U2 iPod: Any Color You Want, As Long As It's Black 489
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.
Black Ipod? (Score:5, Funny)
It comes with U2 preloaded? uughhhhh...
Re:Black Ipod? (Score:5, Funny)
That's what I hear, anyway.
Re:Black Ipod? (Score:5, Funny)
That is SO true (Score:4, Funny)
:)
It's a bit late for charges of hypocrisy, no? (Score:3, Interesting)
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?
Re:Black Ipod? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Black Ipod? (Score:4, Funny)
This will be handy (Score:5, Funny)
Colors (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Colors (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Colors (Score:5, Funny)
Dear Sirs:
Where the fuck are we now?
if only.. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:if only.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:if only.. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Please People... (Score:3, Interesting)
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 digit
Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)
Comment removed (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Finally! (Score:2, Interesting)
-- Press the "any" key to play this SIG
A $300 rock (Score:2, Funny)
and when the battery dies, it becomes a $300 rock.
Re:Finally! (Score:2)
On another tangent, will the next U2 album be so terrible that they need to latch on to the iPod in order to get an image boost as "still relevant"?
Actually the new album, from what I have heard of it, doesn't really sound like your typical U2 pop rock stuff. Some of it is actually decent and some of it is absolute shit. But I suppose that I'm more tuned in to their older shit and don't really care for th
Re:Finally! (Score:2, Funny)
Black now, full spectrum next (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Black now, full spectrum next (Score:3, Funny)
paint. not just for sniffing anymore.
Re:Black now, full spectrum next (Score:2)
Re:Black now, full spectrum next (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Black now, full spectrum next (Score:3, Funny)
Maybe if enough people buy these things the proprietors will be able to afford themselves an edumucation...
Re:Black now, full spectrum next (Score:3, Interesting)
Do exclusive marketing things work? (Score:5, Interesting)
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)
Re:Do exclusive marketing things work? (Score:5, Funny)
Probably only about $3.49 higher [krylon.com].
Re:Do exclusive marketing things work? (Score:3, Insightful)
You see, what this does is give Apple and U2 an excuse to get a LOT of free press. Thats one of the primary reasons you see so many of these. It gets them in the headlines, which in turn might boost sales or build brand loyalty.
The real measure would be to calculate the cost of how much free advertising they're going to get from this, which I imagi
Re:Do exclusive marketing things work? (Score:5, Insightful)
I refuse to call it black (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I refuse to call it black (Score:4, Funny)
[/sorry]
Re:I refuse to call it black (Score:2)
Re:I refuse to call it black (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I refuse to call it black (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I refuse to call it black (Score:5, Funny)
It had to be said... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:It had to be said... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:It had to be said... (Score:3, Funny)
U2: Of course it only comes in black... (Score:2, Funny)
Any color you want (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Damn thats sexy... (Score:3, Informative)
Hehe.
This thing is really cool. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:This thing is really cool. (Score:3, Funny)
Downhill battle... (Score:5, Interesting)
Good to know SOMEBODY is getting something approaching a (more) fair cut of online royalties...
Re:Downhill battle... (Score:5, Interesting)
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.
Re:Downhill battle... (Score:3, Informative)
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Downhill battle... (Score:3, Interesting)
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
Obligatory Spinal Tap reference (Score:2)
Another marketing tactic (Score:5, Interesting)
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...
Re:Another marketing tactic (Score:2)
Re:Another marketing tactic (Score:3, Interesting)
Or perhaps you meant that the Beatles won't allow their songs to be sold in a compressed, lossy, digital format?
Re:Another marketing tactic (Score:3, Insightful)
So what does an electric guitar sound like without an amplifier or electronics? I'd bet you'd have to hold it up to your ears to he
Re:Another marketing tactic (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Another marketing tactic (Score:5, Insightful)
That's a good idea.. I recently got an HD Tivo, and it had 250GB of empty space that could have been used for sample content.
It could allow for a better user experience, otherwise you have to wait several days for the Tivo to build up a list of programs captured. It could also kickstart the Tivo learning process by providing many programs for the user to rate. If they threw in a couple of more valuable items, like pay-per-view movies, or HBO movies, it would be even more effective.
They could probably even get companies to pay them for the privilege.. I'm sure the networks would love the opportunity to pre-load the pilot episode of their programs on Tivos to make it easy for people to greatly increase the chance that viewers give it a chance.
Even a couple sample HDTV programs would be nice to show off the 1080i video and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio capabilities of the unit..
Note to p2p users (Score:5, Funny)
On a semi related note... (Score:5, Interesting)
Beatles Lawsuit? (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm curious to see what the Beatles'/Apple Records' lawyers will say about this.
p
Re:Beatles Lawsuit? (Score:5, Insightful)
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...
Re:Beatles Lawsuit? (Score:4, Interesting)
International availability? (Score:2)
How Much of the Catalog? (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Hidden Message in name (Score:3, Funny)
U2 live (Score:2)
I've noticed that as a trend over the years: bands don't tune their sound to the venue very well. The sound guys usually wear headphones, to zero in on this track or that, and don't bother with just how loud the overall band is after the initial sound check.
The overvolume of the show pretty much ruined me on U2 after that. All I could think of when I hea
OT: Earplugs (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm still rather young to speak like an old goat about this, but earplugs are the only way I listen to shows anymore. I got tired of the ear ringing directly after, and having everybody shout at you when talking to you for the next 2 days. I love music so much, that I want to protect my heari
Bono's a moron (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Bono's a moron (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Bono's a moron (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Bono's a moron (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Bono's a moron (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Bono's a moron (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Bono's a moron (Score:3, Insightful)
Just say "It sucks" and move on. Better yet, don't post anything at all -- because most don't care.
