Comments on: Assessing the Apple Launch

By: Michael McWatters

Michael McWatters — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 06:51:19 +0000

Your prediction that “next year (2007) will be vastly harder still” for Apple proved very wrong. This was their biggest year yet. I've read several of your columns, and it appears your predictions are a bit shaky. I'm not an Apple FanBoy, but I am a fan of accurate predictions, and I'm not sure what yours are based upon.

By: bob

bob — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:57:01 +0000

I iTV surprised me in that it was shown and not available. I'm thinking that they are either stuck on getting it out or want to do some Xmas damage to the competition.

I also was hoping for something with a bigger screen to watch videos on, I'm hanging on to my old Archos AV480 because the ipod screen is just a bit too small for my failing eyes. I guess I'm going to get a Wii for Xmas instead :-)

By: SilverStag

SilverStag — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 05:59:04 +0000

The best “unbiased” article about iPod and Apple, i've ever come across. I love Apple and their products but, the idea of a buyers' market is really appealing.

By: Holiday Spreadsheet

Holiday Spreadsheet — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 05:16:19 +0000

The Zune is entering the market late, and this first generation probably wont sell much. But with the wieght of microsoft behind it I reckon it will slowly gather pace. Won't catch apple for ages(if at all) but I think at some point it will become a major brand

By: Rob Enderle

Rob Enderle — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 18:19:21 +0000

Fran, I actually think you may be more positive about the current Zune device than I am.

It is too big for a music only device, I have a hard time seeing it do very well at all.

The Rhapsody DNA thing looks brilliant by comparison.

By: Fran

Fran — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:14:20 +0000

The Zune just doesn't stand a chance. The problem here is that it will appeal to those currently without a player, those with an Apple product are probably not going to switch.

By: Ian Bell

Ian Bell — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:17:00 +0000

Mr. Hodges,

"Heads up, Rob, Microsoft hasn't released Zune yet--if they ever will. As of today, it's an idea not fully realized. Meanwhile iPods are flying off shelves. "

Here is a link for you: http://news.digitaltrends.com/article11297.html" title="http://news.digitaltrends.com/article11297.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://news.digitaltrends.com/article11297.html

Zune will be available for the holidays.

I am pretty sure it is "realized" pretty far along at this point :)

By: Rob Enderle

Rob Enderle — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 14:53:10 +0000

The Samsung has an impressive sound (heard a prototype several weeks back and, for something this small, the sound was jus short of amazing).

On folks buying other products only for value, this may be true SanDisk has grown market share 300% while Apple and Creative Labs share remained flat (granted for Apple, once you reach the level of dominance they have there isn?t much room for growth) but we continue concerned that, for them, the market may have reached saturation.

My conclusion is that Apple remains at the top of this market for good reason and that Zune, here or not, currently isn?t competitive. The new Rhapsody DNA offering is the most competitive yet, and my point is, the competition is getting better and at a faster rate. I don?t think this announcement did enough to ensure Apple can hold and may face some erosion as a result.

Specifically on the ITV thing, think that is both brilliant and what Microsoft should have done 3 years ago (of course, at this point we don?t know the bad news, and their will undoubtedly be DRM related bad news to consider). If Apple takes this segment, which they could, there will be few folks naturally embarrassed by it.

By: Steve Hodges

Steve Hodges — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 14:30:06 +0000

Heads up, Rob, Microsoft hasn't released Zune yet–if they ever will. As of today, it's an idea not fully realized. Meanwhile iPods are flying off shelves.

By: Steve Hodges

Steve Hodges — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 14:30:06 +0000

A little heads up, Rob: Microsoft hasn't released anything yet–if they ever will. Furthermore, they just don't get it. Meanwhile, iPods are flyiing off the shelves and Apple is far from “being out of the game, ” as you put it.

Any you get paid to write this stuff?

By: Tommo_UK

Tommo_UK — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 14:16:36 +0000

Rob,

You are consistently so wrong in your AAPL analysis it is laughable. Apple almost doubled the battery life of the mini, raised the battery life of the 5G iPod by 50% and still its not enough? Lol!

As for your iTV comments, they just show how clueless you are. Apple showed thew device to illustrate how, in the very near future, it would allow you to leverage your digital media - including iTunes downloads - into your living room. It showed the device to demonstrate it had a total solution in-hand. It didn't show it out of desperation that the rest of the keynot was somehow lacklustre. It did so in order to perfectly illustrate why you could buy iTunes movies NOW and not worry about how you were going to enjoy them later.

And Apple, far from facing its toughest quarter yet, has yet an incredibly strong iPod line-up with pricing that is ultra-competitve with anything else out there.

Rob, go back to writing about Dell and Microsoft. When it comes to Apple, in spite of years trying, you still don't have a clue.

By the way, wasn't it you who said the iMac's design was a disaster waiting to happen, because its construction meant that in an earthquake, it might unbalance and fall off a table? ROFLMAO...

By: Barry

Barry — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 10:16:10 +0000

The problem with Microsoft is that they are too late to the game, why would people buy a first gen product when there is already a better product and music service from Apple?

Those buying the SanDisk or Samsung are simply buying them to save money, there really is no other reason.

By: Ian Bell

Ian Bell — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 10:04:08 +0000

When is Microsoft going to realize it should be about the music? Adding a social networking site (which IMO is retarded) tells me they are simply going for revenue first and making their customers happy, second. Do they want to sell hardware, music, or copy MySpace? I am confused….

The Samsung K5 is super cool and I like the fold out speakers idea, but how good do you guys really think it sounds?