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iPod Mini in the Media and on TV?
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Some random early morning blatherings:
Apple should sell two mice - a 1-button mouse with their consumer products and a multi-button mouse with their pro products. If someone buys a G5 and doesn't know how to use a multi-button mouse, they shouldn't be buying a G5 in the first place, they should be buying an iMac. By leveraging the consumer/pro differentiation, Apple can easily introduce a new mouse.
Mini iPod: I was one of the complainers and still am. Not necessarily because of the product itself but because of what it is competing with. Lets not forget (as much as Apple apologists want to) that the Mini iPod has half the battery life of an equivalently-sized Rio. Now, that fact aside, I'd rather have a 1 or 2 gig mini iPod that included the arm band and dock for $249 than a barebones 4 gig. Even 1 gig would be more than enough for the gym, the car, or anywhere else I might use such a device. So it's not the device itself that fails in my book, it's the overall package.
These are my opinions, worth roughly $0.02CDN ($0.014US and rising). If you can't deal with opinions other than your own, get off the internet.
Apple should sell two mice - a 1-button mouse with their consumer products and a multi-button mouse with their pro products. If someone buys a G5 and doesn't know how to use a multi-button mouse, they shouldn't be buying a G5 in the first place, they should be buying an iMac. By leveraging the consumer/pro differentiation, Apple can easily introduce a new mouse.
Mini iPod: I was one of the complainers and still am. Not necessarily because of the product itself but because of what it is competing with. Lets not forget (as much as Apple apologists want to) that the Mini iPod has half the battery life of an equivalently-sized Rio. Now, that fact aside, I'd rather have a 1 or 2 gig mini iPod that included the arm band and dock for $249 than a barebones 4 gig. Even 1 gig would be more than enough for the gym, the car, or anywhere else I might use such a device. So it's not the device itself that fails in my book, it's the overall package.
These are my opinions, worth roughly $0.02CDN ($0.014US and rising). If you can't deal with opinions other than your own, get off the internet.
Well, they *still* better "bring that price down" as far as I'm concerned. 300-500 bucks for a doodad that plays music? I don't think so; I can get a different doodad wot plays MP3 CDs for 40 bucks!!!
That's the first reasonable solution I've heard. I wish I'd thought of it.
Opinions are fine, and you've stated yours in a respectable fashion. Thank you.
If it wasn't clear before, my hackles are only raised by folks who claim exclusive access to the wisdom of Megacoinius, the Greek god of marketing.
The Big Picture
I think its important to look at how the mini fits in to apple's whole scheme now - especially with the announcement of the HP partnership. The iPod is now a mainstream device that is being positioned to be bought anywhere. The mini has become the premium device, that can only be bought from apple. It is becoming the future for them.
When the iPod was originally introduced, it had a capacity of 5gigs. Give it another few years, and the mini will be at 40gigs, and you'll be able to buy an "old" iPod for $100 at any electronics store. The mini is the new direction of the iPod line - its the future. Just some thoughts...
I think its important to look at how the mini fits in to apple's whole scheme now - especially with the announcement of the HP partnership. The iPod is now a mainstream device that is being positioned to be bought anywhere. The mini has become the premium device, that can only be bought from apple. It is becoming the future for them.
When the iPod was originally introduced, it had a capacity of 5gigs. Give it another few years, and the mini will be at 40gigs, and you'll be able to buy an "old" iPod for $100 at any electronics store. The mini is the new direction of the iPod line - its the future. Just some thoughts...
Re: Doodads?
'Kay, valid point. I think a better analogy would've been "you can get a Toyota Camry for 1/8 the cost of a Lexus" though. The MP3 CD player still holds a bunch of music, still randomly selectable, the sound quality is *exactly* the same, and whoa! the media's interchangeable, what a novel idea. (grin)
'Kay, valid point. I think a better analogy would've been "you can get a Toyota Camry for 1/8 the cost of a Lexus" though. The MP3 CD player still holds a bunch of music, still randomly selectable, the sound quality is *exactly* the same, and whoa! the media's interchangeable, what a novel idea. (grin)
Re: Re: Before any iPod mini detracters eat their foot...
