Microsoft prepares 'iPod killer' for Europe

The gadgets will run Microsoft's yet-to-be-unveiled Portable Media Center software and represent a direct assault on Apple?s hot-selling digital music player.

The story "Microsoft prepares 'iPod killer' for Europe" published March 17, 2004 at 7:58 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

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[wrwjpn]

iPod Killer???

How can this be a killer? It is larger, heavier, and more <br />expensive. Do they think most people will watch video on a 2X3 <br />inch screen? What this will come to be is a money waster for <br />anybody who gets one. Also will this be as susceptible to virus <br />as the rest of MS products? I will wait until there is a viable <br />alternative to the iPod, maybe Virgin, will come up with one to <br />go with their upcoming music store.

iPod Killer?

Yeah, and people are going to want to carry a brick around in <br />their pocket. Apple seems to do a few things VERY right, <br />whereas, in their typical shotgun fashion, Microsoft is a jack of <br />all trades, mastering none.

ipod squasher/killer

I think the only way this monster could possibly kill the <br />ipod would be to lay it on top of it! Or if there was a price <br />war for the highest price in media players. And since<br />Microsoft <br />is programming it's software, it might just kill itself....

This article is a premature April 1st joke right?

Could have sworn only a couple of months ago CNET reported <br />iPod's imminent demise at the hand of Bill and Mike's Digital<br />Jokebox... err, I mean Jukebox. Then a couple of weeks ago, it <br />was the Dick &#38; Bill tag teaming Steve at Virgin stores, and now <br />it's Microsoft and Creative vs Apple in Europe??? Then again, <br />maybe the last two news items are related.<br /><br />Yeah, I can picture it now... a bunch of Brits (Swedes or Danes) <br />down at the neighborhood Virgin store, having a cuppa (or <br />whatever it is that Swedes &#38; Danes have) at the expresso bar <br />while waiting for their movies, videos or what have you to <br />upload into their brick just so they can catch the latest <br />hollywood blockbuster or teeny-bopper video in a teeny-tiny <br />screen on their hours long daily commute to work.

$800?? Really??

For a couple hundred more you can get an ibook and watch <br />DVDs, read downloaded emails, listen to music, etc. <br />etc....Do they really think people will spend that much on a <br />player just to watch video on a 2x3 screen? Then you have <br />to go to a Microsoft website to download media in <br />Microsoft's proprietary technology? Isn't Real complaining <br />about that with the iPod? I don't see this going anywhere, <br />much less killing the ipod as we know it.