iPod video focuses on consumer experience

Apple's video iPod delivers an consumer experience unmatched by other devices, according to Businessweek. Along with the release of the new video-enabled device, Apple has gone the extra mile by providing a central place for locating and purchasing content: iTunes. "Perhaps most important, Apple has again done consumers a service by playing the trailblazer, persuading a top-tier studio to provide good content despite its fears of piracy and disruption to its distribution model. Competitors, especially Microsoft, won't just back off while Apple locks up the video market, but they face a big challenge. In digital entertainment, with so many irons in the fire, Microsoft has been unable to duplicate Apple's single-minded focus on consumers. The software giant's partners, mainly engineering-driven Asian manufacturers, design great hardware. But so far they haven't been able to match Apple's user-friendliness."

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Feathers

Irons in the fire!

10/28, 11:11am, EDT

I would've thought that with so many "...irons in the fire.." Microsoft might be able to ram one of these hot pokers somewhere that might propel it's staff to produce products and services that consumers actually want. It appears that they currently function according to the "...one hundred monkeys at one hundred typewriters..." analogy which means that it will take them...er...one hundred years!!!!

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scottnichol

MS just doesn't get it

10/28, 11:40am, EDT

the fact is that MS spends so much time building aliances with hardware makers, not the entertainment industry. the compelling thing about an iPod with video is that there is compelling, ready-made content available to enjoy out of the box. if it was just left to non-techies to figure out MPEG data rates, codecs, and digitizing video the fact that the iPod has video is a non-starter. it the sole reason why none of the portable Media Center devices with bigger screens and cheaper prices hasn't become a runaway success.

until MS starts to forge "exclusive" deals with the entertainment industry to provide exciting content that people want, their digital media enterprises will go nowhere. and the problem is that these exclusive deals would have to be made available to ALL those "plays for sure" providers like Rhapsody, Yahoo Music, and Crapster. but then that dilutes the whole idea of an exclusive anyway.

oh well. go build an enterprise database, MS. you're pretty good at that.

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