I dunno, being the #1 music player on the market, and having the #1 music store probably give apple some extended power over these things, but I dunno.
Actually, it screams 'iPod' and has the patent pending and instantly recognizeable scroll wheel. I think it infringes, Apple will probably do something just like they did to Future Power's iMac knockoff.
From what I can understand of there website, that little thing has some very cool features. If that thing is in the $100 dollar range, the iPod mini has some serious competition. Heck, I would get one if the price were right. 1.5GB, FM Tuner/recorder and possibly a transmitter, .ogg, .MP3, 24Bit surround sound, Microphone, Win/Mac.
The only thing that makes it more similar to the iPod than other MP3 players is the scroll-wheel with the button in the middle design, which seems pretty generic to me. I mean, how else can you have a solid state scroll wheel that lets you scroll continuously?
Apple invented the design though! Apple will and must protect it's designs, people cant just rip something off because it is genious, and get away with it. Design is one of the major things that set Apple apart, they will defend their originality ferociously.
If I may be the devil's advocate... A little competition is healthy. It keeps prices down and encourages innovation. This new iPod copy pushes the portable music player market a step further and will keep apple on it's toes.
If I may be the devil's advocate... A little competition is healthy. It keeps prices down and encourages innovation. This new iPod copy pushes the portable music player market a step further and will keep apple on it's toes.
Dont look at it like that, thinking as such is what causes the extinction of the people who come up with these good ideas and innovations. Years and millions in R&D must be protected.
A little competition is healthy. It keeps prices down and encourages innovation.
Quote:
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
Dont look at it like that, thinking as such is what causes the extinction of the people who come up with these good ideas and innovations. Years and millions in R&D must be protected.
That's right! We can't let systems like Apple and the Linux distros compete with Microsoft! Competition isn't any good. That might bring prices down, encourage innovation, and cause the extinction of the people that make Windows.
Errm, I mean... Apple's iPod. Yeah. Since it's Apple, they're exempt from things like this.
That's right! We can't let systems like Apple and the Linux distros compete with Microsoft! Competition isn't any good. That might bring prices down, encourage innovation, and cause the extinction of the people that make Windows.
Errm, I mean... Apple's iPod. Yeah. Since it's Apple, they're exempt from things like this.
There can be competition without copyright infringement! An MP3 player with nearly the same form factor as this one, with the same capacity, but DIFFERENT design would still be competition. Competition is indeed very good, but legal competition. And wait, that is right, because it is Apple they are to an extent exempt from this. Being the little guy has its advantage in that way. They are big enough to be taken seriously in the courts, but small enough that these things pose real threats to their bottom line, you cant say the same with Microsoft.
There can be competition without copyright infringement! An MP3 player with nearly the same form factor as this one, with the same capacity, but DIFFERENT design would still be competition. Competition is indeed very good, but legal competition. And wait, that is right, because it is Apple they are to an extent exempt from this. Being the little guy has its advantage in that way. They are big enough to be taken seriously in the courts, but small enough that these things pose real threats to their bottom line, you cant say the same with Microsoft.
I agree. This has more of a similarity to the (old) iPod than the eMachine had to the iMac.
That's right! We can't let systems like Apple and the Linux distros compete with Microsoft! Competition isn't any good. That might bring prices down, encourage innovation, and cause the extinction of the people that make Windows.
Errm, I mean... Apple's iPod. Yeah. Since it's Apple, they're exempt from things like this.
Looks like a pretty nice device to me. The fact that it does Ogg would more or less seal the deal for my freind who is holding off on an iPod because he rips all his music to Ogg. Also has some other nice features like fm tuner/transmitter.
There can be competition without copyright infringement! An MP3 player with nearly the same form factor as this one, with the same capacity, but DIFFERENT design would still be competition. Competition is indeed very good, but legal competition. And wait, that is right, because it is Apple they are to an extent exempt from this. Being the little guy has its advantage in that way. They are big enough to be taken seriously in the courts, but small enough that these things pose real threats to their bottom line, you cant say the same with Microsoft.
This design doesn't infringe copyright. If anything it's the same as the eMachines thing, trademark dilution. Except this player borrows some of the GENERIC iPod elements, like a screen and a round scroll wheel... oh, and the screen is ABOVE the round scroll wheel. That's it. Oh, and it's the colour white. Does Apple own the colour white?
This thing might be inspired by the iPod, but it certainly doesn't rip it off. The design elements it has in common are of the obvious variety.
And guess what, market control isn't about how big a company is, but how big a company is in a SINGLE MARKET. And Apple's the biggest fish there is in the MP3 player market.
You are being a total blind fanboy, "Apple can do no wrong, all of Apple's competitors should be punished". Grow up, please.
Apple has a "patent pending" on the mini scroll wheel. Not the previous mechanical or touch versions on the iPods.
I find it amusing that "The Beatles" are shown on the screen. No legal download site has rights to them (other then the a few pre-EMI recordings without Ringo.)
This design doesn't infringe copyright. If anything it's the same as the eMachines thing, trademark dilution. Except this player borrows some of the GENERIC iPod elements, like a screen and a round scroll wheel... oh, and the screen is ABOVE the round scroll wheel. That's it. Oh, and it's the colour white. Does Apple own the colour white?
This thing might be inspired by the iPod, but it certainly doesn't rip it off. The design elements it has in common are of the obvious variety.
