Miniplayer wannabes

marcelo1251 · 01-04-2007

I want a MINIStar, LOL!!!!!!!... even packaging is copy... :eek: too bad

Nickle · 01-04-2007

the back looks like it comes from another player?!

DChronos · 01-11-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoham

My guess is that most of these are actually OEM products made in agreement with Meizu.

OEM is a confusing term. It stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer but it really means the opposite. Some company buys the base product, makes some small changes, and then resells it with their own brand name on it. This is a fairly common practice. Sometimes the small change is only to put their own brand name on it.

Some of these may be "ripoffs", but I bet alot of them are OEM products.

Actually, OEM really is OEM. Go to Newegg.com for the best example of what OEM really is. Basically, it REALLY means they (the seller) buy a whole bunch of product in bulk straight from the manufacturer with no retail packaging, then they can sell it for a better profit for those that don't care if it's in the retail box or not. It cuts out the middle man in the chain, and also means you get a better deal, too... usually. Sometimes, it also means there's a higher chance for defects.

Usually, OEM means you get nothing but a certain specific part, but sometimes, they sell all the parts together that would come in the retail box, just without the fancy packaging.

Also, I think this is actually a PMP (personal media player). Those are made for watching movies and other video, and have music capability, unlike the M6 which is made for music with video capability. Different class of handheld, though the design is fairly close to the M6.

As for the other ripoffs, I bet these are really good cases of corporate espionage, companies stealing design concepts from other companies by paying employees for information, and "designing" their own copy.

Job · 01-11-2007

in that case the players posted here ARE rip-offs as they are NOT the the same as the Meizu at all but with changed looks, controls and capabilities...etc

an OEM Meizu would be the exact same player without the Meizu brand, working with the same firmware.

a mere copy of the player is easy to make but shouldnt be associated with Meizu whatsoever.

ps: this has nothing to do with corporate espionage in my opinion

In China anyone can rip off anyones design. They dont care much about intellectual property. No espionage needed at all.

The chinese even make a Smart car rip off with the exact same looks!
They dont spy, they just copy

Austin · 01-12-2007

You guys forgot one of meizu's main competitors! the Teclast T29!

and the new version of it:

DChronos · 01-12-2007

That new version actually looks pretty cool. I would personally like having the play button there, and the menu button separate from the controls.

I have a design in mind for my perfect mp3 player, and the M6 design would be the base of it, too, since before I even knew about the M6, I wanted to find a player that actually used as much of the front for a screen to give more functionality and stuff. I was also looking for intelligent button design, and good feature set. I'll draw it up sometime. I don't like touchpads that much, but I have another idea that's already been used on mp3 CD players that would make it easy. I also have a touchpad desing, but without buttons on the touchpad.

marcelo1251 · 01-12-2007

Personally i dont think Teclast is making M6 ripoffs, i have the T29 and ordered the C260 from HouseOfDap.com (both of them :D) and i can tell you they're totally different to miniplayer, even the way you search for files, the options, controls....

In fact, i recommend you guys the T29 for backup player...

Job · 01-12-2007

I agree

The T29 is not a ripoff. It just happens to have teh screen in the same place.
I own both and the T29 is a fine player but not as easy to use and navigate as the Meizu.

It is very small, stylish, cheap and with a good build-quality though.

However, the difficult navigation makes the player a back-up player indeed. Not a first choice

newbielives · 01-24-2007

How is the Newman user interface?
Are they as bad as those cheap nano clones?

Job · 01-24-2007

wasn't Newman that guy from Seinfeld?

anyway id like to play with the Newman and all the other rip offs for a while just to see how crappy they are probably but also what surprising little things they might have that actually are worth of being used in the real thing too...