CNET Accuses Apple of Over-Hyping Launch

An anonymous reader writes "A columnist at CNET is questioning whether Apple over-hyped last week's launch. From the article: 'Jobs' announcement of a new leather case for the iPod was especially ridiculous. Like the queen announcing a new toaster in Buckingham Palace. It seemed odd that Jobs was troubling himself to introduce fashion accessories to Apple's products.' Is Apple a victim of its own success? Can it hold a low-profile product launch anymore -- or do we inevitably expect too much?"

Comments

Downward spiral.

[Anonymous Coward]

So now let's over-hype the over-hype!

Jesus... let it go.

Re:Downward spiral.

[pimpimpim]

Indeed, someone at slashdot seems desperate to get this "overhype" thingy going. It was tried 3 days before, just to found out later that the actual article was not about the overhyping at all, but actually a praise of the simple remote ( http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/03/ 1911227 )

Well, the editors can be glad that someone was prepared to write an article that would fit this slashdot topic at last ;)

(Not that I've read TFA this time)

Re:Downward spiral.

[Overly Critical Guy]

No kidding! Fucking Christ, people!

1.) Apple sent out a very plain invite that breezily mentioned "fun, new products."
2.) The invite list is very small, only around 100 people.
3.) The event is held in Apple's cafeteria, for crying out loud.

Everything about this obviously screamed "routine product announcements." Every rational person should have realized it was going to be another Intel-transitioned Mac product (one of the low-end ones like the Mac mini or iBook) and maybe some iPod stuff.

But, no. All the Mac rumor sites and the press hyped up this tiny little event with touchscreen iPods, Mac mini PVR media centers, tablet Macs, and more.

I cannot believe this CNET author is actually claiming Apple overhyped the event. They didn't--you media bastards did!

Who did the over-hyping?

[BigZaphod]

It was my understanding that the press event was rather small by most standards. Perhaps it was the press and the rumor sites that over-hyped things - not Apple. I know that I had no idea the event was even going on until others pointed it out to me and were tracking the rumor sites looking for the next big announcement. If anything, perhaps the fact that nothing overly major was announced was intentional and designed to throw people off so as to better keep public expectations in check. I wouldn't put it past them.

Re:Who did the over-hyping?

[Anonymous Coward]

Precisely. The invite said, "Check out some fun new products." Nothing was mentioned there within concerning video iPod/iTunes Movie Store/Core Duo powered Toaster Ovens etc. The over-hype was entirely due to the over-imaginative minds at CNet.

Re:Who did the over-hyping?

[Kadin2048]

I think it went like this. Apple did a press event, but rather than sending out the usual press releases and all the rest, just sent out some invitations to some select journalists. Rather than assuming that this meant that the products released might be minor, people took this as a sign of Jobs' trademark "one more thing" understatement, and instead thought that they'd be getting Media Macs, 3GHz Minis, (insert favorite white whale product here). When said products didn't materialize, and the whole thing turned out to be fairly minor -- in line with what the original invitations promised -- people got all disappointed.

This wasn't the MacWorld keynote, people! Nothing big was EVER promised or suggested. The people who did, in general, didn't know anything more than you and I. So quit acting disappointed. You got two new products and an overpriced carrying case.

Wow. Kettle and soot and all.

[Frosty Piss]

Wow. Kettle and soot and all. CNet complaining about HYPE? CNet IS the definition of hype. They are one of the preferred corporate hype tools... Apple must not have greased the story's author with enough free shit.

Mac mini not a PVR

[tgibbs]

His biggest objections seems to be that the Mac Mini is not a PVR. Of course, if it had included everything necessary for a PVR--ATSC HD tuner, analog tuner, cable card capacity, huge hard drive--it would have been considerably more expensive, and analysts would be criticizing Apple for releasing an $1000 computer to duplicate the functionality of a device that your cable company will rent you for $10/month.

Um...

[daveschroeder]

What were they expecting?

Apple said they were going to announce some "fun new products". Forget the pouch, jeez. They introduced an Intel-based Mac mini with amazing features inside of the same form factor as the old mini, and a nifty set of iPod speakers that has unseated the previous leader in this category in the opinion of most reviewers (Bose).

Apple stopped always putting all of its eggs in the Macworld/WWDC basket, and introducing products when they became available. The Intel-based Mac mini is a pretty damned good product, and a huge hint at Apple's admittedly tentative and cautious steps toward the living room.

So what's wrong with that?

What were we supposed to get?

An Apple cell phone?

An Apple tablet?

A touchsheen video iPod?

Anyone expecting those things at every single introduction is expecting too much.

Re:Good morning!!!

[ericdano]

Hey, it's better than Dupes. Though there has already been one today.

Seriously though, CNet and others need to get a grip. The Mini Mac was a great announcement. It wasn't the PDA or iPhone everyone keeps rumoring about, but it was a good, though small, announcement.

If you want over hype, check out Microsoft and it's Origami Project. There isn't even a product yet, and yet they have launched a website, and had a media day the same day as Apple. At least Apple is shipping a real product.

I accuse...

[Jeff Benjamin]

I accuse CNET and slashdot for over-hyping Apple's over-hyping.

Re:I didn't see much Apple hype...

[fm6]

Yeah, a private event in the company cafeteria is not exactly hype. However, when the CEO uses that event to promote a leather iPod case you have to wonder whether he's excessively fond of hearing himself talk!

The Press Invitation Said "Fun New Products"

[John_Booty]

Overhyped? Hmmm. The press invitations specifically mentioned that Apple would be introducing some "fun new products". Fun new products. Roll that phrase around in your mind for a little bit. Fun new products.

Does that sound like an earthshaking announcement to you? Like Apple was going to introduce OS XI or make a "fuck Intel; we're using Cell processors now" kind of announcement?

If so, you're nuts. I was expecting some iPod-related announcements, perhaps the fabled "Video iPod" (yawn) at most and some capacity bumps at the least. I'd say their product announcements fell right in the middle of that modest spectrum.

It's true that Apple created some hype by not issuing any hints about the products they'd be introducing. Most of those journalists would have stayed at home if you told them in advance that they'd be introducing a new Mini, a leather slipcover, and a boombox. But hey, I can't really blame a company for wanting to create excitement about their products. That's called capitalism, folks. What Apple really did was capitalize on the press and public's fascination with Apple. They simply allowed the press and public to create the hype for them.

So was Apple cannily trying to promote and sell some product? Sure. Did Apple themselves overhype the event? I would say absolutely not.