“Apple Computer and the rock band U2 have inked a deal to sell customized iPods, The Post has learned. The announcement will be made at a splashy event Oct. 26 in San Jose, Calif., according to sources. Appearing at the event will be Apple CEO Steve Jobs and U2’s Bono and the Edge,” Tim Arango and Holly M. Sanders reports for The New York Post. “It would mark the first time that Apple has customized one of its iPods, and the deal will give U2 a new marketing outlet for its upcoming album, due out in late November. The iPod, which will be marked with U2’s logo, will come preloaded with the band’s new album, ‘How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.'”
“‘U2 and Bono’s endorsement of this product will not only sell it because of U2 loyalists, but it also says something larger about music and downloading,’ Rick Eiserman, CEO, Brand Buzz, a division of Y&R Advertising that works to build brands, said. ‘Bono is saying that it’s OK. There’s still this group that hasn’t crossed over and is wondering if this (downloading) supports the artists,’ he continued. ‘The fact that one of the most outspoken, politically active recording artists is endorsing the product is unbelievable.'”
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews article:
Apple to sell custom black ‘U2 Edition’ iPod, to be announced next week – October 18, 2004
who is boney?
your mother
I thought it was boner.
Now what would be interesting would be if concerts from U2’s tour supporting the album were put up for sale on iTunes a few hours after each date.
Has anyone done something like this with iTunes yet? Seems pretty obvious…
“It would mark the first time that Apple has customized one of its iPods…”
Didn’t Apple have custom iPods with artist’s signatures engraved on the back? Isn’t the Apple iPod by HP an iPod ‘customized’ for HP?
Maybe I’m just nitpicking here, but shouldn’t we expect more from tech journalists?
My 2�
Andy C.
You’re right Andy. There definitely has been customized iPods featuring Maadonna, Beck, and others. Maybe the U2 version will be “more” customized, but the writers did not do their homework.
If anything, i’d not buy an ipod because of a U2 endorsement.
and in other breaking news rocks are hard.
“Now what would be interesting would be if concerts from U2’s tour supporting the album were put up for sale on iTunes a few hours after each date.
Has anyone done something like this with iTunes yet? Seems pretty obvious…”
I know that Phish had tents set up outside their shows with a bunch of iMacs where fans could build playlists from the show and put it on their iPods, etc. Move it to the iTMS, and now we’re talking.
Each concert ticket could have a code number on it, where you can put that in the iTMS and download the show. Of course, one code per Apple ID to avoid sharing the code.
I want the Beatles iPod.
A pox on the Beatles and Apple Corps
Now if only I can get delivery of my G5 to coincide with that….
Is there really that big of a market for a U2 ipod?
Isn�t buying branded stuff like that something 13-16 year olds do….and the pushing 50years U2 boys just don�t appeal to the young teenies that think brands make their life?
A Britney version with two big knobs on the front would sell better….
Shurley any ‘Britney iPod’ would only be available from a trailer park, as she’s getting fairly trashy herself….
“Now what would be interesting would be if concerts from U2’s tour supporting the album were put up for sale on iTunes a few hours after each date.
Has anyone done something like this with iTunes yet? Seems pretty obvious…”
John Mayer did this with several of his concerts over the summer. They’d typically go up within a couple days of the show and they were unaltered, rough notes and all.
Well, just being black might be enough to sell it to someone that doesn’t care for the stark white look of the iPod. Being limited edition and laser-engraved makes it all the more collectible and the inclusion of an as-yet unreleased album and other songs from U2’s library would more than justify the reported $30 premium.
The Britney version wont be two knobs….that’s overkill. The flick wheel will be just one big areaola and the button in the middle is the nip. You can flick it to select the song.
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Black is the new Black. Probably would sell well. Preloaded with a bag of alternative rock, exclusive tracks etc. Hook em before they get hooked on Mackerelshit. Though I suspect that even if most people think U2 are rubbish it ll still get rush bought as a collectable. Whatever, it spreads the word.
good this will help apple get past 92% ipods :p
I’d have to say that the best thing Apple could do as soon as their i-pod buzz went down was set up a website where you can customize the i-pods for your own choices, with a limited number of patterns, colors, graphics, etc. That’d be sure to catch the teen category.