“With handset makers, and just about everyone else, clamoring for a piece of Apple’s pie, the question arises: Could history repeat itself? Could Apple, whose shares are up 290 percent since the start of 2004, lose its shine much as happened in the late 1980s vs. Microsoft? Or are the new rivals actually providing a tailwind for Apple, at least for the next several months, if not longer? I think it’s the latter,” Bambi Francisco writes for CBS MarketWatch.
“More competition just elevates Apple’s brand to another seductive, unquantifiable, cool-factor level that consumers are willing to pay for. Apple’s the new status symbol of the generation. Kids may not care which brand of jeans they’re wearing these days, but it’s absolutely not cool if you don’t have an Apple,” Francisco writes. “Despite all the negative press that Carly Fiorina is getting these days, following her ouster as CEO of Hewlett-Packard, at least she did one thing right. She partnered with Apple to sell HP versions of the iPod, rather than try to compete. Even Motorola isn’t dumb enough to compete against Apple. On Monday, the handset maker unveiled the E1060, which will feature Apple’s iTunes music player. In fact, all Motorola handsets will feature Apple’s iTunes as the default music player.”
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Motorola unveils ‘Apple iTunes phone’ – February 14, 2005
Hewlett-Packard ousts CEO Carly Fiorina, and what was with that ‘Apple iPod by HP’ deal anyway? – February 09, 2005
The iPod is not the Mac, so stop trying to compare them – August 13, 2004
Thanx for the kind worda about Apple… Bambi…
You’re such a dear !
(sorry, couldnt resist)
A reporter named “Bambi Francisco”–how cool is that?!?!
Bambi Francisco? Sounds like a character from the game “Where in the World Is Carmen San Diego?”
Fourth Post®
Unfortunately, Bambi bites when it comes to comparing computers–suggesting you can get a comparably equipped Dell laptop for $500 less is BS as far as I can tell, certainly when you take into account the software. And software=functionality, which is what smart consumers care about.
Because I have nothing better to do, here’s a picture of Bambi Francisco. Seriously.
An Apple a day keeps Microsoft at bay.
I dunno, I had to write something.
has anyone actually seen this new e1060 phone? the phone looked pretty ass-tastic, in the spyshots i’ve seen…
why couldn’t they just drop iTunes in a RAZR phone?
*drool*
Preferred my imagination.
I like apple pie.
If you can’t say something nice… don’t say nothing at all.
Right on, Bambi! The difference this time is the SJ factor. Think Different. Act Different.
Magic word: thinking -of switching? You’ll be glad you did.
Well if al motorola’s new handsets are gonna feature a mobile version of itunes then count me in – I WANT ONE!!
She is wrong you can put anything you want into your iPod shuffle, I know I own one, its as easy as ‘click, drag and drop’, random uploading is an option. Her opinion is $kewed.
calm down RT, you have to finish reading bambi’s entire article before you going nuts. She was doing a very basic price comparison to make a point.
quote//
Conclusion
There are clearly comparable products to Apple’s out there that are cheaper and even offer more.
But Apple’s brand seems to carry far more weight with consumers.
Apple’s brand represents stature, rock-solid industrial design, reliability, and elegant aesthetics. It’s a premium that consumers are willing to pay for, and unwilling to sacrifice just for a cheaper price.
//end quote
If MDN decided to block the IE pos browser… would that get rid of that 11 year old…. NoMacForYou ??
Sticks and stones, mac
” rel=”nofollow”>dood. Sticks and stones. I’m 12 years old, not 11.
I once had a Bambi Francisco at Fisherman’s Wharf. Great sandwich. A little too much horseradish . . . for me to POOP on. But that’s just me.
And it’s great to see our far eastern friends finally beginning to realize the benefits of owning a Mac. No, it IS, it IS. I mean, they spend enough time MAKING these things. They should get to enjoy them, too!
No, seriously, how many Asian women do you know who are named ‘Bambi’ straight out of the womb? Come onnnnnn! She’a a ‘Bambi’ about as much as I’m an ‘Oliver’. Or a ‘Dennis’. Or a ‘Mindy’. Come to think of it, I once had a ‘Mindy’ . . . IN a sandwich. Yesss, yesssss. I remember it well. There was actually a ‘Heather’ involved too. Both Shitzu’s. I was all hopped up on Doggie Viagra. It was quite a night . . . for me to POOP on.
No, I keed. But seriously — Bambi, the Asian Ethnic Police called. They’ll be fining you for choosing such a stupid professional name soon.
Brands are for cows.
I read this as an entirely negative artical, full of high quality FUD propaganda. Damning with faint praise sort of stuff. I contributed the following to the discussion section of Market Watch.
“Ms. Francisco fails to grasp reality.
The success of the iPod is based on the seamless “front-to-back” experience. I challenge her to buy some music on iTMS and rip some music from a CD. Then get it on an iPod via iTunes. Now do the same thing with any of the other products she mentioned. Do it on both a Mac and a PC. Now tell us which worked and which didn’t.
The iPod has earned its cachet.
Then she compares specific Mac computers to a couple of non-descript HPs. This is simply specious.
Graphics? FireWire? 800? S-Video? DVI? Super Drive? Gigabit Ethernet? Bluetooth that actually works? Window XP Pro? Sufficient anti-malware software? Full productivity suite (browser, mail, iLife, WP, spreadsheet, game)? Shipping charges? Did I mention viruses, and the lack thereof on the Mac? Let’s see the spec before we compare prices, OK?
By the way, brands are found on cattle. That is where the term and concept is useful. Using the word in business analysis suggests a lack of capacity to undertake true rational thought.”
article*
Ah, there is nothing like “rue rational thought”, which should not be confused with “untrue rational thought.
It’s a positive report, market-wise, but the inaccuracies give a bad taste to those in the know. And the biggest mistake she makes is in not mentioning Mac OS X. Comparing hardware just doesn’t cut it any more.
MDN Magic Word = short…. Yes, I know I am. You wanna make someting of it?
Benn:
That something is logical does not make it true.
Only a Filipino would have a name/nick-that-sticks like Bambi, and yes, she forgets about the malware-free experience, rock-solid OS and consumer applications. As MacSmiley says, “Comparing hardware just doesn’t cut it anymore.” Good article it is, otherwise.