Dell discontinues hard drive audio players

We've long since noticed Dell's lineup of hard drive-based portable audio players have vanished from their site, but this they officially commented on the death of the drive-based segment of their Dell Pocket DJ (Digital Jukebox) line and made it official that those devices were phased out over the last two months. Apparently the DJ Ditty is doing just fine though, and they hinted at being a flash player-only shop from here on in. Can't says as we're surprised, but we're still always disappointed to see another iPod competitor drop off the map.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[ScottE @ Feb 5th 2006 12:21PM]

I have a Generation 1 Dell DJ that crapped out on me after 3 years of loyal service.

RIP Dell DJ

[matt t @ Feb 5th 2006 12:41PM]

you will be missed dearly :(


lol jk

[beltransucks @ Feb 5th 2006 12:43PM]

They were great daps, hope they come out w/ some new flash based ones.

[leojsoap @ Feb 5th 2006 12:59PM]

More blood on iPod's clickwheel, as MDN would say.

[Will @ Feb 5th 2006 1:02PM]

Well, finally gave up waiting on the next Dell DJ and moved up from a Gen 1 Dell DJ to the Creative Vision:M two weeks ago. Figured Dell would announce something right after I made the plunge. Didn't quite expect this kind of announcement, though.

Going to miss the thumb scroll.

[tone @ Feb 5th 2006 1:10PM]

Who?

lol.

those things were ugly anyways.

[NeoteriX @ Feb 5th 2006 1:34PM]

I always thought the Dell DAPs were the nicest alternatives to iPods. *sigh*

[nizzy1115 @ Feb 5th 2006 1:53PM]

Now all we need is for microsoft to hurry up and finish their ipod killer. Hopefully they will have it out before before the holiday rush so there are enough for everyone :). Thats the one I'm waiting for.

[Virtuous @ Feb 5th 2006 1:55PM]

Apple vanquishes another competitor. Look for this trend to continue.

[Dave @ Feb 5th 2006 2:04PM]

#4 you have to be kidding me. The dell had crap-tastic controlls, lackluster functionality, and less style then a childrens lunchbox! Its no place near an alternative to the iPod. Ive taken poops with better design and more functionality..... I mean really!

[Benson Leung @ Feb 5th 2006 2:05PM]

I was never impressed with Dell's audio players because they basically tried to apply the "Dell PC" approach to digital audio players... turn it into a commodity, and try to win a price war with the competition.

They put out a product that was good enough, but cheaper, and brought little actually innovation to the table... no thought about software... they just rebranded MusicMatch's... basically they tried to play the game just like they do with PCs, but realized after a few years that DAPs don't work the same way as cheap commodity PCs.

Good riddance.

[Dave @ Feb 5th 2006 2:08PM]

#4 you have to be kidding me. The dell had crap-tastic controlls, lackluster functionality, and less style then a childrens lunchbox! Its no place near an alternative to the iPod. Ive taken poops with better design and more functionality..... I mean really!

[Motorola 3G Victim @ Feb 5th 2006 2:14PM]

Now that Michael has killed the profitability of selling PC;s, for his company and everybody else, and his strategy to move into other consumer fields is now faltering.

Don't you think its time he did the "right thing" and just close up shop and hand out the equity to all the share holders?

[Steven Bremer @ Feb 5th 2006 2:16PM]

I had an original DJ that I had to return 3 times. What a POS.

[cambob @ Feb 5th 2006 2:20PM]

Dissappointed? Yeah right you bunch of Jobs worshipping fanboys!

[Isaac Levy @ Feb 5th 2006 2:24PM]

Dave, you appear to be repeating yourself, but I do have to agree with your message.

[Mark @ Feb 5th 2006 2:28PM]

Now you guys put this up. I sent you a link that indicated this like a month ago.

I told you so.

[Joey Geraci @ Feb 5th 2006 2:44PM]

Micheal has killed the profitability of selling pc's! Really, I thought he just sold a product at the price the populace wanted. Right, he killed it. Just like Apple killed all their potential competitors.

Right.

