Olympus was in the MP3 Player market? That's news to me... ok then...

Damn beat me to it.. ;o(

Pretty neat looking player.

... it did look like it was 'neat', but never used one.

I guess this means that Apple share is just going to rise further!

Yea, I remember less than a year ago or less they release an MP3 player that was hyped as the iPod killer because it had a built in camera.

I did like the idea of a PDA style touch screen interface on the Olympus player - imagine that combined with Apple interface design - when you need one, up pops a 'click wheel'. Otherwise it backs off for a full screen video experience.

Competition is actually a good thing, and Olympus' players were some of the coolest looking (if stupidest named) on the market, but why do I heard that Queen song playing in my head?

Also:

"I did like the idea of a PDA style touch screen interface on the Olympus player - imagine that combined with Apple interface design - when you need one, up pops a 'click wheel'. Otherwise it backs off for a full screen video experience."

I wouldn't be at all surprised if this is what Apple eventually does with a full-on video iPod in a year or two or whenever the market is ready to go all the way. Maybe not--the tacticle feedback of the clickwheel is truly awesome--but it's the most logical way to deal with the issue, and at least as far as the wheel goes it's feasable. Maybe back to the 3rd gen layout?

Actually, the surprising thing is that companies are leaving the MP3 player market but the online retailers keep trying to make a buck. If the numbers are to be believed, Apple hardly makes any money from theirs; instead using it to promote the iPod. So what about those stores that aren't directly affiliated with any particular hardware device? How do they stay in the game?

How are online retailers staying in the game? BUYMUSIC.COM has it's BUY.COM business to cover it's loss. Real has its settlement money from MS to cover its lost and sustain it for a while. Napster has money from selling its Roxio devision to cover its loss and sustain it for a while. Yahoo has its advertisement and other devision. Walmart has its other business.

Most have backup revenue to wait it out. Napster only as back up cash. No backup revenue. When the money runs out they are screwed, so they are hoping and praying subscription takes off.