iriver clix2 Gains Rhapsody Support
Some pleasant news for many Rhapsody subscribers has been released today, as iriver and Real have announced the launch of the clix Rhapsody. The partnership will integrate features which are exclusively compatible with Rhapsody services into the popular second generation clix, in much the same way as Sandisk’s Sansa 200R series of digital audio players.
The new model will automatically be updated with music from personalized Rhapsody channels each time it is connected to the service. Rhapsody components are then included in the device’s interface to allow the presentation of album art, editorial reviews, and the ability to rate songs, albums, and artists.
A 4GB version of the clix Rhapsody can already be purchased online for $190. Alternatively Rhapsody compatibility can be implemented on the clix2 by applying firmware from iriver’s website.
[Press Release via Engadget]
Comments
kojimatic on July 10, 2007 2:58 AM
What is up with iRiver? Why stop at 4GB? Get a dang 8GB clix2 out there pronto... and people will buy 'em up!!!
Apple's 8GB iPod nano, as poor as its quality is -- my daughter has had 3 of them die on her already (each within 3 months) -- has virtually no competition.
It's time some company with a good design (and hopefully good manufacturing quality) gives the 8GB nano a run for its money.
An 8GB clix2 would be just the ticket.
Alas, iRiver -- the company -- appears to be a case study for what happens when great technical design is hobbled by poor marketing, sales, and muddled indecision at the top.
Get an 8GB clix2 into brick-and-mortar stores post haste so that people can actually play around with this nifty device. Target, Best Buy, Circuit City, Costco...
Why let Apple continue to make a killing in the flash memory music player market selling an outdated player (albeit with a decent UI) that is almost guaranteed to die within 90 days?
AppleCare? Extra-cost store replacement warranty? Why be compelled to pay extra for an extended replacement warranty (and boost profits for Apple if you go with AppleCare) just because no other company has the guts to come up with an 8GB iPod nano killer... (as well as market it well and get it out to all the relevant sales channels ASAP)?
So iPods are designed in California, eh? Big deal. They're made in China and the quality is a joke.
iRiver, hear this: Get your wonderful and (presumably) Korean-designed clix2 model ramped up to 8 gigs. Build 'em better than Apple builds their devices... wherever you decide to build 'em... even if it's China.
Then get these 8 gig beauties out all over the world ASAP. Sheesh. The longer you wait, the more junk Apple can sell, and the more Apple can dominate this market... thereby shrinking the market for innovative products like iRiver's clix2.
Yeah, go ahead and sell your 4GB clix2 for $190. But people outgrow 4GB very quickly. So get the dang 8GB model out there! Price the 8GB model between $230 and $250. You'll have customers making a beeline to pick one up.
Enough said.
xxx on July 30, 2007 11:10 PM
iRiver has yet to implement Rhapsody compatibility with it's regular Clix2. You can't even see the Rhapsody version of the Clix2 on their website anymore. All the reviews i've read says you can upgrade the Clix2 to be compatible with Rhapsody's "channels" features, but this isn't the case. Can someone get a "real"answer from REAL?
Waiting on August 26, 2007 6:09 PM
As I wait for the iRiver Clix2 8GB to come out (sometime soon?) I'd like to know if it's possible to transfer one of my "books on cd" to this player and do so with bookmarks or some way of being able to go back to the place I left off listening.
Thanks for the information.