iPod look alike product

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mcqmcq
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Just saw this on Macminute:



e.Digital, the company that created the Treo mp3 player (ugh) has made a press release about a new product that looks sorta like the iPod. The Odyssey Jukebox (still looks ugly but it's shape/button positioning looks more like the iPod) has a 20 GB hard drive, voice navigation, fm tuner, and the ability to do voice-recording. USB 2 connection.



<a href="http://www.edig.com/news/releases/pr072202.html"; target="_blank">Odyssey Jukebox</a>
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  • Reply 1 of 33
    stroszekstroszek Posts: 801member
    looks like an iPod that got hit with an ugly stick to me.
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  • Reply 2 of 33
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    Wow, that thing is a total copy of the iPod, just in metal instead of white plastic. I mean, it looks exactly like an iPod with a new skin. Actually it's one of the few Apple-imitations that looks okay. I think the iPod looks better, but at least this one isn't over-styled like many.



    Even the UI is the same! Maybe Apple Legal is going to get on this one... if not for the physical appearance then for the "look and feel" of the UI. We'll have to see.
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  • Reply 3 of 33
    thegeldingthegelding Posts: 3,230member
    apple might go after them...looks alittle too similar, even the program in the screen looks like the iPod's navigation...g
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  • Reply 3 of 33
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    Yeah, a big ugly stick <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
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  • Reply 5 of 33
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    Wow. This is interesting. I wonder if it's the same HD as the iPod?



    If any mod sees this, please move to the Digital Hub forum. Thanks.
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  • Reply 6 of 33
    xionjaxionja Posts: 504member
    Its the first of the iPod wannabe's
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  • Reply 7 of 33
    mrbilldatamrbilldata Posts: 489member
    [quote]Originally posted by xionja:

    <strong>Its the first of the iPod wannabe's</strong><hr></blockquote>



    More like an iPod Shouldabin.



    FM and Microphone are mega-mega improvements.
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  • Reply 8 of 33
    screedscreed Posts: 1,077member
    Yes, I put good money on the table that Apple's Legal Panzer division is rolling.



    Screed
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  • Reply 9 of 33
    alcimedesalcimedes Posts: 5,486member
    i'm sorry, but what the hell are they going to sue about?



    you use text menus to navigate, we did that first!



    or "you have a small form factor, that was our idea"



    fact is these mp3 players are built around the drives they contain. if the drive is a specific shape, any mp3 player holding that drive will have specific size limitations. the smaller you make the device, the more it will conform to the shape of the HD inside.



    as for "look and feel" that's total crap.



    contextual menus have been around for ages. don't try to tell me that Apple owns the look and feel of using text to navigate through a list.



    then there's the USB 2.0 and firewire bit. all nice, industry standards. again, nothing unique there.



    they could even have a scroll wheel and get away with it. why? 'cause you can't have a "look and feel" on a scroll wheel. it happens to be a very convienient way to go through a lot of files. that's why they're on mice.



    it's like saying that Jeep copied Ford with the steering wheel.



    sheesh.



    apple legal won't even burp on this one, IMO
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  • Reply 10 of 33
    macsrgood4umacsrgood4u Posts: 3,007member
    eMachines didn't think their iMac rip-off would be stopped, but it was. The whole form factor is obviously a copy of the iPod. Yes, you can't stop people from using a screen, or scroll wheel or whatever. But when the object looks almost exactly like another one and is obviously designed to confuse or mislead... well, Apple DOES have a right to sue. Interesting that with all the recent MP3 players coming out few if any have Firewire.
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  • Reply 11 of 33
    alcimedesalcimedes Posts: 5,486member
    yes, but if a device is built around an internal HD that is a limiting factor. if you're trying to make something as small and compact as possible, the internal HD in this case is largest item you have to build around.



    you have no choice but to make it that size/shape.



    as for the e-machines, i believe the product was similarly colored, which is where you get toasted. no reason to have something be the exact same color, especially bondi blue. (as opposed to the then typical beige)



    apple won that one because they tried to make it look like an iMac when they didn't have to. the coloration was a big factor.



    they won't be able to do anything about this one.
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  • Reply 12 of 33
    newnew Posts: 3,244member
    wow... voice navigation and FM tuner... can't wait for the next ipod...
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  • Reply 13 of 33
    mrbilldatamrbilldata Posts: 489member
    [quote]Originally posted by MacsRGood4U:

    <strong>...Interesting that with all the recent MP3 players coming out few if any have Firewire.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Why should they ?



    Bill Gates wants it that way.



    And what Bill Gates wants... Bill Gates gets. <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
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  • Reply 14 of 33
    groundhog trollgroundhog troll Posts: 3member
    Does look like the iPod only better. I like the blue lighted screen better than the whtish looking iPods.



    I agree that I dont like imitators either.
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  • Reply 15 of 33
    eric reideric reid Posts: 25member
    Many will see this as a copy of the iPod, but it's just simply competition. It will force apple to continue to make their product stronger and better than anything else on the market. What's so wrong a little competition, Apple's not Microsoft? The better product will hopefully prevail and be stronger because of it.



    [ 07-22-2002: Message edited by: Eric Reid ]</p>
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  • Reply 16 of 33
    macsrgood4umacsrgood4u Posts: 3,007member
    Before the iPod, MP3 players were available in many varied designs. They still are. There's a slew of products out there that don't look like the iPod. Why eDigital decided all of a sudden to make their product look similar is, well, fishy. The HD has absolutely no relationship to what the product will look like. In the end, it's up to the lawyers to decide if an infringement applies here. I think Apple will make some kind of announcement.



    [ 07-22-2002: Message edited by: MacsRGood4U ]</p>
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  • Reply 17 of 33
    macsrgood4umacsrgood4u Posts: 3,007member
    The eMachine had a similar form factor. The color was partially the same but not completely. It was the form factor that caused them to discontinue it after Apple sued. That is why I believe Apple will persue this.
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  • Reply 18 of 33
    alcimedesalcimedes Posts: 5,486member
    [quote]Before the iPod, MP3 players were available in many varied designs. They still are. There's a slew of products out there that don't look like the iPod. Why eDigital decided all of a sudden to make their product look similar is, well, fishy. The HD has absolutely no relationship to what the product will look like.<hr></blockquote>



    ok, i'll try this again.



    yes, there are mp3 players of many different sizes.



    however, the smallest, high capacity mp3 players will be based entirely around the drive that's inside them.



    it's just like how all portable cd players are basically the same shape. they all have to be able to fit a CD in them. there's no way around that.



    along the same lines, all mp3 players using small internal HD's have to be able to fit that HD inside them.



    therefore, they can be no smaller than the HD, and have to be able to fit the HD inside. that give you a form factor approximately the same shape as a deck of cards, no matter who you are.



    just like portable cd players all have a roundish look to them because of the cd's that have to fit inside them.



    there's nothing here that's copying so much as the laws of physics demand that these mp3 players must be a certain size to fit their drives.



    [ 07-22-2002: Message edited by: alcimedes ]</p>
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  • Reply 19 of 33
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    Okay, actually it looks like alcimedes has a point. All PCs these days look the same. No one's suing anyone over that.



    I do believe that Apple could stand some real competition now and then, especially with products like the iPod that they're not forced to update as often.



    And since text-based OSes all have to be so similar, I couldn't see any real grounds for saying that they were copying. If the thing was white encased in lucite with stainless steel on the back, then maybe it would be considered a copy.
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  • Reply 20 of 33
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member


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