Future Cowon Players (What they Need)

[Konechiwa]

For the next Harddrive Player (X5 succesor) I believe it needs:

1) 20,30,60GB versions right of the bat
2) DRM WMA v10 (or whatever when it comes out), FLAC, MP3+VBR, OGG+VBR, WAV, WMA
3) 2" (Minimum, preferably 2.2-2.5) OLED Screen, with at least 200x170 resolution ( i don't care what it costs just DO IT!)
4) Faster processor for viewing movies at 30 Fps
5)USB OTG at USB 2.0 Speeds
6) Slideshow capability (music while viewing photos)
7) ID3 and File-tree browsing
8) L version for ALL (yes 60GB too)
9) I think a case should come with (like the iRiver H10)

I believe that adequete prices for this would be:

20GB X6: 299.99
20GB X6L:319.99

30GB X6: 349.99
30GB X6L:369.99

60GB X6: 399.99
60GB X6L:419.99

All in USD (American $)

People should add what they think it needs.

[notguilty]

I'm not interested in HDD DAPs, so this is very different .

1. Gapless playback. I'd put up with a Walkman or Ipod for format-independent gapless playback.
2. Card slot. CF, SD, or MCC (a SD/MMC would be nice), with support for at least 16GB (you can get 8GB now), preferably on the bottom, with the ability to use the device as two hubbed USB flash drives (even if the speed would suck).
3. Thin OLED display with a matte backing. I've only seen this on a cell phone once, but without a glossy back, OLEDs aren't hard to read in bright light.
4.I. A lanyard that connects to both sides of the player, or its case, so it stays facing forward.
4.II. Or, a nice belt clip on a hard plastic (or fabric) case.
5. Some way to get a nice line out (a true line out). Not as important as the rest, but very nice, and one of the few tempting things about the Ipods.
6. Different features. Don't just make some flash DAPs that are the same aside from the battery in functionality. I'd rather have a line-out than mic-in, don't care one bit about FM radio, etc.. Why not have a basic DAP, with good but simple features, like an Ipod without DRM?

7. Not DAP-related, but...more U.S. presence. If people outside of a Fry's knew that there was competition for iRiver...generally, those that don't want iRiver get Creative, PNY, or Sandisk, neither of which have the quality that iRiver offers, but they don't know that there are DAPs with similar and higher quality with similar features.

[vidas7de7jesus7]

I believe Cowon should come out with a microdrive player. The market is huge for them, do to the fact that most people only have small to medium size music collections.
Features
1. ID3 and file tree browsing- this would be handy and appeal to alot of people.
2. Thin and small- like the Rio Carbon and the IPod Nano (blech) thin is definately hot
3. All the standard Cowon features- Radio, voice, and line-in recording, FM tuner, excellent sound, multiple codecs, etc.
4. Great battery life- 20 hours standard would be preferred.
5. affordable- 5 gig should be (if possible) between $175- $180. Zen micro is, carbon is.
6. and, possibly, have it come in up to 8 or 10 gig (zen micro photo is 8) the hard drive is out there, use it.

overall, interface should be excellent, everything should be up to and exceeding expectations. iaudio, from what i can tell, has a reputation for reliable products that work. this should be continued. i dunno, though, some people don't like the joystick, should they try to improve it? overall, i say no because i think the joystick is nice (my rio chiba has 1) and i'm used to it. Think about it iAudio (i know... this isn't an official iaudio forum).

oh, yes, USB-OTG would be nice, as would not having a subpack, they fixed it on the M5, they can do it again. but, they should start selling line in (straight to dock, no subpack needed) cables. a color screen is unneccessary, but it'd be nice to have USB-OTG just to dump your camera on to.

[608zz]

I’m not interested in HD-based devices either. I really love the iAudio G3, but I would appreciate the following additions to it:

* SD-card compartment. SD-cards are great, especially if the player can’t get up to the storage capacity of the iPod Nano. However, instead of an exterior slot for the SD-card, the slot should be completely enclosed, like the way that it would be on a digital camera. The Lexar LDP-600 has this. In contrast, the Sandisk Sansa e100 series keeps the card exposed on the outside of the player, leaving it suseptible to damage while the player takes the regular abuse of anything that’s typically kept in your pocket.

* 4+GB of Nand if possible.

* Change the GUI slightly so that the highliter/cursor stays in the middle while only the list of files moves. That would make it quicker to navigate because it allows the user to see what files are before and after the currently highlit file. The way it currently is, when the user moves the cursor downwards to the bottom of the screen, they you can’t see what file comes next (below that) unless they highlite it. Same problem with moving the cursor to the top - they can’t see the next file above without highliting it.

