View Full Version : It's a submicro HDD player with Touchpad!
One of the most interestng things about the iAudio 6 is the fact that it is the FIRST ever DAP with an 0.85 inch Hard Drive. The advantage of using a "sub micro" hard drive is that it is still cheaper than Flash Memory. So this player should be competitive with the 4GB Nano. The weird "%" thing on the front is actually a touch sensitive control pad. They also ditched the "Color Sound" slogan.
• 0.85 inch hard drive (4GB) - Most probably by Toshiba
• 1.3 inch 260k colour OLED screen
• "Swing Touch"
• USB On the Go, also known as USB Host (for downloading pictures off your digicam without the need of a PC)
• Video Playback, Image Viewing, Text Viewing
as you can see from the image the iAudio 6 also features dedicated volume control buttons. Nice :)
So, it's here. What are your first impression?
Ian_Locke
01-03-2006, 10:51
Its a beauty! The iPod Nano killer (hopefully). Cowon just continues to release amazing products. Can't wait for this to come out, gonna buy one for my girlfriend.
Cowon --> :notworthy
OMG YES YES Bigger screen tho but is there a picture? its just like what i imagined
amphibious
01-03-2006, 11:04
I'm extemely skeptical of the durability of these new micro hard drives... and even more skeptical of the durability of touch pads. I really do need a 4gb player that can do FLAC, so... if this is the only one that can do it, this is the one I'll be getting.
The diagonal touchpad is just silly from an ergonomics standpoint... is it possible that a touchpad could be cheaper than a control stick?
I wonder what price tag this'll be getting...
personaly i like the functions over all design to me at least is not apealing at all. but meh ill probably still get this or the u3.
:notworthy :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy
Awesome!
The U3 has been replaced as the best small Cowon player, and I think that Cowon is now starting to make players with not just good design, but amazing design.
And how big is it?
Oh yeah: I guess that austinv wasn't mistaken when he put the iAudio 6 subforums into the Hard-Drive category!
TheVelho
01-03-2006, 12:03
So there is no successor of the X5 this year hm?
(No new 20GB+ HDD player from Cowon?)
bcatwilly
01-03-2006, 12:16
One of the most interestng things about the iAudio 6 is the fact that it is the FIRST ever DAP with an 0.85 inch Hard Drive. The advantage of using a "sub micro" hard drive is that it is still cheaper than Flash Memory. So this player should be competitive with the 4GB Nano. The weird "%" thing on the front is actually a touch sensitive control pad. They also ditched the "Color Sound" slogan.
• 0.85 inch hard drive (4GB) - Most probably by Toshiba
• 1.3 inch 260k colour OLED screen
• "Swing Touch"
• USB On the Go, also known as USB Host (for downloading pictures off your digicam without the need of a PC)
• Video Playback, Image Viewing, Text Viewing
as you can see from the image the iAudio 6 also features dedicated volume control buttons. Nice :)
So, it's here. What are your first impression?
Newbie here, never owned an MP3 player yet. I was going to order a U3 last night before I saw that Cowon had a new player coming. Since exercise/jogging was something I was considering for one, does the U3 make more sense than the iAudio 6 or any HDD based player? Sorry, very new to this.
Yes. Since the hard drive is a moving part, the bumpiness of jogging will mess up the hard drive in an MP3 player. Flash memory players, however, have no moving parts, and will not get messed up.
So therefore, a U3 would make more sense for you.
Those 0.85 inch drives can take quite a beating though. Check out the specs:
http://sdd.toshiba.com/main.aspx?Path=81820000000700000001000065980000151 6/818200000b00000000010000659c000026ae/8182000008e2000000010000659c000027a0/818200000c4b000000010000659c00002c17/818200000c4c000000010000659c00002c19
It's a shame that Toshiba doesn't have that fall detection technology though.
That drive looks amazing.
Smaller than a postage stamp? That is downright tiny.
Yes, if you're going to jog with it, a flash-based player is a better option. The U3.
bcatwilly
01-03-2006, 12:33
Yes. Since the hard drive is a moving part, the bumpiness of jogging will mess up the hard drive in an MP3 player. Flash memory players, however, have no moving parts, and will not get messed up.
So therefore, a U3 would make more sense for you.
I have read conflicting information about exercise/jogging with a HDD based player, and some folks at work say that theirs has NEVER skipped or had any problem (they also cite the fact that armbands are sold and such for the iPods).
