How to Sell More MP3 Players than Apple.

I'm on a personal search for THE best pocket media player. I keep finding GREAT players made by companies other than Apple. Yet Apple owns more than 70% of the player market, and no one else seems to have a clue how to compete. I know the secret, and I'm sharing it with you.

1. Steve Jobs is the face of Apple. He is the consumer's personal connection to the products. We hang on his every word, as if he is Moses just down from Mount Sinai. He is rock star, preacher, father figure, and mage. Name the face of any other media player company. You can't.

2. Apple products have memorable names; Nano, Touch, iPhone. They are both clever and descriptive. At best the competing products have a short letter/number to remember. It is more likely they have some lengthy cryptic model number as name, and as such are as memorable as 37 digit prime numbers. Take the Samsung YP-P2JCB, the Sony NWZ-S738FBNC, or the Philips SA5245BT for example. All fantastic players, but could you remember that Sony model to tell a friend about it?

That's it. It's that easy.

Appoint someone to be the spokesman for your entire media player line, and put him on TV and the internet. Give him a title of respect, and make sure he knows your products inside-out and is a fan of them. Give him a 20 year contract to let people know you're serious and that he will be the face of your products for a long, long time.

Now find simple, memorable names for your products. Drop anything that isn't a real word. That's right, NO ZUNE! Zune is a limited vision at the moment. Some of you can keep your category names. I like "Walkman", Sony. We trusted it until you went crazy with your model names. Sandisk you're on the right track with Shaker, Clip, View, Connect, etc.. That explains why you're in second place. Samsung you need names not letters for your players.

Of course the products have to be great. The ironic thing is that many are. Samsung and Sandisk, for example, have great products lines. Yet we don't know anyone at Samsung or Sandisk, and so there is no one we really trust at either company.

This blog is about predictions. The 4th Dimension is time, and in time someone will catch on. I predict the next non-apple MP3 player you WANT to buy will have a name you can remember, and that you'll know who speaks for it. Samsung please contact me. I have some advice for you. ;)

4D

The Best MP3 Players To Buy Your Kids This Christmas!

Kids. Plural. More than one. Twins maybe? Parents with more than one child who are looking for "equal" gifts to get each of your children are the target of this post. There are a few hundred MP3 players to choose from out there. These are the ones you should consider for siblings. Why? Each of the players mentioned in this post have a sharing feature. When these players are in close proximity they can share files including music and photos, and the Samsung P2 or T10 can play games one-to-one wirelessly between devices! All these players do a fine job of playing music, podcasts, FM radio and videos, and displaying photos. The two Samsung models can even display text files including ebooks in the .TXT format. The players I recommend are:

Samsung YP-T10 4GB

Samsung YP-P2 8GB

Microsoft Zune 8GB or 16GB or 120GB

The Samsung YP-T10 is the only one of the bunch that I haven't personally played with. It's the little brother of the Samsung P2, yet has most of it's features and a few tricks of its own. Generally available for around $100, this 4gb player features Bluetooth 2.0 for use with wireless headphones, file transfer, and potential* pairing with your Bluetooth enabled cell phone. The built-in microphone allows voice recording, and for two friendly siblings this means easy sending of recorded messages to each other via Bluetooth. The kids can even be in separate rooms, so long as they are within about 30ft of each other. The FM radio included allows recording of songs heard playing on your favorite local channels. Should one child capture a great song he/she thinks the other should know about, it can be sent wirelessly to the other T10 using Bluetooth again. The T10 comes in at least three colors.

The Samsung P2 is my personal favorite. It's a touchscreen player with a 3" 480 x 272 pixel widescreen. Available now at BestBuy for $179.99, it is exceptional for video playback. Large enough to make reading text files easy. Both the P2 and the T10 feature Samsung's DNSe 2.0 audio enhancement feature for optimizing the sound of music you're listening to through headphones. The P2 has a touchscreen interface which is user customizable. Clever use of touch, tap, double taps, arcs, and swipes on the screen allow very efficient access to all your media. It's Bluetooth allows simultaneous listening with two bluetooth headsets at once. You can pair the P2 with your bluetooth capable cell phone and use the P2 to receive or initiate phone calls. Transfer your cell phone's contact list to the P2 using bluetooth. Transfer any file on the P2 between it and your computer (assuming it has bluetooth), any other P2 or a T10. I use my P2 as a wireless headset for Skype phone calls on my iMac. The P2 includes 5 games, and two of them can be played one-to-one with another P2 or eventually* the T10 using bluetooth! Your children can be in separate rooms, or front and back seats of your crossover, so long as they are within 30 feet playing games against each other on their P2s. The P2 comes in Black, White, and a Burgundy Red.

