[djcobb44]

Apple should market the iPod towards the wintel/Microsoft community quick, or else the iPod may be sitting in a museum next to the cube. My reasons are obvious.... By marketing towards the non-Mac heads, Apple will get more exposure or advertisement. (Where I live, most people think apple died back in the 80's, needless to say, I remind them that Apple is alive and well.) Finally, since the iPod is getting great reviews from many different sources, our buddies in Redmond, WA (Micro$oft) may decide to make some pocket change and develop an iPod look a like. I wonder what they will name it..... X-Pod? Obviously you'll need a Mac to use your iPod, but who is going to spend $2,000+ on a mac after spending $400 on an mp3 player? Students, doubt it unless they already own a mac, businesses, not likely since they are wintel drones, the average joe, unlikely agian according to figures that show 95% use and have already invested money in Windows boxes. Finally, as a last thought, Can this hurt Apple, especially when they can make a profit from the wintel community? Just my two cents...

[scaught]

theres a piece of software called xpod already in development that will make the ipod usable on winboxes that have a firewire port.

[Mastrap]

Originally posted by djcobb44:
<STRONG>Apple should market the iPod towards the wintel/Microsoft community quick, or else the iPod may be sitting in a museum next to the cube. </STRONG>

From what I hear from my Mac reseller, Micro Anvika in the UK - and I am aware that YMMV - ipods are flying off the shelves here. The iPod is great value in my opinion, not only can I use it to listen to my music, I can also have my showreel and portfolio with me at all times. Nothing better than walking into an agency (most of which have fast Macs) taking off my headphones and showing all my work from a device smaller than a packet of cigarettes. Yeah

[waffffffle]

I think Apple's goal here is not to sell iPods, just like their goal with the retail stores is not for them to become the largest point of sale for Macs. Instead Apple wants to generate awareness of the Mac platform and make it a more desireable platform. I am hoping that in a few months, after Apple releases some more digital devices they'll have a commercial that shows off all our cool stuff and closes with "Mac users have all the fun."

I realize there will be software for the ipod to allow it to sync with wintel boxes ( i think apple made them change it from xpod to xplay now ), but do you think Apple will suppport it and bundle the software with the iPod? And there again is my point, when a consumer sees this at compusa or circuit city, they will see I beautiful product, with very nice features and a made for mac smiley face logo on the box.... No windows logo or any mention to the xplay software being developed for it. So who will buy it?.. People who own macs... or 5% of the US market, which is all good, but Apple is going to lose after the mac market has been saturated with iPods. The solution....Put a windows compatibility logo on the box and include mac/windows software (itunes/xplay). Believe me, most windows users are about as religious with there operating system as mac users are. It's unlikely that someone would convert because of an mp3 player. I may be wrong though.... I did (not because of the iPod). Once iPods are in the hands of windows users, the Apple brand name will spread through out and hence, Apple adverts even in the windows world.

[Mr Heliums]

Originally posted by djcobb44:
<STRONG>AFinally, since the iPod is getting great reviews from many different sources, our buddies in Redmond, WA (Micro$oft) may decide to make some pocket change and develop an iPod look a like. I wonder what they will name it..... X-Pod? Obviously you'll need a Mac to use your iPod, but who is going to spend $2,000+ on a mac after spending $400 on an mp3 player? </STRONG>

I really don't care if it comes out for Windows or not. Good luck to Microsoft producing something as good as this.
I simply care that I have access to the coolest MP3 player/external drive on the market.
But like others have reported, my local Apple dealer has sold out of the things, with more due next week

[Mastrap]

Originally posted by Mr Heliums:
[QB]

I really don't care if it comes out for Windows or not. Good luck to Microsoft producing something as good as this.
I simply care that I have access to the coolest MP3 player/external drive on the market.
/QB]

Yep. Apple does not really need Windows users to buy the iPod - there is not enough margin in them. Remember the drive alone sells for $399.00. What they are doing is being cool. And that should help push sales.