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Post subject: Another Underappreciated Multifunction Product
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 3:29 pm
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In an age of Apple Ipods and Nintendo DS Lites, I am amazed at the number of multifunction products that get no recognition for their versatility, and as a result, near fully realize the marketplace presence that they richly deserve. The Sony PSP is one product that has been a victim of this trend (you wont find a better phrase looper); I believe the B-DEC 30 is another.

Every manufacturer of high tech gear seeks to find that balance of form, function and finish that offers the end user the best of all worlds: it does alot and looks great without costing a ton of money. The pursuit of this balance has one huge risk: because the tech tries to be so many things, it never succeeds at establishing its own identity. The Sony PSP suffered from this fate: is it a video game machine or a movie player or an mp3 player? Or maybe its a portable internet browser? I I make phone calls with this thing? Despite the fact that it does all these things, the lack of an identity led to the PSP being crushed by inferior devices (the irony will be that the Ipod become known as a games machine as a secondary application, he complete opposite of the PSP design).

Apply this same scenario to the B-Dec and what do we have? A versatile box that offers:

A 30W Practice Amp
A Drum Machine
A Phrase Looper
A Midi Synthesizer
A Band in the Box that doesn't need a computer to run
A phrase trainer
A metronome
A composer/arranger
A stage monitor
A tutor
An effects and amp chain

and much more!

There is nothing like it on the market, yet people have a difficult time grasping the concept, because it looks like an underpowered combo amp that you would get in one of the starter bundles that include everything to get you to stop dreaming. This is very unfortunate, because this lack of identity usually leads to a product being discontinued. I'm glad to see the video of Eric Johnson using the G-Dec. I hope there are more videos made available showing musicians using their digital entertainment centers in exciting ways. For those who actually have a B-Dec, I hope you will share your experiences, because this is a product that deserves to be further enhanced, not die due to lack of interest. I'll start: I am creating practice loops based on the Berklee Practice Method, that will allow me and my nephew to practice every song in that program, in any key, at any tempo.


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Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 3:54 pm
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Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:08 am
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It appears that manufacturers have lost the idea of making a product that does one or two thing really well and built with quality and pride. Now a product has to do everything and none very well. They'll learn when sales numbers come in! :wink: Maybe? Instant gratification rules now days!


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Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 8:45 pm
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2007 10:50 am
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Quite the contrary. Reach in your pocket and examine the cell phone you use. Even the most basic phones today are multi-functional. In point of fact, convergence is the the direction of all technology. The DEC series is merely an example of where good convergence is inexplicably ignored by end users, despite having all desirable functions incorporated into the technology. Even todays IPOD, which some consider the most elegant combo of form and function, has become a multi-function device. The question at hand is why do some succeed and others fail, despite being competent. Think I'm off based? Then ask yourself, why are the latest iterations of the Ipod/Iphone being touted as gaming systems?


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