't use that if it was free !
Arizona Glover
http://paulsbaker.blogspot.com/
mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
The iPod is here to stay folks. It is the new Apple.
--
With.. 30% of Apple's revenues.. only second to.. *ahem.. all that Mac stuff.. you know.. Intel.. OS X on x86 and whatnot.. pushing beyond their 5% marketshare, I would say there's room for growth, no?
Fuzz @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
I like it, though it could be better, but i would trade in my sanyo for it, plus i get really bad service with sprint up orth, and i like cingulars plan better, but it isnt going to replance my iPod, it sould just be nice to carry a little seppelin in my pocket instead of my all present combo of sanyo 5500 and 20 gig iPod, a real pain with lacrosse shorts ;)
So personally i like it, and this is also a person who likes gnome over KDE and thinkpads, i like the plain and clean.
wooderson23 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
The phone is definitely not winning any beauty contests. Funny how the part of the explaination for the continued popularity of the iPod is its "coolness factor"(appearance and click wheel)....being that most of the new mp3 players have loads more features for the price. Now they have a phone with no semblance of style what-so-ever. This is just a plain jane candy bar cell. I'm really surprised to see that there was no collaboration on the design. I love my iPod, but this phone is definitely not going on my must have gadget list. Two thumbs down for Apple and Motorola on this one. Maybe next time boyz.
Joshua H. @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
im an apple crazy and i still would puke if i saw this phone in person.
to the green mini's defense that is not a nice backdrop for that color ..
as far as Fads go .. Blogs are a fad but here you are commenting away!
jnasato @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
The iPod mini isn't so ugly... I think it's just the lighting and the ugly table. Even models can look ugly with bad lighting, bad makeup, and bad clothes...
The PHONE on the other hand... is a bit tacky - standard Moto. ...like I want the farking Motorola logo in my ear when I'm talking.
TheWakeUpCall @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
I've always hated the mini, always, ever since it started. I would never have bought one, and I think it lacks the iPod style. This iTunes phone isn't anything special. I like the Nokia N series, is it the N91 that has an mp3 player? Surely you would get that if you wanted an mp3 phone.
Rob @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
It's not really ugly. It's just extraordinarily plain. Especially compared to the Razr. I doubt it will fly off the shelves like they predict. If only they could put all of this thing's features into a Razr. I'd gladly sacrifice the sub megapixel lousy camera. That's a package worthy of Apple design.
Jordan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
I'm coming up on my birthday and I decided to get a phone.. I have a Motorola v220 and it sucks. Like.. Super sucks. I hate it. My friends have gotten better phones for free.
So anyway, I was going to get a black RAZR, because I love that phone and it is in my general "present" range, but now that I see this, I like it whole lot more.. Any suggestions on which phone
would be better overall?
Urza @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
"You are an idiot. Give me something that does what I want it to do (play music) w/ a good UI that makes it quick & easy to use... boom"
"The Entire Creative Zen Series
The Entire Rio Carbon Series
The Entire iRiver Series (H300 and H10/20/30)
The Sony players"
One thing that list leaves out. RCA MP3/CD players. All the features of an iPod and more, for $50. I mean, yea, you'd need a lotta CD-RWs to carry the same amount of songs, but ya know, assuming $2 a disc, it's still over $200 cheaper than an iPod.
Thought @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
The folks at Sony must be smiling about now.
Apple/Moto/Cingular blew it with this phone.
Granted, there will come other iTunes phones down the line, but the first impression counts so much.
It was so important that this be a blow your socks off design, and instead its rather plain and boring. Better to have released the SLVR phone with iTunes...that would turned heads.
As it is now, this is a big yawn. And the folks at Sony will have the lead with music phones. And a lead once gotten, is hard to overcome. Just ask Apple with the iPod line.
Deputy Doffoos @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
tsk tsk tsk, bad iTunes phone, great deception...
Thought @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
Who out there doubts that the Sony W800 Walkman phone is not far superior to this Moto disaster?
