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Report: Taiwan’s Asustek secures order for flash-based Apple iPod music player

Monday, December 27, 2004 · 3:05 pm · 18 Comments

“Asustek Computer Inc., a leading supplier of 3C (computer, communications, consumer electronics) solutions, has secured an order from Apple Computer Inc for its iPod mini music player, the Economic Daily News reported, without naming a source,” AFX News reports. “With the flash memory-based device, Apple Computer is apparently seeking to make further forays into the Asian Pacific market, it said.”

Full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Will anyone be surprised if Apple CEO Steve Jobs announces the ‘iPod flash’ (iPod micro) during his Macworld Expo Keynote Address on January 11?

Categories: iPodDailyNews, MacDailyNews

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Comment Feed

18 Comments

DanK

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 4:47 pm · Reply

“MacDailyNews Take: Will anyone be surprised if Apple CEO Steve Jobs announces the ‘iPod flash’ (iPod micro) during his Macworld Expo Keynote Address on January 11?”

At this point, I’m sure Steve Jobs realizes he doesn’t even have a choice anymore.

With so much speculation, there will be something beyond disappointment if an iPod flash (or something better) is not revealed at the keynote in January. A HUGE drop in Apple stock.

I think they should call it the iPod dash, to take some momentum from the success of the movie the Incredible, another of Steve Job’s great works.
effwerd

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 4:53 pm · Reply

Sometimes, MDN seems like a stalker.
Michael

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 5:00 pm · Reply

if MDN is a stalker, what should we call its faithful, feedback leaving readers?

really, where would we be without MDN? it’s the first and last word on noteworthy Mac news.
twilightmoon

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 5:08 pm · Reply

effwerd
Sometimes, MDN seems like a stalker

So where does it hide the bodies?
mike

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 5:15 pm · Reply

I wonder how the boys at RCA feel about all this iPod flash hype

lmfao

I mean.. common.. no matter WHAT apple releases, it will be a huge hit and they will take a big chunk of the flash player..

lmfao.. all this time RCA saying, “Welcome to the party…” hohoho
mike

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 5:17 pm · Reply

I mean.. it must kill them that Apple is getting all this free press and already has hundreds of thousands of ppl just waiting for the minute they can get their iPod flash hahahaha

See ya Yepp, BenQ or whatever..
G-Spank

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 5:20 pm · Reply

Man, if there was no iPod Apple would seems like it’s really dragging its feet, eh? I mean where are the Powerbooks? Where are the G5 speed bumps? Where is the next replacement to the eMac? Apple needs to give the eMac a big overhaul, especially aesthetically…
G-Spank

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 5:21 pm · Reply

oh and by the way, remember when people in these forums thought Apple shouldn’t release the iPod for windows? My how times have changed…
effwerd

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 6:34 pm · Reply

Hey, I didn’t say stalking was bad. Or that MDN has to divulge where the bodies are hidden. I just said, sometimes…
Chris

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 7:24 pm · Reply

“With so much speculation, there will be something beyond disappointment if an iPod flash (or something better) is not revealed at the keynote in January. A HUGE drop in Apple stock.”

I doubt it. I bet that no matter what Steve unveils, many will be disappointed. Remember the mini? Everyone freaked out when he announced the price. Even though it was known that the mini was coming. People will still doubt Steve no matter what the rumor sites come up with. And then they will claim that they never doubted him when he (and Apple) are proven right. What a crock.
mike

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 7:50 pm · Reply

That’s like saying if the Lakers never had Shaq they’d have sucked all those years..

They spent 17-20m a year on him.. if they never had him, they would have done sth else with their money..

If it weren’t for the iPod, Apple would be spending its energy on sth else..

But the reason the iPod is so important is because it introduces people to Apple at a lower price point.. and that’s sooo critical..

