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U2 iPod: Any Color You Want, As Long As It's Black

Posted by timothy on from the fascists dept.

dave writes "Forbes is carrying the story that U2 and Apple will be releasing a custom black iPod that comes preloaded with the band's new album as well as portions of the band's 25-year back catalog. The custom iPod will be made available the same week as the new album, which is slated for release in the U.S. November 23rd. The article also talks about the larger deal which included the advertisement for iPod/iTunes and exclusive rights for iTunes to sell the album online for the first few weeks of release." skyshock21 adds a link to this article in Revolution Magazine.

25 of 489 comments (clear)

  1. Black now, full spectrum next by slimak · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Does this mean that we may be able to get serveral colors in the near future? Blue iPod? OR, will other Apple products ship in black? Something about a shiny black iBook seems cool to me.

    1. Re:Black now, full spectrum next by Lord_Dweomer · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I remember a story a while back about an interesting patent Apple had filed (if someone wants to do the legwork, by all means...) a patent for a device that lets you change the color through LEDs or something like that. This would in theory let you change the color of the case of all their computers and the iPod, and would be a much better seller than just one color.

      --
      Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
  2. Do exclusive marketing things work? by indros13 · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I think it's a neat kind of promo, but what about the black-loving non-U2 fan? Will the price be higher?

    Also, any word on how successful these kinds of exclusive marketing deals are? I've noticed that Best Buy does a number of these exclusive marketing tricks. Any evidence to suggest that they actually work? (i.e. substantially boost sales, brand loyalty, etc)

    --
    Under capitalism man exploits man. Under communism it's the other way around.
  3. Downhill battle... by inkdesign · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "U2 and Interscope will split a standard royalty for each song downloaded (about $0.60 per download), plus an upfront licensing fee."

    Good to know SOMEBODY is getting something approaching a (more) fair cut of online royalties...

    1. Re:Downhill battle... by pknoll · · Score: 5, Interesting
      Good to know SOMEBODY is getting something approaching a (more) fair cut of online royalties...

      This is what it will take, I think. A big-name band like U2 or Pearl Jam, maybe REM, saying "screw the system, we're going straight to digital".

      Once it's shown that the electronic distribution model can work - and it may take a big name to try it and see - others will follow suit.

    2. Re:Downhill battle... by Coryoth · · Score: 2, Interesting

      "U2 and Interscope will split a standard royalty for each song downloaded (about $0.60 per download), plus an upfront licensing fee."

      Good to know SOMEBODY is getting something approaching a (more) fair cut of online royalties...

      Any artist that signs on with Magnatune gets a guaranteed 50% of any sale. That's 50% straight to the artist, not splitting a ~60% royalty with Apple.

      They're getting reasonable numbers of artists signing on too. Magnatune really is the best online music seller I've encountered.

      Jedidiah.

      --
      Craft Beer Programming T-shirts
  4. Another marketing tactic by fembots · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Are we seeing a new marketing tactic in the horizon?

    Eg Buy a DVD Recorder with LOTR extendeder version preloaded? Or TiVo with 10 seasons of Friends?

    Oh! It'll be fun if iPod's preloading Beatles songs...

    --
    Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
    1. Re:Another marketing tactic by Proteus · · Score: 2, Interesting
      the Beatles won't let their music out in a digital format
      Funny, I own several Beatles albums on CD. Last I checked, CDDA stands for Compact Disc Digital Audio and is, as the name implies, a digital format.

      Or perhaps you meant that the Beatles won't allow their songs to be sold in a compressed, lossy, digital format?
      --
      We may not imagine how our lives could be more frustrating and complex—but Congress can. – Cullen Hightower
  5. Re:Finally! by LemonFire · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm just waiting for iPods to come out with album covers on them as well (like cell phone covers). I'm sure it will happen.

    -- Press the "any" key to play this SIG

  6. On a semi related note... by IronMagnus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Instead of mac apple and beatles apple fighting.. why don't they team up and sell a version of the white ipod with an apple graphic on the wheel thats pre-loaded with the beatles' white album.. the marketing writes itself.

  7. Beatles Lawsuit? by the+pickle · · Score: 5, Interesting

    As noted yesterday on As the Apple Turns, this could have some ramifications for the lawsuit, as Apple Computer is going to be shipping physical media with pre-recorded songs on it. The argument up to this point was that Apple Computer had never shipped any physical media containing songs (Barenaked Ladies music videos on the Mac OS 8+ system CDs notwithstanding), and thus wasn't in violation of the previous agreement with Apple Records.

    I'm curious to see what the Beatles'/Apple Records' lawyers will say about this.

    p

    --
    In Korea, long hair is for old people!
    1. Re:Beatles Lawsuit? by iphayd · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Actually, that is completely false. When iTunes first came out, Apple shipped all consumer Macs with a variety of songs in a "iTunes Sampler". This was prior to the iTMS.

  8. backup the songs? by MCS · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Lets say I bought this new ipod, and I had to format it for some reason.

    Now will I be able to get the preshipped songs back on it? Will I be able to transfer them off the Ipod (or install CD) to make a copy for my (fair) use?

    1. Re:backup the songs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      More importantly, will the current version of iTunes even ALLOW you to keep U2's CD on your iPod?

