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Friday, September 16, 2005
Flash worthless?
[ZOMBiE CyGiG] ranted at 8:31 PM --- Post#112688483646535410

Sony MD's price will not fall after a period of time meaning that Sony MD actually worth more, even in resale to a second hand shop. While flash based iAudio DAP(Digital Audio Player) will have a fall in price not long after new models are released, which means current Flash Memory technology will be outdated soon. It is a waste of money to upgrade the memory of Flash music player as it meant replacing the player itself. With reference to Sony MZ-NH900 and iAudio G3 and in Singapore context, discuss.

iAudio G3

Sony MZ-NH900

MZ-NH900 is using MiniDisc as storage for music files while G3 is using flash-memory. While flash memory is a major concern now and the latest researching as it has the possibility to replace current existing harddisk. The advantages is that flash memory is a solid-state memory meaning there is no physical moving parts like harddisk, which also implies high durability. Thumb drives, mp3 players, portable storage devices, PDAs are all using flash based memory as it is also small and compact physically.

MiniDisc is a cheap magneto-optical disk that Sony intends to replace the floppy disk drive. Its also used in its MD players. MZ-NH900 can read ATRAC3Plus, a lossy audio format(like mp3 or ogg or wma) developed by Sony. It is not a very common storage medium used by Singaporeans but the very advantage is that its very cheap. U can get 1GB of storage for just $10+ while flash mp3 player of 1GB cost around $100.

Regarding to the main question.Sony is a large MNC that is able to control market prices very well. Sony MD has got quite a lot of supporters and thus its demand inelastic (the price can change w/o affecting the demand much). Sony is also having monopoly power over MD (its MD's only producer) Under such circumstances, Sony will therefore raise the price and keep it high to make more profit.

On the other side regarding Flash memory, it has been used commonly in DAPs since several years ago and has several large manufacturers including Hitachi or Toshiba. Various flash-based music players include Creative Neeon or iPod Nano or of course iAudio G3.

Since its a new and promising technology, there are a lot companies (regardless either its the flash-chip makers or audio player producers) and thus competition arise. No one currently has significant monopoly powers over such general technology (Flash is oso used in RAMs and ROMs in computers in the very earlier days but only recenly grew in capacity). One way to increase sales is to drop prices. Being Singaporeans who tends to want low prices, we always look for cheap stuff, thus customers is attracted to lower pricing. Thus under such competition, prices of flash memory drop rapidly.

Also having DAPs is an IN thing nowadays, so demand of flash memry increases, under normal circumstances, as demand increases, price drop also. Thus again the prices drops.

Thirdly, since Flash Memory is developing rapidly nowadays, more Research and Development is put in all over the world by lots and lots of companies. Resulting is that Flash Memory technology is getting better and better in a very short time. I still remembered last year my high speed 1GB SD card is such a rare and "WOW" thing. But now a lot of ppl is aiming for @ least 512mb and 4GB hi speed SD card had been released starting of 2005 (not popular in singapore though). Now i take out my SD card. "Oh 1GB arh..." Thus as flash technology becomes better, and that music piracy is still prominent, old products tends to get phase off fast.
Same thing:
-old product get pahse off as it incurs loss in production as no one buys
-the recent products cost will have low price due to very high demand but low price elasticity due to substitutes from other companies ( i can always buy frm Creative if i find iPod too exp for AVERAGE users)
-the latest has high price cos its demand elastic (ppl would be eager to spent much to get the latest product, thus companies can raise price w/o affecting demand much, this will earn them MORE profit than lowering the price and making demand higher )

Thus all these account for the rapid falling price for Flash-memory, as you can see, it is due to the rapid advancement in flash memory technology, which is a good thing.
"Flash Memory technology will be outdated soon"
Thus this is untrue as it is actually that CURRENT flash memory will be outdated and replace by BETTER flash technology.

The statement
"It is a waste of money to upgrade the memory of Flash music player as it meant replacing the player itself"
is not true also as Sony's old MD player cannot read HiMD and it results also in replacing the player. Also remember when u upgrade the capacity of your flash player, you also upgrading the functions and features. Companies do not dwell on one DAP model for long, they will come out with new players with new features ALONG WITH GREATER CAPACITY. Yes if a larger and cheaper HiMD comes out for Sony MZ-NH900, you do not need to replace the player and use the new HiMD BUT u miss out great features Sony has in their NEW MD players! While you upgrade from a 512MB iAudio U2 (old model) to a 1GB iAudio G3, the price may be the same @ that point of time in sale BUT u also enjoy new features like super long battery life and newer firmware updates (more support given to new players) The player and storage improves AT THE SAME TIME! Thus you do not really waste your money!

There is nothing to do with how much your player worth, a player can have its price falling cos its keeps coming with new updates like faster transfer speed and stuff, u call that "not worth" when the company is trying hard to put in new features and thus price falls? NO! Whereas another company can come up with its own technology yet do not have much improvments over time and price stays as high. You call that "worthful technology" just because you buy it expensive? NO! Remember im talking about MEMORY VS MEMORY not PLAYER VS PLAYER.

Well it goes the same thing with handphones, the models are coming out sooo fast that your one or two years old phone seem so worthless...so does it mean that i dun use handphone and instead i shall bu some kinda satellite connection system which cost so exp but cheap to make calls? Then i say "well in a year or two my present handphone's price will drop like mad and render it worthless, so i shall spend more on this portable satellite dish connection machine cos im sure it will still be as exp aft three years thus it worth more?" Make sense? not really to most ppl! While ppl enjoy video confrencing, new games, advance PIM on their new 3G phone, that guy gotta stuck with his satellite machine which can only provide speech. Of course u save up of your call cost, but u totally miss the fun of a "all-in-one" communication deivce and mobility! But do i call him STUPID? NO! COS HIS AIM MIGHT BE JUST TO MAKE CALLS! IF HE FINDS ALL OTHERS USELESS TO HIM, THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST SOLUTION FOR HIM!

Thus which you prefer? MD or Flash? You decide! No one really cares which you choose but only you feel happy or sad about it! I dun see ppl carrying iPod around as totaly idots. THINK! if you wanna look cool and be tredny and u just want some music in your ears...WHY GO FOR IAUDIO or SONY?iPod will do! no use! you are just wasting money! See what you want it what u NEED! But if you say iPod has great audio and features then U ARE AN IDOT!

Conculsion : The best is what u think is the best for you...and Econs do have some uses....

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