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