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HP iPod Photo
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Now wait a minute. When was the last time that HP cared about what any of their products looked like?
Daniel
Let's Look at the Big Picture Here
HP is trapped in the M$ sphere. Limited to little innovation, closed standards, with virtually no differentation between the major players (including white boxes).
HP is probably the only PC company truly trying to separate from the Wintel crowd, but they are smart enough to know that profit margins will continue to be under pressure from the highly successful Dell business model.
Why not take advantage of the Apple innovation express (which eventually will include OS X) where the iPod, for example, produces a nice profit per unit with little or no development costs. As long as this is profitable for HP, additional items will be co-branded, i.e. iPod Photo, iPhone, iVideo,etc.
From Apple's point of view, HP has 20,000 additional sales outlets which are very important going down the road as the digital hub develops into its full potential, not to mention all the big things coming once Tiger is out in May/June timeframe.
So this is a deed of convenience for both companies and could result in many collaberative agreements going forward, a very promising scenario, indeed.
Apple stores will continue to increase, HP alliance will probably expand, new ventures with major parters as the next generation of technology evolves, more co-branded mass market initatives all point to new opportunites for Apple to grow its core businness.
When the number of iPods sold by HP this past quarter is revealed next week, all of this will make sense to those that are looking at the big picture.
HP is trapped in the M$ sphere. Limited to little innovation, closed standards, with virtually no differentation between the major players (including white boxes).
HP is probably the only PC company truly trying to separate from the Wintel crowd, but they are smart enough to know that profit margins will continue to be under pressure from the highly successful Dell business model.
Why not take advantage of the Apple innovation express (which eventually will include OS X) where the iPod, for example, produces a nice profit per unit with little or no development costs. As long as this is profitable for HP, additional items will be co-branded, i.e. iPod Photo, iPhone, iVideo,etc.
From Apple's point of view, HP has 20,000 additional sales outlets which are very important going down the road as the digital hub develops into its full potential, not to mention all the big things coming once Tiger is out in May/June timeframe.
So this is a deed of convenience for both companies and could result in many collaberative agreements going forward, a very promising scenario, indeed.
Apple stores will continue to increase, HP alliance will probably expand, new ventures with major parters as the next generation of technology evolves, more co-branded mass market initatives all point to new opportunites for Apple to grow its core businness.
When the number of iPods sold by HP this past quarter is revealed next week, all of this will make sense to those that are looking at the big picture.
2 birds with one stone
you should have ..while the women was still there!! don't be shy!!
vwcruisn said:
you should have ..while the women was still there!! don't be shy!!
I like the fact apple is making a boat load of money from ipods. Its just that when i first got my ipod i felt special to own one... Now everyone has them
Windows supported fully already
Just to be clear for anyone who hasn't looked up the iPod Photo at Apple.com--the Apple version ALREADY works on Windows, photos and all, including 3rd-party software. Yes, they allow choice iTunes handles photo synching from whatever your source is, and Apple now makes a version of iTunes for Windows.
Even on Mac, iPhoto is optional--which (along with speed/convenience) is why having iTunes handle photo AND music synching is a good thing. I use a Mac, but I don't sync to iPhoto, I sync to a folder with my photos in subfolders. Those are my albums. Same thing works on PC, plus iPod Photo also supports Adobe Elements and Adobe Album.
http://www.apple.com/ipodphoto/autosyncphotos.html
Even if you're like me (until iLife '05!) and don't use ANY compatible photo software, you still just drag your photos into a folder and they auto-synch. You still have control over which albums/subfolders synch and which do not. It's pretty flexible--and if I used Adobe Elements (PC) or iPhoto (Mac) it would be even better: no drag-and-drop step needed.
mojohanna said:
Just to be clear for anyone who hasn't looked up the iPod Photo at Apple.com--the Apple version ALREADY works on Windows, photos and all, including 3rd-party software. Yes, they allow choice
iTunes handles photo synching from whatever your source is, and Apple now makes a version of iTunes for Windows.Even on Mac, iPhoto is optional--which (along with speed/convenience) is why having iTunes handle photo AND music synching is a good thing. I use a Mac, but I don't sync to iPhoto, I sync to a folder with my photos in subfolders. Those are my albums. Same thing works on PC, plus iPod Photo also supports Adobe Elements and Adobe Album.
http://www.apple.com/ipodphoto/autosyncphotos.html
Even if you're like me (until iLife '05!) and don't use ANY compatible photo software, you still just drag your photos into a folder and they auto-synch. You still have control over which albums/subfolders synch and which do not. It's pretty flexible--and if I used Adobe Elements (PC) or iPhoto (Mac) it would be even better: no drag-and-drop step needed.
