Should Canonical make their own MP3/OGG player?

[WinterMadness]

I definitely think so. I have no doubt it would be profitable because of the lack of restrictions it would have, and I know that a lot of people would jump ship to ubuntu exclusively if they had a good mp3/OGG player to use.

I would definitely ditch my zune in favor of it, and with the extra profit canonical would bring in, they could put it towards developing ubuntu. It would ultimately help the entire linux community since it would be free/open source and easily ported over to other distros. If it were ported to OSX or Windows, it would be a great advertisement for ubuntu. I would actually go out of my way to get one, as I hate my zune's restrictions.

[doorknob60]

That might work, if they could market it well. I'd certainly buy one (once my Rockboxed Sansa breaks or I need more space).

[Chemical Imbalance]

I'd pounce for that.

I hate my iPod for its restrictive nature (how hard is it for Apple to include free codecs in their firmware?).
I can't put Rockbox or Ipod linux on my 2nd gen nano because Apple locked it tight.
I hate that it is so dependent on itunes.
Gtkpod works fine for me, but many aren't satisfied with that.

I think an open mp3/ogg player would be just what a lot of people are looking for and that could boost Canonical.

[pwnst*r]

no.

[logos34]

Interesting idea. Why not emulate Apple? Look what iTunes and iPod have done to promote Macs/OSX, and vice-versa!

Manufacturers are finally coming around to supporting ogg vorbis and flac (http://www.fsf.org/resources/formats/playogg)...The selection (http://wiki.xiph.org/index.php/PortablePlayers) is increasing by leaps and bounds, so even though it's not really necessary for Canonical to get involved in periperhals, I think in this case it might be a brilliant move to get into some partnership with a major company to produce a branded, ubuntu-specific portable audio player, or maybe the equivalent of an iPhone

[WinterMadness]

I definitely think it would work. Just hire people to make the hardware and put it out on shelves. the return would be massive and they would not have to distract themselves from making the next ubuntu upgrade, since its new people making the player.

the fact is, most ubuntu users are looking for something like this. one of them is me, and I know a lot of people are having mp3 player issues. This way we can sastify the open source/free software movement ethics while enjoying music on the go. I think they should have large hard drives as well, as I would like to replace my 80gb zune.

[Chemical Imbalance]

There are, however, a few ogg players out there:
http://reviews.cnet.com/1990-6450_7-5899700-1.html
http://wiki.xiph.org/index.php/PortablePlayers

But an Ubuntu-branded one with some corresponding linux software and full support from Canonical could do pretty well I think.

[Bölvaður]

no.

second that

it would end in tears
people would complain about the price and most would ignore that unknown brand

Cannoticle is OS and support firm

[WinterMadness]

most of the high cost of mp3 players comes from the restrictive software, for example zune's were probably pretty expensive to figure out how to make sure it cant be used/detected for anything other than windows.

All they really need to do is sell a hard drive with linux on it. That would be very cheap. Calculated risk is what business is all about.

[drawkcab]

second that

it would end in tears
people would complain about the price and most would ignore that unknown brand

Cannoticle is OS and support firm

Agreed.

Obviously those of us who hang out in community cafe will respond favorably to this suggestion, but Canonical would get slaughtered in the current market. The average consumer does not think like us and will not recognize the value.

At this point it is far better to support projects like rockbox or ipod linux that are trying to move linux onto already existing devices.

I wonder if there is anything to be learned by drawing an analogy between this suggestion and what is happening with the disappointing open moko project (which I was very enthusiastic about at one time)?

[MaxIBoy]

I definitely think so. I have no doubt it would be profitable because of the lack of restrictions it would have, and I know that a lot of people would jump ship to ubuntu exclusively if they had a good mp3/OGG player to use.

I would definitely ditch my zune in favor of it, and with the extra profit canonical would bring in, they could put it towards developing ubuntu. It would ultimately help the entire linux community since it would be free/open source and easily ported over to other distros. If it were ported to OSX or Windows, it would be a great advertisement for ubuntu. I would actually go out of my way to get one, as I hate my zune's restrictions.Sure, the customers would like it. The music/film industry, however, likes restrictions, the more the better. If a music device came out which was three times more restrictive than the iPod and the Zune both added together, the music industry would instantly attempt to drop all other devices and sell music only for the restrictive one. Not that they'd succeed, of course. However, right now, the iPod is entrenched, so it's easy for them to not provide music for an "open" media player and stifle it before it can gain any market share.

Nice idea, though.

[TBOL3]

Agreed.

Obviously those of us who hang out in community cafe will respond favorably to this suggestion, but Canonical would get slaughtered in the current market. The average consumer does not think like us and will not recognize the value.

At this point it is far better to support projects like rockbox or ipod linux that are trying to move linux onto already existing devices.

