Why iPod Mini is a smart move for Apple

Ample Dave writes "Ars Technica has an analytical article up right now that looks at Apple's strategy with the (many would say overpriced) iPod Mini. I have to admit that I bought into the rumors of a dirt cheap iPod Jr., and thus was very disappointed when the real price of $250 was announced, but this article changed my mind. It leads me to wonder about Apple's other pricing games. You an see this kind of thing with the eMac and iMac, too."

Mac hardware is expensive??

[Trolling4Columbine]

What a scoop!

Re:Fact is...

[Anonymous Coward]

color is not dumb.

Dual purpose (No, I'm not serious).

[Apiakun]

As he states in the article: "Secondly, the iPod is cool. Apple is cool. Is the iPod Mini cool? As a married, Caucasian male in his mid-30s who thinks he looks good with a shaved head, I feel somewhat ill-qualified to judge what is and is not hip." Is he trying to review the iPod, or to tell us he's a member of the Aryan Nation?

I too!

[overbyj]

Secondly, the iPod is cool. Apple is cool. Is the iPod Mini cool? I too think the iMini iPod is iCool! I want iOne iNow! Just iLower the iPrice to i$199 or lower Steve.

Most reports miss the market

[shawkin]

Teen age girls. They buy a lot of music.
Fashion is important. Small is important; their purses are full of stuff.
Think of it as technical jewelry.
I know girls who are buying all five colors to match their outfits and moods.

Size matters?

[Takara]

If people, such as the people who wrote the article, can say that the iPod mini is worth the lesser space for the greater buck just because it's smaller... I think they need to re-review the iRiver. I mean, come on. The iRiver looks like a freaking skateboard [electroline4u.com].

I mean, come on! I'd choose the skateboard over the apple branded over-sized suppository.

Re:Overpriced

[Chris Tucker]

So by your "logic", no one is buying BMW or Jaguar automobiles, instead, they are buying Yugos.

Because, as you say, "Nobody cares about quality."

You're a Windows luser, aren't you?

Re:Fact is...

[mykepredko]

Concerned Onlooker wrote:

Not every man is design impaired, and color and styling may be among the criteria evaluated in a purchase.

While this is true, the small minority of men that aren't design impaired embarrass the hell out of the rest of us.

myke

Re:within a year, more iPod users than Mac OS X us

[Isbiten]

Apple will have to make the choice of whether to port their music/media software to Windows or will face losing most of those customers... who do not want to switch platforms (at a very high cost) just because of a music player.

Yeah they really should port iTunes, oh wait! They did! iTunes for windows [itunes.com]

And why should they all the sudden make a change in their business from being a niche player to something that's doomed to fail?

Re:Accessories: where the money is.

[jkabbe]

Yes, "Belkin" and "sucks" should definitely be used in the same sentence when referring to the media reader.

iPod Mini Ridiculously Expensive!

[eunos94]

Why would someone spend $250 for 4 gigs in a iPod Mini, when I can by a brand new Dell Dimension 2400 with 40 gigs of space on it for only $400! That's only $150 more dollars for 36 more gigs of memory!

It's ridiculous that they could charge that much for something with no storage in it at all. I don't care if it's a little smaller. It's absolutely a crime that they should even insult us like this.

Re:They let me down big time.

[Deraj DeZine]

Then again, I could be completely wrong. I'm open to that concept as well. :)

Very refreshing concept. Why can't other Slashdotters do the same?

Re:Still Don't like it

[FurryFeet]

Once again, a public service announcement for the Slashdot crowd:

Not everyone is a geek!!!!

Thank you, and have a nice day.

Re:Most reports miss the market

[jeffehobbs]

I know girls who are buying all five colors to match their outfits and moods.

You know the Hilton sisters?!?

~jeff

The Days of Whine and iPod minis

[Hitchcock_Blonde]

Hello!!! If you don't like the price, don't buy one! Now, how difficult is that? Seems to me that Apple has a great reason for pricing it a $249.00 -- they want to make a profit! A business that wants to make a profit? Interesting concept.

Thankfully, Apple chooses quality over quantity and then prices accordingly. Better components and superior design cost money.

Just think of what a wonderful world it would be if we all used cheapo eMachines, drove Yugos and listened to crappy WMA files our flimsy off-brand MP3 players.

Re:It's competetively priced

[Equuleus42]

And objectively speaking, they weren't nearly as cool.

Hate to nitpick, but that would be subjectively speaking...