This should come as NO SURPRISE.
The whole HP partnership is about getting ipods in a lot more locations to sell a lot more ipods. Wow. What a concept.
The iPod photo is a top seller for Apple and needs to branded as HP to get into HP's locations, just as the other HP ipods are.
Catch a clue, people. Of course, YOU wouldn't want an HP-branded ipod. You're a Mac Enthusiast! None us want anything than 100% Apple! Plus who wants to go to the trouble of getting one of these only to have to reformat it to work with a mac.
However, what about the PC users who never would be exposed to the iPod because they just don't go into an Apple store or there isn't one close to them? How about an impulse buy for those people?
I'm simply amazed at all the negativity on this thread about Apple wanting to extend its BEST IPOD out to the PC community to make some serious coin.
The whole HP partnership is about getting ipods in a lot more locations to sell a lot more ipods. Wow. What a concept.
The iPod photo is a top seller for Apple and needs to branded as HP to get into HP's locations, just as the other HP ipods are.
Catch a clue, people. Of course, YOU wouldn't want an HP-branded ipod. You're a Mac Enthusiast! None us want anything than 100% Apple! Plus who wants to go to the trouble of getting one of these only to have to reformat it to work with a mac.
However, what about the PC users who never would be exposed to the iPod because they just don't go into an Apple store or there isn't one close to them? How about an impulse buy for those people?
I'm simply amazed at all the negativity on this thread about Apple wanting to extend its BEST IPOD out to the PC community to make some serious coin.
RadioShack tales
I've got a WORSE Radio Shack story, from a few weeks ago...
A woman was talking to the sales guy about the iPods, and another woman came up to pay. The second woman said, "My son wanted an iPod for Christmas, and I found them for $100 at another store!" The original iPod shopper was quite excited to hear this.
And then somewhere out there, TWO people opened up their Christmas iPods to discover no-name 60-song flash players that will never get used.
So there you have it--the price of success--a lot of people think "ipod" is not a brand, but a general term for music players. Now, these generally aren't the people who WANT a music player anyway... but when Christmas or birthday time arrives, you have those people shopping for OTHER people who may know better.
Thank goodness for returns! And just in time for Apple's flash player. (I wonder if HP will sell flash and Mini iPods too? Now that the holiday rush is over, maybe they can make enough Minis for HP to have some too.)
I've got a WORSE Radio Shack story, from a few weeks ago...
A woman was talking to the sales guy about the iPods, and another woman came up to pay. The second woman said, "My son wanted an iPod for Christmas, and I found them for $100 at another store!" The original iPod shopper was quite excited to hear this.
And then somewhere out there, TWO people opened up their Christmas iPods
to discover no-name 60-song flash players that will never get used.So there you have it--the price of success--a lot of people think "ipod" is not a brand, but a general term for music players. Now, these generally aren't the people who WANT a music player anyway... but when Christmas or birthday time arrives, you have those people shopping for OTHER people who may know better.
Thank goodness for returns! And just in time for Apple's flash player. (I wonder if HP will sell flash and Mini iPods too? Now that the holiday rush is over, maybe they can make enough Minis for HP to have some too.)
nagromme said:I've got a WORSE Radio Shack story, from a few weeks ago...
A woman was talking to the sales guy about the iPods, and another woman came up to pay. The second woman said, "My son wanted an iPod for Christmas, and I found them for $100 at another store!" The original iPod shopper was quite excited to hear this.
And then somewhere out there, TWO people opened up their Christmas iPods
So there you have it--the price of success--a lot of people think "ipod" is not a brand, but a general term for music players. Now, these generally aren't the people who WANT a music player anyway... but when Christmas or birthday time arrives, you have those people shopping for OTHER people who may know better.
Thank goodness for returns! And just in time for Apple's flash player. (I wonder if HP will sell flash and Mini iPods too? Now that the holiday rush is over, maybe they can make enough Minis for HP to have some too.)
That's just sad.
No real surprise there. Just a plain old iPod Photo with HP stuck on the box. It would have been a lot better if HP had actually changed the color or something (when they started with the iPod). Who knows if they will do anything different with the Photo.
nagromme said:Just to be clear for anyone who hasn't looked up the iPod Photo at Apple.com--the Apple version ALREADY works on Windows, photos and all, including 3rd-party software. Yes, they allow choice
Even on Mac, iPhoto is optional--which (along with speed/convenience) is why having iTunes handle photo AND music synching is a good thing. I use a Mac, but I don't sync to iPhoto, I sync to a folder with my photos in subfolders. Those are my albums. Same thing works on PC, plus iPod Photo also supports Adobe Elements and Adobe Album.
http://www.apple.com/ipodphoto/autosyncphotos.html
Even if you're like me (until iLife '05!) and don't use ANY compatible photo software, you still just drag your photos into a folder and they auto-synch. You still have control over which albums/subfolders synch and which do not. It's pretty flexible--and if I used Adobe Elements (PC) or iPhoto (Mac) it would be even better: no drag-and-drop step needed.