I wonder if there is anything to be learned by drawing an analogy between this suggestion and what is happening with the disappointing open moko project (which I was very enthusiastic about at one time)?

To the fourth power.

If any Linux firm could do it, canonical could, but it would fail epically. Yes, they could make a good, open, DAP, but because only a few people would buy it, it would be overpriced, causing people like me, who wants cheep players (that can be rockboxed), wouldn't buy it. Oh, and it would probably be bulky, based on ubuntu's current UI (which I happen to like BTW).

With that being said, if anyone can do it, canonical can. And it would be awesome. But I doubt it will happen soon (than again, I also doubted that they would have a commercial app store as soon as they did though too).

[days_of_ruin]

An ubuntu branded sansa fuze from the ubuntu shop would be cool.

[supersonicdarky]

mp3 and ogg? Why are your standards so low? I need a player that supports flac! Lossless is the only way to go.

[disturbed1]

That's using the ol' noggin. Take a free open source operating system and attach it's name to patent encumbered mp3 ............ Wait, it would fit the scheme of things wouldn't it ;)

[Corelogik]

With the exception of some audiophiles, Mp3 is good enough. If you encode at a highenough bit rate, the average human ear wouldn't be able to tell the difference. So says biology.

The point that I have tried to pound into my cousins head for a decade, and he refuses to acknowledge is, sometimes good enough is good enough. There are of course exceptions, but to the average user on the street, it doesn't matter.

I will settle for flawless cross platform compatibility any day over pure ideology.

The rest is just ideology.

[MaxIBoy]

This is true, especially when you consider the fact that most people use the headphones that came with their audio player, or the speakers that came with their computer, and these tend to be very poor quality.

However, Vorbis also produces more-compact files than mp3 (which is basically early '90s technology.)

[billgoldberg]

I definitely think so. I have no doubt it would be profitable because of the lack of restrictions it would have, and I know that a lot of people would jump ship to ubuntu exclusively if they had a good mp3/OGG player to use.

I would definitely ditch my zune in favor of it, and with the extra profit canonical would bring in, they could put it towards developing ubuntu. It would ultimately help the entire linux community since it would be free/open source and easily ported over to other distros. If it were ported to OSX or Windows, it would be a great advertisement for ubuntu. I would actually go out of my way to get one, as I hate my zune's restrictions.

First, Canonical is a software company, not a hardware company.

MS and Apple are more than software company, both also do hardware.

Secondly, standalone MP3 players are slowly dying with the up rise in smart phones. Why have two devices (gsm and mp3 player), when you can have one?

[Mateo]

don't want to derail your topic, but this made me think of software. the major linux companies should be making more desktop software. how many of the big desktop products are written by canonical, ibm, novell, red hat and all of the other major linux contributors? How crazy is it that they spend all of their time on the kernel?

[TheSlipstream]

I really need a minimum 80gb player, but at the same time, I can't afford (or, at least, don't want to buy) a AU$315 iPod Classic. I also am sure they are engineered to break, my old Nano gained several hardware glitches after about a year of light use. Zunes are not sold in Australia, and I wouldn't want a device that won't allow non-proprietary programs to interact with it anyway. I have about 42gbs of music, but apparently there is no market for people like me...only two super-proprietary options available.

[WinterMadness]

First, Canonical is a software company, not a hardware company.

MS and Apple are more than software company, both also do hardware.

Secondly, standalone MP3 players are slowly dying with the up rise in smart phones. Why have two devices (gsm and mp3 player), when you can have one?


MS started out as strictly software. successful companies expand there shares and markets.

[WinterMadness]

That's using the ol' noggin. Take a free open source operating system and attach it's name to patent encumbered mp3 ............ Wait, it would fit the scheme of things wouldn't it ;)

you DO realize that the linux kernel has proprietary things in it, right?

how about when you load up ubuntu for the first time and it asks you to install restricted video drivers?

"free open source" dosent make sense, its either free or open source.

See what I did? Dont be condescending.

[MellonCollie]

how many of the big desktop products are written by canonical, ibm, novell, red hat and all of the other major linux contributors? How crazy is it that they spend all of their time on the kernel?

They don't.

http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/RedHatContributions

http://en.opensuse.org/Novell_Contributions_to_OSS

[steev182]

I'd like to see an iPod Touch competitor, maybe powered by Android.

[Tristam Green]

I'd like to see an iPod Touch competitor, maybe powered by Android.

You got it already:

http://www.t-mobileg1.com/g1-learn-features-details.aspx#

In regards to the OP:

I think it would also end poorly for the Linux market and for the project itself. Cowon has about the best and most open player around, and even they aren't *that* well-known still.

It'd be far likely and too tempting to make a Canonical-based mp3/ogg/flac/whatever player bound to *buntu OS's also, or that it would be bound to a specific OS-based player like Amarok, Exaile, Rhythmbox, or some other program. In that case, what would make it any different from an iPod?

