Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Madonna iPod!
- Thread starter G4scott
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Apple Gear
If apple really wants to make some serious coin.
SELL SWAG.
I get some of my stuff from a friend working at Apple.
Apple could be making some serious cash selling this crap to the people who really want it. Think of the markup on a Pen.
If apple really wants to make some serious coin.
SELL SWAG.
I get some of my stuff from a friend working at Apple.
Apple could be making some serious cash selling this crap to the people who really want it. Think of the markup on a Pen.
You don't have to like these things, but is Apple loosing any money here? They still offer the normal iPod's. These are just little 'extras'. They already do custom laser engraving. Besides, I'm sure it doesn't take much for them to put any logo or image on the back of an iPod...
They have to RESEARCH the idea to see if people wil want it.
To the guy that aked what then next processor would have to do with Apple R&D, Apple is part of the PowerPC "trio". They spend money on the DEVELOPMENT of the processor.
I did try to get to job at Apple. They said 15 was too young.
Why do I care?
While not the end of the world, here is why I don't like these iPods...
The Apple brand is very important to the continued life of Apple. Everything they choose to do and release with their brand name on it works to enhance or diminish the value of the brand.
These celebrity-stamped iPods come off as cheesy to me, and hence work to diminish the value of the Apple brand in my mind. It's one thing to get the artist to endorse an Apple product in an ad, an entirely different thing to co-brand an Apple product with the Artists's name.
Now, can anyone imagine someone who might not already have been inclined to buy an iPod choosing to do so now because they can get it with Madonna's sig on it? And if there are such creatures, do we really want them as Apple customers?
Finally...I'd be willing to bet that such items would never be considered collector's items. I'll be watching eBay in the next year to see if my prediction is correct, but a tech item that is mass-stamped with an artists sig will never appreciate in value. Now, if Moby had personally taken a sharpie to the iPod that he handled in the promo video for the original iPod, that would be an item that might gain in value.
While not the end of the world, here is why I don't like these iPods...
The Apple brand is very important to the continued life of Apple. Everything they choose to do and release with their brand name on it works to enhance or diminish the value of the brand.
These celebrity-stamped iPods come off as cheesy to me, and hence work to diminish the value of the Apple brand in my mind. It's one thing to get the artist to endorse an Apple product in an ad, an entirely different thing to co-brand an Apple product with the Artists's name.
Now, can anyone imagine someone who might not already have been inclined to buy an iPod choosing to do so now because they can get it with Madonna's sig on it? And if there are such creatures, do we really want them as Apple customers?
Finally...I'd be willing to bet that such items would never be considered collector's items. I'll be watching eBay in the next year to see if my prediction is correct, but a tech item that is mass-stamped with an artists sig will never appreciate in value. Now, if Moby had personally taken a sharpie to the iPod that he handled in the promo video for the original iPod, that would be an item that might gain in value.
I'd buy one if Steve Jobs signed it. I'd also buy one if Woz signed it. I'd even buy one if John Skully signed it. It's a great marketing idea. They should have a Steve one.
Wow
I can't think of anything more useless than this...Hey Apple, what about making something useful like MAKING AVI'S WORK SEEMLESSLY IN QUICKTIME! ****!
I can't think of anything more useless than this...Hey Apple, what about making something useful like MAKING AVI'S WORK SEEMLESSLY IN QUICKTIME! ****!
I HATE ZEALOTS!!!!!
Wow I can't believe the amount of senseless bitching over this.
IT'S A F*CKING COLLECTORS ITEM!!!
It's no different then collecting Baseball cards, autographs, cars or whatever.
It is NOT disrupting precious R&D nor is it a waste of resources. It probably costs less than $20 to do the engraving, no more than the 'Holiday Engraving Promtion' they have going now.
Oh no, having Madonna's or Beck's signature on an iPod is going to desecrate the Apple name!
Geez people. You act like having a signature on your iPod is the f*cking end of Apple or something, get over it.
Wow I can't believe the amount of senseless bitching over this.
IT'S A F*CKING COLLECTORS ITEM!!!
It's no different then collecting Baseball cards, autographs, cars or whatever.
It is NOT disrupting precious R&D nor is it a waste of resources. It probably costs less than $20 to do the engraving, no more than the 'Holiday Engraving Promtion' they have going now.
Oh no, having Madonna's or Beck's signature on an iPod is going to desecrate the Apple name!
Geez people. You act like having a signature on your iPod is the f*cking end of Apple or something, get over it.
Re: Re: How 'bout a Beck iPod...
Beck is not related to the Hansen brothers. Their last names are the same, but they are in no way related.
Originally posted by boobers
ya since his brothers are the hansen brothers!!! That would be sooooooooo cooll man'!!
lol
Beck is not related to the Hansen brothers. Their last names are the same, but they are in no way related.
This is very profitable for Apple
This has had me laughing out loud all day.
We're in the process of setting up an iPod engraving service at my company, and will offer engraving on our own metal products, as well.
This is done on a 40 to 70 watt YAG laser marking machine that costs between $40K and $70K. There's another from $2K to $4K in annual maintenance, if it's in 24/7 operation.
The sig is about a 12 to 14 second burn time.
In other words, this operation actually costs Apple about 60 to 80 cents apiece... including machine depreciation, maintenance, machine/shop rate, and operator labor. They are burned in batches, all from the same file, so there's not even a part to part adder for custom graphics setup.
At $50 apiece, Apple would make $49 pure profit. At $30 apiece, it's only $29 in pure profit.