Hear, hear, nagromme! How come so many people are misinformed about the photo synching capabilities of the iPod Photo? There were a bunch of posters on the Apple Discussions griping that iPhoto should have been bundled with the iPod Photo since it's required. That just not true. It's almost as bad as the many people who think Apple iPods won't work on PCs. And not only are they misinformed, they pass on that misinformation to others and don't educate themselves with the facts. It's quite disappointing.
I haven't read this entire thread, but am I the only one who doesn't understand this?
It seems stupid, and all it does is confuse people. Why doesn't HP just sell ****ing iPods? You don't need to call it an HP iPod especially when it's exactly the same product.
Doesn't make any sense if you ask me.
-cody
It seems stupid, and all it does is confuse people. Why doesn't HP just sell ****ing iPods? You don't need to call it an HP iPod especially when it's exactly the same product.
Doesn't make any sense if you ask me.
-cody
vwcruisn said:
Ummm.... you should have had the courage to speak up. Now how many more people is he going to do that to?
lost opportunity....
I think you should have said something, the world is full of misconceptions, and with a fully working APPLE iPod, bringing a smile to her face, she could have been a potential switcher, which will never happen now.... too bad....
vwcruisn said:
I think you should have said something, the world is full of misconceptions, and with a fully working APPLE iPod, bringing a smile to her face, she could have been a potential switcher, which will never happen now.... too bad....
HP sells computers (among many other things). A person buying one of theirs might not even consider an iPod because, in their minds, it is APPLE. They don't know about it working with PCs. The HP brand breaks down that type of misconception. It gives the sales staff something to easily convince the customer when they are thinking of accessories to buy with their HP computer:codycartoon said:
"You'll need external speakers, perhaps an extra monitor and, Ma'am, how about an HP iPod that works wonderfully with the computer you're getting?"
Also, while there are a few places now selling iPods, many stores just don't have them. Out of sight, out of mind. "I'll take the iRiver MP3 player, sir".
HP has been negotiating with store chains for years -- they're in vast numbers of retail spaces that would take Apple forever to try and get into on their own.
It's about breaking down misconceptions and getting the iPod into those vast retail spaces. And from there, getting those iPods into the customers hands.
RS and Macs
All I can say is, the retail world needs a LOT more like you.
The mere fact that you'd be made to feel like you'd "probably be shot for not trying to talk them into an HP or Compaq" illustrates the whole problem.
I truly believe that the single best way to ensure future sales for yourself and your place of business is to give helpful, honest advice to your customers. If that means sending them elsewhere to purchase what they're asking for, so be it! In the long run, they'll remember you as the "helpful sales guy/gal" who told them where to find what they needed - and they'll be back to buy other things from you.
If you did the opposite and convinced them to take an HP or Compaq from you, they'd likely feel cheated at some point, when they discovered that they were originally told to ask for a "Mac" for a good reason, and now they blew their money on something that doesn't best meet their needs.
(Who knows? Maybe she asked for a Mac because she wanted to do video editing or digital photo retouching, and the "iApps" and tools like GraphicsConverter were just what she needed?)
All I can say is, the retail world needs a LOT more like you.
The mere fact that you'd be made to feel like you'd "probably be shot for not trying to talk them into an HP or Compaq" illustrates the whole problem.
I truly believe that the single best way to ensure future sales for yourself and your place of business is to give helpful, honest advice to your customers. If that means sending them elsewhere to purchase what they're asking for, so be it! In the long run, they'll remember you as the "helpful sales guy/gal" who told them where to find what they needed - and they'll be back to buy other things from you.
If you did the opposite and convinced them to take an HP or Compaq from you, they'd likely feel cheated at some point, when they discovered that they were originally told to ask for a "Mac" for a good reason, and now they blew their money on something that doesn't best meet their needs.
(Who knows? Maybe she asked for a Mac because she wanted to do video editing or digital photo retouching, and the "iApps" and tools like GraphicsConverter were just what she needed?)
mox358 said:Hold on a sec... not ALL Radioshack associates are that bad. I work at a RS and am a HUGE Apple guy. I know lots about my iPod, and thus I can better inform people about what an iPod can/can't do and how it works. I have fixed a few in-store that just needed a reset, while other people who work there were clueless.
To further "educate" my co-workers, I burned them all copies of iTunes for Windows last week.