[Dave Zatz @ Feb 5th 2006 2:46PM]

What about that portable XM device they're working on... ;)

[Mike @ Feb 5th 2006 2:56PM]

I never liked their line up anyway, the design and functionality was so prehistoric compared to its competitors.
Next time i see someone on the train with it, ill give them a glimpse of sympathy :/

[S. Shih @ Feb 5th 2006 3:00PM]

Like the Dell DJ or not, this was simply a business decision. Dell simply could not have been making any money on this device.

[SHOTT3R @ Feb 5th 2006 3:04PM]

"Since's Dell's market cap is larger than Apple, he should simply buy Apple."

That is perfectly feasible business wise, but Jobs would never sell. I am laughing just thinking about it. Can you imagine the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth of all the Apple poseurs if Dell were to buy their company? I would pay good money just to see that.
People are weird. If Wal-Mart bought GAP, do you think any of the former customers would go into a Wal-Mart store to buy the same clothes?

[Gym @ Feb 5th 2006 3:38PM]

Agree to NeoteriX. They used to be really nice alternatives to iPods.

[Paul @ Feb 5th 2006 3:39PM]

It fluctuates on a daily basis, but the Apple market cap is just about the same as Dell's right now - even remember it being above for a few days.

Might wanna get your facts straight ;)

(Not that I think Apple can keep this up indefinitely mind you.)

[Malfoy Roark @ Feb 5th 2006 3:40PM]

Dell couldn't afford to buy Apple. Their market cap is only slightlly bigger. Dell would have to pay Apple a premium, and if that premium was only 10%(it probably would be higher) that would put Apple at the same price/ slighty more valuable than Dell. And that's assuming Dell managed to do this w/o it being public. Just the idea that Apple was being bought would probably make Apple's price spike which would cost Dell even more.

[Reytacular @ Feb 5th 2006 3:45PM]

YES YES YES... you're next Creative!!! you are next!!!

[Julian Bond @ Feb 5th 2006 3:55PM]

Dell's DAPs were made and designed by Creative, no?

[digiguy23 @ Feb 5th 2006 4:01PM]

# 14--PC fanboy to you too

[JayBee @ Feb 5th 2006 5:04PM]

Regardless of whether you liked the product or not, having iPod competition is a good thing. Those of you cheering the death of Dell's product will soon be sneering at Apple if they have no motivation for innovating. For God's sake, we don't want to make a Microsoft out of them!

[Brad Twitty @ Feb 5th 2006 5:13PM]

To everyone calling the DJ a poorly designed piece of engineering:

Let me see you create something better. I do not mean make a nice little photoshop design. I chanllenge you to make a real design with SolidWorks and run all the cost numbers. The DJ may not have done well, but engineering is not an easy task. So until you can contribute to the cause, dont criticize.

[Shaun @ Feb 5th 2006 5:24PM]

Apple seem to do just fine creating good products even where there's no competition. The mp3 player market wasn't exactly swimming with innovative good products before the iPod and they've not really changed it since the introduction of it - it's essentially the same.

Where they have beat the competition is in the software that lets you manage your music and in marketing and that's where the competition just don't get it. Dell is a prime example. Their presence or not in the market probably doesn't mean anything to Apple.

I agree with the poster above about the low profit PC market being Dell's own fault. It's resulted in Dull PCs with no innovation and smaller companies going bust because they can't compete on Dell's scale. For those companies that truly want to do something innovative or special, having to compete with the idiots who think a $499 Dell PC is a good deal must be disheartening. Dragging the market down to Dell's prices isn't good in the long term.

[SUMER @ Feb 5th 2006 5:25PM]

DELL could have just changed the color to WHITE and sales would skyrocket like ipod.

[MickerMack @ Feb 5th 2006 5:45PM]

Long live my 15 gig Gen. 1!

Heavy? Yes. Bland? Yes. Functional? Of course. The interface was simple but it worked.

And any gadget that has survived the amount of 4 ft. falls my DJ15 has deserves some love.

[Reg Muffet @ Feb 5th 2006 5:47PM]

Actually, the discontinuation of the Dell is probably better for iPod competition, because it focusses the choice on fewer manufacturers and means the competition is spread less thinly.

Dell, Creative, Toshiba, Sony, etc, can't *all* have an iPod killer. One product will have to rise to become the prime alternative.

