Replies to post #56894 on e.Digital Corporation (fka EDIG)

[gernb1]

rr, your car battery analogy is a good one...try hauling a Wurlitzer jukebox along with you so you can have all your favorite tunes. Portability costs money and for people passionate about their music $80.00 or so for a year or more of complete musical freedom of choice is not such a high price to pay for their portable power supply....

[austonia]

rollingrock, your car battery is likely lead-acid or something like that, and its as big as a brick right? and the alternator keeps it charged.. batteries in these mp3 players are a whole other story. Lithium-ion based (expensive), and they have to handle hundreds of complete charge and discharge cycles which is wear and tear to a battery. Oh, and they gotta be really, really small (expensive). The $80 that Gateway may charge is not the price of the battery, either. Probably half of that goes towards the cost of labor to change it out, handling, and profit of course. These batteries probably cost around $40, my best guess as replacement iPod batteries sell to consumers for $50 (see here : www.ipodbattery.com).

[friendlyfred]

Rollingrock, the battery issue hasnt really hurt i-pod sales so far. Imo the main stream ( there goes that term again ) dont seem to care. Its pretty much an issue only for techies and hard core enthusiasts. As far as not knowing anyone with an mp3, take a walk around a college campus or go to a starbucks near a college. It was an eye opener for me. These things are becoming an important part of life for some people. The numbers dont lie. I expect ear nose and throat doctors to be benefitting from the use of these devices somewhere in the near future. lol

[sricket]

RR don't forget to turn your pager ON ..