Can someone really set me straight on whether it is necessary to have a flash based player if I will be jogging on a treadmill while listening? Thanks for any help.
If you are on a treadmill, then you could probably put the player on the treadmill, and it would not move at all. Then the iAudio 6 would be perfect.
Although many people have had no problems with jogging with iPods, it is still not a great idea, as over time it will slowly mess up the hard drive.
I may have lost my X5 and I am still looking, if I can not find it I am definitely getting this! What is the entry price going to be? This is the most amazing looking dap I have ever seen!
am I the only one who absolutely hates the design of this?
I've always thought cowon's mp3 players were some of the best looking out there but this one just looks stupid.
A diagonal touch pad? You've gotta be kidding me. The whole player looks nice if you ignore the touch pad.
I'm glad to see they ditched the color sound logo. But I find it odd that at the top it says "cowon" instead of "iAudio".
Yeah its pretty ugly to me. I actualy like the Diagnol touchpad only thing i dont like is that its shape is like % :/ it just doesnt look good overall. I love the design of the Iaudiophile members x7 thats a hot design ;)
heres my 2 cents, I am not impressed with this player, flash memory is undeniably better than hard drives in every way except one, cost ( and that will soon change). the only real selling point that this player has is that it uses a .85 inch drive, I don't think people will care too much. plus I'm sure other companies will be updating their 4+ gb flash players, so this player seems like it is outdated even before it is released.
vince.nl
01-03-2006, 13:52
I like the 6's overall design, but really don't like what the %-thing looks like. I can imagine it's kinda easy to use, but it looks pretty cheap.
Luckily, this only looks like a rendered image, so we might see something different at the final release
I think that if Cowon gets the timing right - launches a good little publicity campaign and has the price on the level of the iPod Nano 4GB then it could be a real hit. But I agree that it probably will be absolete tech in about one year (0.85 inch that is). But theorethically the controllers inside the player don't care about what is actually inside it. Cowon could easily do a re-design and just sell it with flash memory.
Or they could put an higher capacity drive when it'll be available.
Toshiba plans to start using perpendicular recording technology during this year on these .85", reaching 6gb and 8gb sizes.
Well, that would also be cool.
Let's see what Austin and Rob say about it first though :-D
I really like the design and I would rather pay less than what the Nano charges now for only 4GB. I think its a beautiful piece of equipment, i just hope it has a long battery life and plays video!
SouthSideHitmen
01-03-2006, 14:30
it does play video which is kick ass
Timms is right on.
This thing is sohhh not Cowon’s style.
A HD-based device is by no means an “ipod Nano killer”. This is more of a competitor to the Creative Zen Micro.
Wake me when the iAudio G4 is announced.
now only if the player looked like this then id buy it :)
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/7663/iaudiox78ce.png
Dadship12
01-03-2006, 16:19
Why are you guys complaining about the diagnal touch pad when you haven't used it? These same hateful remarks were once long ago said about the x5 hump, and that turned out to not be an inssue.
Konechiwa
01-03-2006, 16:33
Sorry, i have to say i don't like it. That % looks really ugly. They should make it like : o|o instead of %.
Oh, dadship, i don't like it because you have to use your right hand. I am left handed. I wish it was an X7. Oh well, theirs the thing in march too.
Please tell me that it plays movies at 30fps.
The Kite Eating Tree
01-03-2006, 16:40
I kinda like it. It reminds me of my cell phone. I'm not a huge fan of touchpads, but the dedicated volume buttons are pretty nice.
Sorry, i have to say i don't like it. That % looks really ugly. They should make it like : o|o instead of %.
Oh, dadship, i don't like it because you have to use your right hand. I am left handed. I wish it was an X7. Oh well, theirs the thing in march too.
Please tell me that it plays movies at 30fps.
I think it is designed to be held in the left hand. just like the x5 was.
Instead of releasing a 4 gig u3... create a whole different player... and make it cheaper... not a bad idea
I adjusted the brightness/contrast so you can clearly see how big the screen is:
http://img309.imageshack.us/img309/886/iaudio65rk.jpg
EDIT: notice how the play/pause 'button' has sideways labels? they could have easily made it the other way. This leads me to believe that it will be held sideways. I'd go so far to say that since it has a diagonal touch pad that it can be held both ways. I bet the screen will be able to change depending on the way you want to hold it.
actually, I bet with the longer screen it can display widescreen movies sideways.