This phone is nothing special...an old recycled Moto phone with iTunes slapped on it.
What a wasted opportunity...No wonder they kept delaying the launch...
max @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
why's everyone knocking an mp3 phone that has decent features and ISN'T $500 or more? Have any of you actually USED this phone? Or the original e398? it's not a bad looking phone, bar phones are far better than flip phones anyways (i have too many flips as it is) and it's HIGHLY MODABLE. knock motos interface, but they RELEASE toolkits to tweak them to your satisfaction.
As far as those knocking Apple: get a clue. An ipod is a beautiful thing. simple, clean looking, great interface. the nano is hot, and THEY have the market dominated. hmm, wonder why?
jorge @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
No... you guys don't get it. That phone was ready to go four months ago. They waited to release it when the nano was ready. APPLE WANTS THIS PHONE TO FAIL. It is part of the marketing strategy. They want all MP3 phones to fail, because they could potentially derail the iPod. Apple wants you to go, hmmnn.. ugly ass phone with no storage or... for the same price a sweet slim beautiful iPod nano. It is no coincidinck that they released the two at the same time.
vakerorokero @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
interesting point there, jorge... I think we have a WINNER!!!!!!
TheWakeUpCall @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
I just heard on the radio this phone will be 200 on contract in the UK!!!! If anyone lives in the UK they will know thats a rip off deal, contract phones are usually given away! Plus I found this feature list:
iTunes music player
Up to 100 songs capacity
3D Stereo Sound
Stereo Headset included
Video capture and playback
Bluetooth
Removable memory slot (512Mb in box)
Large, active colour display (176 x 220, 262K TFT)
Integrated digital Camera (VGA quality) w/ camera light
MP3 and MIDI ringers, and full MP3 music
Rhythm Lights
PS. Number 32, as I was saying look at the NSeries, they are pretty damn sweet. Open up this site: http://www.nokia.com/nseries/ then click on 'Inside Nokia NSeries'. They are pretty swish. I also like the RZAR or however you spell it, but if you get it get the black one, its alot nicer, but I wouldnt get a RZAR, because its actualy huge when open. Thats why I hate most flip phones coz they are huge. Hmm, I could go on but I live in the UK, and im guessing you are in the states and have alot more newer phones. Just, goto a mobile shop and get one with really good features, then it will be a lil bit future proof.
Mark Keen @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
The Phone is a waste of time - Get a Sony Ericsson W800i instead and it plays Apples AAC files as well as MP3 too!
I love the NANO though - I think its beautiful - though I would love one I don't need one due to already owning a 60gb iPod... BUT I AM curious as to what the next generation iPod will be???
john jones @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
Got the rokr, more out of interest, than anything - as i am not an apple/ipod kinda guy.
I think the phone is cool & squeezed 8 hours of music on it, and love the flashing lights and vibrations. Tho they should have used usb 2.0.
But the itunes 5.0 experience was woeful.
A programm that eats memory, doesn't let you set vbr, takes over the pc, Put's drm on the rips, and sells u music all at the same time; trying to be all things to all men.
I run a monster dell, with w2k3, (it even slows that up taking 50- 60!! mb of ram and ties up the cpu) + an IBM w2k, netgear mp101, laptop, pda, and a home wifi network.
So Cd-da extractor, netgear server, and nero, are prequistes, for happy music libray and wi-fi casting round the house. They take up much less resource. And work far faster.
Man if i buy a device. I should decide what nubmer of songs to put on it, what format. What software, not Steve 'God' Jobs.
I think apples are for people who don't like computers.
Gary @ Dec 19th 2005 12:19AM
ok so.. i really want and need to know. I'm getting a new phone.. either the RAZR or the ROKR.. i like the sleekness of the RAZR but i also like the capabilities of the ROKR.. any suggestions? RAZR or ROKR?
ps. is the ROKR easy to use? easy to put music?