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HP to add WMA to iPod? Pricing vs. size on iPod mini

updated 12:50 pm EST, Mon January 12, 2004

HP to add WMA to iPod?

HP will be working with Apple to add support for "Microsoft's superior in the next 12 months.

by MacNN Staff

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01/12, 01:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
hmmm

How is WMA superior to AAC or MP3? It is totally proprietary currently isnt it? Thats lame.

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01/12, 01:03pm | report spam | close Reply |
The Size

It was the size of the iPod mini that sold me. I need something ultra-portable or I wouldn't use it. Yes my Music library is much larger than the 4 GB size of the iPod, but with a clever Smart Playlist I keep my most played songs (most likely my favorites) and I keep the list limited to 3.5 GB and then I have a second list for Manually placing other songs (like a new album I just got). I may later down the road get another larger iPod to take on extended vacations, but I think the 1000 songs that will fit on the iPod will be enough when I go to the YMCA.

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01/12, 01:03pm | report spam | close Reply |
Paul Thurrott

Is the biggest Microsoft lackey you'll find... he insists that WMA is dominating the market, and that iTunes, despite its success, its the anomaly, and AAC is "controversial."

This guy is the editor for Windows & .NET magazine... go to his web site, he goes on a massive tirade on how Mac gaming sucks, and then pats himself on the back for vanquishing Apple... of course he'll take whatever chance to rain on Apple's parade.

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01/12, 01:10pm | report spam | close Reply |
Superior = Crippled now

Apparently, 'superior' is a synonym for 'crippled' now...

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01/12, 01:21pm | report spam | close Reply |
hopefully

Steve just told HP that Apple would "look into supporting WMA" but arent going to do it. Superior my a**.

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01/12, 01:23pm | report spam | close Reply |
Thurott

What an asslick he is.
I guess everyone comparing the latest MP3 player to iPod
has completely escaped this wonder?

AAC is superior.
WMA? Proprietary and from M$.
Apple is still here and stronger than ever! Thanks to Steve Jobs.

Suck it a******.

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01/12, 01:24pm | report spam | close Reply |
They will support WMA.

They will in order to sell the iPod to idiot windows users who
don't know to look any further than CTRL-ALT-DEL every 1 out
of 3 boots.

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01/12, 01:29pm | report spam | close Reply |
I musta missed something

When did WMA become "Superior" heck MP3 sounds better than WMA, and AAC is based on MPEG-4 so how can it not be the best.

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01/12, 01:35pm | report spam | close Reply |
apple w****

if that is what it takes, you'll be SURE that apple will do it.

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01/12, 01:45pm | report spam | close Reply |
superior?

Pfft.

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01/12, 01:49pm | report spam | close Reply |
Who the h***?

Who the h*** is Connected Home Media, and why do they think that by simply floating a theory they are breaking a story? They offered no evidence beyond pure speculation, which isn't surprising given it's a no-name magazine with no reputation to worry about.

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01/12, 02:02pm | report spam | close Reply |
Who cares...

Apple's stock is up on the day! Another couple of days like this, and I can get out from under most of my holdings at a profit! Go unsubstantiated rumors!

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01/12, 02:06pm | report spam | close Reply |
hmm

WMA superior? No.

Adding WMA support to iPods good idea? Probably. (I know several people who would buy an iPod if this happened. If iTMS is just a way to drive iPod sales, then so would this, right? Frankly, as much as I hate WMA, I wish it had already happened.)

Is this story legit? Not sure. This guy isn't the first I would trust when it comes to an Apple rumor. I'll wait for some confirmation from someone a bit more reputable.

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01/12, 02:10pm | report spam | close Reply |
You're too bright, eh?

There is no way AAC is "superior" to any other codec. MP3, WMA, AAC, it's all relative. They all produce similar results.

And you're missing the point, which is that WMA support in the iPod would be a GOOD THING.

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01/12, 02:28pm | report spam | close Reply |
support WMA

Steve won't let that happen. HP is the way that AAC will become the standard for music compression.

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01/12, 02:33pm | report spam | close Reply |
WTF?

"There is no way AAC is "superior" to any other codec. MP3, WMA, AAC, it's all relative."

Wrong!

"And you're missing the point, which is that WMA support in the iPod would be a GOOD THING. "

-no!
there's a format war going on here and this guy wants to concede?

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01/12, 02:34pm | report spam | close Reply |
Market Share...

When I first heard of the H-pod, I thought it was a way to further the AAC format as the market standard and thus, a good idea. I'm not sure what the advantage would be to Apple to allow WMA on H-pods but not their own. Seems to defeat the purpose of the co-op. Why not sell Powerbooks through HP with XP on them. They could make them the same a**-blue.

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01/12, 02:39pm | report spam | close Reply |
WMA on HiPod

It is Apples way of giving the world of windows lusers a chance
to use the more superior iPod with WMA... oh well. Their lossy.

