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In Reply to: RE: Portable Disk based Music Players, Menu Wheel and on-line shopping for music all predate Apple's iPod...(nt) posted by rick_m on August 15, 2012 at 22:56:12
Rick,I started listening to streaming music on my PC in the mid/late 90's, while working late at the office, some music box site with questionable legality. This was still via a DIAL UP LINK (but an unmetered one) as our Site did not yet have permanent connection to the net, that came 6 month later for the X400 (Route 400 E-Mail system). I was managing the local network back then.
I have followed anything in "computer music" quite closely since. Early hard drive and/or flash based Portable Juke Boxes came from Seahan (MPMan - 1997), Diamond (Rio - 1998), Compaq/Hango (Personal Jukebox 6GB HDD - 1998), Creative (Nomad 6GB HDD - 2000).
Tablet computers where championed by Microsoft and several manufacturers had ultra-compact (usually 13" Screen) Notebooks that allowed the screen to be folded down and thus became a "slate", some even made keyboard less pure slates.
Microsoft and HTC also did a lot of work on Touchscreen Smartphones, I had several over the Years since 2004, now I have a Droid Phone and a Droid 10" Tablet (not Samsung - I'm too cheap to spend money on Badges).
What you can take away from this is that Apple's advertising is so effective that it actually created to you the impression that all these items where invented by Apple (rather than copied from others).
Quite similar to what B*se has achieved in the Audio World, where everyone and their redneck cousin from the Ozark Mountains believes that B*se is actually HiFi, innovates and often that B*se has invented HiFi...
What is perhaps worse is that Apple and it's most devoted fans believe their own hype...
Ciao T
Sometimes I'd like to be the water
sometimes shallow, sometimes wild.
Born high in the mountains,
even the seas would be mine.
(Translated from the song "Aus der ferne" by City)
Edits: 08/16/12 08/16/12Follow Ups:
Interesting, I was oblivious to the early digital audio gear, thanks for the historical perspective.
On the other hand I am generally familiar with the computers you mentioned and once considered the convertible hp. The main reason I bought this device, the iPad, was because it didn't have a fan. Even better the only moving parts are four switches. Every laptop I've had has had fan and/or hard drive failure and usually display hinge problems. I really wanted a Windows "netbook" size thing with no fan but apparently they don't exist. I marched into my dealer a couple years ago and said "show me your fan-less portables. Well that didn't take long since the only ones he had were Apples and this thing cost half what their net-bookish laptop did. And I was curious what a tablet would be like.
Now that I'm used to it I've found most of the drawbacks are SW. the only HW thing I really long for is size, a 12" screen would be a lot better for eyes and fingers of my age. The SW drawbacks are enormous, compared to say, Windows, this is really a weak sister, but it's an appliance, not a computer. Even the spelling checker sucks and those were perfected decades ago. BUT I love, love, love not having a fan! Guess I'm like a one-issue voter, but I got the main thing I wanted and oddly enough, despite fanless being my driving specification, I actually appreciate it even more than I thought I would!
There is, of course, no perfect form-factor and while I'd like to have a real keyboard I also appreciate how well this works for reading.
I know that Apple has a very loyal following, but I hope this is my last one, their philosophy just doesn't jibe well with me at any level except for the fan thing...
Rick
Rick,> The main reason I bought this device, the iPad, was because it
> didn't have a fan. Even better the only moving parts are four switches.
> Every laptop I've had has had fan and/or hard drive failure and
> usually display hinge problems.Yes, I ran into these a lot too. For many Years I had a strict hierarchy applying to any Laptop for my use. My favorite top 3 Laptop Brand where Toshiba, Toshiba and Toshiba, in that precise order, but only their metal shell top of the line business machines from the last year (so all the reliability, performance etc, but a normal price).
In recent years Toshiba's star has waned and I now prefer IBM/Lenovo T Series Stink Pads. I can think of many curses for their inadequate battery life, poor quality displays, fugly design and so on. Toshiba does all that better.
But the display hinges don't break, neither do the hard drives (some smart software and a G-Sensor see to that) and on mains power they have enough power to run pretty much anything I can think of. And they are like the ruddy Energiser Bunny, they keep running, running and running, in the precise way most others don't.
And if you drown the Keyboard in Red-Wine or Whiskey-Coke so badly the build in safeguards for that eventuality fail (or your two year old daughter likes to pry off the keys), you can actually get a replacement and fit it yourself very easily.
Oh. They have fan's, but they are VERY QUIET and in casual "Couch potato" use rarely even come on. With normal background noise levels in a quiet room I have not heard them in many years.
I absolutely HATE my Lenovo Stinkpad. I do. But I need a laptop that works and survives the war-zone called living room with a 2YO and all the travelling. Very little else does.
I tried others, again and again.
I recently had an Asus that was great in some ways, > 8 Hours Battery Life in low power mode with usable speed, very light, Super Fast CPU with great 3D GFX on Mains Power that made all the CAD, Simulation and PCB Layout software I use fly.
It lasted less than 9 Month and was looking tatty after 6. But at least it was not hinges that broke, like they did 3 times in one year on a Dell I owned...
> I really wanted a Windows "netbook" size thing with no fan but
> apparently they don't exist. I marched into my dealer a couple
> years ago and said "show me your fan-less portables. Well that
> didn't take long since the only ones he had were Apples and this
> thing cost half what their net-bookish laptop did.Original iPad. Biggest issue I have with the bleedin lot, it cannot even surf the web properly. Most popular websites use Flash. On iPad, no-go. I do want more than play angry birds and play MP3's.
> Now that I'm used to it I've found most of the drawbacks are SW.
I have a 10" Droid Tab. The issues I find are hardware.
The screen is too small.
On screen Keyboard for serious work, puleeese!
If I add Keyboard and screen in my travel bag I might as well take the Stinkpad.
So I carry the Tablet for "light" traveling (read e-mail but answer only life/death stuff, read Books and Mags, Play Games, essential websurfing - like where is the nearest starbucks and on long journeys load up some Movies), but I carry both the Tab and my Stinkpad for serious travelling.
Nowadays the Stinkpad stays at the hotel while I take the Tab out though (and my smartphone).
What I really want is a 14" Screen thin Slate that I can carry around, which has enough poke on external power to run CAD and an easily attached thin and light keyboard. Can someone PLEASE tell Microsoft to stop copying Apple's wrong form factor and give the Surface some serious 'roids. I think I'll get a 10"surface anyway.
As frequent traveler on both long hauls and overnight trains I'd also appreciate 16 Hours battery life, for light use. Pretty please?
> I know that Apple has a very loyal following,
Yes, basically Apple should be listed as "Cult".
Ciao T
Sometimes I'd like to be the water
sometimes shallow, sometimes wild.
Born high in the mountains,
even the seas would be mine.
(Translated from the song "Aus der ferne" by City)
Edits: 08/16/12
( > BUT I love, love, love not having a fan! Guess I'm like a one-issue voter,)
A NO-fan boy.
Bill
Well put...
Why are GUI's so "in" when words are so much more fun?
Rick
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