HP Branded iPod and Music Store

Now that's a partnership worthy of market domination

This is definitely huge! Who needs downloads from PC's when you can give it to them at the time of purchase.

All Apple has to do is get it in the hands of the masses and this sounds like a step in the right direction.

Sounds like a good idea. I wonder how it will look like. Probably not so well designed.....

This is huge! HP/Compaq is the largest computer corpoation in the country and they just turned to Apple for some product outsourcing. Talk about recognizing a popular market dominating product! this will be a very good entrenchment tool for the future of Apple and the iTMS/iPod product line.

As long as it's a blow to MS's music plans, it's good, even if the iPod itself loses share (though Apple would likely get money from licensing).

Either HP or Apple is out of its mind. Either 1. Apple has given up on the idea of using the iPod to entice consumers to its computing platform, and figures it's worthwhile just to go after their MP3 player dollars, or 2. Apple thinks it's still a sound strategy, and HP is handing them a major victory.

Well... at least they won't be able to say that you can only get AAC form iTunes and can only play those on the iPod.

This is BIG news. That's the second big argument that they were touting against the iTMS that is not valied anymore. (First one was that ITMS had only 350 000 songs as opposed to 500 000)

Must say that this is an extremely suprising alliance. Why this wasn't announced at MWSF is beyond me.

I usually dont do this but,



I think the situation warrants it.

Good for Apple and HP. 'Bout time something like this happened.

the answer is 1.5
both.

Originally posted by Stoffel
Sounds like a good idea. I wonder how it will look like. Probably not so well designed.....

Click to expand...

Probably same iPod just different faceplate cover with HP or Compaq logo on the back.


How much of the PC market does HP and Compaq hold? Around 30% or so?

Looks like iTunes and the iPod will be gaining even more PC users.

Good idea

This is no different than HP selling printers in the Mac market.
I'll bet these will be identical to iPods except for something like a color variation and an "HP with Apple technology" badge.

Could make for some good price competition, but you've gotta wonder how the retail market will choose which player it will carry.

I wonder if HP's iPod will be cheaper than Apple's, like the Mac clones were when Apple allowed clones. I wouldnt mind getting a cheaper iPod, even if it did have a HP logo on it. I could always put an Apple sticker on it.

I hope Apple is getting a small fee for iTunes being preinstalled on their PC's too. I know it's free to download but to let a pc vendor include it should cost a little

I have one big problem with this: the re-branded iPod. I mean, what would it be? Would it just be the iPod, Apple logo and all, or a whole new shell? I'm worried about the iPod.

hmm. I wonder how much the "HP ipod" will be like the real ipod. The same thing with an HP on the back instead of an apple? Or slight cosmetic modifications?

This is huge.

iTunes provided by HP Compaq

hPod Music Player

What will Apple think of next? Hopefully all of this money from licensing will go towards research and development for future Apple products.

I'm with Coleco... this is probably going to be a badge engineered product, maybe with button and UI relocations/modifications.

Originally posted by arn
this is huge.

arn

Click to expand...

What's next? The new iHP, now running PPC G5 technology and OSX?

Originally posted by arn
this is huge.

arn

Click to expand...

umm, my sentiments exactly!

This'll be huge... really huge. I know a number of people who hadn't even heard of the iTunes Music Store... the same types of people who don't know that they can download Netscape instead of using Internet Explorer.

Lots of people only use what comes with their computers. iTunes being bundled with HPs is going to be HUGE for Apple.

And when people get familiar with Apple and how cool Apple's stuff is, maybe their next computer won't be another HP, but a Mac. Just the mindshare boost will help Mac marketshare in the long run.

Mindshare is important, and the more Apple gets the better. Things are already looking up (no more derisive looks from IT nerds when you mention "Mac" in their presence... heck, half the IT nerds I know [including myself] are switchers now).

But where most IT nerds at least have a healthy respect for Apple now (hey, it's UNIX!), having iTunes on every HP user's desktop will help immensely with mindshare among "average" computer users who--in many cases--hardly know a thing about the iPod, iTMS, or the Mac.

It's been a long time since I have'nt seen a near 100% positive rated thread.

The press release is almost identical on Apple and HP's site:

HP's Press Release

Apple's Press Release

Beige iPod!

Now that would be progress