iPod, Therefore I Am

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iPod, Therefore I Am

“Apple’s popular MP3 gadget is at the front lines of a battle for digital rights. Can the government, the entertainment industry and Microsoft stop it?

The phenomenon known as the iPod is emerging from the shadows of Napster and the Mac to become a force unto its own. As a designer toy, it offers the promise of mobility, the allure of 21st Century Art Deco and the gratification of impulse buying.

But behind the scenes, Apple Computer’s MP3 device is the bulwark of an increasingly serious battle for digital rights versus the virtual law firm of Achcroft, Valenti and Gates. With the help of an increasingly pliable Congress, Microsoft has moved rapidly to encapsulate digital content in a digital-rights-management layer of protection.”

« Crisis? What Crisis? A debate on the future of the music business

10GB 3G iPods: $270 Shipped, 40GB: $450 Shipped »

Comments

1

Impulse buying?? I seriously wonder how many people bought an ipod on impulse. Impulse items are hardly $400 high end devices.

Posted by digitaltrapper on December 27, 2003 at 5:34 AM (PST)

2

I concur! The price point precludes the notion of simply ‘impulse’! However, the alleged mini-iPods may change that somewhat!
—
http://homepage.mac.com/johnhood

Posted by John Hood in UK on December 27, 2003 at 9:17 AM (PST)

3

My purchase of the iPod was quite impulsive, actually. I got a depressing email from someone, and to cheer myself up I decided to download this (then) newfangled iTunes. Within minutes I bought my first song. Then I thought, I think I’ll look at iPods. So I go to Apple’s website, and check out iPods, and go through the motions of purchasing even though I have no intent of buying it. Then I saw “Click here to see how you can buy iPod for $4.00 a month” or whatever. And I clicked it. And next thing you know I’m being offered this relatively enormous credit line, so I said, what the hell, and accepted it, and ordered my iPod. This all happened over the course of an hour. I didn’t research the thing until AFTER I bought it, which is unusual for me, because usually I am researching for a couple weeks before I buy anything so expensive.

Posted by monkedsel on December 27, 2003 at 12:56 PM (PST)

4

uh, when the refer to ‘impulse buying’ I think they are refering to buying songs on iTunes - not buying iPods (except fo people like monkedsel which are exceptions)...

Posted by me on December 27, 2003 at 1:24 PM (PST)

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