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HP To Start Selling Its iPod
Dozix007 writes "Uberhacker.Com is reporting that HP said Friday it will start selling its version of the iPod in September. HP's white iPod will be sold in a 20-gigabyte and 40-gigabyte version for $299 and $399 respectively. Apple's prices are the same. It is essentially a clone of the current design, with no real modification."
If it works, why change it? Hopefully prices will go down a little......
It's either on the beat or off the beat, it's that easy.
I moderate therefore I rule!
--
one of them is useless.
Why couldn't they have chosen a lower price?
If you lost your job today, don't despair. You may die tomorrow anyway.
I thought one of the reasons that HP was selling the iPod was so that they could sell it in "HP blue", which would have given at least 1 reason to buy it from them(I don't use HP products, so I could care less but)
Monstar L
Really, someone let me know. Please. If it's for competition, don't you think they should have different prices?
Oh, why... did the poster submit a link to another Slash site?! Honestly, that's as productive as Google News linking to Slashdot! All it does is add yet another click to the process of finding the fucking news!
Matthew G P Coe
http://mgpcoe.blogspot.com/
Price the same, looks the same, functionality the same, brand - uncool. Most people buy iPod because it's The iPod, not some obscure unknown mp3 player. (yes, there are cheaper, lighter, more robust, better players. It's just the great marketing hype and iTunes that make iPod "cool".) Why would anyone choose the "iPod copy" if they can get "iPod original" from the "cool" Apple at the same cost?
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I think this is the URL to it! http://h10049.www1.hp.com/music/us/en/ipod.html?mt xs=home-ent&mtxb=B2&mtxl=L1
It's exactly the same!
At the time of this writing, though, you could not access shopping.hp.com! Can anyone correct me if I am wrong?
mysql>SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue > 0
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Before, HP didn't have anything like the iPos. Now it can flesh out its home electronics lineup a little bit. You know, sell it in a package with its own computers and tailor the advertising so people don't get too confused about mixing Apple hardware with PC hardware.
They did the same sort of rebranding with CD burners, if I recall correctly.
Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.
-- Dr. Spock, stardate 2822-3.
HP is tryiing to leverage it's print and media technology. They will have skins that can be printed to customize the ipods. I think 10 skins for $14.99 and sort of follows the cell phone market where you can buy various faceplates.
My guess is that HP is thinking that people will "throw in an HP iPod" when making an HP computer purchase.
Conserve Oil, Recycle, Boycott Walmart
perhaps the reason that apple went along with this is that they've finally maxed out their assembly lines, and the HiPod will be able to take up the slack. Considering the rapid growth of sales for apple, christmas season is likely to burn out their stock rapidly. If these are truly clones, made by HP under license, they should be able to take up the slack.
For the Nth time, this isn't a clone. This IS an iPod, just with an HP logo instead of an Apple logo.
Yeah, its the same thing. No question.
But think of it, HP will use resellers such as Staples, Officemax, Office Depot and other outlets which gives us a reason to use those 30$ off of 150$ coupons and other 10/20% Off coupons to buy these expensive players. For people who may balk at the 300$ price, cutting it down to 250$ sometimes is all the reason for them to spend the moolah. So repeat after me, its good for the consumers. who gives a flying fuck about whether HP had innovated or not?
Rapid Nirvana
"If the price is the same... they're screwed. Apple's Ipod force is brand recognition... " ... and an ill-informed implication that you need a Mac. This isn't necessarily a bad move for the masses.
"Derp de derp."
I'm not quite sure I see the point of this, besides throwing HP a bone in return for having iTunes pre-installed on their machines.
/. or apple.com.
You don't see the point? Then let me show you...
HP is the second largest PC supplier in the US.Apple, is not. I can gaurantee you Apple will ship more ipods in the next 6 months with HPs platform to sell from than they have for the last year. HP has a market reach that is far in excess of Apples, and is an entirely different demograph. Apples target market of young fashion nerds with fat wallets already know about or have ipods, but HP can sell ipods to people that wouldn't be normally reading
With this and Microsofts entrance into music sales, it'll be an interesting few months running up to Christmas.
In HP's online store the listing for the 40GB iPod lists that it is only compatible with Windows. Check near the bottom of the listing. Are these things coming preformatted for Windows/HP computers? Hmmm...
.deviatefromtheabsolute.
Many PC/Microsoft owners "think" anything from Apple needs to be used with an Apple to work.
HP branding makes it a more comfortable purchase, and Apple need not print "Works with Microsoft XP(tm)!" all over their boxes.
"Gee, that HP printer said 'XP Compatible' on the box, and it sorta works, so this should, too!"
HP just proved it doesn't understand basic branding: OK, so that's a pretty big smackdown to throw at a multi-billion-dollar tech giant. But consider: People buy the iPod because it's cool, it's functional and (stay with me here) because it's an iPod. If you're going to compete, you need to be different/better/unique, you need to have a dramatically lower price point, you need to have a better channel or you need to have God on your side. HP has demonstrated none of these things.
HP just told us it doesn't listen to its customers. I challenge anyone in HP's marketing organization to produce research indicating existing customers would buy an hPod (my name for it -- HP can send me a royalty check) over the existing Apple product based on exact functionality. My guess is the research doesn't exist.
Finally, HP is broadcasting the message that many of their strongest brand attributes are gone. No, I don't expect Joe Consumer to make a statement like that -- but I do expect him/her to pick up on it subtly. HP used to be about great, long-lasting products that led in their categories (printers, anyone?) both in terms of sales and innovation. They still do some innovation, but increasingly HP is trying to be all things to all people, and it's not working out too well. The clearest branding message from the hPod? That HP is a follower, not a leader.
