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Portable media players aren't ready for most consumers yet

23 September 2007 8:12 by Rich "vurbal" Fiscus | 8 comments

According to a Parks Associates study, the portable media player market won't really take off until more content is available and devices make improvements to the overall viewing experience.

�The PMP market has not reached one tenth of its potential yet, and this data explains why," contended senior analyst Harry Wang. �Compelling video content and good video viewing experience trump cost of video content as the top two factors that will drive consumers' usage of next-generation, video-focused portable entertainment devices,� he said in citing the survey of PMP owners� needs.

While portable devices have had video capabilities for years, small displays and little content created specifically for them, along with a high price tag, have held back mainstream adoption.

The study is hopeful about the latest generation of iPods, saying �Apple is close to having a dream device for portable video," but cautions that their highly publicized break with NBC Universal over pricing could open the door for services besides iTunes to flourish, possibly hitting them where it hurts the most - in iPod sales.

Soiurce: This Week In Consumer Electronics

Permalink to this article

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NBC TV shows to be available on Amazon's Unbox (4 September 2007)

Sony may launch movie download store (4 September 2007)

NBC denies Apple's claims (2 September 2007)

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Discuss this article!
nobrainer (Inactive) 23 September 2007 8:26
the problem is going to be drm & inoperability. and with laws like germany have just passed about copying, it sort of confuses the situation even more! http://www.boingboing.net/2007/09/21/germany-bans-all-mus.html is it legal in the US to use iPods now? i remember a story about G W Bush having the Beatles on his and the uproar it caused! http://www.boingboing.net/2006/04/16/gw-bushs-ipod-contai.html Track What Companies Have Edited Wiki http://wikiscanner.virgil.gr/ (very heavy load atm) [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 23 September 2007 8:28
furchtlos (Newbie) 23 September 2007 15:46
Man i hate apple. Everything about apple = gay [ + quote]
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 23 September 2007 16:56
heres a thought let the real free market work the one where you buy a CD or whatever rip it to your player and you are done no DRM no BS. [ + quote]
locobrown (Senior Member) 23 September 2007 17:01
I just hate the fact that mp3 music must be converted. Why can't it just be drag and drop? I'll accept one as a gift but me personally buying one, forget it. Until its media schemes are regulated, I�ll then consider. [ + quote]
ugc (Member) 24 September 2007 8:34
I guess the TviX box would fall into this market. I think they got voted #1 in new business last year. I love it. I bought two of them. But, everyone here is correct. It may not be 100% legal to use it. [ + quote]
0u818mrb (Newbie) 24 September 2007 13:15
I blame it all on Apple hahaha respectfully i give them kudos on such a easy user friendly device... but the truth is... people are too "Dumb and Narrow" to step outside of Apple, im not saying intellegence wise... but people are lazy and some dont understand the concept of what a PMP device is capible of outside of what the Ipod does.... which is ALOT I got a Zen creative vision player after own 3 ipods that just didnt cut it.... and im MUCh happier with this zen player... i talked a few of my friends into getting these zen player... all 3 of them returned them cause they were "too hard to figure out"... "didnt make sense"... "too many things to operate" i didnt get it at first... but than i realize how easy a ipod is, and how a handicapped monkey could even work one with ease.. alot of people are just to dumb and lazy to figure out how to program and operate a tool to its fullest use.... ipods are are just "Tard-friendly" [ + quote]
borhan9 (AfterDawn Addict) 28 September 2007 16:32
This will grow even further its still in the initial stages in the market and apple is the front runner all the other companies are following their example. [ + quote]
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 28 September 2007 16:37
*Originally posted by locobrown:* I just hate the fact that mp3 music must be converted. Why can't it just be drag and drop? I'll accept one as a gift but me personally buying one, forget it. Until its media schemes are regulated, I�ll then consider. you forget regulation now is bought by the industry its trying to oversight. the reason for it is not regulation but lobbying remove all gifts,bribs,meals,trips E V E R Y T H I N G and then maybe goverment and business will start behaving again. [ + quote]