i-Pocket: You don't want one...


The things some people do really make ya wonder. Take, for example, the i-Pocket from ABOSS, a Taiwanese company that appears to be a trader shifting Chinese-made goods.

This product is unmistakably an attempt to copy the iPod mini. And, although it's Flash-based, the iPocket is longer, thicker and wider than Apple's mid-range player.

--View photos of the iPocket here.

Quacking like a dog

The engineering sample I laid hands on didn't include any software or manuals. But, testing with a PC would seem to indicate that it's only compatible with the .mp3 and (non-DRM) .wma formats--AAC, Ogg Vorbis, etc wouldn't play.

The i-Pocket is USB-only and wouldn't function (ie volumes won't mount) with any of the Macs I own, though it's battery will charge when connected. That said, it requires a fully-powered USB 2.0 port to function even when attached to a PC.

--Any Flash card you insert sticks out of the bottom of the unit, which is damage waiting to happen.

The i-Pocket's screen is OLED-based and readable in bright light. This and the built-in voice recording function are perhaps the only features to recommend this product.

Apple Legal, white courtesy telephone please...

The title of a recent Engadget.com write up on this product pretty much hits the nail on the head--The ABOSS i-Pocket says, "Apple, please sue us!"

What's your take?