BenQ's new MusiQ rivals iPod shuffle
updated 12:15 pm EST, Fri December 1, 2006
MusiQ rivals iPod shuffle
BenQ today unveiled the MusiQ, a screen-less flash player aimed directly at the increasingly popular iPod shuffle. The player resembles a military dog tag and is built out of brushed aluminum and magnesium, and attaches easily through a chain to a keychain or necklace, according to Electronista. The base players contain only 512MB or 1GB of flash memory depending on the model; however, a built-in microSD card slot can more than double the song capacity. Both will ship with a his or hers matching decorative tag, BenQ says: a "steel wings" logo will be etched on one side of the tag for men, while a "magic beans" floral design exists for women. The player includes a metal earphone chain and will launch first in China on December 15th. The 512MB version will retail for $88 US; 1GB pricing has not been released.
Hmmmm....
12/01, 12:24pm reply
I kinda like it.
unity@mac.com
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2005
Hmmm....
12/01, 01:11pm reply
It's more expensive than the Shuffle. DOA.
diamondsw
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2000
Yes more expensive
12/01, 01:34pm reply
I would expect it to be since it has a MicroSD slot. I like that feature. I'll give it a look for sure.
d_oob
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2003
not sure I like it
12/01, 01:55pm reply
I like the "dog tag" idea, but the etching kills it for me. As far as I can see, they spell it "MüsiQ", with an umlaut-u. I just plain hate those desperate word creations, especially when they come with intercapitalization for no good reason.
Nice touch with the card slot, but I wouldn't be seen dead with something having "MüsiQ" written on it.
Jeronimo2000
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Very cool idea
12/01, 02:03pm reply
...especially the dog tag thing.
milhouse
Mac Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2001
Re to Jeronimo2000
12/01, 06:15pm reply
"I just plain hate those desperate word creations, especially when they come with intercapitalization for no good reason."
Isn't that precisely what Apple did with "iPod"? They created a new word and threw a random capital letter in there just for the h*** of it? D'you hate that too? Or indeed ANY of Apple's iProducts.
Geobunny
Grizzled Veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
Brilliant! iPod killer!
12/02, 12:26am reply
Well, at least it would stand a chance if it were priced reasonably. One wonders what kind of a marketing genius would have the brain-dead idea to price the 512MB higher than the 1GB iPod shuffle...
LordJohnWhorfin
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2002
Judge for Yourself
12/02, 12:06pm reply
iPod killer, I doubt.
Check out BenQ' advertising campaign:
http://www.benq.com.cn/musiq/
It sure looks like the rubble of the World Trade Center in the background.
BenQ won't get any money from me with cheap ploys like that!
JeffHarris
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 1999
re to geobunny
12/02, 12:12pm reply
He said "for no good reason". Apple had already established the i + capitalized word as a basic naming scheme for their consumer products (iMac, iTunes, etc.). And there was a good reason for it initially, as it was meant to emphasize the Internet connectivity of the original iMac.... since that time, it seems like the "i" in these product names doesn't necessarily mean "Internet" any more, but actually more represents the pronoun "i", the personal nature of the product. When they came up with the iPod name, it fit into the existing naming scheme, and helped to emphasize the integration with iTunes, etc.
They didn't throw a "random capital letter in there just for the h*** of it", as you said. It isn't random (it's the capitalized word after "i" like every other product with the same naming scheme).
But for the MusiQ, there isn't any specific reason that can be seen for either the umlaut (which actually changes how it should be pronounced, in a bizarre way), or the capitalization of the Q, which doesn't signify anything.
Elektrix
Dedicated MacNNer
Joined: Sep 2001
MüsiQ
12/03, 10:48pm reply
Isn't the "Q" part of MüsiQ in line with the whole "BenQ" thing?
ccsccs7
Mac Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2001