NeXT as a hardware company was only a partial failure, Arn. I have two Color Turbo NeXTStations which are in use to this day. They were so far ahead of their time. Steve invented and inovated with the hardware SO much. I would NEVER have considered switching to a mac until the OS was switched to something good... and OSX is VERY good... Panther is the only thing I have ever seen that is better than my beloved NeXT Mach 3.3 (Jaguar was about a pick-em).
Originally posted by arn
Apple III ? (not sure Steve's involvement in that)
NeXT as a hardware company...
But I think it's a big short-sighted to attribute everything to one man (successes or failures)... it takes a town to raise... oh wait... takes a whole company.
arn
NeXT as a hardware company was only a partial failure, Arn. I have two Color Turbo NeXTStations which are in use to this day. They were so far ahead of their time. Steve invented and inovated with the hardware SO much. I would NEVER have considered switching to a mac until the OS was switched to something good... and OSX is VERY good... Panther is the only thing I have ever seen that is better than my beloved NeXT Mach 3.3 (Jaguar was about a pick-em).
Those comments were funny, as someone who bought the iPod 2 weeks after it came out and tried to tell everyone I knew about it, I feel like i was on the cutting edge for a second
I also bought a Cube 3 months prior to buying the iPod and told everyone about that to, it was my first home computer, first Mac too.
Well 1 for 2 ain't bad, I still love my cube though, writing this on now.
GO APPLE, YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!
Currently waiting for a smaller, quiter G5, one like the Cube
I also bought a Cube 3 months prior to buying the iPod and told everyone about that to, it was my first home computer, first Mac too.
Well 1 for 2 ain't bad, I still love my cube though, writing this on now.
GO APPLE, YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!
Currently waiting for a smaller, quiter G5, one like the Cube
HP/Apple question
I was just wondering...now that HP has partnered with Apple to bundle iTunes with all of their machines, and sell re-branded iPods.....do you think it's possible that they might be able to produce a flash-based player for $99 or $149 that will work with iTunes?
Apple has no interest in pursuing this market. Yet, I think there would be a good demand for such a product. Let HP sell 128MB or 256MB flash players and then there would be players of all sizes and styles that would work with iTunes.
I own a 40GB iPod, but would love to buy a small cheap player for either me or my fiance to go to the gym...
I was just wondering...now that HP has partnered with Apple to bundle iTunes with all of their machines, and sell re-branded iPods.....do you think it's possible that they might be able to produce a flash-based player for $99 or $149 that will work with iTunes?
Apple has no interest in pursuing this market. Yet, I think there would be a good demand for such a product. Let HP sell 128MB or 256MB flash players and then there would be players of all sizes and styles that would work with iTunes.
I own a 40GB iPod, but would love to buy a small cheap player for either me or my fiance to go to the gym...
Bingo. I am considering doing the same thing, as I am in the same boat with my 10-gigger. I've been making that point repeatedly among people who assume that $249 is a stupid price point for the mini, since everyone will "automatically" pay "only" $50 more to get 11 more GB. It's not a good deal if you don't need all of that space!
Reminds me of what people were saying about the cube. Style was key. Unfortunately for Apple, the cube didn't take off as they had hoped, partially because of the price point (among other things). I hope the iPod mini doesn't meet the same end, not because I'm loving the product, but because I want to see Apple be successful.
Re: One button mouse...
Everyone that complains about the one button mouse needs to get a grip. The same people that find it necessary to replace the mouse that comes with their Mac would most likely replace the mouse that comes with a PC. It doesn't matter that the PC mouse could have two buttons and a scroll wheel. It still wouldn't be the same quality and size, shape, and comfort that a third party mouse provides.
