“One of the hottest selling items this holiday season has been Apple’s iPod. But many stores ran out by early december [sic]… And many of us dont have 200 bucks for a music player. So should you consider a cheaper, off brand player? Kathy Grau, like many parents, found an iPod atop her daughters wish list this year. ‘My daughter wanted an MP3 player…She’d prefer an iPod…But shes 11 so shes gonna get an MP3 player.’ Why? Because Kathy learned there’s a big difference between the hot iPod and the not-so-hot mp3 players from Sony, RCA, and others. The price! While the red-hot iPod nano sells for 199 dollars…Kathy could grab an RCA Lyra for just 39 bucks. ‘You can find them as cheap as 39 dollars…they do the exact same thing.’ Here at hh gregg’s florence store… Digital music expert Chris Benzinger says if you can live without the iPod name …You’ll find lots of cheaper alternatives. Chris says this imitation iPod from Toshiba has the same bells and whistles for a lot less… So don’t waste your money,” John Matarese writes for WCPO in Cincinnati.
Full article here.
UPDATE: December 22, 2005, 11:17am:
Email from John Matarese:
As a responsible reporter, I feel it my duty to respond to the dozens and dozens of e-mails I have received since an excerpt of my recent iPod report was posted on MacDailyNews.
I would ask anyone to read the complete report on my webpage, which uses the term “Dont Waste Your Money” in its proper context. There is an enormous difference between what I wrote and what is being said third hand about my report.
The problem is that my “signature” line is being taken out of context by people who have never seen me on TV. Cincinnati’s ABC affiliate is NOT saying “don’t waste your money on a iPod” That is the name of my segment. Every report I do, every day, ends with “Dont’ Waste Your Money”.
It doesn’t matter if I am reporting on new Toyota cars, a law in Congress, or –heaven forbid –the latest problems with Microsoft’s Windows software (Yes, I have criticized Microsoft many times). Every single story ends with ” Don’t Waste Your Money.”
I did not tell people not to buy iPods.
As for iPod alternatives, I stand by my report that they are ideal to give to an 11 or 12 year old who is asking for a music player. Anyone with kids in 5th grade or Junior High knows that gadgets are often lost or stolen after 3 weeks. We’re talking about giving a pre-teen a $200 iPod, which they will shortly fill with $300 of downloaded iTunes music, and then possibly lose by February.
For parents looking for something to give an 11 year old (after all, an 11 year old girl was the original focus of the story, not a tech savvy Mac user), an inexpensive RCA Lyra or similar is a perfect gift. $39 to $79…and as it holds only 80 songs, no worry about running up a $500 music bill on Mom’s credit card.
I agree the iPod is “best in its class,” and that most other MP3 players don’t compare. But it may not be best for everyone.
John Matarese
WCPO TV
“Don’t Waste Your Money” reporter
Matarese obviously doesn’t get it and, based on this article, the only place in town for which he’s qualified to do news reporting is WKRP. You can buy a used Ford for a couple grand that, to the mentally challenged, will also seem to “do the same thing” as a new Lexus. You can also buy an off-brand TV, personal computer, circular saw, electric toothbrush, wine, or anything else; as always, you get what you pay for. Sheesh, it seems so obvious doesn’t it?
Of course, if Cincinnatians don’t buy iPods, they won’t be able to watch commercial-free ABC TV shows on them, would be less likely to use iTunes to purchase and watch such shows, and would instead be stuck with dinosaur WCPO’s broadcasts, thereby supporting this quality of reporting for a while longer. So, this article could be considered quite self-serving, to say the least.
In the end, we really only have one question: what the heck’s in the water supply in Cincinnati?
UPDATE: December 22, 2005, 11:17am: So, give your “11-year-old” an iPod shuffle ($99, 120 songs, with iTunes and iTunes Music Store compatibility). Regardless of the branding for these reports, to have the tagline and the headline say “Don’t Waste Your Money” leads readers and viewers to the inevitable conclusion, “don’t waste your money on a iPod” for your kid. Non-iPods don’t do “the exact same thing” as real iPods. To pretend otherwise and report that sticker price is the only difference does a disservice to WCPO’s viewers and readers. We highly recommend the sturdy and inexpensive iPod shuffle for kids, runners, etc. You and your kid get what you pay for.
