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-- Whatever happened to Rio??? (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=5594)

Does anyone know what happened with the Rio MP3 Springboard module? I still see them listed on various websites as a springboard provider, but I never saw anything besides their initial press release. Did I miss the news that it has been cancelled or what???

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tuffy
Orange VDx Owner

They are probably doing the right thing by not hyping the hell out of their product, and getting angry customers in the process. Instead, hopefully, they will start taking orders the day their product is shipping.

I'll bet they dropped it. The X64 got pretty poor reviews next to the MiniJam when it displayed at last year's Internet World. The main gripe was the lack of physical control buttons.

[This message has been edited by Gameboy70 (edited 08-15-2000).]

Was this a smaller module design than the minijam like maybe the size of a backup module or slightly bigger?

Here's a picture of the X64 (courtesy from one of Gameboy70's earlier posts http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...TML/000301.html ).



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-Vincent

Turn your back and run now, you haven't got a chance now

Man, that is one ugly Springboard module!

Haven't heard anything from them either, but that is probably smart on their part. At least we are not pissed at them like we are at Innogear.

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iceman
VDX-aholic

My guess is that Diamond figured out that an MP3 Springboard really doesn't make that much sense. I believe that if Microsoft hadn't hyped the PocketPC's ability to play MP3 files, no one would have even considered doing an MP3 Springboard. The only Visor hardware that an MP3 Springboard can take advantage of is the display and HotSync interface. And neither of those adds any significant cost to the MP3 player when compared to the CPU and memory. So you wind up with an MP3 player that costs just as much as a standalone unit, but wastes your Springboard slot.

Let's face it, if it wasn't for the promised memory expansion capabilities (which I suspect are going to disappoint a lot of people when they see how they work), how may folks would still be on the MiniJam waiting list? Right now with the dearth of available Springboard modules, there isn't much competition for that slot. But over the next year when we start to see things like CompactFlash adapters, 2-way pagers, wireless LAN cards, Handspring's CDMA module, etc., who's going to want to waste that slot on a piece of hardware that works just as well in standalone form? Just my $0.02

dkessler-

I agree. Right now having a MP3 module is a novelty only because the bulk of the modules are not out yet. I would prefer to have a standalone to listen to at my convenience without worrying about swapping the semi-permanent modules that I will be leaving in the slot when they come out. After reading up on all the modules that are "due" to come out I can see a real utility for them. To the point that I will probably be swapping between 2 or 3 modules. An MP3 module just doesn't cut it in the long run. If I'm going to spend this much money on modules I'm getting multipurpose ones or ones that will serve an actual purpose.



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iceman
VDX-aholic

I have to agree with you guys on this too. I really think just getting a standalone unit would be better for me. I have 7megs free on my Visor right now and I hope that some company will eventually release a MMC/Enhanced Beaming module.

I just can't justify the price difference to get something that will go in my Visor. The novelty would be nice at first, but it would wear off too quickly.

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-Vincent

Turn your back and run now, you haven't got a chance now

quote:

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Originally posted by Vinny:
... I hope that some company will eventually release a MMC/Enhanced Beaming module.

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I understand your comments about the merits of a standalone module, but in my case, a standalone player would just get in my way. I know that most places I go, I will have my visor with me. Using a belt clip case, I can conveniently carry my visor, but having to carry around a seperate device for the sole purpose of playing music is a bit much for me. For my personal situation, a springboard makes more sense. The fact that I can use it for Visor storage is an extra bonus. I hope that Rio does release a decent springboard just for an alternative to Innogear. Too bad everyone else on this thread is just as much in the dark as I am in regards to the status of the Rio module

quote:

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Originally posted by dkessler:
"Enhanced Beaming"? What exactly do you have in mind - greater range or enhanced capabilities? Just curious.

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After sending e-mails to S-3 and getting nothing, I wrote to handspring and got the following reply regarding the rio springboard module:

Thanks for your interest and support of Handspring. As you might be aware,
S3 recently purchased Diamond Multimedia. That has caused a posponement of
many projects, the Handspring Springboard MP3 player being one of them. In
the meantime there are a number of other developers that are very close to
shipping a MP3 module. http://www.handspring.com/products/springboard_news.asp Please visit this
link to keep updated over the next 30-40 days for news on this subject.

Thanks again for your interest.

Regards,

John Hurst
Manager, Developer Relations
Handspring, Inc.

I realize Tuffy's original post referred to a portable MP3 device, and while maybe a 1gig portable device might be nice, I'm thinking of something else.

While looking over websites by folks who have designed their own in-car mp3 players, one of them struck me as brilliant: using the Visor as the control module.

Think of it - you get in your car, drop your Visor into a cradle attached to the dash, which is linked to a harddrive/os combo device hidden in the trunk, glove compartment, under dash, etc. From the Visor you then control a 40gig harddrive (removable, of course) packed with your music collection, which is hooked up directly to your amp. Whoohoo! And when you're at your destination, simply pop out the Visor, and you're good to go.

Where can I buy? Where can I buy?????