      In the past, you were not supposed to be able to transfer songs from iPod -> computer, only computer -> iPod. This was done to discourage people from sharing iPods and thus illegally copying songs between computers. 3rd party hacks will bypass this situation, but it's not apple-approved.

      So right now, as soon as you plug this iPod into your computer, iTunes will see that the songs on your computer != songs on your iPod, and iTunes will overwrite your iPod with your computer music. Poof! There goes your U2 music. Probably before you even know what's happened.

      The only way around this is if apple includes a version of iTunes with the U2 iPod that somehow avoids this situation.

  9. iPod and music piracy... by Se7enLC · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Apple will soon be coming out with a 60gb iPod. Next logical step, right? Consider this: - 60GB is approximately 12,000 songs, if songs average 5MB each. - Assuming each song is purchased either from a CD or from the iTunes store, the average cost/track is around $1 Conclusions: A). Apple must believe that there is a sizable market of people who are likey to spend $12,000 on music that want a single device to hold it all or B). Apple realized that a hefty amount of their iPod market steals music and doesn't care, so long as they get profit from the stolen-music business in addition to the profits made from the music that still gets purchased from the iTunes store.

    1. Re:iPod and music piracy... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      you're not factoring in CD's that people already own and rip to mp3 format and then put on their ipod.

      or using the ipod for something other than music.

      anyway what's your point? its a storage device. its none of apple's busines what people do with them. It's up tothe individual owners to not break the law.

  10. Earbuds by FiReaNGeL · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I wonder if the earbuds (and cord) are black too. White cord/earbuds used to be a sign of 'rob me, I got an expansive Ipod in my pocket'. Many friends of mine changed the (excellent) earbuds that came with their Ipod for Sony's one for this particular reason.

    As a side note, I just don't get the U2 sponsorship thing... what's next, pink Ipod with Britney preloaded?

    --
    Eureka Science News - automatically updated
  11. Re:Bono's a moron by Edgetho007 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Actually I think the new album is their fourteenth.

  12. How will the 'preload' work? by luiss · · Score: 2, Interesting

    iPods are officially one-way when it comes to transfering music. You can put music in, but not take it out. So, how will you get those preloaded tunes off your iPod and into your iTunes so that they don't get wiped out the first time you sync your iPod?
    Maybe they come with a music store "gift certificate" or something? You buy the ipod, then logon to download your "preload" ?

  13. DRM on pre-loaded songs? by jhkoh · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The big question is: What kind of DRM will be on the pre-loaded songs? When you buy songs from the iTunes Music Store, the files are DRM'ed so that only your authorized copies of iTunes will play them. These pre-loaded files will have to playable on every installation of iTunes out there...?!?

  14. I don't think that's what he says by Zlurg · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Who says it has to be Spanish? LOTS of languages use uno, dos and tres as their first three numbers. I'll tell you what, though, there are a couple that use quatro-variants as #4, pronounced entirely differently from Espanol...
    ...say, akin to "KAT-ruh"
    I know this because I once owned an Italian car called the Masarati Quattroporte, pronounced "KATruh-port"

    And by the time I get this posted, I'm sure 6 others will point out that 14 DOES come after 3.

  15. Re:Bono's a moron by angle_slam · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The Offspring were trying to rhyme tres with seis. I'm pretty sure they know how to count. Both U2 and the Offspring were mocking those songs that count to 4 at the beginning.

  16. Figuring out the ways to get this the cheapest ... by adzoox · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm trying to figure out the ways to get this the cheapest. I suppose this will not be available in any other store than the Apple retail store or Apple's online store...

    1) Use a paypal debit card (1.5% back) or other credit card cash back or point reward card (up to 4%)

    2) Buy under a program like MyPoints using the affiliate Apple Store Link = a 5% yield in converted to cash points

    3) Least useful tip: have the item shipped where Apple does not charge sales tax

    Can anyone else think of any other ways to save money on such an item to yield it for the lowest price?

    --
    Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
  17. Re:Please People... by gamgee5273 · · Score: 2, Interesting
    The PSP? You are comparing the iPod to the PSP? You're comparing a 40GB hard drive music player to a piece of equipment that is disc-based, has poor power management, keeps getting pushed back and doesn't have the games to launch before Christmas?

    Using your logic: I can pick up a shareware app to rip DVDs to a 128MB Memory Stick and watch movies on my Sony Ericsson P900, which would allow me to "play mp3s, watch movies and play games" and use it as a planner, a Bluetooth remote, a cell phone and a digital camera. Doesn't mean that it's replacing my iPod at any point. The iPod goes more places with me than the P900 does...

    So my question to you is: What the hell are you smoking, where did you get it and will you share? Because you are smoking some SERIOUS shit...

  18. It's a bit late for charges of hypocrisy, no? by Zhe+Mappel · · Score: 2, Interesting
    ...to feed some starving African babies or support some whack hippy group and generally continue to stick their self-righteous noses in everything.

    It's really ironic that you're bashing Bono with such hackneyed right wing rhetoric when he has spent the past four years as a habitual guest in the Bush White House, traveling with Bush's Treasury Secretary, praying with Jesse Helms, calling on Bill Frist, and dining with Rupert Murdoch.

    Don't you recognize one of your own when you see him?