[Note: Matarese’s reader feedback (the contents of which are included in the update that features his email above) was pulled yesterday because WCPO requested we remove a post by “John Matarese” as they said the post was not from Mr. Matarese. We pulled all such “Matarese” posts, as WCPO didn’t specify a particular post. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.]
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Related articles:
Cincinnati NBC affiliate calls Apple iPod ‘potential cyber-smut porn device’ – November 30, 2005
Leading Catholic cardinal warns parents about buying iPods for Christmas due to porn – November 17, 2005
Cincinnati Enquirer: Keys to choosing digital audio player – August 31, 2005
all you’re doing is sending traffic to these sites and giving them more reason to write articles that are obviously just troll-like in nature.
thanks for beating on the idiots day-in and day-out in any event…always a good read.
I can buy boots at Payless; two pair for 40 bucks. Or I can buy a pair of Eccos for $300. I’ll stick with Ecco. You get what you pay for. Hey, that’s catchy.
cheap things are more expensive, amazingly most people in the Mp3 market realize that… will the PC market wake up?
Lots of people in Ohio pride themselves on NOT having the best stuff. It’s a reverse snoobishness– if you have really good stuff, you must be full of yourself or something. I left there about 10 years ago and now when I go back, it always surprises me. Not everyone is like that, of course, but it’s a very real phenomenon unfortunately.
Some competitors can match the iPod on price, but by cutting corners (using microdrives instead of flash, poor-quality components, etc.).
After all, it’s the overall experience that no one else can match. When you’re buying an iPod, you’re not just buying a music player, you’re buying a lifestyle.
I wonder how much M$ has been paying WCPO-TV and their owner E.W. Scripps? Only in “Censor-nati”…
MDN MW: “month”, as in sales of competitors are shrinking by the month
I went to school at University of Cincinnati in the mid-80’s. It has just gotten worse since I graduated. the University was great but everything else in the town felt like it was years behind the rest of the country. ACK! If anyone is still looking for iPod Nano, this place in Philly has them in stock: http://bundycomputer.com/ It’s a small apple reseller. We do not have an Apple Store in Center City but we do have two resellers. Bundy still has white and black 2gig untis and white 4gig units. They also have white and black in the 30 and 60gig sizes.
“they do the exact same thing”
So, I phoned John Matarese’s surgeon. I convinced him that since that loose thread coming off his sweater does the exact same thing as sutures that he could save a significant amount of money using the cheaper alternative. Enjoy that POS MP3 player in post-op John. Idiot.
just because the iPod is rather expensive for an 11-year-old’s toy doesn’t mean the writer should say “don’t waste your money” to everyone. while i agree that i personally would never get an iPod for a child, making a general statement like that is ridiculous.
Well…
This IS the city that had Jerry Springer as Mayor is it not?
talk about appealing to the Least Common Denominator!
i love that old saying…
with the ipod… u only cry once
The NEW Creative Vision:M is an example of something crappier costing _more_ …
Apple is enjoying the economies of scale that come with being the market leader. This means they can negotiate flash, click wheel, and other parts at prefered rates – just like Wal-Mart et al. So Apple can make their players cost just enough to make a good profit while making it difficult for competirion to undercut them on price (hence the Vision:M is 10% _more_ and iPod).
Plus, 80% of the market is a key saturation point and every additional % is more and more difficult to attract because what has worked for the previous 80% hasn’t yet for the remaining 20%. To attract the super price sensitive 20% they don’t have, Apple would have to slash margins which could actually reduce their overall net income on iPod sales.
“Well…
This IS the city that had Jerry Springer as Mayor is it not?”
Yup, and he also anchored the news on WLWT-TV 5 (the NBC affiliate) for many years….the station was actually in FIRST PLACE during that timeframe.
MDN MW: “use”: as the city of Cincinnati could use a reality check
Who cares let people buy whatever they want. I like my iPods and iTunes, some people may want a cheap alternative. Thats them not me. To echo someone else, you get what you pay for.
nothing good is cheap
cheap cars
cheap girls
cheap bear
cheap food
cheap friends
cheap computers
cheap paint
cheap haircuts
the list goes on.
