Dell attempt at an iPod?
According to Macworld UK Dell is set to introduce a 15 GB portable music player. I don't think that it will have any impact, just like Dell's printers aren't killing Epson and HP, but this is a big signal. Dell only enters markets when it has become a commodity. Is this end end of $499 mp3 players?
Comments
Originally posted by Aquatic
Good. It will force Apple to lower its ludicrous price. $500 walkman! Instead of adding more space they should first lower price. And they should have kept the 5 gig iPod. However, I'm sure Dell's iPaq/iPod/iWhatever they will rip off of Apple will suck ass.
Let me finish that for you. "Whatever they will rip off of Apple will suck ass but sell because it's from Dell."
Originally posted by ast3r3x
Let me finish that for you. "Whatever they will rip off of Apple will suck ass but sell because it's from Dell."
Sell to whom? Everyone who wants a real MP3 player has already bought one (and it was an iPod). If they want 'late bloomers' they can have the scraps. They don't have the $ for real toys so they buy the cheap knock offs like at Kmart. I'm not worried, I doubt AAPL is either.
Dell plans to announce a 15GB hard drive-based MP3 player, dubbed the "Digital Jukebox," next Thursday, according to IDG. "Apple Computer has received a great deal of critical and commercial praise for its iPod MP3 players, now available for Macintosh and Windows systems," writes IDG's Tom Krazit. "Dell is apparently following its usual strategy of letting another company demonstrate a market for a particular product before entering that market itself."
I especially love Krazit's statement about Dell's usual strategy of following. Really shows their dedication risk-taking and innovation.
It reminds me of a quote i heard someone say... "You never go broke appealling to the least common denominator"
They'll always be successful by letting others pave the way, then coming in and making about the same product (albeit less well) for way less price...
Sick, really
Originally posted by gsfmark
as much as i hate dell, and their total lack of innovation, you gotta note that they are (at least in my eyes, i very well may be wrong) currently the most popular windows compatible computer maker...
It reminds me of a quote i heard someone say... "You never go broke appealling to the least common denominator"
They'll always be successful by letting others pave the way, then coming in and making about the same product (albeit less well) for way less price...
Sick, really
What I meant by them selling. People see dell and it's <$ and they but it because they are told it's just as good.
I am glad the iPod is so well received, that will help apple though
Dell is not suppose to innovate (at least in product development). It is suppose to gain marketshare by offering same/similarly products at aggresive price. It is doing that well and that is making Dell #1 in the marketplace. As a shareholder, you would not want it to innovate either.
Yet, so many people here think it is so easy to do what Dell does. If so, why don't you start a computer business (heck, any business) then and make it a Fortune 500 company in less than 10 years? If what they are doing is so easy, why can no other computer maker (HP/Compaq, Sony, egc.) use the strategy to their advantage?
What Dell does is lowering the price for everyone across the board - regardless where the product is a PC, server, printer, PDA, etc. In fact, Dell is consistently a place to get iPod cheaper than everywhere else.
Sure, their product is not bound to be not as good as an iPod. I own a 20gb iPod. However, Dell is innovative in the way they run their business, inventory, supply, etc. Every computer company, Apple included, is probably learning from Dell on how to lower their cost, etc.
Originally posted by Aquatic
Good. It will force Apple to lower its ludicrous price. $500 walkman! Instead of adding more space they should first lower price. And they should have kept the 5 gig iPod. However, I'm sure Dell's iPaq/iPod/iWhatever they will rip off of Apple will suck ass.
I agree...I think they should look at lowering the price a bit. I know the tiny (but yet still high capacity) hard drives must be somewhat costly...but jeez
Hopefully such a price drop will come soon...my birthday is next month
Dell, while not innovative, do know how to make inexpensive products.
Hopefully Apple gets iTMS for Windows up and running soon and drops the iPod prices by $50. You don't want to be competing against a $199 Dell clone, even if it's using crap software like MusicMatch.