I messed with the image a lot and used the measurements from the screen to find the dimensions of the actual thing (very rough measurements)
I assumed they measured the screen from corner to corner, if they didn't then this could be way off:
length of whole player: 2.87 inches
width of whole player: 1.19 inches
width of black part: .96 inches
length of black part: 2.64 inches
if all that's roughly correct, this thing will be tiny!
underthegun
01-03-2006, 19:28
If you are jogging on a treadmill with an HD based MP3 player, just set it on the treadmill console instead of holding it in your hand. Or as I use to do with CD players is put it in a case and hang it of the handles.
vinnie97
01-03-2006, 19:55
I don't like to be confined to a treadmill, booooring. Next please, Cowon.
ok, I am absolutely convinced that this will be held sideways (controlls at right, screen at left)
look at the volume control. the + is on the BOTTOM
if you held it sideways, the plus would be to the right, which makes sense.
Held like the U2/U3 I assume.
Konechiwa
01-03-2006, 21:50
Data Transfer Rate: 12.5MB's? Hardly USB 2.0. (Check Toshiba Harddrive Stat Page)
12.5 MB/s is bloody fast. What is wrong with that? The iAudio U2 does something like 2 MB/s ...
Sorry, i have to say i don't like it. That % looks really ugly. They should make it like : o|o instead of %.
Oh, dadship, i don't like it because you have to use your right hand. I am left handed. I wish it was an X7. Oh well, theirs the thing in march too.
Please tell me that it plays movies at 30fps.
The diagonal strip is more ergonomical and easier to use no matter if you're left or right handed. Think about it. Really.
Now that looks nice turned sideways! I am getting excited for this player and I still havent found my X5L???
Do they make half of them for lefties? ;P I mean the touch pad is only good for those who use right hand, right?
I think it really doesn't matter that much if you are left or right handed. I mean you still have control over your thumb - right?
Changing from portrait to landscape would make this player even more awesome :)
Konechiwa
01-04-2006, 16:26
eXity, its a lot harder to use something with your not-dominant hand. For instance, try writing with it.
I'm sure (over time) you can get used to it (like anything else).
I used one of the new pictures, this one to be exact: http://download.cowon.com/img/iAUDIO6/iAUDIO-6_img02.jpg
and I got some more accurate measurements:
2.85 X 1.35 inches
7.239 CM X 3.429 CM
length of diagonal touch pad: 1.01 inches (2.57 CM)
width of diagonal touch pad: .28 inches (0.71 CM)
the width of the diagonal touch pad is the exact same as the 2 "buttons"
Dadship12
01-04-2006, 17:23
I think that you'll be able to 'flip' the screen depending on if you want the touch strip in your right or left hand. At least that's what I gather from the pictures.
Yeah, I think that that would be the logical thing for Cowon to do.
It would be nice to be able to go into the menu and decide which way to use the player.
Konechiwa
01-04-2006, 18:16
thats a smart feature. One question though, if they designed it to be held horizontally, why didn't they make a vertical touchstrip (sounds confusing, but i'll explain:
The Creative Vision:M's is vertical like this: |
The I6's is horizontal, like this" -- (so when holding it horizontally, it would then become vertical).
if it can be held both ways, a diagonal touchstrip would be the only thing that makes sense. a horizontal touch strip would make scrolling akward...
yourtoys7
01-04-2006, 19:32
I love my A2, but this thing % !!!!!!!!, not even shure how to hold it. Don't like it.......
Konechiwa
01-04-2006, 19:56
http://img309.imageshack.us/img309/886/iaudio65rk.jpg
.
weirdal, i mean horizontal when it is held up like this.
When you flip it to the way it is probably supposed to go (U3/U2 style) it becomes vertical.
Dadship12
01-04-2006, 20:35
weirdal, i mean horizontal when it is held up like this.
When you flip it to the way it is probably supposed to go (U3/U2 style) it becomes vertical.
I get what you are saying, but I think that would result in a touchstrip too small to scroll or do anything.
tinuviel
01-06-2006, 11:37
Wow, this is so severely cool. I already have an m3 (and don't see the point of getting an m5), but I might consider getting this for watching videos on when in transit - I heard the Strongbad Emails are available in mp4 format for playing on players like these...
*excited*
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