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TurboLinux to Sell Wizpy Media Player Worldwide 158

Posted by CowboyNeal from the rocking-tux-on-the-go dept.
MsManhattan writes "TurboLinux will attempt to lure Windows users over to the Linux operating system in baby steps this June when it starts selling its Wizpy media player worldwide. The pocket-sized device, which plays audio and video files, is really a Linux carrot of sorts, in that it also allows users to store a complete Linux desktop in its memory. You can plug the Wizpy into a PC's USB port and boot up the Linux system with all its user settings, passwords, bookmarks, etc. It originally launched in Japan, where TurboLinux marketed it to 'early adopters who are curious about using Linux but either don't want to or can't install the operating system.' The company will now target the same crowd around the globe, starting in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, India and Singapore."
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TurboLinux to Sell Wizpy Media Player Worldwide More

TurboLinux to Sell Wizpy Media Player Worldwide

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  • Design matters (Score:2, Informative)

    by z0M6 ( 1103593 )
    It looks decent enough: http://www.turbolinux.com/products/wizpy/ [turbolinux.com]

  • Price (Score:5, Informative)

    by CowboyBob500 ( 580695 ) on Friday June 01, 2007 @04:22AM (#19348921) Homepage
    4Gb for $278? No thanks.

    Bob

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by simong ( 32944 )
      You do have a DSP and an FM Radio in there for your 4Gb. It would be interesting to see if a homebrew one is possible *scratches chin*

      • You do have a DSP and an FM Radio in there for your 4Gb. It would be interesting to see if a homebrew one is possible *scratches chin*
        Amazon has a 4GB Sandisk Sansa with FM, recording, 1.8" screen for $122. That less than half of the price of the Wizpy!

    • that was my first thought as well, 4g what a rip

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by thebdj ( 768618 )
      1) Exchange rates our notoriously bad at reflecting the actual MSRP. I wouldn't be surprised to see this closer to $249.99 US. That said, most places will probably sell it for less. I doubt TurboLinux will be as bitchy about MSRP as Apple is with the iPod.
      2) A 4 GB iPod Nano has an MSRP of $199 with a slightly smaller (.3" diagonal less) LCD (instead of OLED) display. Also, the Wizpy (ugh, bad name) also has a full blown Linux distro, so it is probably similar to carrying around DSL (damn small linux,

  • I'm waiting for Apple to do this with iPods (Score:3, Funny)

    by Timesprout ( 579035 ) on Friday June 01, 2007 @04:26AM (#19348943)
    With the market share iPods enjoy it has to be a massive temptation to stick OSX on them and let users boot off them to help drive Mac hardware sales. It's not a strategy without risk but it potentially offers them a much greater share of the market very rapidly if they decide volume sales are the way to go.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by VE3OGG ( 1034632 )
      Wouldn't this cut into Apple's hardware sales, the true Cash Cow for the company? What would be the incentive to distribute its OS on the iPod so that any schmuck can use OS X without Apple hardware. And if it could only be used with Apple hardware, isn't OSX already on it? I just don't see the benefit...

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by simong ( 32944 )
        I've been waiting for the mythical OS X for PC since the Intel move was announced, but the way in which the iPhone has been released has made it less likely again. Hardware is one of Apple's revenue streams, and they can pretty much define what components go in that hardware, and can therefore build OS X to support those components. A white box OS X would have to support a wider range of hardware than the current lines (although I wouldn't be surprised if OS X supports what is generally currently available

      • Wouldn't this cut into Apple's hardware sales, the true Cash Cow for the company?

        Cash cow for how much longer though? iPod/itunes/iPhone/iTV are expected to bring in the cash now. Maybe you missed them dropping the 'Computer' recently. But its a valid point, can they make more charging for OSX on an iPod than possible drops in hardware sales.

        What would be the incentive to distribute its OS on the iPod so that any schmuck can use OS X without Apple hardware.