* No more OS-specific firmware installation apps. Instead, make the firmware be a file that you drag and drop onto the player, then it self-launches the next time you turn the player on and that’s when the firmware upgrade process takes place.


BTW, anyone know why the forums index says that this forum has 100 threads and 892 posts in it? I only see one thread, and only 3 messages posted (including this one).

[notguilty]

I think the posts and threads has something to do with the software change. You can search and find threads that are not listed.

[Iaudio_God]

Dear All,

These are all great ideas, but Cowon believes that the idea of having slightly larger lcds and better frames per second increase resolution would fall to close to the same aspects of a PMP. A line has to be drawn somewhere, because these are specifically DAP players. A balance needs to be met as far as pricing and features. Anything is possible, but will it be affordable?

Regards,
Iaudio_god

[max-9]

Originally Posted by Iaudio_God

Dear All,

These are all great ideas, but Cowon believes that the idea of having slightly larger lcds and better frames per second increase resolution would fall to close to the same aspects of a PMP. A line has to be drawn somewhere, because these are specifically DAP players. A balance needs to be met as far as pricing and features. Anything is possible, but will it be affordable?

Regards,
Iaudio_god

EXACTLY!!!!!!
Want a pvp go get an archos
Want excellent dap x5l
Want somthing that sucks at both get an ipod

[max-9]

Oh ,and about that drm..........forgot to mention that today

[Bedlam]

ohh, that was low. ZING!

anyway. i agree with iaudio_god 100%.

[Pete7874]

Digital/optical audio out and truly gapless playback are the two most important ones that I'd like to see.

[proximal]

I'd like a mechanical scroll device for navigation and dedicated volume buttons. As far as firmware goes, just add gapless for all supported formats and an option for database navigation to the current X5 feature set.

[Konechiwa]

well i really think cowon should do 30fps now with a bigger screen at good res., espicially since the iPod can now play videos. If they don't, well then, whats the point of making it, when the iPod can do something better?

[max-9]

Originally Posted by Konechiwa

well i really think cowon should do 30fps now with a bigger screen at good res., espicially since the iPod can now play videos. If they don't, well then, whats the point of making it, when the iPod can do something better?

Ha... What exactly is better....even podpeople dont get it. read faithful podpeople comments over yonder ..http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/5642/

[Konechiwa]

well ok maybe not 30fps but like 23 or something, because you at least need to make it worth while if your gonna add the feature.

Oh and you should really do the res. of the screen. If not the movie thing (20fps maybe please?) Because everyone is complaining about that, movie or not.

Oh and maybe you should do individual cables and no subpack. like a line in, line out, and USB, and charger.

[Konechiwa]

Originally Posted by notguilty

I'm not interested in HDD DAPs, so this is very different .

1. Gapless playback. I'd put up with a Walkman or Ipod for format-independent gapless playback.
2. Card slot. CF, SD, or MCC (a SD/MMC would be nice), with support for at least 16GB (you can get 8GB now), preferably on the bottom, with the ability to use the device as two hubbed USB flash drives (even if the speed would suck).
3. Thin OLED display with a matte backing. I've only seen this on a cell phone once, but without a glossy back, OLEDs aren't hard to read in bright light.
4.I. A lanyard that connects to both sides of the player, or its case, so it stays facing forward.
4.II. Or, a nice belt clip on a hard plastic (or fabric) case.
5. Some way to get a nice line out (a true line out). Not as important as the rest, but very nice, and one of the few tempting things about the Ipods.
6. Different features. Don't just make some flash DAPs that are the same aside from the battery in functionality. I'd rather have a line-out than mic-in, don't care one bit about FM radio, etc.. Why not have a basic DAP, with good but simple features, like an Ipod without DRM?

7. Not DAP-related, but...more U.S. presence. If people outside of a Fry's knew that there was competition for iRiver...generally, those that don't want iRiver get Creative, PNY, or Sandisk, neither of which have the quality that iRiver offers, but they don't know that there are DAPs with similar and higher quality with similar features.

Well...

Have you seen the new Creative Zen Sleek Photo? It looks REALLY cool. Plus the fact that it plays DRM.......good battery....OLED good res screeen...good sound quality....

If i didn't see the X5 i'd probably get that. It looks alot cooler then the X5 (that says alot) But it's true, i think.