But of course, then I wouldn't get to vent to people like yourself.
Re:Bono's a moron (Score:3, Interesting)
I don't think that's what he says (Score:3, Interesting)
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.
Re:Bono's a moron (Score:3, Funny)
"It should be revoked!"
U2 References (Score:4, Funny)
This portable mp3 player seems nice and I've been shopping around for a while but I still haven't found what I'm looking for.
Does it have additional GPS functionality in case I get lost where the streets have no name?
They initially went with Rio but with the faulty hard-drives, the "Rio Lemon" just wasn't going to be popular.
They were also pitched a deal with Microsoft but Bono didn't like the idea of Ballmer dancing to Mysterious Ways...and Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me for that matter.
I heard the new black ipod is nature-proof and can be used even in places of high elevation.
Asked if the band actually uses the product, Bono admitted that both he and The Edge owned One...but they're not the same.
An all-U2 iPod? (Score:2, Funny)
(Go ahead. Mod me down. I'll still laugh at it... WITH OR WITHOUT YOU!)
I'm holding out (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I'm holding out (Score:4, Funny)
Remember the HP Blue iPod? (Score:2)
I don't believe Apple want to issue iPods which aren't in the standard colours as it breaks the consistency of their product line. Black iPods? I'll believe it when I see it.
backup the songs? (Score:5, Interesting)
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?
The preshipped songs are by U2. (Score:4, Funny)
Why only portions of their back catalog? (Score:2)
That would entail:
all albums. Yeah, all of them.
B-sides. Ie stuff not on the albums/cds/compilations
outtakes/demos - Get the really-hard-to-find U2 audio. You know, those tracks you have to buy the whole box set to get, and it's usually just 1 or 2 tunes + all the tunes you had before?
If you're gonna go, go all out. Put some tracks that might not sell well by itself, but would be a great additi
In Soviet Russia... (Score:2)
Not really "custom" (Score:5, Insightful)
Earbuds (Score:3, Interesting)
As a side note, I just don't get the U2 sponsorship thing... what's next, pink Ipod with Britney preloaded?
Obvious (Score:5, Funny)
Very slick marketing... (Score:5, Insightful)
- Those who don't like the whiteness
- Those who are fad-driven, since this will be the "latest cool thing"
- Those pondering an iPod purchase, but who were undecided might see extra value in the preloaded songs, and be pushed to buy
- U2 fan{boy|girl}s: they will buy because the black iPod screams "I'm a U2 fan".
I expect that this promotion will be rather effective, and we'll see Apple running similar promos in the future. Also, the poster who predicted changeable iPod covers (a la cellphone faceplates) is, IMO, right on the money.Vertigo has topped the iTunes download charts.... (Score:5, Insightful)
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..
How will the 'preload' work? (Score:3, Interesting)
Maybe they come with a music store "gift certificate" or something? You buy the ipod, then logon to download your "preload" ?
Figuring out the ways to get this the cheapest ... (Score:3, Interesting)
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?
It's the wild colour scheme that freaks me... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:iPod and music piracy... (Score:3, Insightful)
C) Apple realizes that a lot of people have large / enormous / OMGthatsalot cd collections that they'd like to carry around with them.
Between my wife and I, we've purchased enough cds over the years to use up about 8 gig of space on an iPod (based on my standard compression choice). Our collection is really small compared to a lot of people I know (i.e. we've got maybe 100 cds between us).
Re:iPod and music piracy... (Score:5, Insightful)
That's still legal here in the US.
When *I* rip songs, they average about 8 MB each. That's about 7500 songs, or (calculated by compression ratio) about 7.5 full discs per gig. Call it 10 discs to account for stuff that's not 72 minutes. Hmm, 600 CDs. I don't have that many, no - but I've got more than 200. And having more than 400 is not that hard to imagine.
Maybe Apple aren't out to contribute to music piracy. Maybe they really want to help people to listen to THEIR music the way THEY want to.
Myself, I'm betting on A) or C). Don't forget that the iPod can be used as storage, too...
Exactly! (Score:3, Insightful)
If you have a $3,000 CD collection (say half used, half new, $8 for used, $16 for new, $24 for two CDs, then $3k is 250 CDs, if there is 50 minutes of music per CD and you rip at 1mb/minute, that's 12500mb or 12.5gb of music) a $400 iPod is CHEAP insurance vs getting CDs scratched, lost, or stolen.
If you have a $6,000 CD collection, then you have 25gb of music. If you rip at higher than 128kbps, but say 224kbps, then a $6k CD collection will take approximately 50gb!
So iPods really
Re:iPod and music piracy... (Score:3, Informative)
The iPod is a regular, standard, mass-storage device. No drivers are needed, it's just plug it in and start using it as a hard drive. I use mine for just this task all the time and I've never needed any sort of spe
Re:Preload gets erased on first use? Huh? (Score:3, Informative)
I can see what you mean if someone plugs it in and asks it to synchronise without realising it will erase the current tracks.
Stuart
Re:Preload gets erased on first use? Huh? (Score:3, Informative)
So if the albums were stored on a disk image, say a CD, or multiple CDs, or something, on the drive, they wouldn't get erased unless the user erased them.
And then when they get mounted by the OS, iTunes should be able to recognize them as CDs. Which means that iTunes can also import them. Even if they are mounted as disk images, iTunes can still import them into the library.
So technically there's nothing