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Technology Stocks : Diamond Multimedia -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dushi who wrote (4232)	4/7/1999 10:50:00 AM
From: Matt Kaarlela	Respond to of 4679

Jim Seymour did a really nice piece about the RIO in his April 20th column for PC magazine. Here is a quote from the article: "it's a great, remarkably fully realized first implementation of a damned good idea." As more and more is written about the RIO, I think it is becoming the generic term for a portable MP3 player just as many refer to a portable cassette player as a walkman regardless of who made it. I wonder how the execs at Sony feel about Diamond right now? I'm hoping for an enhanced memory RIO to come out soon. Maybe double the memory with suggested retail of $199 and drop the price of the original RIO to $149.

To: Dushi who wrote (4232)	4/7/1999 10:56:00 AM
From: Hiram Walker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4679

Dushi, Mp4 has nothing to do with MP3, it is a proprietary format,using a similar name to mask what is really is, a ploy by the Recording Industry to sneak in the back door,and corrupt MP3. mindjack.com What is MP4? The impostors. What is now passed off as MP4 is in fact a perfectly good standard with some promises that might fare better without trying to ride on the coat tails of MP3. It's also not getting the biggest reception either, perhaps because it's fairly new. Global Music is marketing their audio web technology, which is actually a licensee of a2b Music and marketed as MP4. It's currently available on Windows only. No word yet about a Mac OS release. Here are benefits listed by Global Music exactly as it appears on their website: Better sound quality from significantly smaller audio files The player is embedded - no seperate install necessary All songs are distributed with the authority of their owners Simple to attach to email and send to anyone, anywhere Free redistribution provides ongoing residual value - each MP4 contains a direct link to the artist or copyright owner's website Fully functional built-in oscilloscope with L-R volume controls Embedded Solana Technologies digital watermark allows tracking even when broadcast in an AM/FM radio signal Includes a color graphic, web hyperlinks and unlimited scrolling text Customizable color scheme can be co-ordinated with artwork Easy built-in one-click music manager lets you create limitless custom compilations So here's a list of Mindjack's a2b technology disadvantages: All songs must be individually launched (no shuffling fun and can't "take it with you") No open development (case closed) Confuses consumer's into thinking this is the next MPEG development (reason enough) It's no fun (try it, it reeks of music industry bullying) They can't spell separate correctly (MPEG and MIT would never do that) Any movement of a song can be tracked . (No thanks, brother) Too much smoke and mirrors (unless you like to watch yourself cough) No separate player (that's half the fun) Who likes receiving 1MB emails? (maybe you do?) Advice from this camp would be to check out a2b's technology enough so that you know what it is, and then leave it alone. Tell your friends to do the same. It will die out soon enough anyway. MP4 has nothing to do with MP3,its a bogus name to lead you down a proprietary road back to the Recording Industry. Hiram