        Because every schmuck has an iPod and it alread

        • Re:I'm waiting for Apple to do this with iPods (Score:4, Insightful)

          by VE3OGG ( 1034632 ) <`VE3OGG' `at' `rac.ca'> on Friday June 01, 2007 @07:23AM (#19349725)

          Cash cow for how much longer though? iPod/itunes/iPhone/iTV are expected to bring in the cash now.
          Well iTunes still doesn't make Apple much money last I heard, the iPhone has yet to be released, so really there is no idea whether it will be a hit or not, only speculation, and the iTV has widely been seen with lackluster (probably one of the reasons Apple is trying to push the iPhone, to cover up for the iTV. The only solid cash Apple is seeing is from the iPod (which is, no doubt, considerable.

          Because every schmuck has an iPod and it already has credibility as a quality product. If Apple can make a decent implementation people will buy Macs for the full experience.
          I don't think that means what you think it means For Apple to have a qualified product, it would need a helluva lot of drivers written up. I would hazard a guess and say that Apple products (where the drivers are written by Apple and not a third party) have far fewer drivers available than Linux, and even Linux is problematic on hardware. Not to mention, most people are morons when it comes to technology -- if their iPod runs Mac OS X (and think of the sheer number of people that would run it), and it doesn't suck (which I am not convinced of, see: drivers) then there would be no incentive because it doesn't suck. If it did suck, then again there would be no desire to upgrade and it would sully the Apple brand.

          Besides, if Apple was going to do something like this, it would be far more beneficial (although stupid, IMHO) to release it as a DVD-install like Windows. To compensate for a lack of Apple hardware, they would probably be charging $150 USD for it -- now figure that if it went the way you are proposing, that would be $150 USD on top of the iPod price, and there is still no guarantee that they'd switch. At least if they are buying the software (and let's face it, most people just take whatever is pre-installed on the system) they might consider buying hardware at the same time.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by laffer1 ( 701823 )
            The iTV will eventually sell well. Right now most people don't want to pony up for a new TV and the iTV. I know 2 people with HDTVs and only one of them has one in their living room. Until there is mass adoption of HDTV, the number of people who would benefit from an iTV or a Blueray/HD-DVD player are small. I planned to buy an iTV as soon as they came out, but the $700 for a TV plus the $300 for the iTV changed my mind.
    • they'd run into a ton of hardware support issues... the range of computers that osx will run on right now is pretty minimal. If they ever sold generic x86 they'd probably be selling it in partnership with dell or some "apple clone" manufacturer.

      Besides, with apple's brand they really wouldn't need that kind of marketing.
  • Of the 4 GB, 1.2 is for the Linux stuff. This leaves you with 2.8 GB of space. That's not very much for a $300 (rounded) media player. At least give this thing a couple SD expansion slots or something!

    • Re: (Score:1, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      According to engadget, [engadget.com] there's a version with a SD expansion slot in the works.

  • "Wizpy"? That's like Wii times two, right? (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Nintendo had a great success with a game console whose name sounds like a word for urination.

    So TurboLinux now comes out with a device whose name sounds like two words for urination.
    • I guess sex sells right... well if you're R. Kelly these would sell

      for the rest of us they should just call it the EjacuBox

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by CapnRob ( 137862 )
      No, no. It's a typo. It's really wiz.py ; they're selling a Python-based music player. All Python, all the time.

  • Can this be used to remove spyware? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by kahei ( 466208 ) on Friday June 01, 2007 @05:14AM (#19349167) Homepage

    Is it possible for a device like this to circumvent XP to the point where it can be used to delete files/kill processes that are being protected by freindly spyware processes?

    I've been confronted by several XP machines that have spyware which can pretty much never be removed within XP, but which also don't run Knoppix or other 'lite' linux distros. Unless they happen to have a floppy drive for a DOS boot disk, it's a major pain removing spyware.

    A Linux USB stick might help, depending on how it's implemented...
    • I haven't run into the spyware yet that the adaware/spybot/cwshredder combo won't fix, when you run the aforementioned in safe mode.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by FST777 ( 913657 )
        You're lucky. I have. External booting (LiveCD, USB) is then the answer. BartsPE is nice, Knoppix can do the trick too, if you know where to look.