I'm a shareholder. The more high-priced air Apple can sell, the happier I am.
Go Apple!
This has had me laughing out loud all day.
We're in the process of setting up an iPod engraving service at my company, and will offer engraving on our own metal products, as well.
This is done on a 40 to 70 watt YAG laser marking machine that costs between $40K and $70K. There's another from $2K to $4K in annual maintenance, if it's in 24/7 operation.
The sig is about a 12 to 14 second burn time.
In other words, this operation actually costs Apple about 60 to 80 cents apiece... including machine depreciation, maintenance, machine/shop rate, and operator labor. They are burned in batches, all from the same file, so there's not even a part to part adder for custom graphics setup.
At $50 apiece, Apple would make $49 pure profit. At $30 apiece, it's only $29 in pure profit.
I'm a shareholder. The more high-priced air Apple can sell, the happier I am.
Go Apple!
Re: I HATE ZEALOTS!!!!!
hear hear!
I get a wee bit concerned when I see how much fussin' n fightin' such a trivial issue can cause on this forum.
Get over it kids, it's not important but it is quite interesting.
I don't normally go for these types of gimmicks but if they did a De La Soul, maybe...
i_b_joshua
hear hear!
I get a wee bit concerned when I see how much fussin' n fightin' such a trivial issue can cause on this forum.
Get over it kids, it's not important but it is quite interesting.
I don't normally go for these types of gimmicks but if they did a De La Soul, maybe...
i_b_joshua
Well, I do find it curious that Apple isn't advertising them on their website. They might see it as a flak attraction ploy - considering how much of that is flying around here.
It really isn't that big a deal. What I think is cool is that if they can get away with those designs, whats to keep you from doing your own? Just don't do a signature, companies could put a monochrome version of their logos on them (why, I don't know) - you could draw a picture of yourself and submit that - any number of things.
D
It really isn't that big a deal. What I think is cool is that if they can get away with those designs, whats to keep you from doing your own? Just don't do a signature, companies could put a monochrome version of their logos on them (why, I don't know) - you could draw a picture of yourself and submit that - any number of things.
D
Make original iPods
iThink that they should enable enscribing your own designed logo on your iPod I will buy it, cuz I don't really like Madonna n stuff
iThink that they should enable enscribing your own designed logo on your iPod I will buy it, cuz I don't really like Madonna n stuff
<barf>
This has descended into utter ridiculousness.
If you don't like it: Don't buy it.
If you thought about it for a moment, and listened to what other people are saying, you'd find out that is a pretty smart move, on Apple's part:
First off: Apple is already charging for engraving. As mentioned, it costs them nothing to engrave these iPods differently from the others. They are already offering an engraving service, so this is not an exception. Why the big deal? Engraving takes place POST-assembly, there are not a bunch of iPods out there with Madonna's/Beck's/etc. name on it, it is a custom job. They only get engraved if you ask for it.
Second: The iPod is already immensly popular: this seems like a move to make it even more savvy and attractive to even more people. How many other phenomenally cool MP3 players out there offer custom engraving - with the option to have your favorite band/group/singer/athlete/etc name engraved on it? Yes, it is a collector's item, FOR COLLECTOR'S. If you are not interested in these people, then of course you wouldn't opt to get the engraving done (unless you saw some financial gain in selling one later).
For those if us who think its pretty cool: I wish they had more bands; well, particularly ones that I would *want* engraved on my iPod. However, I won't be rushing to replace my 20GB just because there is another one with someone's name on it. However, if this option is continued to be offered, and they come out with a drastically different iPod worth upgrading to, I might be tempted to get one with a Radiohead insignia engraved on the back. However, at present, that doesn't seem like a future option. (Aside: There are many places locally that can offer the same service Apple offers - In Canada, they do not offer the engraving AT ALL, so I checked around, and the exact same service can be done for a lot cheaper. They can also take custom designs and engrave those.)
This has descended into utter ridiculousness.
If you don't like it: Don't buy it.
If you thought about it for a moment, and listened to what other people are saying, you'd find out that is a pretty smart move, on Apple's part:
First off: Apple is already charging for engraving. As mentioned, it costs them nothing to engrave these iPods differently from the others. They are already offering an engraving service, so this is not an exception. Why the big deal? Engraving takes place POST-assembly, there are not a bunch of iPods out there with Madonna's/Beck's/etc. name on it, it is a custom job. They only get engraved if you ask for it.
Second: The iPod is already immensly popular: this seems like a move to make it even more savvy and attractive to even more people. How many other phenomenally cool MP3 players out there offer custom engraving - with the option to have your favorite band/group/singer/athlete/etc name engraved on it? Yes, it is a collector's item, FOR COLLECTOR'S. If you are not interested in these people, then of course you wouldn't opt to get the engraving done (unless you saw some financial gain in selling one later).
For those if us who think its pretty cool: I wish they had more bands; well, particularly ones that I would *want* engraved on my iPod. However, I won't be rushing to replace my 20GB just because there is another one with someone's name on it. However, if this option is continued to be offered, and they come out with a drastically different iPod worth upgrading to, I might be tempted to get one with a Radiohead insignia engraved on the back. However, at present, that doesn't seem like a future option. (Aside: There are many places locally that can offer the same service Apple offers - In Canada, they do not offer the engraving AT ALL, so I checked around, and the exact same service can be done for a lot cheaper. They can also take custom designs and engrave those.)
you want? are you going to apply that rule to all threads? Not permitted to repeat another posters points? So you might have two or three post threads then right?