Digital Networks Proud Of Its Rio Being Panned By Steve Jobs (W/Pics & Corrected)

by , 10:00 AM EST, January 8th, 2004

[Editor's Note: As originally reported, this story said that the Rio referred to in this story was priced at US$149. While true, the flip side is that it isn't the same Rio referred to by Steve Jobs in his Macworld keynote. Steve Jobs was comparing the iPod Mini to a 256 MB version of this Rio, which is priced at US$199, just as Mr. Jobs said. The version we found at Digital Network's site is the 128 MB version, which is priced at US$149. Furthermore, Alex Allee, our reporter with the byline on this story, had it right, and it was me, Bryan Chaffin, that edited it incorrectly. The story as published below has been corrected accordingly. - Bryan Chaffin, editor.]

If you watched Steve Jobs' keynote presentation Tuesday, you probably noticed the comparison of the US$249 4GB iPod mini to a roundish, green Rio player with 256MB of capacity that Steve Jobs said costs US$199. Mr. Jobs went on to say that such players don't hold much music.

If you made the device in question, you wouldn't be too proud of the comparison, would you? Well, if that's the case, you apparently aren't Digital Networks, maker of the Rio Cali MP3 player shown opposite the iPod mini in the keynote. Digital Networks has gone so far as to add a banner to its Rio Cali page promoting its appearance in the keynote.

"As featured in the Steve Jobs Keynote at Macworld 2004" (Click the thumbnail for a larger screen shot) The Rio Cali 256MB, as shown at Jobs' keynote. (Click the thumbnail for a larger image)

Thanks to the folks at MacSlash for pointing this out. Also, note that Rio Cali on this page is the 128 MB version, priced at US$149.99, and not the 256 MB version priced at US$199 that Steve Jobs featured.

The Mac Observer Spin:

Amusing. Steve Jobs rips apart flash-based MP3 players, pointing out a specific example in the Rio Cali, and Digital Networks sees it as a positive thing that Jobs chose its player to show on the big screen. Either Digital Networks heard about its player making an appearance third-hand, and the company really believes in the "There's no such thing as bad publicity" mantra, or it is just betting on its customers having not actually seen the keynote in question.

Perhaps the folks at Digital Networks just have a great sense of humor, but in any case, it's a funny thing to see for those who have seen the keynote.

Digital Networks