Comparing with the game console market, if there were 20 different equally ranked games console alternatives to the PlayStation, then none of them would have any chance of dislodging it. However, with just three contenders, one of them (the Xbox) has a serious chance of doing it.

So, fewer iPod competitiors = more chance of iPod killer rising to surface.

[Psygnosis2097 @ Feb 5th 2006 7:52PM]

@33.

"That's where they real money is"

Oh really? I'd rather think Dell canceled their line of HD audio players because it wasn't profitable, quite simply.

[ridethetrip @ Feb 5th 2006 8:48PM]

I loathe dell and everything they stand for...i wonder how many people owned a DJ that WERENT dell customers...

[Start Snitching @ Feb 5th 2006 10:49PM]

I like Apple but they will be lucky to ever get 10% of the market.
I don't like Dell, yet for some reason I got both generations of their MP3 player.
Besides the normal hard drive based BS they were fine pre-video MP3 players.
Toshiba, Creative and maybe Sony if they ever wake up, will carry on the WMA legacy.

Maybe Dell will up the specs of the DJ Ditty to 2 GB.

[e-mail] if you want a used Dell DJ.
I'm selling mine for a flash based mp3 player.

[Scott Pauls @ Feb 5th 2006 10:55PM]

Why is that everyone hates apple? for what reason? Because they make excellent products and you people are ashamed of the fact that your companies(Micro$oft, Dell, Creative) cant make a great looking product with an excellent, elegant easy to use interface? Most people dont like microsoft because of the monoply, i am the same way, i hate and dispise microsoft, but their OS is ok, i use it, i have some things i like, and some things i dont. I love everything there is in OS X. I just purchased an iPod Video, i love it. Why do you people hate Apple so much? they are not a monoply?(yet) please, if you want send me an e-mail [e-mail]

[Hamson @ Feb 5th 2006 11:01PM]

I have one of the original Dell DJ's (20 gig). I've probably had it for more than 2.5 years. It was $280 when I purchased it, which was more than $100 less than the only real alternative, the iPod. It still works, that's why I haven't yet gotten rid of it. The only problems I have with it is that sometimes it freezes randomly, and I have to reset it (although I credit that to me accidentally slamming it in a locker, which gave it a dent on the back), and that If you haven't turned it on for like around 12 hours or so, it has to rebuild the library when you turn it on, and that takes 20 sec or so.

I own no other Dell products, and for the record, I think it's a lot more convenient to have that little scroll cylinder than a big wheel that you have to move your whole thumb to use. My biggest problem with the DJ is that I have to use Musicmatch, which is one of the worst programs I have come across, and it bombards you with advertisements, and it's a pretty poor interface. I end up buying my songs on iTunes, and then ripping them to a CD, and then back to my computer on Musicmatch so I don't have to buy stuff on that terrible program.

[bruce m. @ Feb 6th 2006 12:44AM]

I predict Microsoft will launch their rumored "iPod killer" within a year.

They will be swimming upstream with this one ... All of Microsoft's money and all of it's resources cannot buy it inspiration and leadership. Granted, they do seem to operate well when fueled by desperation and envy -- it brings out their "killer instincts" ... but Apple isn't going to roll over like all the patsy's in Microsofts past, in fact Apple right now is in effect a sleeping dragon ... biding it's time until the day it will unleash it's own operating system upon every computer on the planet. Why do you think Apple switched to Intel chips?

But back to the topic at hand: I predict there will NEVER be an "iPod killer". Things are moving too fast; Apple is too innovative; the iPod cements itself and it's ecosystem as a standard more and more every day. As Microsoft is so fond of saying, Apple is "sucking the oxygen" out of the Mp3 digital audio player space ... and leveraging this with new media like video -- for which Apple/Disney is now poised to unleash a torrent of options for consumers.

So another bowling pin has fallen. Next up? Napster, then Creative, at least their MP3 division, after they bleed and bleed and bleed until it really starts to hurt. Have you noticed Napsters home page? The copyright notice hasn't even been updated to 2006 yet -- a small but telling detail -- the wheels are starting to fly off the car, things are coming unhinged, the Napster website has the stale stench of death about it.