[steev182]

No you haven't already got it in a G1.

Look at the iPod Touch, look at how much it is to buy, look how you don't have to pay a contract every month.

If I could get a G1 on PAYG for the £165 it costs for an iPod Touch, then I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[artir]

+1. I would like to see a fair prized rival for the ipod touch, with free software and moddable.

Canonical :p , do it!

[koshatnik]

Most of an mp3 players price is mark up - its just a hard drive with a play button, afterall. Stick it in a case, bung in some headphones, and it costs £2. Stick a logo on it and call it an mp3 player you can charge £80 for it. Making the thing would be peaunuts and relatively easy. Marketing the thing is the money sink, and I don't think Canonical can afford that kind of budget.

[Mateo]

They don't.

http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/RedHatContribution

http://en.opensuse.org/Novell_Contributions_to_OSS

Hmm, that's next to nothing. The fedora page says "There is currently no text in this page."

The Novell page lists a few things I'd forgotten about... the only major apps are Evolution and F-Spot. I guess Compiz too.

How crazy would it be if Microsoft and Apple didn't have their own web browser, or their own music player?

[MellonCollie]

Hmm, that's next to nothing. The fedora page says "There is currently no text in this page."



Looks like I cut off the "s" at the end by accident - sorry! :o

http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/RedHatContributions

[Mateo]

Looks like I cut off the "s" at the end by accident - sorry! :o

http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/RedHatContributions

Thanks, I stand by what i said before. None of that stuff is user desktop type software.

[MellonCollie]

My reply was to your "How crazy is it that they spend all of their time on the kernel?" comment.

[pwnst*r]

Most of an mp3 players price is mark up - its just a hard drive with a play button, afterall. Stick it in a case, bung in some headphones, and it costs £2. Stick a logo on it and call it an mp3 player you can charge £80 for it. Making the thing would be peaunuts and relatively easy. Marketing the thing is the money sink, and I don't think Canonical can afford that kind of budget.

you're right. no R&D goes into the UI or the physical design.

[billgoldberg]

MS started out as strictly software. successful companies expand there shares and markets.

While that is true in some cases, Canonical wouldn't profit from that. The opposite is true.

[cmat]

you're right. no R&D goes into the UI or the physical design.

There are chinese MP3 players with full colour displays that cost $20.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Slim-8GB-1-8-LCD-MP3-MP4-Radio-FM-Player-Gift-Free-Ship_W0QQitemZ380117603066QQihZ025QQcategoryZ73839 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[steev182]

And you can actually see that no R&D OR UI design went into the design!

[DLG102282]

second that

it would end in tears
people would complain about the price and most would ignore that unknown brand

Cannoticle is OS and support firm
Why exactly would they complain about the price?

[MikeTheC]

I don't think Canonical should allow themselves to become distracted by writing every stupid little application out there. They need to focus on their core competencies. There's enough work out there for them to do without adding to it by making media players.

Besides, aren't there already enough of them for Linux?

[DLG102282]

First, Canonical is a software company, not a hardware company.

MS and Apple are more than software company, both also do hardware.

Secondly, standalone MP3 players are slowly dying with the up rise in smart phones. Why have two devices (gsm and mp3 player), when you can have one?
Microsoft isn't a hardware company. They take hardware that other companies make and slap there name on it and charge twice as much.

[SuperSonic4]

I don't think they should do an mp3 player. If they were to do one with secrets preventing compatibility it would tarnish ubuntu's (and by extension that of Linux) reputation to the few that do know about it,if they made the stuff known others would produce knock offs of the same program. A portable media player has a physical component but it can always be made more cheaply.

If anything Canononical should try and strike a deal with Cowon whereby they put "ubuntu compatible" or the ubuntu logo on the box/product

[drawkcab]

I really need a minimum 80gb player, but at the same time, I can't afford (or, at least, don't want to buy) a AU$315 iPod Classic. I also am sure they are engineered to break, my old Nano gained several hardware glitches after about a year of light use. Zunes are not sold in Australia, and I wouldn't want a device that won't allow non-proprietary programs to interact with it anyway. I have about 42gbs of music, but apparently there is no market for people like me...only two super-proprietary options available.

Doesn't creative have something larger?

[Tristam Green]

If anything Canononical should try and strike a deal with Cowon whereby they put "ubuntu compatible" or the ubuntu logo on the box/product

I dunno, that sounds awfully Intel+Microsoft "Vista Capable" to me.

[cmat]

I dunno, that sounds awfully Intel+Microsoft "Vista Capable" to me.

Yeah and why can't Canonical do it?

[Tristam Green]

Yeah and why can't Canonical do it?

There is a large difference between ability and obligation.

[hatten]

no