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HP Branded iPod and Music Store
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Originally posted by hvfsl
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.
More then likely not.
Though due to more marketshares I'm willing to bet the pricing comes down over 6 months time frame.
No, and no. It's win win. Apple wants to sell iPods to PC users. So, for those who don't want an apple product, they'll sell the iPod in an HP/Compaq case (same guts, different colored-plastic and badge, and a different start screen). HP/Compaq, meanwhile, can sell a product that's built for PCs with access to "the number one onl-line music store." Once Apple started selling a pure-PC product, it was clear the Apple-only strategy was not dominant. Besides, the HPPod will undoubtedly work with a Mac too.
In the meantime, MS gets the shaft, because now iPod/iTunes is being sold to 5% + 25% of the computer market.
This is good, all I can say WOW but that isn't enough.
But I do wonder how the iPods will be branded. Plus I wonder what is more important to Apple, the ipods and iTunes or people buying macs, because they just bought a HP PC.
Strange but it seems Apple isn't wanting to be pushed aside in the mp3 market.
But I do wonder how the iPods will be branded. Plus I wonder what is more important to Apple, the ipods and iTunes or people buying macs, because they just bought a HP PC.
Strange but it seems Apple isn't wanting to be pushed aside in the mp3 market.
Originally posted by jholzner
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
Why. A PC vendor would say "why don't you pay us, since everyone else (uh, microsoft) gives it to us for free"
Hmmmm ...
The HiPod?
Because the text reads that the HP version will be price competitive with other brands, how much you wanna bet it'll be a 2Gb version made with the Cornice 1" HD mechanism, for $199? It'd prolly use the same form factor and appearence as the new miniPod, but with a new HP faceplate.
Either that or Hitachi will be dropping the price on the HD currently used in the miniPod when they release their 0.8" mechanism.
Pure speculation of course
The HiPod?
Because the text reads that the HP version will be price competitive with other brands, how much you wanna bet it'll be a 2Gb version made with the Cornice 1" HD mechanism, for $199? It'd prolly use the same form factor and appearence as the new miniPod, but with a new HP faceplate.
Either that or Hitachi will be dropping the price on the HD currently used in the miniPod when they release their 0.8" mechanism.
Pure speculation of course
Again...
...you know if it keeps happening, the "Hell Frozen Over" catchphrase is going to wearout and won't have a dramatic effect.
This is great news indeed! Hopefully the HP devices will be Mac compatible as well, then we could have more choices with devices and still be able to play our AAC songs and such. It'd be great if Apple could get other PC manufacturers to join in on this as well, the more choices, the better!
Up next, HP G5 desktops running 10.3.3 (j/k!)
Up next, HP G5 desktops running 10.3.3
(j/k!)
FANTASTIC NEWS
Apple is doing everything so well these days. If they want to make money, increase sales, and in turn sell more macs they have to do things like this.
They aren't selling the farm, like they did with clones, in order to increase marketshare... they're increasing MINDSHARE... and that translates almost directly into Marketshare. The numbers are starting to show this, too.
Good job, Apple. I fully believe they will astound us with PowerMac updates no later than mid-february... and when those Mini iPods come down to $199 (maybe 4 months time as some have heard), I'll snap one up with my dual 3 GHz G5.
Apple is doing everything so well these days. If they want to make money, increase sales, and in turn sell more macs they have to do things like this.
They aren't selling the farm, like they did with clones, in order to increase marketshare... they're increasing MINDSHARE... and that translates almost directly into Marketshare. The numbers are starting to show this, too.
Good job, Apple. I fully believe they will astound us with PowerMac updates no later than mid-february... and when those Mini iPods come down to $199 (maybe 4 months time as some have heard), I'll snap one up with my dual 3 GHz G5.
At this point hell has frozen over, Phill Parcells is coaching the Cowboys, and I'm waiting for a swarm of locusts...
woah that is huge. Aren't HP and Apple real close to each other?
I guess the partnership makes sense, HP isn't doing that well but has access to a huge market. As for the design, not too sure, I'm pretty sure they will keep Ive's form factor, just tweak the back and maybe do a different color to differentiate. They can't stray too far or they lose the cachet value of Apple's Industrial design.
I guess the partnership makes sense, HP isn't doing that well but has access to a huge market. As for the design, not too sure, I'm pretty sure they will keep Ive's form factor, just tweak the back and maybe do a different color to differentiate. They can't stray too far or they lose the cachet value of Apple's Industrial design.
Holy cats! This is like return of the clones, er... okay... not. Still, I can't recall another time Apple was going to build something and/or sell it to another company for it's use? Can anyone else? I mean, I assume the HP iPods, er, hPods? er... whatever, will have the same form and function but not be the same in color or some such (uglier in other words, but work the same). I'm stunned!
HPod
Let me be the first to beknight this the "HPod" ...
Note that the press release says the HPod will be "based on Apple's iPod". This does not mean a "rebranded" iPod. It means that some bits of the technology will be used by HP.
IMHO, this it the only way you'd ever see a low/mid=market Flash player with iPod compatibility.
An HP brand on the device instead of an Apple brand significantly lowers the "bar" of brand that the device must live up to. This can be good, because Apple doesn't want iPod associated with some segments of the market, but does want the market share for their file formats that those segments allow. Apple doesn't want people to see "iPod" and thing "$79 at WalMart!", but when people go to WalMart looking for a cheapo POC device, Apple doesn't want them to end up being locked out of upgrading to the iPod in the future.
IMHO, this is a "gateway" device. People buy the 128MB HPod as a first cheap entry into digital music. They buy songs on iTMS, start carrying them around with them. Then, pretty soon, they realize that 128MB is just way too little memory for their songs, and start looking bigger. What's bigger? The iPod, of course!