Last there is Microsoft's Zune. You can get an 8gb model for $149.99, a 16gb model for $199.99, and a 120gb (larger) model for $249.99. All feature WiFi wireless networking. What I love about the Zune is the ability to "squirt" files wirelessly using wifi to other Zunes. Kids can send photos or music files to each other. The music files can be played on the other Zune for three days before they will self-delete. The Zune's wifi can also be used to synchronise media files on your PC with itself. You can access the online Zune marketplace for music purchase from the Zune, and download songs you purchase directly to the Zune. If the built-in FM radio plays a song you would like to own, you can mark it for subsequent purchase using info (RDS) the radio station has broadcast along with the song.

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All three players can play MP3 music files purchased or made from your own CDs. For kids just starting a music collection, all players work with subscription music services so an unlimited number of songs can be downloaded for a flat fee per month. The Samsungs work with Rhapsody, and Zunes work directly with the Zune Marketplace. It is not required to subscribe to these services, but they are a great legal way for kids to grow their personal music collections. Both brands have great PC-Based software to organize your media collection. You can download and try them out for free at:

Zune.NET

Samsung's Emodio

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Yes, your kids may have asked for iPods. While the iPods come in a rainbow of colors, and are seen being worn by 70%+ of the U.S. population, they are NOT the best sounding or most feature packed players out there. iTunes does not offer a subscription model for buying music. No iPod has an FM radio, which in addition to music would give your kids access to local news, weather, and event reports. No kid can follow the local radio broadcast of the high school football game on their iPod.

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IF you've got more than one child, and you treat them equally at Christmas and other gift-giving times, then you owe them the smartest MP3 players out there. With a Samsung T10 or P2, or the Microsoft Zune, they will be unique among their friends and the envy of all of them.

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4D

* The Samsung T10 is expecting a firmware update to enable gameplay between devices as well as "maybe" cell phone pairing with it's Bluetooth feature.

Samsung P2+ 8gb Touchscreen Now at BestBuy!

Samsung seems to be a little stingy with it's top-of-the-line media player in the USA. You used to be only able to find this great touchscreen player in a 4gb version at Best Buy stores, and to get your money's worth out of it had to update the firmware. Now you can buy the 8gb P2+ at Best Buy stores, although you may have to have a clerk look in a locked cabinet below the display to find one. Don't be fooled by that immature 4gb model they have on display. The 8gb P2+ has version 5.09 (BestBuy) firmware on it, and is ready to take on the world. At $179, the 8gb model is a little more expensive than the 8gb iPod Nano and Zune, but it's touchscreen and bluetooth capabilities make it easily worth the difference. The P2+ throws FM radio with recording, voice recording, cell phone syncing, and much more into the mix. Included in the box you'll find earbud style headphones, a charging/sync cable, a small stand, the P2, an installation CD, a screen protector, earbud covers, and an array of paperwork that includes a quick start guide.

The P2's main menu includes icons for Videos, Music, Pictures, FM Radio, Datacasts (Podcasts), Prime Pack (extras), Rhapsody Channels, Bluetooth, and Settings. Within Settings there is a Menu Style option that lets you
change the system Font, reset your skin (background photo), and delve further into menu design. Selecting Menu Design lets you choose from 13 different menus in 3 different styles. The styles include:



a Matrix array of icons, a Cosmos 3D spinning menu style, and a My Skin option with icons in a sliding row at the bottom so you can show off your background image (skin). There are hundreds of other very creative Matrix style menus (UCIs) you can download for free from emodio.com once you've installed the included software.

- Video can be WMV or Mpeg4.
- Music can be MP3, WMA, OGG, or AAC.
- Photos must be JPGs.
- FM radio includes 30 presets or manual tuning, recording radio into MP3 files, reception sensitivity changing, and region setting (Korea/US, Japan, Other).
- Within the Prime Pack there is an excellent Text reader that supports TXT files. The included software can also turn text files into audible MP3 files you can then put onto the P2 so you can "listen" to text when you're too distracted (driving, maybe?) to read it. Prime Pack also includes a file browser, 5 games, an alarm, calendar, address book, world clock, calculator, Voice Recorder, and subway route maps.

Bluetooth is what sets the P2 apart and above every other pocket media player out there. The P2's Bluetooth options include:
- Pairing with up to two bluetooth headsets.
- Pairing with a mobile (cell) phone.
- File transfer between other bluetooth enabled devices.
- You can also rename your device's P2's bluetooth identification.
- One to one wireless gameplay between P2s.