        With the right tools, this gadget might be helpfull. But a thumbdrive loaded with Linux is just as handy, and less costly.
    • if you can install the ntfs write driver support then yes, you can do surgery on XP. you essentually have root [admin] powers when you use a live cd or likely the wizpy so you can do just about anything- including accidentally crippling XP. even better though would be just to extract what you need, nuke XP and install linux from the thing like a live cd :)

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by an.echte.trilingue ( 1063180 )
      I am not sure that I would call knoppix a lite distro. SLAX [slax.org] really is lite, and it has a subproject devoted to USB stick installs, although AFAIK nobody sells it like that.

      It also has a bunch of tools devoted to security, but IMHO reinstalling XP from your system restore disks is easier and usually faster and more reliable than trying to "clean" a compromised PC.

      Take care,
      -mat

      • I am not sure that I would call knoppix a lite distro. SLAX really is lite

        I'm not sure that SLAX really is a "lite" distro. I have a blank piece of paper and a pen thats a bit liter, but it takes a while to compile.

        • Slax does not seem like a "lite" disto, because it runs a 2.6 kernel, kinda slow on many older PC's still in use today. A 2.4 kernel is much "lighter". Size (installed apps) does not matter as long as it fits on the CD, since you are not going to use all the applications at once.

          Any Knoppix distro, or remaster of Knoppix, like mine, (see screenshots, below) can be used to work with an XP install that is having problems. You don't need a linux distro on a USB stick to do that, the CD will work, and will run

    • also to see processes that don't show up use "process explorer" by the sysinternals folks.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by sootman ( 158191 )
      What kinds of machines do you have that a) CAN'T boot something that's been out for years like Knoppix but b) CAN boot from a USB drive?
  • This is a great illustration of how to use Linux correctly in creating a commercial product. That is, not just correctly license-wise, but in getting the most market benefit out of using Linux. Wizpy offers power users and opinion leaders a useful, attractive, and powerful tool. Surely a lot of Wizpys will be sold to this specific audience, and that will give Wizpy a leg up on all the other contenders in the media player business.

    Or, look at it this way: When someone asks "Why buy a Wizpy?" there is a speci
  • So, let me get this right. In order to promote Linux (and defeat MS at their game) we first have to sell a whole bunch of these digital media players (and thus defeat Apple at their game)?

    Well, that will be easy.

  • Always FM, never DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) (Score:3, Insightful)

    by deragon ( 112986 ) on Friday June 01, 2007 @09:08AM (#19350461) Homepage Journal
    Ugh... Why is it so hard to find DAB devices? I want DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) on my radios along with FM... They still build radios with cassette players, but no DAB. Nobody cares about cassette players anymore but people would love DAB if it was available.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_audio_broadca sting [wikipedia.org]
    http://www.cab-acr.ca/drri/index.shtm [cab-acr.ca]
    • There is a standards war of sorts going on with DAB. The far east and new adopters are moving to AAC/AAC+ for encoding whereas we have settled with MP2, but might have to roll out AAC for compatibility, which will make all existing digital radios obsolete. And of course, the US has hardly touched it at all.

  • It originally launched in Japan, where TurboLinux marketed it to 'early adopters who are curious about using Linux but either don't want to or can't install the operating system.'

    TurboLinux was introduced in 1992; that's 15 years ago. What bizarre definition of early adapter includes those jumping on the bandwagon 15 years later?

  • Anyone recommend one?

     
  • You can already boot Linux up over USB just fine, using Knoppix.

    Here's a guide I wrote:

    http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Bootable_USB_Key [knoppix.net]

    Do this with a USB key and it will have Linux on it, ready to be booted up. Works on any PC, needing no installation, and leaving no traces behind (unlike SanDisk's lousy "U3" software). Because it's Knoppix, it's all self-contained, and can autodetect enough hardware to be useful.

    Because Knoppix was intended to be ran from CD, it doesn't write anything back to the USB key. T

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