Contrast this with the current situation, of which Apple is very aware: people wanting to "toe-in" to digital music buy a WMA-based crap-flash player from RCA or Rio. They find out that the device is too small or just plain a pain to use and one of two things happen: they throw the thing in the garbage and give up on digital music (yes, I know RCA owners who had to be convinced to give digital music another try), or they look around for devices that work with what they have (a library of WMA songs), and buy a Creative or Archos brick. iPod is just not an option for these folks.
Let me be the first to beknight this the "HPod" ...
Note that the press release says the HPod will be "based on Apple's iPod". This does not mean a "rebranded" iPod. It means that some bits of the technology will be used by HP.
IMHO, this it the only way you'd ever see a low/mid=market Flash player with iPod compatibility.
An HP brand on the device instead of an Apple brand significantly lowers the "bar" of brand that the device must live up to. This can be good, because Apple doesn't want iPod associated with some segments of the market, but does want the market share for their file formats that those segments allow. Apple doesn't want people to see "iPod" and thing "$79 at WalMart!", but when people go to WalMart looking for a cheapo POC device, Apple doesn't want them to end up being locked out of upgrading to the iPod in the future.
IMHO, this is a "gateway" device. People buy the 128MB HPod as a first cheap entry into digital music. They buy songs on iTMS, start carrying them around with them. Then, pretty soon, they realize that 128MB is just way too little memory for their songs, and start looking bigger. What's bigger? The iPod, of course!
Contrast this with the current situation, of which Apple is very aware: people wanting to "toe-in" to digital music buy a WMA-based crap-flash player from RCA or Rio. They find out that the device is too small or just plain a pain to use and one of two things happen: they throw the thing in the garbage and give up on digital music (yes, I know RCA owners who had to be convinced to give digital music another try), or they look around for devices that work with what they have (a library of WMA songs), and buy a Creative or Archos brick. iPod is just not an option for these folks.
Well, you're half right, IMHO. Although I agree that Microshaft will give it to you for free... the first couple hits of crack are always free. When you're hooked and cant' turn back, they make you "pay" one way or the other.... hence the situation we currently have in the world with Windows, Internet Explorer, Office, and Windows Media Player. They threaten to cut you off so you're no longer supporting the "number 1" solution that is "mainstream"... and that means you loose sales.
I must be in a parallel universe where Apple actually makes intelligent marketing decisions.
This alliance will firmly entrench iPod + iTMS as the dominating force in the legal digital music revolution. Now it is only a matter of time before the riff raff music stores begin falling by wayside.
This alliance will firmly entrench iPod + iTMS as the dominating force in the legal digital music revolution. Now it is only a matter of time before the riff raff music stores begin falling by wayside.
THIS IS SO AWESOME!!
I cannot stress enough how incredibly awesome this is for Apple. Yes, it is being packaged on a PC. Yes, these people aren't using a Mac yet. But its getting the Apple name out there, where people will use it!! This is 100% positive, free advertisement for Apple!!
This guarantees that at least 30% of all new PCs being sold will not use Microsoft's future garbage, but iTMS and iPod. Dell will get bullied into it, just like they do with everything else from Intel and Microsoft, but not HP/Compaq. Think about it, in a couple years 75+% of new PCs sold could have been using WMA and whatever service Microsoft would have embraced and bought out. In one swift move, that number has been pre-emptively struck in half!! We don't have to fear Microsoft's bully tactics to win the market with quantity over quality! GO APPLE!
This will help HP/Compaq market share (which takes away from Dell), it will help Apple's market share, and it puts additional nails in the coffins of all the other music stores.
I'm ecstatic, this news is exciting!
I cannot stress enough how incredibly awesome this is for Apple. Yes, it is being packaged on a PC. Yes, these people aren't using a Mac yet. But its getting the Apple name out there, where people will use it!! This is 100% positive, free advertisement for Apple!!
This guarantees that at least 30% of all new PCs being sold will not use Microsoft's future garbage, but iTMS and iPod. Dell will get bullied into it, just like they do with everything else from Intel and Microsoft, but not HP/Compaq. Think about it, in a couple years 75+% of new PCs sold could have been using WMA and whatever service Microsoft would have embraced and bought out. In one swift move, that number has been pre-emptively struck in half!! We don't have to fear Microsoft's bully tactics to win the market with quantity over quality! GO APPLE!
This will help HP/Compaq market share (which takes away from Dell), it will help Apple's market share, and it puts additional nails in the coffins of all the other music stores.
I'm ecstatic, this news is exciting!
See ya Dell!
Adios Dell DJ...
Give Carly some credit, she smart enough to know when somebody else is doing it sooo much better than you can, your smart to sub it out... And give SJ some credit for making this happen too...
I'm sure there is some agreement to share revenues of the units, and sales from the ITMS. So it will be good for incremental reveune for both companies as the digital music market evolves..
Interesting how the press release mentions ITMS icon on the desktop. Given how ITMS has such a huge market share..reminds me of something a few years ago...hmmm, logo on desktop, big market share....can't quite remember it...
Cheers,
Hughdogg
Adios Dell DJ...
Give Carly some credit, she smart enough to know when somebody else is doing it sooo much better than you can, your smart to sub it out... And give SJ some credit for making this happen too...
I'm sure there is some agreement to share revenues of the units, and sales from the ITMS. So it will be good for incremental reveune for both companies as the digital music market evolves..
Interesting how the press release mentions ITMS icon on the desktop. Given how ITMS has such a huge market share..reminds me of something a few years ago...hmmm, logo on desktop, big market share....can't quite remember it...
Cheers,
Hughdogg