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Thursday 27 January 2005

Dell on crack [Lurks]

Recently Silicon.com interviewed Dell CEO Kevin Rollins. Most of this is full of corporate zombie speak but when pressed on the success of the Apple iPod, he let rip with this gem:

Well, those things that become fads rage and then they drop off. When I was growing up there was a product made by Sony called the Sony Walkman - a rage, everyone had to have one. Well, you don't hear about the Walkman anymore.

Haha, could any single man have less of a clue? This guy is in charge of the the biggest PC manufacturer in the world. Frightening isn't it?

11 comments:

  1. No more need to find the fucktary du this particular jour - that does the full quota and then some.
    Oi! Rollins! Twaaaaaaaaaaaaat!

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  2. Radio 4 raised an interesting point about the ipod that I hadn't considered. It was a docu about the need for us to move to a more sustainable form of consumerism, because our current level of consumption is just flippin silly and can't be maintained for the sake of the environment and the economy. Anyways, they said the ipod, and other mp3 devices of course, are a big step towards sustainable consumerism, because of the lack of a physical product. It hadn't really occured to me, but of course they're bang on, its green as fuck. Internet delivered software too, no cd's/dvd's, no big arse manuals, no boxes etc. Bit of a shame it's not being pushed as such really, you'd think the government would make something of it for a start. Promote this kind of thing to reduce waste charges or something?

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  3. I think it kind of helps that the rampant consumerism just isn't offering much technology wise right now. You can't expect everyone to dump their diddy little digicam for the one which is five megapixels instead of your four megapixel one - when the pictures look exactly the same. Computers is quite similar, the new technology Intel is trying to roll out there really doesn't offer you piss all except as a money sink.
    That said, some things are as bad as ever. Everyone jumps phones all the time because they just fancy a new one. That's pretty horrendous when you consider how expensive handsets actually are - manufacturing cost/environmental impact etc.
    All this shit is going to have to calm down. That said, Apple are doing their bit for pointless consumerism. The iPod photo. It's an iPod with a colour screen. Fuck off!

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  4. The colour iPod does have a market. Professional photographers who've made the switch to high end digital SLR cameras (yes, they do exist) no longer need to cart around a laptop, they can simply upload to an iPod photo using the Belkin digital camera link, it's more expensive than a 4GB compact flash but has 16 times the capacity and offers a preview feature.

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  5. Lol that's quite the dumbest thing I've heard. There's an absolute boat load of solutions for pro photographers out there. Jobs wasn't thinking of professional photographers with the iPod photo. He was thinking exactly the same thing as every other consumer electronics manufacturer. What can we add to this thing which will make people upgrade? For every professional photographer, a good, oh let's say 10,000 or so, deluded consumers will just believe they need it because it's the latest and greatest. Oh and they've got a camera too!

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  6. I need an iPod photo, my 4G iPod just isn't as shiny since the iPod photo came out. That's reason enough for me

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  7. Bleetox said: "high end digital SLR cameras (yes they do exist) no longer need cart around a laptop"
    Thanks for the heads up Bleetox, I kind of assumed there weren't any high end digital SLRs. You know - except mine, and the entire Nikon D1,D1H,D1X,D2X, Canon EOS-D and Fuji S2 ranges. Are they some sort of mythical objects only available down under once in a dream-state? :)
    To say professional digital SLR users would use a colour iPod to work with is hilarious. Hilarious, and untrue.

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  8. There's quite a few battery powered devices with memory card readers and direct USB OnTheGo capability to suck images for the semi pro and full fat professional photography market. Even Sitecom do a relatively cheap one with a big old 2.5-inch HD in it. Obviously professional photographers would prefer to review their images on their camera rather than on an iPod photo too, given the functions these cameras have and the fact that the photographer will be used to that display.
    In reality though, many professional photographers still prefer to carry a laptop. It's much better for reviewing (for themselves and clients) and retouching and they can cut a CD or DVD for the client on the spot. On the other hand, you've got nutters that just prefer to carry a bazillion expensive memory cards instead like the photographer on my last magazine.

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  9. A laptop is preferable because then your roving journalist can write up content (etc) on the move and e-mail words and pics back to base.
    Last time I looked, iPods were good for one thing only: MP3s. If I choose to buy a new iPod Photo (9 month old iPod battery dying already, quelle surprise Monsieur Jobs) I'll use the colour screen to look at album art. Which is nice...

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  10. Beej, I actually said. And pay attention now "Professional photographers who've made the switch to high end digital SLR cameras (yes, they do exist).
    The implication being that some pros have made the switch, not that SLR cameras exist.
    Pro photographers quite often work away from their car for hours at a time, shooting many gigs of photos. Carrying a laptop during this time is cumbersome, carrying a portable hard drive or a load of memory cards is an option, but why not use something that is self powered and can preview the entire days shooting once it's off the camera?
    There are professional devices like the image tank and digital wallet. They're basically the same size as an iPod, no preview mode or colour screen and not available in 60GB yet.
    So as for it being hilarious and untrue, perhaps you should do some research before peeing your pants.

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  11. Brit said that, not Beej. Brit and I both have worked with and continue to work with actual professional photographers in the real world as part of our jobs. That would be the 'research' which you probably should have done yourself before claiming that the iPod is the choice of the profession based on the fact that you happen to own one.
    You don't carry a laptop around, you simply empty the memory cards when they're full. I've already told you why previewing on the camera and a laptop is preferred. Even if they did want to do it like this, the iRiver H300 has been doing this shit well before the iPod photo was launched (you can actually walk into Dixons and buy one). The Sitecom MD100 (and previous models) a good while before that (without a screen) and so on.
    Honestly, if you're going to pick a fight one would have thought you'd do it on a subject you had the slightest fucking clue about!

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