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

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

Posted by timothy on Wednesday October 20, 2004 @08:09AM 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)

Black Ipod? by SoTuA · 2004-10-20 08:10 · Score: 5, Funny

Yay! No more white "mug me please" apparel!
It comes with U2 preloaded? uughhhhh...
1. Re:Black Ipod? by Trigun · 2004-10-20 08:18 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Is it bigger than the white iPod?
  That's what I hear, anyway.
2. Re:Black Ipod? by Ionizer7 · 2004-10-20 10:26 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  It is the same size, but just like black desktop computers, it is ALOT faster.
This will be handy by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-20 08:10 · Score: 5, Funny

For pirating U2's next CD before it's official release!
Colors by DoorFrame · 2004-10-20 08:11 · Score: 5, Funny

I see a red ipod and I want it painted black...

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RumorsDaily
1. Re:Colors by Goonie · 2004-10-20 08:18 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  But I still haven't found what I'm looking for...
  
  --
  
  Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo
  --Andy Finkel (J. Klass?)
Comment removed by account_deleted · 2004-10-20 08:12 · Score: 5, Funny

Comment removed based on user account deletion
Do exclusive marketing things work? by indros13 · 2004-10-20 08:13 · 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.
1. Re:Do exclusive marketing things work? by Waffle+Iron · 2004-10-20 08:18 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I think it's a neat kind of promo, but what about the black-loving non-U2 fan? Will the price be higher?
  Probably only about $3.49 higher.
I refuse to call it black by whoda · 2004-10-20 08:13 · Score: 5, Funny

So, where can I pick up one of these African-American IPods anyway?
1. Re:I refuse to call it black by Anonymous Coward · 2004-10-20 08:34 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I believe the term is 'ipod of color', you insensitive clod!
2. Re:I refuse to call it black by commodoresloat · 2004-10-20 09:41 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  you mean iRish.
It had to be said... by afish40 · 2004-10-20 08:13 · Score: 5, Funny

"It's like, how much more black could this be? and the answer is... none. None more black."

--
Thanks a million. Push Start to replay.
Downhill battle... by inkdesign · 2004-10-20 08:14 · 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 · 2004-10-20 08:31 · 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.
Another marketing tactic by fembots · 2004-10-20 08:15 · 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.
On a semi related note... by IronMagnus · 2004-10-20 08:16 · 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.
Beatles Lawsuit? by the+pickle · 2004-10-20 08:16 · 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 djh101010 · 2004-10-20 08:21 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I'm curious to see what the Beatles'/Apple Records' lawyers will say about this.
  
  Well, Apple Computers has continued to do what they agreed not to do, time after time, and continues to give money to Apple Corps, LTD because of it. All I can figure is that it's considered a "cost of doing business" and is factored in already. I can't personally see why U2 of all groups would be what they'd do this with - why not work _with_ The Beatles and release an iPod with the Beatles catalog on it? Now _that_, I would buy, and pay a premium for even (since I own the whole thing in several formats already). Hell, the Beatles collectors would probably buy a ton of these, leave 'em unopened, and so on. What better than a sale with no support costs post-sale? Seems like a natural to me...
How Much of the Catalog? by Mad+Martigan · 2004-10-20 08:18 · Score: 5, Insightful

black iPod that comes preloaded with the band's new album as well as portions of the band's 25-year back catalo

Sure, it's cool that the iPod is black (although, I can't seem to find any pictures of said iPod. I'd love to see what it looks like), but I think the real question is how much of the band's catalog is preloaded onto it? If you are a U2 fan, and the device contains, say, even 50% of the catalog, that's pretty significant value added. Of course, if you're a U2 fan, you probably own those albums anyway, so maybe not.

Still, I guess it's a nice marketing gimmick by Apple. Exclusive rights to seel the music (online, and for a little while at least), some ads out of a pretty popular group, and a million trillion news outlets covering the story and producing even more press. Kudos, Apple.

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... turning to the 3-D map, we see an unmistakable con
Bono's a moron by goldspider · 2004-10-20 08:20 · Score: 5, Funny

Ya'll see that commercial with him pimping the iPod? He counts "Uno... Dos... Tres... Catorce" in Spanish. Now I may not be the most educated man on Earth, but I know sure as shit that fourteen does NOT come after three!!

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"Ask not what your country can do for you." --John F. Kennedy
1. Re:Bono's a moron by Edgetho007 · 2004-10-20 08:35 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Actually I think the new album is their fourteenth.
I'm holding out by WormholeFiend · 2004-10-20 08:22 · Score: 5, Funny

for a Type R iPod in green/purple chameleon paint, and a "spinner rim" scroll wheel.
backup the songs? by MCS · 2004-10-20 08:22 · 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?
Vertigo has topped the iTunes download charts.... by acomj · 2004-10-20 08:40 · Score: 5, Insightful

Forbes says "Vertigo has topped the iTunes download charts since its debut three weeks ago". The itunes chart..

Is this the new metric on song popularity? It would seem to very accurate because you can track who would be willing to pay for a song rather than on an album by album basis..