"It was a summer's tale: Just a boy, his Linux, and a head full of dreams..."
This is Apple's attempt to capture even more of the MP3 player FOR PC market. The problem with the iPod as is, is that it is designed for the Mac first then slightly modified for the PC. I for one never bought an iPod because it has to run through shit software to manage your songs, software that at its best was flaky. MP3 Players that are originally designed for the PC are made to for the most part be like external hard drive, just drag and drop files, no 3rd party software to use. The HP iPod will use only USB 2.0 not firewire (one more thing that PC users dont always have) and will work with HP's software, not jukebox. HP's software will make it more PC friendly and more like the interaction between PC and MP3 player that other "for PC" MP3 players have. Not only all that but many people that aren't tech savvy dont know that the iPod works for PC. And even if they do, they get told by store employees that it doesn't work well with a PC. Having HP's name on it will make it more recognizable as a "for PC" product, and stop people from saying "I would like a iPod, but I dont have a Mac." Now they can see from just the name that it will work with their PC. Its nothing really that new, but it will allow Apple to sell their iPods to people that require PC name recognition.
Though I don't think it's big news, it's not an HP-branded iPod, as they had originally stated when they showed the blue/gray iPod at an Apple press release. It's an Apple iPod. HP's shopping web site lists it as an "Apple iPod from HP." I'm not sure what the big deal is; every computer manufacturer offers complementary products from different vendors. That way they're getting the margin off the product instead of someone else getting it when they by the accessory later anyway. I guess the one significant thing about this is that it doesn't appear that Apple's likely to open up the iPod architecture any time soon, hardware or software.
Notice one of the only comments on the entire site was an 'FP from Slashdot.'
I agree.
However, I have trouble thinking people who are going for a 500 dollar computer are going to "throw in" a 300 dollar MP3 player on the side (for whatever reason--financial or otherwise)
If you can't see the value in jet powered ants you should turn in your nerd card. - Dunbal (464142)
Compaq _invented_ the hard drive MP3 player. They had their first prototypes in 1997-8, I think. Their marketing folks decided that no one would want one, and they licensed the design off to a Korean company in 1999. You can read about it here and here.
I got mine in early 1999, unit #4. It still does things that the iPod doesn't do, like gapless MP3 playback. It has a superior interface, battery life and sound quality. A shrunken version with an attractive design would have kicked ass.
At any rate, HP bought Compaq, which means that they actually own patents covering almost every aspect of the iPod.
So what does the New HP do? They license the iPod from Apple. Yup, pay Apple for the IP that they own. I'm guessing that the clever MBAs running the company never decided to do a simple patent search.
Thus, HP wins the Dumbest Big Company Ever award. HP's stupidity regarding this matter has been confirmed to me by former employees who will remain nameless.
Jonathan
My guess is that HP is thinking that people will "throw in an HP iPod" when making an HP computer purchase.
Exactly, plus, the whole "same price as Apple" can be fudged when the hPod is "bundled" with a computer. HP can take a loss on the computer if they are making highl margins on the hPod and the CONSUMER WINS!
Oh and about your tag line:
Boycott Walmart - Recycle - Vote Bush out of office in 04
Three checks for me!
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
To this day, do you know how many people have come up to me and inquired about the iPod I'm listening to only to then ask, "But's it's made by Apple right? Does it work on my PC?"
These are the people HP is hoping will buy *their* iPod.
Little Bricklets
Plus, there are those of us who will never, ever, buy a product new from Apple again.
resigned
Perhaps the reason HP is doing this is so that it can perhaps bundle the iPod with some back-to-school computer they'll be selling.
And so they can make an unrealistic commercial in the "I have an American Dream(tm) and you don't" series featuring a Suburban Dad in the traditional Suburban Dad Uniform of a mangy t-shirt, shorts with a lot of pockets (for all that disposaspendable cash and all those glittery credit cards named after various precious metals) and sandals and the traditional Suburban future University Perfect Homecoming Princess browsing the overpriced aisle for a "welcome to your new corporately-sponsored entertainment experience" which can be loaded into the back of the $85,000 SUV, driven back to the five-bedroom, 1/2 acre earthy-toned cement, glass, wood, grass and paving stone surrounded Suburban Castle nestled in the cul-de-sac, then assembled in the warm glow of the plasma television and the sound of Suburban Mom calling the Suburban Family to the Suburban Dinner in the new $175,000 dining room purchased on credit last week at the big-box retail center.
That about cover it? Thanks. Good night and drive safely.
Business isn't willing to pay for products, innovation and careers, so we get brands, mortgage commercials and layoffs.
Apple's brand hasn't worked the same magic for home computers, now has it?
You are mistaken. Early Apple computers were as successful in their day as iPod is today. History has repeated itself so far. Hopefully Apple will now deviate from history and maintain their market lead.
You're being pretty subjective there. Then again, you're modded funny.
I am a Mac user. I recently bought av iRiver. Why not an iPod? Because I weighed them against each other and decided the iRiver was the better choice because of the following.
- The iRiver supports Ogg Vorbis.
- The iRiver has better battery life.
- The iRiver _can_ play directly from the file system.
You're telling me in your post that these are "generally useless" features. To me they are not. That's why I didn't buy an iPod.
"No its not simple, its a god damn pain in the ass to use regular file system transfers."
To you maybe. To me it's the other way around. You're writing like it's fact, when it really is preference.
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