Quote:
Originally Posted by
SixnaHalfFeet 
I must say that those who run Apple are geniuses! Look at all of the free press they have been getting! Go Apple!
Exactly. Apple is a master of viral marketing, and takes regular advantage of the rumor mill for free advertising. People will be lined up to buy the new iPhone on October 4, without Apple paying one penny in advertising.
Look at the way they slowly eased people into the iPad. Lots of generic "tablet" rumors, then some designs, then little things about hardware. A patent here and there. By the week before the rollout, it was pretty much a known commodity, and it was all over the media.
And I'm glad Apple works this way. It creates a sense of anticipation and fun in an industry that is often seen as stodgy and monolithic. It makes new products exciting, as opposed to the standard early demo at a trade show and a promise of "next year". And the marketing value of doing it this way is amazing. I haven't seen many news stories on CNN about upcoming Dell products.
The way Gore said "that's a plug" shows he knew exactly what he was doing. And even if this wasn't a planned "gaff", it's certainly nothing for Apple to lose sleep over. iPhone 5 (or whatever it is) is already a known product being introduced "soon". Nobody needs to get mad, nobody needs to get fired, and the people offended because it was Al Gore doing it will just have to be offended. Apple's control over the rumor mill is pretty much absolute.
