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The original iPod predated even the flash-memory iRiver products by at least a year.

When the iPod was released its sole competitors were the Nomad Jukebox and the Compaq PJB-100 -- both of which were HUEG (2.5" hard drives), had shit for battery life, were made of the creakiest plastic, and took several minutes to boot up and index your files (due to not having an index (drag-and-drop has consequences!)).

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I agree with Blasdel. Think about MP3 players back then and how awful the song management software was. They were afterthoughts and it showed.

The bad experience dealing with those programs negated any benefit from HAVING an MP3 player. I remember messing with my Nike/PSA's player and trying to load my songs onto it, and I simply gave up.

Apple figured out that iTunes needed to be as easy to use as the iPod. That was their win.

As someone who owns a hard drive iRiver from when the original ipod was available (with clicky-wheel and all)... I'm not so sure about your statement.

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