Moral of the story? You cannot "kill" the iPod. Many more will try. You can only "bring your product to life" ... does this make sense? Focusing on "killing" the iPod is the surest path to creating a me-too product that can ONLY be inferior and cost more, as nobody has Apple's in-house talent and efficiencies of scale.

[dnl2ba @ Feb 6th 2006 12:50AM]

Brad Twitty / #29, the Dell DJ was competing with the iPod, not Engadget readers' designs. In case you didn't notice, the Dell DJ lost.

[Silver @ Feb 6th 2006 12:54AM]

Why do people hate Apple? I dunno. Jealousy? Insecurity? Ignorance? I've never quite understood it. Most the "I hate Apple" rants are from people who have never used an Apple product, and thus have no idea what they're talking about. (Note: I have an Apple computer at home (and a home-built PC) and a Dell computer at work, so at least I can give an objective opinion on both, thank you.)

As for the Dell DJ: farewell, you won't be missed. The earlier poster was right: consumer electronics are not a commodity business. People want style and ease-of-use more than they want cheap when it comes to personal electronics. Just because Dell rules the PC world with their $399 crapboxes doesn't mean they can just step into consumer product lines and have a serious impact.

[Silver @ Feb 6th 2006 1:00AM]

"the Dell DJ was competing with the iPod, not Engadget readers' designs. In case you didn't notice, the Dell DJ lost."

Good one. I love when people respond to product criticism by saying "let's see you do better." Newsflash to Brad Twitty: one doesn't need to be a card-carrying designer to recognize crappy design when he sees it. The Dell DJ looked like something from 1995, and everyone knows it.

[Chris Leckness @ Feb 6th 2006 1:29AM]

I have a Dell DJ Gen 1 20g since before it was released. I use it everyday still. It stays at work (unless I need to add some content) and I move it to where I am working that day. It does a great job, it plain works. I also have a 5g Dell DJ mini that I use in travel only, it works fine too. It's sad to see another Apple rival fall to the iPod.

I am not bashing the iPod as much as I used to, but I still don't like the BMWish Status symbol it carrys to our kids.

[mannyv @ Feb 6th 2006 2:34AM]

I remember when Dell dropped the iPod in favor of these Dell DJ things. Maybe now they'll start reselling iPods again?

Who manufactured these things for Dell anyway? Everything Dell sells is rebadged. Was it a Zen?

[Julian Bond @ Feb 6th 2006 3:09AM]

There's a gap in the market that nobody has really filled yet (except Vosonic). Think of it as an update to the Zen Xtra. Think of it as the geek's hackable iPod
- Easily upgradable generic 2.5" disk
- Replaceable battery
- USB mass storage. USB Host. No drivers.
- Open source firmware
- Just ignore Fairplay and PlaysForSure DRM but support MP3, AAC, Ogg, Flac.
- Optionally, put in a 3" upwards colour screen and support the common video formats.

Creative, Archos, iRiver, Dell. Are you listening? You *could* do this. Do you dare?

[Gadget @ Feb 6th 2006 4:00AM]

Personally I think my Palm T|X is a iPod killer. 128MB internal plus 2GB! SD card. Runs any software that I want. Plays any format that I want including live shoutcast streams and movies. Oh yeah GOT WIFI?

[Gadget @ Feb 6th 2006 6:20AM]

Personally I think my Palm T|X is a iPod killer. 128MB internal plus
2GB! SD card. Runs any software that I want. Plays any format that
I want including live shoutcast streams and movies. Oh yeah GOT
WIFI?

[Alex K. @ Feb 6th 2006 6:53AM]

I don't care about Dell.

I care about Creative.

I'm hoping that they never back out of the audio player game. But Dell, no, I don't care about them one bit, and I definatly don't care about their terrible PCs. They are the sole reason I switched to Mac (I guess I assumed that all PC companies were as crappy as Dell)

[DemaSRV @ Feb 6th 2006 9:23AM]

Apple with their iPods are *not* being innovative anymore, they were back with most of the earlier gens, but at this point, they just have so much popularity, they could release something crappy and people would go out and buy it.