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Wizpy
I love music, my personal playlist spans somewhere over 2,000 (which actually isn't that many, compared to some, for example, I have repaired customer computers that contained well over 8,000 ,mp3s!). I listen to music constantly while I work at my computer and really enjoy listening to music while I drive (every good road trip needs a soundtrack). However, I am pretty fussy about what I listen to, not that I'm close-minded to new music (if it's good), which means that I really prefer listening to selected songs, as opposed to the limited selection present on commercial radio (not like we even have access to that many radio stations on the Island and don't even get me started on my objections to paying a monthly fee to listen to satellite radio).
Which means that when I am out and about I am limited to the few tracks I can burn onto CD-R compilation and listen to in my car's CD player. All of this means that I'm a total 'natch for owning a portable MP3 player, however, I still live an MP3 player free lifestyle, why?
The answer is simple: I really don't like any of the MP3 Players on the market. First of all, you can automatically strike out any el cheapo model from questionable manufacturers. This leaves about four brands: Apple's iPod, Microsoft's Zune, Creative's Zen and Sandisk's Sansa.
Let's start with the "big dawg" on the block: Apple's iPod. The long and short of it is that I will never forgive Apple for dumping the Apple II line in favour of Macintosh. A lot of Apple II users, including myself, were left out in the cold with thousands of dollars (back in the 80's and 90's thousands of dollars meant more than today) worth of equipment that was now functionally useless due to Apple's non-support.
But, I will attempt to step back from my personal experience and offer up some real world reasons why I don't like iPods. I will admit that iPods, especially the newer iPod Nanos are pretty darn sexy and I love the amount of storage space that the full iPods offer. However, one aspect of these players that usually isn't mentioned in regular press coverage is how proprietary the technology is. Songs have to be purchased from Apple's iTunes, you need to have iTunes software installed on your computer, you need iTunes to rip music from CDs that you already own, etc… And, of course, everything you download comes crippled by proprietary DRM (Digital Rights Management) software. Few things get me as worked up as DRM and I am well aware that there ware ways to "hack" through Apple's BS propriety, but I want something that works out of the box, not something that I have to mess with to get working the way I want it to work.
In a rare move, I will offer my support to Steve Jobs (evil! gasp!), as I do admire him for standing up to the recording companies with regards to equality in iTunes pricing.
In the end I guess I am just too much of a non-conformist to want to own such a dominant and ubiquitous product, despite Apple's advertising blitz about how cool earbuds with white wires are, I can't imagine anything more garish and uncool.
Next, the new kid on the block: Microsoft's Zune. Let's hope I can be slightly less verbose in my aversion to this little "treat". Again, a highly proprietary piece of hardware, then there's all the trouble with MS breaking it's promises to conform to the "Plays for Sure" standard by incorporating an entirely new DRM (shudder) scheme into the Zune. Not to mention the crazy "points" system that their online store employs, like really, if a song costs a dollar, it should cost an f-in dollar, not 79 points, especially when you're forced to buy a minimum of 400 points at a time!
If all that isn't enough, here's my simple rule: Never, ever, ever be an early (first generation) adopter of a new technology. Knowing Microsoft, the 2007 version of the Zune will have an entirely new DRM system that will render 1st gen Zunes functionally useless or some other BS to screw over early adopters.
Sandisk's Sansa players are also relatively new, but actually don't seem too bad, their new "Rhapsody" series players are offering video and the ability to expand storage capacity with additional micro SD cards (not that I have ever seen a micro SD card at any retail outlet), but at least it's more than what you can accomplish with an iPod Nano for the same price and they're also just straight MP3 players, so no messing around with DRM issues.
At this point my only real objection is the limited storage capacity, I would simply prefer more than 8 gigs (without buying add-ons) if I'm also going to be hauling around video clips.
This leaves the Creative Lab's Zen players, which are actually my frontrunners, they offer storage capacity on the order of the iPod, with 60gb models available (Creative Zen Vision W, which also has a Compact Flash slot), no DRM woes (when will Apple and MS learn?), and a brand name that I've actually been able to trust for years (I got my first 8-bit Sound Blaster card in 1992 and while I played around with Aureal* cards in the 90's I'm now back to Creative Labs with their excellent X-Fi sound card) (*Aureal's 3D sound technology was so kickass for the time that they were eventually bought out by Creative Labs) I am pretty close to being sold on one of these beauties.
However, this just wouldn't be a "Technolust" post if there wasn't something really cool in the universe to lust over and here it is: The Wizpy.
So, what's makes the Wizpy so special? Well, let me try and round of all the cool features: This is a 60gb mp3/video player based on the Linux operating system (don't worry, it's fully Windows compatible) that also operates as portable external USB hard drive (Meaning you just have to plug it into the USB port of a computer to access the files it contains). This is a big "WOOT!" point for me, as I tend to carry around a lot of files for my everyday onsite computer repair work.
The Wizpy also offers a text file browser (just in case you want to read e-books while listening to music) and a built in FM-Receiver (not worth much on the island, but definitely cool for travelling).
But here's the real kicker: It's also designed as a Linux-boot disk. All you have to do is plug it in to a USB port, reboot the computer (making sure it's configured to boot from the external source) and voila! You have a fully functional Linux box. I know this feature sounds like it would only be of use to hackers, but I have to tell you, a lot of my repair work (especially spyware removal) revolves around booting to alternate operating systems in order to extract troublesome programs from XP based computers.
The Wizpy's only caveat? Looks like it's only going to be available in Japan! (oooo, major bummer!) Let's hope that the manufacturer (Turbolinux) wakes up to the "overseas" demand for this übercool piece of hardware!
Possible Correction: It has come to my attention that the original article I referenced about the Wizby may have incorrectly stated the device’s storage capacity.
The quote: “The Wizpy comes with a 60GB hard drive and measures in at 8.4 x 4.2 x 1.2cm.” from this source (now updated), appears to be a misquote based on “However, the 60g, 8.4 x 4.2 x 1.2cm…” from this source.
Basically, the weight of the device in the original article has become the incorrect storage space in the second article.
Furthermore, it seems that the Turbolinux installation on the now 4gb device possible uses up to 1.5gb of that storage. This, unfortunately, reduces the usefulness of this device from “must have” to “nice toy”.
There is one glimmer of hope in all of this, it seems that the device may make it on to the North American market after all, so, all-in-all, I’m still looking for the perfect MP3 player, but the “Wizby” is at least better than a kick in the arse with a frozen muckluck!
Posted by Dylon on November 24, 2006 12:05 PM |
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You had my interest piqued with the 60 gb storage reference. Unfortunately, the Wizpy will have only 4 gb of storage space left on its flash drive, with the Turbolinux OS and preinstalled applications taking up 1.5 gb. Maybe you confused the weight, which is going to be 60 g, for the storage capacity when you read a description. Alas.
April 2008