I'll stress the value of these features. By pairing with two headsets or bluetooth receivers of any type, TWO people can share the music wirelessly off the P2 at the same time. A third can listen with wired headphones. Own a cell phone? Once you've paired it with the P2 you can leave it in a purse or backpack while listening to your P2. When your phone receives a call the P2's music will pause and then allow you to answer the call FROM THE P2. You can also initiate calls from the P2 via your bluetooth cell phone, without touching that cell phone. I've also been able to use the mobile phone mode to pair with my PC and iMac and use the P2 as a wireless headset for Skype (Voice Over IP).

The P2 is slightly larger than the Zune or iPod Nano, yet still easily pocketable. Full specifications are HERE. You can see the cable connection and headphone jack on the bottom edge. The left edge has a Hold slider and a Power/Play/Pause button. The right edge has volume + and - buttons. The top edge has a slot through which a lanyard or wrist strap (not included) can be connected.

The P2 and P2+ win points with how well thought out the User Interface (UI) is. A simple tap on any icon will select it. A second tap will move you one step down into the menu structure. Yet a slightly longer touch will move you straight to the last played media for that icon. There is a back button at the bottom left. One tap moves you one step back in the menu structure. A touch will take you all the way back to the Home screen. I've got an iPod Touch, and find the P2's UI more efficient. Settings for each player are available within each player. Each player (music/video/photo/text) has far more settings you can adjust than any iPod player app does. Additionally, the external buttons mean you can control play and volume without looking at or touching the screen.

I can (and have) gone on and on about how great the Samsung P2 is. It is now $50 less expensive than when it first came out, and with the latest firmware has three times the features. There are plenty of accessories available for it. A few accessory sites of interest are:

eforcity.com, Noreveusa.com, Amazon.com

In addition the bluetooth in the P2 means all bluetooth headphone/headsets will work. You can buy bluetooth receivers for ipod docks to make any iPod dock work wirelessly with your P2. You can also find bluetooth transceivers to make your home stereo play the music off your P2 wirelessly.

Audio quality is superb. Of course you don't want to trust the included headphones for accurate music reproduction. With a good set of over-ear headphones or through your stereo your music will sound full and rich with no static or noise.

The 3" screen makes watching videos a joy. A great way to pass the time waiting for a plane or ON the plane. The P2 comes with three sample videos so you won't have to wait to appreciate how much better the P2 is at playing videos than any smaller screen device is. You've got direct control of screen brightness and video playback speed. You can bookmark locations in a video to return to. Lastly videos can be expanded, stretched or cropped to fill the screen.

Should you buy a Samsung P2 or P2 Plus? Absolutely! Get one for each family member since using bluetooth a few of the games can be played wirelessly against other P2s. You can also transfer files from one to the other.

4D

New iPod Nano Battles New Zune

Updates. OK, so the updates are here. Apple completely overhauled the iPod Nano, changing it's shape and updating it's software at the same time. Microsoft updated the Zune but as far as I can tell the new hardware looks the same as the old hardware. I picked up a black Nano 4th generation and a 3rd generation Zune, both 8gb versions. They appear to be the same length and width, but the Zune is a little thicker and a hair wider. The Nano's screen is also a little bit larger. The Zune sells for 99 cents more than the Nano. I installed the same music on each. Now it's time to see which is the best media player for the money. Nano Specifications HERE. Zune Specifications HERE.Looks. The Nano is clearly prettier. It has an anodized aluminum shell with a flat elliptical cross section. The Zune has an aluminum back and a plastic front. It remains a little brick. The weight difference between them is evident, yet barely of consequence in the hand.Both players play Music, Videos, and Photos. The Nano adds text files as Notes. You can't create them on the Nano, but you can read them. Both players have games. The Nano comes with three, and the Zune comes with two. There are more for each which can be downloaded and installed through their respective desktop software.

Shake! Here is where hardware starts to differ. The Nano has the same accelerometer in it as the iPhone and iPod Touch. It comes into play with music where tilting the Nano switches to cover flow and back. One of the included games uses it. Photos can be rotated to fill the screen by simply rotating the Nano. Lastly you can enable a shake of the Nano to advance the music app to the next song.
FM. The Zune has FM Radio including RDS data display. You can auto-seek or manually scan for stations. Stations can be saved as presets. Radio is incredibly useful, particularly in severe weather conditions. You get local news, sports and weather, and depending on what stations are within range you may have access to dozens of genres of free music to enjoy. Why Apple resists putting FM Radio in it's iPods is a mystery to me. The Zune 3.0 firmware goes one step farther with radio. Keep reading.

