Oprah and Bono to unveil Project red iPod nano tomorrow
Exclusive: Activist and rock singer Bono, with help from Oprah Winfrey and other celebrities, is partnering with Apple Computer on a red-colored iPod to promote his new charity aimed at battling AIDS, AppleInsider has learned.
Both the U2 frontman and the famed talk show host will publicly unveil the new "iPod nano Red" -- a 4GB version of Apple's second-generation iPod nano in a red anodized aluminum enclosure -- on national television this friday.
The two celebrities swung by Apple's North Michigan Ave. retail store in Chicago, Ill. on Thursday afternoon to film a promotional segment for the cause, which will air on tomorrow's edition of the "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
Apple, which has agreed to price the player inline with its existing 4GB iPod nano models at $199, will donate $10 from the sale of each unit to the PRODUCT RED charity.
Created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA, the charity aims to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world's most iconic brands to produce PRODUCT RED branded products.
Proceeds from the sale of each PRODUCT RED product are donated to The Global Fund, where it goes to help women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Rumors of a red-colored iPod first surfaced when a note in the Jan. 20, 2006 edition of the popular celebrity gossip newsletter stated that Bono was overheard at Dublin's Michelin-starred Patrick Guilbaud restaurant "discussing a new charity red AmEx card and red iPod."
Other companies that have so far stepped up with PRODUCT RED offerings include the Gap, American Express, Armani, Converse, and Motorola.
Artist rendition of PRODUCT RED iPod Nano (Click-Wheel may also be colored red). Thanks DeaPeaJay.
Update: The Chicago Tribune has posted a photo of Bono, Oprah and the rear of a few RED iPods. 6:00PM ET
Update: Added photo from Apple Store Fifth Ave. 6:15PM ET
Apple Store Fifth Ave. Apple Logo gone RED
Both the U2 frontman and the famed talk show host will publicly unveil the new "iPod nano Red" -- a 4GB version of Apple's second-generation iPod nano in a red anodized aluminum enclosure -- on national television this friday.
The two celebrities swung by Apple's North Michigan Ave. retail store in Chicago, Ill. on Thursday afternoon to film a promotional segment for the cause, which will air on tomorrow's edition of the "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
Apple, which has agreed to price the player inline with its existing 4GB iPod nano models at $199, will donate $10 from the sale of each unit to the PRODUCT RED charity.
Created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA, the charity aims to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world's most iconic brands to produce PRODUCT RED branded products.
Proceeds from the sale of each PRODUCT RED product are donated to The Global Fund, where it goes to help women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Rumors of a red-colored iPod first surfaced when a note in the Jan. 20, 2006 edition of the popular celebrity gossip newsletter stated that Bono was overheard at Dublin's Michelin-starred Patrick Guilbaud restaurant "discussing a new charity red AmEx card and red iPod."
Other companies that have so far stepped up with PRODUCT RED offerings include the Gap, American Express, Armani, Converse, and Motorola.
Artist rendition of PRODUCT RED iPod Nano (Click-Wheel may also be colored red). Thanks DeaPeaJay.
Update: The Chicago Tribune has posted a photo of Bono, Oprah and the rear of a few RED iPods. 6:00PM ET
Update: Added photo from Apple Store Fifth Ave. 6:15PM ET
Apple Store Fifth Ave. Apple Logo gone RED
Comments
It's just a red ipod? Lame.
Yeah, JUST donating to a charity...lame. You're an idiot
It's just a red ipod? Lame.
what do expect? Apple releases cure for AIDS or something?
whoops somebody beat me to it!
On a friday!?! I'm not so sure...
Seems odd to me too. Why announce on "take out the trash day"?
Seems odd to me too. Why announce on "take out the trash day"?
Because this isn't Apple's PR, this is Bono's PR. Apple PR day is Tuesday, Bono's PR day is any-day.
Update: T'hain Esh Kelch beat me to it by a minute!
here's a quick mockup
Looks kinda cool, maybe a little too "Christmas" though...with the whole white click wheel.
here's a quick mockup
I bet you it will have black plastic instead of white.
Yeah, JUST donating to a charity...lame. You're an idiot
You sound so intelligent with your childish insults, I almost don't dare respond you.
All this fuzz over a red ipod. The least they could do would be a custom engraving with something relevant to the cause. Or change the color of the click wheel. Just a red ipod is so unoriginal, which is dissapointing coming from Apple.
For the humanitarian saint that Steve tries to show himself as, that's low. Assuming 50% profit margins, Apple could donate $50/iPod and still maintain a 25% profit margin. That's still higher than the industry standard... I think... isn't it 23% or something?
It bugs me when companies claim to be saintly and then make a gargantuan profit off of it.
-Clive
Seems odd to me too. Why announce on "take out the trash day"?
My trash is on thursdays.
here's a quick mockup
WOW , god no.
it looks like its from target!!
i like the all red idea much better.
You sound so intelligent with your childish insults, I almost don't dare respond you.
All this fuzz over a red ipod. The least they could do would be a custom engraving with something relevant to the cause. Or change the color of the click wheel. Just a red ipod is so unoriginal, which is dissapointing coming from Apple.
no one said they WEREN'T changing the color of the click wheel. They probably are. As was pointed out, it looks christmasy in white. I'm betting on a red click wheel, I think it looks good
Because this isn't Apple's PR, this is Bono's PR. Apple PR day is Tuesday, Bono's PR day is any-day.
Sure, Bono can do what he wants. But making an announcement on friday gets the least amount of press - that's not an apple thing, that's a television/radio/newspaper thing. I'm just surprised they would pick that day of the week since it wouldn't maximize the press they'd get.
All this fuzz over a red ipod. The least they could do would be a custom engraving with something relevant to the cause. Or change the color of the click wheel. Just a red ipod is so unoriginal, which is dissapointing coming from Apple.
So being "original" is more important than donating money to medical research? Nice to see you have your priorities straight.
It bugs me when companies claim to be saintly and then make a gargantuan profit off of it.
When exactly did apple "claim to be saintly"??
Only $10?? Okay, so Apple's profit margin on the nano is, what, 50%? Let's say 40% just to be safe. That means that on a $199 iPod, Apple makes about 80 bucks. By donating $10, Apple is droping just 5% from that, down to 35%. That's lame, Apple; worse for a 50% profit margin.
For the humanitarian saint that Steve tries to show himself as, that's low. Assuming 50% profit margins, Apple could donate $50/iPod and still maintain a 25% profit margin. That's still higher than the industry standard... I think... isn't it 23% or something?
It bugs me when companies claim to be saintly and then make a gargantuan profit off of it.
-Clive
Their PROFIT margin on the nano isn't anywhere near 50%. Their GROSS margins on the nano are estimated (by third parties that may or may not be correct) to be between 45 and 50%. There's a big difference between the two: gross margins don't include things like product development costs, marketing costs, shipping, or anythign else other than how much the parts of the iPod actually cost. As a company, Apple's overall profit margin is only about 10% over the last 12 months. So $10, actually, is a fairly hefty chunk of change.