| SANDISK, maker of the world's 2nd | | | | I feel like I'm being insulted. Hey, I'm not |
| best-selling mp3 player (behind Apple's iPod) | | | | a complicated guy so I won't go into the |
| has started a new anti-iPod advertising | | | | whole nitty-gritty of "Apple makes you do |
| campaign. You can read about it in detail | | | | this-and-that blah blah blah and it only |
| here: | | | | works with iTunes blah blah blah." |
| | | | |
| Here's the hoopla in a nutshell. SanDisk is | | | | I plug the iPod into my computer and the damn |
| said to be porting Rockbox, an open-source OS | | | | thing works. That's why I use it. |
| for digital music players (which supports | | | | |
| many different mp3 devices), onto its popular | | | | In my opinion, SanDisk's whole |
| e200 mp3 player. To bring the matter to | | | | "revolutionary" ad approach, however |
| public consciousness, SanDisk has started | | | | provocative, is ultimately misguided. For one |
| releasing the before-mentioned anti-iPod ads | | | | thing, SanDisk won't win me over by insulting |
| in an attempt to blatantly attack its | | | | me and comparing me to a monkey, puppet, |
| arch-nemesis, Apple. | | | | sheep, or any other kind of farm animal. |
| | | | Secondly, SanDisk's ads also evoke a |
| The ads depict graffiti-like illlustrations | | | | political edge, which makes no sense. For |
| made to resemble posters for an underground | | | | better or for worse, people buy iPods because |
| revolutionary movement. One shows a monkey | | | | they WANT TO, not because they're forced to. |
| sporting the iPod earbuds with the line "Are | | | | Furthermore, Apple allows its products to |
| you an iChimp?", and another is of a guy | | | | stand on their own merit and they never |
| strung up in white iPod cables like a | | | | insult people for not using them. Although |
| marionette, with the text: "Have you become | | | | Apple has poked fun at PCs in their own |
| an iPuppet?" | | | | internet and TV campaigns, it's a far cry |
| | | | from SanDisk's "Are you an iPuppet?" |
| Okay, okay. Mp3 competition is fierce- I get | | | | approach. |
| it. SanDisk wants to play rough- fine by me. | | | | |
| As far as I'm concerned, open source is good | | | | Perhaps I'm an iPod user who's taking this |
| stuff, and there's no doubt in my mind that | | | | whole thing a little too personally. But if |
| SanDisk makes a good product. Competition is | | | | the e200 and Rockbox are so great, which I'm |
| good for capitalism and the consumer. I'm not | | | | sure they are, maybe SanDisk should just tell |
| here to tout the technical prowess of one | | | | us why and let the people decide. |
| geek gadget over another. | | | | |
| | | | For all of SanDisk's anti-iPod effort, Apple |
| What I will comment on, however, is the | | | | could easily fire back and say SanDisk is |
| nature of the ads themselves. I took one look | | | | still #2, and 2nd place is the first loser. |
| at these things and I'll tell you right now | | | | Even if it's true, it would be insulting, |
| that I'm not going to switch from iPod to | | | | right? |
| e200. You know why? Because as an iPod user, | | | | |