MDN has it right, you DO get what you pay for. When people tell me how cheap they got their Windows box, the next thing they tell me is about all the trouble they are having with it.
Most of these people think that Macs are too expensive, are toys, are good for graphics and vid, are “not the standard” and on and on and on.
They make up and rationalize all these excuses and reasons of sticking with their ugly, cheap boxes running a third rate OS that cost them much more in the long run. It’s just crazy.
There is no other consumer product in human history that makes it’s users more miserable, causes more downtime or gives more headaches than Windows.
People that use Windows like to brag about all the applications they can run, but Mac users speak about an elegant, easy-to-use total user experience…and a great industrial design.
Macs aren’t expensive and you CAN get used and refurbished machines in a thousand places, so these people really don’t have an excuse.
Now John Matarese has the right to his opinion, the right to express it as well.
However, that does not make him correct in his opinion.
I will get down off my soapbox now.
There are some people that cannot afford to give a $200-400, so the $39 whatsitcalled is an alternative for them.
The good: they get to give their kids something they want. The kids also get to learn first hand that the $39 is inferior to the iPod. Next year, they’ll ask for an iPod again.
Gonna be a lot of unhappy kids christmas morning in Cincinatti. Not to mention their parents when they try and jump through the hoops to get music on the things.
The Cincinnati Guide to Cheaper Alternatives:
Toilet? No way. Bucket.
Gun? Nope. Throw your bullets really hard.
Bed? Sheesh. We’re not made of money. Floor.
Fruit? WHAT? You think those things grow on trees? Wax fakes stolen from Wal-Mart.
Wife? Huh-uh. Canister vacuum cleaner. MUCH cheaper in the long run.
Music? You can hum can’t you?
Computer? A what? Heh heh, you said “puter.”
Freedom? NOW you’re talking. You said “free.”
</rant>
“Cool kids have iPods.”
Windows users take great pride in maintaining, fixing, and upgrading their computers. When I see the “Start something” campaign for windows I just see people starting to fix their computers all the time (while a great sense of enjoyment).
Mac users take great pride in showing what all they have done on their computers. They like to show the DVD the made of their vacation pictures, the song they made in Garageband, the home movie they made of the footage they shot during the holidays, the playlist they made for their iPod in iTunes, or all the work they managed to complete because they didn’t have to spend all their time fixing their machine.
They are both machines…. it’s just that one of them let’s you do something other than constant maintenance.
So, MDN is basically saying that someone that buys a used Ford because it can successfully transport them to desired destinations (like a Lexus or any other brand) is mentally challenged. Great.
While it’s certainly true that in many intances you actually do get what you pay for, many of you ignorant sheep apparently don’t grasp that not everyone needs/wants the same features.
Do you seriously think all parents are going to care whether their young children can watch TV shows on their mp3 players much less be willing to spend an extra $150 for that unwanted feature?
Using the MDN logic, everyone here should only be using the most expensive PowerMacs because, you know, anything less is stupid and anyone willing to spend a thousand dollars on a less capable iMac is obviously mentally challenged.
Before writing your ignorant posts, try to remember that some people only want to spend a few bucks on an mp3 player with absolutely no desire to watch videos, pictures, or buy online songs.
There is nothing worse than a “cheap bear”.
>this imitation iPod from Toshiba has the same bells
>and whistles for a lot less
surely the thing about the ipod is that bells and whistles are optional extras…
Amazingly, there are other things to use an iPod for
for $199 (from the Apple comparison chart)
“…iPod-viewable photos, contacts, calendars, notes and file storage”
and
“… Free laser engraving”
And then theres the music
The other MP3 players do what?
Thank you hmmm. It took 21 responses in this thread before someone actually hit the nail on the head. Of course you get what you pay for, and of course the iPod is the superior mp3 player on the market. That doesn’t mean that everyone has to go out and shell out $199, just because, as some nimrod said, with an iPod “you’re buying a lifestyle”.
As much as I love all of my Apple gear I don’t feel the need to ram my “lifestyle” down someone else’s throat, especially if they might have more important things to spend money on.
Magic word “believe”, as in don’t believe that buying apple automatically makes you superior to everyone esle.