And guess what, market control isn't about how big a company is, but how big a company is in a SINGLE MARKET. And Apple's the biggest fish there is in the MP3 player market.
You are being a total blind fanboy, "Apple can do no wrong, all of Apple's competitors should be punished". Grow up, please.
Barto
There is nothing generic about the iPod, years of development and R&D make for a pretty specific set of features and design. Product dilution, copyright infringement? In any case, IT IS A RIP OFF of the DESIGN of Apple's iPod.
Comments
could apple really do anything about this?
I mean, it's a flash-based player and all.
I dunno, being the #1 music player on the market, and having the #1 music store probably give apple some extended power over these things, but I dunno.
Originally posted by CosmoNut
It's not similar enough.
Actually, it screams 'iPod' and has the patent pending and instantly recognizeable scroll wheel. I think it infringes, Apple will probably do something just like they did to Future Power's iMac knockoff.
Barto
Originally posted by CosmoNut
It's not similar enough.
No... it is.
"but it has curved sides!"
Originally posted by Ebby
If I may be the devil's advocate... A little competition is healthy. It keeps prices down and encourages innovation. This new iPod copy pushes the portable music player market a step further and will keep apple on it's toes.
Dont look at it like that, thinking as such is what causes the extinction of the people who come up with these good ideas and innovations. Years and millions in R&D must be protected.
Originally posted by Ebby
A little competition is healthy. It keeps prices down and encourages innovation.
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
Dont look at it like that, thinking as such is what causes the extinction of the people who come up with these good ideas and innovations. Years and millions in R&D must be protected.
That's right! We can't let systems like Apple and the Linux distros compete with Microsoft! Competition isn't any good. That might bring prices down, encourage innovation, and cause the extinction of the people that make Windows.
Errm, I mean... Apple's iPod. Yeah. Since it's Apple, they're exempt from things like this.
Originally posted by Brad
That's right! We can't let systems like Apple and the Linux distros compete with Microsoft! Competition isn't any good. That might bring prices down, encourage innovation, and cause the extinction of the people that make Windows.
Errm, I mean... Apple's iPod. Yeah. Since it's Apple, they're exempt from things like this.
There can be competition without copyright infringement! An MP3 player with nearly the same form factor as this one, with the same capacity, but DIFFERENT design would still be competition. Competition is indeed very good, but legal competition. And wait, that is right, because it is Apple they are to an extent exempt from this. Being the little guy has its advantage in that way. They are big enough to be taken seriously in the courts, but small enough that these things pose real threats to their bottom line, you cant say the same with Microsoft.
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
There can be competition without copyright infringement! An MP3 player with nearly the same form factor as this one, with the same capacity, but DIFFERENT design would still be competition. Competition is indeed very good, but legal competition. And wait, that is right, because it is Apple they are to an extent exempt from this. Being the little guy has its advantage in that way. They are big enough to be taken seriously in the courts, but small enough that these things pose real threats to their bottom line, you cant say the same with Microsoft.
I agree. This has more of a similarity to the (old) iPod than the eMachine had to the iMac.
Originally posted by Brad
That's right! We can't let systems like Apple and the Linux distros compete with Microsoft! Competition isn't any good. That might bring prices down, encourage innovation, and cause the extinction of the people that make Windows.
Errm, I mean... Apple's iPod. Yeah. Since it's Apple, they're exempt from things like this.
Troll!
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
There can be competition without copyright infringement! An MP3 player with nearly the same form factor as this one, with the same capacity, but DIFFERENT design would still be competition. Competition is indeed very good, but legal competition. And wait, that is right, because it is Apple they are to an extent exempt from this. Being the little guy has its advantage in that way. They are big enough to be taken seriously in the courts, but small enough that these things pose real threats to their bottom line, you cant say the same with Microsoft.
This design doesn't infringe copyright. If anything it's the same as the eMachines thing, trademark dilution. Except this player borrows some of the GENERIC iPod elements, like a screen and a round scroll wheel... oh, and the screen is ABOVE the round scroll wheel. That's it. Oh, and it's the colour white. Does Apple own the colour white?
This thing might be inspired by the iPod, but it certainly doesn't rip it off. The design elements it has in common are of the obvious variety.
And guess what, market control isn't about how big a company is, but how big a company is in a SINGLE MARKET. And Apple's the biggest fish there is in the MP3 player market.
You are being a total blind fanboy, "Apple can do no wrong, all of Apple's competitors should be punished". Grow up, please.
Barto
I find it amusing that "The Beatles" are shown on the screen. No legal download site has rights to them (other then the a few pre-EMI recordings without Ringo.)
Originally posted by Barto
This design doesn't infringe copyright. If anything it's the same as the eMachines thing, trademark dilution. Except this player borrows some of the GENERIC iPod elements, like a screen and a round scroll wheel... oh, and the screen is ABOVE the round scroll wheel. That's it. Oh, and it's the colour white. Does Apple own the colour white?
This thing might be inspired by the iPod, but it certainly doesn't rip it off. The design elements it has in common are of the obvious variety.
And guess what, market control isn't about how big a company is, but how big a company is in a SINGLE MARKET. And Apple's the biggest fish there is in the MP3 player market.
You are being a total blind fanboy, "Apple can do no wrong, all of Apple's competitors should be punished". Grow up, please.
Barto
There is nothing generic about the iPod, years of development and R&D make for a pretty specific set of features and design. Product dilution, copyright infringement? In any case, IT IS A RIP OFF of the DESIGN of Apple's iPod.