WIFI. The Zune has wifi, and with the 3.0 firmware takes more advantage of it than ever before. You can send a song or photo to any other Zune you're within wireless range of. I have to confess I've had my 80gb Zune for several months and haven't bumped into another Zune owner. With the 8gb Zune I can now verify that media sharing does work. Music transferred this way will play for three days before deleting itself. Four apps take advantage of the Zunes wifi. Marketplace is much the same as the iTunes store is on the iPhone. You can browse, sample, purchase and download songs directly over wifi. Social also uses wifi to find and connect you to other Zunes. The FM radio player now has an "Add to Cart" option. If a song has RDS data with it you can add it to your cart. If within wifi range the song you've tagged will download automatically. Lastly, the Zune can sync wirelessly with your PC once you've set it up.

UI. User interfaces are almost identical. Both players have a touch sensitive center controller. The Zune adds a Back/Home and a Pause/Play button. The Nano and other iPods are famous for their click wheel, but I found the Zune touchpad to be more sensitive and simpler to use than the Nano's wheel. You've got to run your finger in a clockwise or counterclockwise motion to move about the Nano's menus or volume control. The Zune pad is more intuitive with an up stroke moving you up a menu and a down stroke moving you down. Left and right also do the obvious moving you backward and forward through files or across categories to sort in the music player. The Nano gets a little more obvious with a dedicated Menu/Back and forward/back button zones on the wheel, but travelling up and down using the click wheel is more complicated. I recommend the Zune for ease of use.

Extras. The Nano comes with an Extras menu option. It includes alarms and a sleep timer, Calendar(s) with To Do's, World Clock, Contacts, Notes, a Stopwatch, and a Screen Lock. The Zune is more about media and sharing. It's Social and Marketplace menu options connect you to friends and the Zune marketplace. There is a penalty for all the extras. The 8gb Zune only has 6.41gb of media space after all the firmware and games. The 8gb Nano does a little better with 7.4gb free. The Nano wins the Extras battle if it's array of extras is useful to you. You can't enter Contacts, ToDos or Notes directly on the Nano, so their usefulness is somewhat compromised.

Audio. I spent the day listening to both players. The Nano has a crossfade feature that the Zune doesn't. Both have gapless playback. Sound quality using the same Sennheiser HD595 headphones was equally pleasing. The Zune Marketplace option opens up broader exposier to music within the player itself. The Nano offers Genius Playlists. The Zune will also generate Autoplaylists, but not so easily on the player itself. I'm calling the music experience a wash between these two devices. Each has it's unique benefits, and each wishes it had features from the other.

Video. Movies look great on both players, despite the tiny screens. The Zune has low, medium, and bright screen settings. The Nano has a 15 step brightness slider for more subtle control. Audio is comparible. I can't determine if subtitles are available on either device. In the end I have to give the Nano a small victory in this category, even though the tiny screens would not be my first choice for movie enjoyment.

Photos. Both players will display photos on their screens. The small size makes it not the best justification for either device. Both can zoom and pan around a photo. Both can play slides with variable timing between images. Both have a nice transition between images in a show. This category is a tie.

Conclusion? While tempted by the extras offered on the Nano, I have to confess I prefer the Zune. FM and Wifi, along with the more direct touchpad interface make the Zune a good deal more entertaining than the Nano. The Zune is not as cute, but both are easily pocketable. Yes, there will be more accessories for the Nano, but by not changing in two years the Zune can use existing cases while the accessory industry ramps up brand new cases for the completely new Nano. For the moment the 8gb Zune actually has more available cases than the Nano. Apple pushes me even farther toward the Zune with their policy of charging for firmware updates (iPod Touch) while Microsoft updated and improved my old Zune for free.

So what should you spend your $150 on? You'll get more life and more enjoyment out of a Zune.

Downloads:
Zune 3.0 Desktop Software
iTunes 8.0 for iPods.
Nano 4th Generation User Manual
Zune User Manual

4D

Sumac Leatherette Case for the Samsung P2

This Chinese made Sumac Brand case for the Samsung P2 caught my eye. AT $13 it looked like a reasonable investment, and when it finally arrived at my house I was happy I'd ordered it. It features a snap closure, rotating belt clip, openings for all the P2's controls, and generally excellent construction.On first open of the package the smell of black die/solvent was obvious. I've noticed no wearing of the color or rubbing off though. The smell disappeared quickly. This case is NOT leather, however it fools most people that see it.

The belt clip has the name KroO stamped into it, which I presume is the actual name of the Chinese company that made the case. The clip rotates 360 degrees, clicking solidly into position every 45 degrees. This clip does not detach from the case, and does slip over and stay on my belts reliably. With the snap on the front the case opens easily while on your belt. Even closed it gives you access to the P2's external controls and headphone jack.

While this case is not as nice or functional as my Noreve leather case, at 1/3 the price I'd have to rate it an excellent value. I'd love to find a case this well made and low in price for my Samsung Instinct.

Buy one!
4D