People aren't buying less Macs because they don't like the mouse that comes with it either.
To those saying they should offer BTO without the mouse, how much do you think they would take off the price? $5, $10??? I mean really, the mouse and keyboard are an insignificant cost of the computer.
Most PCs come with total crap keyboards and mice. That is why their is a huge third party market. Also, if Apple included a super cool Apple three button mouse with their computer how long do you think it would be before third party vendors stopped releasing Mac compatible software for their mice???
Later, Frank
P.S. Sorry for being off topic but I felt this discussion was getting carried away by those who all thought Apple was wrong on this old, dead issue.
Everyone that complains about the one button mouse needs to get a grip. The same people that find it necessary to replace the mouse that comes with their Mac would most likely replace the mouse that comes with a PC. It doesn't matter that the PC mouse could have two buttons and a scroll wheel. It still wouldn't be the same quality and size, shape, and comfort that a third party mouse provides.
People aren't buying less Macs because they don't like the mouse that comes with it either.
To those saying they should offer BTO without the mouse, how much do you think they would take off the price? $5, $10??? I mean really, the mouse and keyboard are an insignificant cost of the computer.
Most PCs come with total crap keyboards and mice. That is why their is a huge third party market. Also, if Apple included a super cool Apple three button mouse with their computer how long do you think it would be before third party vendors stopped releasing Mac compatible software for their mice???
Later, Frank
P.S. Sorry for being off topic but I felt this discussion was getting carried away by those who all thought Apple was wrong on this old, dead issue.
I guess I'm one of those that needs to get a grip. First off, it's dumb that Apple has this wonderful OS that takes advantage of a multi-button mouse, and yet they don't include one. Yes yes, we can use the Ctrl button, but c'mon....it's easier to use a right-click. Also, I truly believe that more people would switch if a multi-button mouse was included. It's a perception thing. All other computers include multi-button mice. To some (even some of my friends) the fact that Apple has a one-button mouse makes it look less functional. And my response being "But you can hold down the Ctrl key and get the same result" doesn't impress them.
Originally posted by frankly
Now that is funny!
Perception is reality, "frankly". It might strike you as funny, but I've read too many posts from people who find the one-button mouse a joke in itself. I'm not talking huge marketshare gains by switching the mouse, but I do think at the margin you'll find people on the fence moving over.
Right, and the reason that I find it funny is because it is what YOU THINK. I'm sure that you feel that you have a handle on the computer market as a whole and you know exactly what Apple needs to do in order to gain market share.
However, they have entire departments of people that have degrees and experience in this exact area. Don't you think that if gaining more users were as simple offering a different mouse (or no mouse) they would have done it??? That is why it is funny.
You can hate the mouse all you want. I don't disagree with you on that point. I have a third party mouse on ALL of my Macs. It is when you start attaching the decision making process of those thinking about switching to the Mac to the mouse that I have to laugh and laugh hard.
Later, Frank
Funny mice
I find your assertion funny as well. Maybe you didn't catch the earlier posts that pointed out that just about everybody who gives a rip will replace their mouse no matter what kind was included in the box.
Apple's strategy, whether you agree with it or not, revolves around ease-of use. They are not going to change that strategy merely to suit buyers whose multi-thousand-dollar decision would be swayed by a mouse.
Don't make the mistake of assuming that irate posters on web forums are somehow representative of Apple's target market.
(Edit: Whoops -- Frankly beat me to it. Dang!)
I find your assertion funny as well. Maybe you didn't catch the earlier posts that pointed out that just about everybody who gives a rip will replace their mouse no matter what kind was included in the box.
Apple's strategy, whether you agree with it or not, revolves around ease-of use. They are not going to change that strategy merely to suit buyers whose multi-thousand-dollar decision would be swayed by a mouse.
Don't make the mistake of assuming that irate posters on web forums are somehow representative of Apple's target market.
(Edit: Whoops -- Frankly beat me to it. Dang!)