Yawn. Dell does not innovate blah blah blah. What a tired argument.
Dell is not suppose to innovate (at least in product development). It is suppose to gain marketshare by offering same/similarly products at aggresive price. It is doing that well and that is making Dell #1 in the marketplace. As a shareholder, you would not want it to innovate either.
Yet, so many people here think it is so easy to do what Dell does. If so, why don't you start a computer business (heck, any business) then and make it a Fortune 500 company in less than 10 years? If what they are doing is so easy, why can no other computer maker (HP/Compaq, Sony, egc.) use the strategy to their advantage?
What Dell does is lowering the price for everyone across the board - regardless where the product is a PC, server, printer, PDA, etc. In fact, Dell is consistently a place to get iPod cheaper than everywhere else.
Sure, their product is not bound to be not as good as an iPod. I own a 20gb iPod. However, Dell is innovative in the way they run their business, inventory, supply, etc. Every computer company, Apple included, is probably learning from Dell on how to lower their cost, etc.
Originally posted by klinux
If so, why don't you start a computer business (heck, any business) then and make it a Fortune 500 company in less than 10 years?
I'm not trying to disagree with your overall point, but Dell moved into that position because computers moved into prominence in society. Dell didn't make itself a Fortune 500 company so much as it led the pack in a race to the top of a market when that whole market moved to the top.
The PS2 is the least powerful of the three main video game consoles, but it's sold nearly three times as much as the two main competitors combined.
Originally posted by satchmo
Dell, while not innovative, do know how to make inexpensive products.
READ: 'Cheap and crappy products.'
Originally posted by Aquatic
Uh, when you are done ranting I will be prepared to hear an actual argument.
Originally posted by Bunge
Dell didn't make itself a Fortune 500 company so much as it led the pack in a race to the top of a market when that whole market moved to the top.
Incorrect. Why did IBM, which created the personal PC, and dominated the market then lead the pack? Or any of the PC computers that were established before Dell? Or, once they see Dell came up, try to copy Dell's success and beat Dell?
Originally posted by Bunge
The PS2 is the least powerful of the three main video game consoles, but it's sold nearly three times as much as the two main competitors combined.
How is this related to Dell???
Originally posted by Bunge
READ: 'Cheap and crappy products.'
You got the cheap part right. Crappy? Sure, you hear a anecdote here and there but one is bound to hear them when you are the #1 PC makers. I will match one apocryphal horror story to another success story. Furthermore, no one has addressed the point that Dell, like Walmart, lowers the price for everyone. That includes iPods, printers, etc.
Originally posted by klinux
Dell is not suppose to innovate (at least in product development). It is suppose to gain marketshare by offering same/similarly products at aggresive price. It is doing that well and that is making Dell #1 in the marketplace. As a shareholder, you would not want it to innovate either.
And what would they do if/when they get almost everything in the market?
Originally posted by klinux
[B]You got the cheap part right. Crappy? Sure, you hear a anecdote here and there but one is bound to hear them when you are the #1 PC makers./B]
Well, they have a very high return rate.
"I'd like to check if 30 GB iPod is in stock."
"Isn't that Apple?"
"Yes...you carry them."
"Oh, wow, it looks like we do. I didn't know that..."
"..."
"Yes, we have it for $499."
"Okay, I'd like to order one with a few coupons..."
"Okay, can you give me the coupon codes?"
"Blah blah blah blah for 15% off, and blah blah blah blah for $40 off a $450 purchase..."
...and so on...they usually ask you which PC order I'd like to add to, which of course is no order...They usually pause at that point, dumbfounded by the final price of the order, but process it anyway. Most of the time the stuff they sell probably ends up being not much more than distributor pricing.
Originally posted by JLL
Well, they have a very high return rate.
That's really not true. Dells are pretty reliable as far as PCs go, and very price competitive when you use their coupons. And let's not forget that Dell's cheapest service plan provides one year of ON-SITE service. A Dell technician will come to your door with all the necessary components and fix your computer right there.