LOL
Get it? Lossy? Lusers?
Ah-hem.. ohkeedokee.

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01/12, 02:40pm | report spam | close Reply |
Market Share...

When I first heard of the H-pod, I thought it was a way to further the AAC format as the market standard and thus, a good idea. I'm not sure what the advantage would be to Apple to allow WMA on H-pods but not their own. Seems to defeat the purpose of the co-op. Why not sell Powerbooks through HP with XP on them. They could make them the same a**-blue.

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01/12, 03:48pm | report spam | close Reply |
huh?

if Apple wanted to add WMP, why would Apple need HP's help. Dumb.

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01/12, 04:00pm | report spam | close Reply |
who cares...

You know, the Linux guys like to thing Ogg Vorbis is "superior" so who's going to argue that Microsoft junkies think their format is
"superior".

The bottom line here is that if it helps sell more iPods and thus gain more market share for Apple (HP not withstanding) then I'm all for it. Heck, if Apple bring us WMA to iTunes on the Mac I couldn't care less. They just need to keep AAC for the music store and keep the iTunes defaults ripping to MP3 or AAC and we can still push that format.

WMA for music players like this is still not the predominant format out there. People (the general masses) still have not figured out that buying into Windows is locking yourself into a proprietary format and thus MS is going to control what you can and cannot do. Apple on the other hand abides by open industry standards (my how times have changed! For the better) and thus will stand to benefit in the long-terms when people finally wake up one day and see what kind of mess they are in. Europeans governments are waking up in drove to UNIX/Linux. In the U.S., IBM is next. Once others see this then others will follow eventually.

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01/12, 04:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
clever

Apple would probably not ever pay Microsoft WMA licensing fees - so this way, Apple branded iPods are AAC only, while HP-pods may support WMA but then I'd bet Steve insisted that HP pay the licensing fees to Microsoft. Win-win situation for Apple. Plus, the mini is going to be Apple's future anyway... neat.

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01/12, 04:10pm | report spam | close Reply |
This Thurrott idiot...

is everywhere it seems. Or maybe that MaCNN has fun quoting him. Anyway, it just rubs me the wrong way that someone in his "position" is given a forum to play the Microsoft tune, and with no one to rebutt his BS in the tech journals that use his material. I'd love to see something like Point-CounterPoint with this guy... he'd be ripped to shreds.

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01/12, 04:14pm | report spam | close Reply |
I love it...

windoze fools are now speculating and drooling over the thought of their software being on Apple's hardware. This is all so hilarious!

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01/12, 04:59pm | report spam | close Reply |
No way

Apple will not let the iPod play WMA files.

Instead, iTunes will let the user migrate his WMA files into MP3 or AAC format. iTunes could play/burn protected WMA into an AIFF format and then convert back to MP3 or AAC. Kind of like the way you can convert protected iTMS AAC files to unprotected MP3.

MS takes a bullet! Go Apple and HP!!

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01/12, 06:36pm | report spam | close Reply |
Nothing to see here

I had a multi-email flame-fest with him about this, accusing him of S***** journalism. Here's his response:

"It's not about journalism. It's my Web site, and I reserve the right to editorialize."

So, the question is, why is anyone even looking at a totally unsubstantiated rumor posted on Paul "It's not about journalism" Thurrott's website?

Move along...

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01/12, 11:58pm | report spam | close Reply |
ACC..

is much better than that cracking smoking joker. Window software is c***. And the authur is a moron.

f*** him. d*** Cheney lov'in, condolezza rice sucking demon from h***.

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01/13, 12:38am | report spam | close Reply |
DOS

DENAIL OF SREVICE ATACK ON THE WINSOOPER SITE TONIGHT YEAH!!

haxk that shizzle up my nizzle, beootches.

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01/13, 03:35am | report spam | close Reply |
Rant: Competitors DGI!!!

DGI (don't get it!)

I just watched CNET's video(s) at CES from RCA's digital player to all the other commentary out there on the web or tv commentary.

Either everyones a sleep or I am the only one that knows that the iPOD works on a PC or a Mac with either iTunes, MusicMatch, or various other programs with the addition of various utilities like XPlay, etc.

The RCA rep was asked about their new 40GB for around $400 would compete with an iPOD -- get this, its available for PC which have a larger install base and can download legal music from stores like MusicMatch. WTF! Is this guy for real. He even makes out like the iPOD doesn't even know what an MP3 file is or MP4 (AAC) for that matter.

Is it me... or is everyone else living under a rock?

WMA aside... who wants something other than an iPOD? What the new media players that embrace watching movie clips, listen to wma, etc. devices. That's what a Gameboy is for ... or a PDA, or heck a Handheld DVD player. I don't see why everyone would care about a multi media player except for the gadget geek who has everything (small but rich market!)

Rant over --

Just can't beleive that everyone who hates anything Apple to stand up and spout crud/fud about something they don't understand and expect their customers to respect them... Way to go RCA (insert x,y,z company)>?

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