ken1w's Profile

Great article. Lots to think about... The iPod is a great product, with or without iTunes Music Store and use of the FairPlay DRM. It is true that for many (maybe even most) iPod users, FairPlay versus PlaysForSure is mostly irrelevant because they do not buy songs online or do so infrequently. But to use an iPod, the iPod user does need one thing. A computer that can run a recent version of Mac OS X or Windows. The old Sony Walkman players of the 1980s did not need the user to supply anything else (except the music or course). A significant percentage of the population in Apple's target market areas are just not "computer users." Yes, they may own an old PC, but they don't "use it" in the same sense as "we who are into the technology" as a hobby or profession. But I'll bet they would still buy an iPod to get a great portable music player. That's how Apple increases iPod adoption going forward. Sell an iPod accessory that does all the supporting activities needed for the "iPod experience" (rip CDs, burn CDs, access iTMS via modem and toll free number, and backup user's library). Update the iPod to act as the interface, using screen and clickwheel for control of the device. Make it simple to do the things we currently need to own, boot up, and operate a computer to do. Apple may have already thought of this... That iBoombox rumor sounds interesting. If a competitor does such a combo package, it would be a good way to reach a portion of the market that is currently being ignored by everyone, including Apple.