Chip Tarver's Ipod Information - Apple and iPod

Story courtesy of http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~3219183,00.html


With iPod, Apple shows more business sense than most companies

By MELISSA BROWN - January 29, 2006

Not long ago, my husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I smiled and said, "Nothing, honey. I already have everything I want."

A smart man knows this is code for, "You'd better find me something perfect or there will be hell to pay."
He managed to pull it off for yet another year when he gave me an iPod.

Initially, I wasn't sure I would like it. I already had a Walkman, and the iPod seemed way too cool for me to carry around. Within an hour, however, I was convinced it was one of the best products ever created.
With the iPod, Apple managed to do what every business strives for. They created a product that appeals to a market ranging from age 6 to 86. And because they're priced between $80 and $400, depending on the model, almost anyone can afford one.

Unlike a lot of electronic gadgets, the iPod is very easy to use. It took me about two minutes to figure out all the features. The flash drive ensures songs pull up instantly and unlike my old Walkman, it never skips.
Besides looking pretty cool, the Video iPod can hold 15,000 songs. But the big selling point for this iPod is the video capability. I'm not sure I'll be downloading any movies or sitcoms, but I do enjoy music videos. The 2.5-inch screen is crisp and plays videos and photo slideshows flawlessly.

The iTunes Web site is just as easy to use. In no time at all, I downloaded about a dozen songs and a few music videos. And when I couldn't think of any more songs to download, iTunes suggested a few dozen it thought I might like based on my previous selections. This customization feature is clever, and added another 20 songs to my collection.

With very little effort, I created three play lists--one for exercising, one for relaxing and one to listen to while I work.

My husband ranks the iPod as one of the best gifts he has ever given me. But not because it was especially sentimental or unique--he loves it because it gave him a long list of ideas for future gifts. There are hundreds of accessories you can purchase for an iPod, including travel chargers, speakers, arm bands, cars kits, remote controls and $700 designer leather cases.

When my husband saw how much I liked my iPod, he began an "accessories gift checklist," which successfully took him through Christmas and our anniversary with little effort or guesswork.

Though I'm not the first to say so, I think the iPod will hold a place in history as one of the best products ever created and marketed. In 2001, Apple entered an emerging market and became one of the best sellers of MP3 players in the world. What's more impressive, however, is the risk they took by dropping their bestselling item, the iPod Mini, to replace it with iPods that are much smaller and jazzier.

Though it's common business wisdom to constantly reinvent yourself, few organizations actually do it. Apple, however, took the leap. Before introducing the Video iPod, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the iPod Mini has "been a huge hit for us, so it's time to replace it."

And the risk paid off, big time.

According to Jobs, 42 million people own iPods, and 32 million of them were sold just last year. As of this month, Apple owns 75 percent of the portable MP3 market. Almost 200 companies make accessories for the iPod and by the end of 2006, 40 percent of cars sold in the United States will offer iPod integration.

My 5-year-old daughter was recently playing with an old Walkman I had back in college. When I asked her if she wanted a few cassettes so she could play some music, she gave me a puzzled look.

"Cassettes? I thought this was a baby doll oven."

When I picked it up, I realized it looked and felt very much like a little toaster oven.

I'm not usually impressed by electronic gadgets, but whenever I pull my virtually weightless iPod out of my pocket, I have to make an exception.

Melissa Brown is an associate professor of applied business at the University of Alaska Tanana Valley Campus. She can be reached at ffmcb@uaf.edu. This column is provided as a public service by the TVC Applied Business Department.

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Lots more articles and reviews like this are at http://www.ipods-and-onlinevideo-reviews.com.

Chip Tarver