Waxy.org is the sandbox of I got a 20 GB iPod for Christmas and it's almost perfect. I just have a couple changes...
This mockup outlines a few improvements that don't unnecessarily complicate the interface, while adding some new functionality: jumping to the main menu, navigating next/previous albums, and switching between shuffle and normal play. Basically, holding down the new modifier (or "Option") button changes the way the normal buttons respond.
In lieu of physically altering the iPod to add a new button, the center circle button could act as the Option button. With a simple firmware update, the iPod would be far more useful for power users, while maintaining the same interface for everyone else.
3:42 AM
So, how does the new iPod compare to your Rio Riot?
Is it really that different? And most importantly, is it worth the extra cash?
8:28 AM
The Rio Riot is a piece of crap. It's big and clunky, the software crashes often, the battery life is very poor, and the USB-based connection is 30 times slower than the iPod's Firewire.
The iPod is worth the extra money, even at more than double the cost.
11:12 PM
I have a Nomad Jukebox, but am thinking of buying an iPad. How do you deal with playlists, as I understand it, you cannot just select a few tracks you want to hear, but can only play complete albums/playlists on the iPod?
11:19 PM
You can browse and play your collection by artist, genre, album, or song. But if you want to only select more than one particular artist, album, genre or song, you're stuck with creating a playlist in your music management software and syncing the playlist to the iPod. There's no native way to build a playlist on-the-fly from the iPod alone.
11:30 PM
Thanks, no iPod for me then (until they fix that). :( Great site by the way! :)
8:09 AM
Just to re-iterate the complete Uselessness of the RIO RIOT and SONICBLUE, who have No customer "care" at all..
DO NOT BUY A RIO RIOT.
IT IS THE WORST PERSONAL MUSIC SYSTEM EVER.
DO NOT BUY A RIO RIOT
.
I have been trying to replace my second failed Rio Riot since December last year. Don't, worry, thankfully I bought a 20g Ipod that blows it out of the water.
DO NOT BUY A RIO RIOT.
I could regale you with similar moans about its battery, its screen (you cannot navigate in the dark to turn the light on and visa versa) Its transfer rate and Its monolithic proportions.
sorry for the rant but I hate them.
IPOD RULES.
p
DO NOT BUY A RIO RIOT.DO NOT BUY A RIO RIOT.DO NOT BUY A RIO RIOT.DO NOT BUY A RIO RIOT.DO NOT BUY A RIO RIOT.DO NOT BUY A RIO RIOT.DO NOT BUY A RIO RIOT.DO NOT BUY A RIO RIOT.
8:13 AM
True.. but dont you feel silly now for not waiting for the new Ipod?
Apple Screws over its clients buy not announcing anything.. Or maybe just good marketing plot.. cause now your gonna own two probably, since the new one records...(well if your into that anyways.)
5:09 AM
rio riot as nothing but a music player has been fine for the last year. 8-10 hours per charge, hook it up to car, home, headphones. Yes it's clunky and non-intuitive, but at $150 for a refurb., decent bang for the buck. I love my mac stuff, but cost is an issue for me and I'm not a mac snob
2:39 PM
The new Ipods are the biz, but for the fact that you have to add all the different peripherals( if you want them) that can be purchased separately, which inevitably adds to the cost. Apple have made another product that will put them in the history books most probably. But history will remind them of the lame earphones that come with it. They are huge and don't fit my ears and many colleagues i know, all of whom have purchased third party headphones.
Its not cheap!!!
12:38 AM
I have two RioRiots & one of them has already had the battery fail. It wont work w/the ac adapter because it keeps getting a battery error. I wasted all that time loading in 20 gigs of cds & now I can't even retrieve the music. Somebody shoot me...
2:34 PM
With the new firmware upgrade, I have had no problems with my Rio Riot. And I got it for under $200. Huh, half the price. And I think it is intuitive.
7:57 AM
I am constantly having issues with my Rioriot, I am hating it right now. I have my reservations about Ipod though. Ive heard the battery only lasts 16 months then you have to pay $100 for a battery replacement. Im somewhat computer literate but Ive never installed a hard drive into my pc, just cdrom/dvd drives etc, just basics.....So this might be a blonde question, but if there is a hard drive inside of the rio riot, is there no way to install it into a pc to get the tracks off it of.......Like others ive spent countless hours uploading gigs of music onto this thing and stupidly didnt save the dl'd tracks onto cd, and now i want them off to put onto another mp3 player. Any solutions?
12:29 PM
Here are some instructions on how to hook up the Rio Riot hard drive to your PC.
3:18 PM
About the whole playlist thing, you can create a playlist on your ipod. Just hold down the enter button (in the middle of the scroll wheal) when a song is highlighted, when it flashes you have sent a song to your "On-the-go" playlist. Unfortainitlly the only way to erase individual songs is through your computer, however you can scrap the entire playlist from the ipod through the ipod.
Don't feal bad, this is a little known ipod feature ;)
3:30 PM
Yeah, I know about that... But it's only on newer iPod models. My comment above was posted before the new model came out.
9:25 PM
iPods are nice, yes. But a complete rip-off. I've seen numerous ads(which I've actually cut out because they are so hilarious) for such stores as Bestbuy, Circuit City, and so on, that have an iPod for sale right next to another hard-drive based player. In one Bestbuy ad, there is a 10GB iPod for $299. Right in the same ad, there is a 20 GB Nomad Zen for $249. Seriously, look at what is being offered! iPods are simply a hip, new, cool, stylish fad electronic. Technical stats suck compared to other players out there. Look at all the iPod advertisments. They're all directed towards younger adults and teens! Cool colors, wow! And instantaneous, great dance moves! Riiiiiight. And the iPod is sooo sleek that it must be worth that extra $50-$100 dollars, even for less capacity!
Sure, iPods probably get the job done, but for someone who knows handheld electronics like I, they're really annoying. Thanks!
6:56 AM
The difference between the iPod and everything else is the user experience. Its usability and interface are excellent, and combined with the excellent iTunes software, makes it well worth the extra money.
8:26 AM
Once again, the Rio Riot battery has failed and it will cost $100 to get a new one. How rediculous is that! I will nto buy another Rio product. If it is only supposed to last for a couple of years then I will buy something that has some quality. At least I can take the harddrive and make it an external usb drive.
7:51 PM
I bought a 30 GB Nomad Zen Jukebox Xtra for $200. There was a 20 GB iPod next to it on the ad (for Fry's Electronics) for $300. The Nomad Jukebox is a better deal as it has the ability to pop open the cover and replace the battery in a whole fifteen seconds. You can also purchase additional batteries and keep them charged so when one battery goes flat on a trip or airplane, the next one can be put in (and not spend $150+ to replace the battery by sending it in to factory). I also prefer the physical buttons of the sides to the goofy touch-pad wheel on the iPod. The Nomad's software is good enough and the interface is easy-to-use. The size and weight are moderately larger (than the iPod's), but I prefer the aluminium casing (not plastic) and don't really care about the size.
6:53 AM
"...for someone who knows handheld electronics like I..."
Get over yourself, Dave. I love how some people assume that they're the only person in the world with half a brain. The Ipod is an amazing little gadget, and will easily supply $400 worth of utility to whomever buys it.
Ipods have the best interface I've used, and I have yet to see a screen that even attempts to rival that of the Ipod video. "For someone who knows handheld electronics like I" the ipod is still a great purchase.