The iTunes for Windows thing is also a low price point.. FREE… Most Win users have some dated misconceptions about Apple’s products and getting switchers requires showing them a bit of what Apple products are like.. this IS about the Mac, believe it or not..
DanK

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 8:19 pm · Reply

Chris-
“I doubt it. I bet that no matter what Steve unveils, many will be disappointed. Remember the mini? Everyone freaked out when he announced the price. Even though it was known that the mini was coming.”

You make a good point, however I was stating to the hypothetical event that NOTHING was introduced. Not even a cheaper iPod mini. Just nadda. I think its impossible to say that it would not be a big blow.

Magic word is better, as in Apple better introduce something (I have full faith that they will and it will be amazing)
hydnjo

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 9:37 pm · Reply

iFlash……salacious!
twilightmoon

Monday, December 27, 2004 - 11:20 pm · Reply

mike
The iTunes for Windows thing is also a low price point.. FREE… Most Win users have some dated misconceptions about Apple’s products and getting switchers requires showing them a bit of what Apple products are like.. this IS about the Mac, believe it or not..

Right on the button, mike.

1. iTunes, and the iPod is like a “taste test” for Apple. The iTMS works without the iPod, but if you own a PC and not an iPod and you buy songs on there, where you think you’re going to go when you want to buy a digital player that players your songs?

2. Apple is a software company that makes hardware. They make more money off their hardware, but their real talent is in software. They make some of the best software in the world, and it’s their software (ie. OS X) that makes their hardware worth buying and owning.

3. MS has more money, but they don’t have half the talent that Apple does, and they have far more people working for them. If Apple could get a critical mass of people to switch to the Mac, and OS X, MS would be unable to respond, they just don’t have the ability to match Apple for quality.

Not holding my breath on that happening, but I never give up hope.
Mozfan

Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 12:21 am · Reply

I agree that the iPod serves as an introduction to Apple.

Here’s a timely example…

My sister and brother-in-law were over on Christmas Eve and they got to see our Mac.

I pulled out all the stops and asked him what his favorite song was (strangely enough it was Sugar, Sugar by The Archies) and then pulled it up on iTMS.

After he heard the 30-second clip, I bought the song and while it was downloading, I pulled up the lyrics in Safari on the cable internet.

I then added the song to a playlist and burned a cd (for my own personal use, mind you), printed a cd cover, and in general put on a show with OS X, Expose, iTunes, and iPhoto.

When I explained to him that the Mac is on a wireless (AirPort Extreme) network along with the iBook on the table in the kitchen, he was impressed. When I told him it all worked the first time and hasn’t had a problem since set-up (almost a year now), he was intrigued.

When I told him how many viruses, worms and trojan horses I’ve had to deal with (0), he flipped out. (Their pc is in the shop again to have crap-ware removed.)

My sister said on the way home all he could talk about was getting an Apple.

The reason I agree about the iPod being such a great entry to The Apple Way is because we went to their house on Christmas Day and my wife was showing my sister her new Christmas present (blue iPod mini), my bother-in-law played with it for 2 minutes and said if I had just let him see one of those the night before, he wouldn’t have needed the demonstration on the Mac.

He would have just decided to get an Apple based on how great the iPod was.

I’m getting together with him next week to pick out an iMac.

Chalk up another one for the good guys.

~M
Benn

Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 4:51 am · Reply

“Really, where would we be without MDN? it’s the first and last word on noteworthy Mac news.”

Mac news? LOL, dont make me laugh. There is very little “Mac News” on this site. It is nearly all about the iPod or about negative publicity for Apple. Designed to evoke flames from its readership.

MDN is a flame site not a news site – If I want news I go to MacWorld.com
pkradd

Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 12:24 pm · Reply

A flash player would not only provide Apple with additional customers but I believe excisting ones would opt for one when they don’t need to carry 1,000 or 5,000 or 10,000 songs with them every moment of every day. I also believe the player will be small and thin enough to wear like a watch – with the enclosed wrist band. We’ll know soon enough!
DanK

Tuesday, December 28, 2004 - 2:20 pm · Reply

Benn-
Thems fightin’ words.

Oy…. here we go again.