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The ibiza Rhapsody from Haier wasn't exactly a popular DAP. On paper the player didn't have too many flaws. It had a nice interface, built-in WiFi with access to Rhapsody (as well as a web browser), and a nice set of codecs to choose from.

So what went wrong exactly? I don't have any data to back up my claims, but I'd say there were a few factors that led to its demise. First, it just didn't have the "look" of today's players. No eye-catching design, or huge display. Instead we got an industrial looking player with a 2.5" screen. Another factor was the pricing. At the point of its release, Apple was selling their 80GB classic iPods for $249. Haier released the ibiza Rhpasody at $329, and even worse, it only came with 30GB's. Finally, brand power, or lack there of in this case also played a role here.

Now the folks at Haier want to give it another go. They're targeting the more active lifestyle demographic with the ibiza Rhapsody Sport edition. It's essentially the same as the original, except it's redesigned with a new rugged surface that's "weather-proof". No word on whether weather-proof is a codeword for ugly, but we'll confirm that nonetheless. The Sport edition will come in 4 and 8GB sizes and retail for $179 and $199 respectively. Forgive me, if you think I'm being overly critical of Haier here. I just see a lot of potential with the ibiza, and I'd like to see a true next gen iteration of it.

ibiza Sport at Amazon